Learn about anything with these prompts

In a world where information is infinite but time is notoriously short, the most valuable skill you can own is knowing how to ask. Think of these prompts as high-performance lenses that allow you to zoom into the core of a subject, stress-test your own logic, and bridge the gap between "I’ve heard of that" and "I truly understand it.”

How to use these prompts: Paste them and edit the relevant placeholders with your topic. You can run them in your favourite LLM apps.

The "ELI5" (Explain Like I'm Five) analogizer

This prompt strips away jargon from a topic and hooks new info onto things you already know so you understand something fundamentally and with the latest info.

Ask AI to - “Explain [Topic] to me like I’m a total beginner. Use a relatable real-world analogy—like a kitchen, a sports team, or a smartphone—to explain the 'big picture.' Avoid all technical jargon for now."

This prompt peels back the jargon and "hooks" new ideas onto things you already know.

Tip: If you are a visual learner, ask AI to “create a clean, educational, infographic-style diagram explaining the [topic]. The style should be flat vector art on a clean white background. Include clear, bold text labels pointing to the primary components. Ensure the layout is uncluttered and highly legible.”

The Socratic tutor

Try this prompt to learn about topics that require deep understanding, critical thinking, and analysis rather than simple rote memorization.

Ask AI to –"Act as a Socratic tutor for [Topic]. Don’t give me the direct answers to my questions. Instead, ask me leading questions that help me arrive at the conclusion myself. Let’s start with the basics: what is the fundamental purpose of this concept?"

Tip: Keep the conversation flowing by responding in the chat and have the AI ask you leading questions.

The Feynman technique

The best way to know if you’ve learned something is to try and teach it back. This prompt helps you do that.

Ask AI to –"I want to learn [Topic]. I am going to explain my current understanding of it to you. Please listen, then point out the 'knowledge gaps' in my explanation, correct any misconceptions, and ask me one challenging question to deepen my understanding."