Preparing for an engineering physics exam, one student uploaded lecture notes, PDFs and study material to NotebookLM. Because answers were grounded in his own sources, he could ask for explanations, chapter summaries and practice questions, and trace answers back to his notes.
Using only my uploaded notes, explain [TOPIC] simply, then give me [NUMBER] exam-style questions on it, starting easy and getting harder. After I answer, mark my answers and point me to the part of my notes that explains anything I got wrong.
A WIRED writer practised Japanese with ChatGPT's voice mode for a month before Tokyo, role-playing ordering food and small talk. By week three key phrases began to stick, and asking for more detailed feedback stopped it praising his mistakes.
Be a strict but friendly [LANGUAGE] tutor. I'm a beginner travelling to [CITY] in [WEEKS] weeks. Today, role-play [SCENARIO, E.G. ORDERING AT A RESTAURANT]. Correct my pronunciation honestly and don't tell me I did well unless I really did. End with the five phrases I should practise.
On Hacker News, one learner has Gemini write a daily story about something that happened on that date in history, using A2-level language, with a transliteration, vocabulary list and grammar tips, emailed to him around lunchtime.
Write a short story in [LANGUAGE] about a historical event that happened on [TODAY'S DATE]. Use only [LEVEL, E.G. A2] grammar and vocabulary. Then give me: a transliteration (if it uses a different alphabet), a vocabulary list from the story, and two grammar tips based on it. Vary the opening sentence each day.
On Hacker News, a German learner who needs to improve their listening said they have Claude write mini stories on different topics, then use ElevenLabs to narrate them.
Write a short story in [LANGUAGE] at [LEVEL, E.G. A2] level about [TOPIC], around [NUMBER] words. Use everyday vocabulary, short sentences and a bit of dialogue. After the story, list 10 key words with English meanings and three comprehension questions.
One learner's favourite use of ChatGPT's voice mode is learning German through a favourite song's lyrics, asking it to explain each word and correct his pronunciation.
I want to learn [LANGUAGE] by understanding the lyrics of '[SONG]' by [ARTIST]. Go through it a line at a time: explain what each word means, point out any grammar worth knowing, and then listen to me say the line and correct my pronunciation.
One learner uses ChatGPT's voice mode to practise Japanese: he picks a topic, has a conversation, and asks for more sophisticated vocabulary and idioms. He finds it works well at an advanced level.
Let's have a conversation in [LANGUAGE] about [TOPIC]. I'm at about [LEVEL] level. Speak at a natural pace. After every few exchanges, suggest more natural or sophisticated words and idioms I could have used, and correct one mistake.
One user asked Gemini to identify two birds in a photo. It said they were Asian glossy starlings, which looked right when he compared images online.
What bird is this? I took the photo in [LOCATION] in [MONTH]. Give your best identification, how confident you are, the features that point to it, and similar species it could be confused with.
One parent took a close-up photo of a symbol in their daughter's textbook and asked Gemini what it meant. They found the answer genuinely helpful.
Here's a photo from my child's [SUBJECT] textbook for [AGE/YEAR GROUP]. What does this symbol or diagram mean? Explain it simply, give one example, and suggest a question I could ask my child to check they understand it.
One user leans on Gemini Live for computer jobs: after helping him upgrade his laptop, it helped fix a network driver problem, check all the drivers, run a disk check and move on to Windows' memory diagnostics.
My [LAPTOP MODEL, WINDOWS/MAC VERSION] has this problem: [DESCRIBE, E.G. WI-FI KEEPS DROPPING]. Talk me through fixing it one step at a time, starting with the safest checks. Wait for me to tell you the result of each step before moving on, and warn me before anything that could lose data.
One user received a text she suspected was a scam and asked Grok to check it. Grok also explained how to forward the message to her mobile carrier to report it.
I've received this text message: '[PASTE THE TEXT, WITHOUT CLICKING ANY LINKS]'. Does it show signs of a scam? Explain which parts are suspicious, what I should do (and not do), and how to report it to my mobile network in [COUNTRY].
One user set his 89-year-old dad up with ChatGPT. When his dad struggled to read a letter, he showed him how to add the camera to a voice chat, and ChatGPT described the post, answered his questions and helped with next steps.
I'm going to show you a letter through my camera. Please read it out to me in plain English, tell me who it's from, what it's asking me to do and by when, and whether it looks like it could be a scam. Then help me decide what to do next.
One user set her mum, whose first language is Mandarin, up with ChatGPT's voice dictation. Her mum's first move was researching how to fill a crack in a pavement wall, settling a 20-year argument with her dad.
Please answer in simple [LANGUAGE, E.G. MANDARIN] and keep answers short. I'd like to know how to [TASK, E.G. FILL A CRACK IN A GARDEN WALL]. Tell me what materials I need, the steps, and any safety tips.
A New York tenant whose building's washer and dryer had been broken for over two years got a rent rise notice. She asked ChatGPT to act like a housing lawyer and draft a reply; it cited the local rent code, and the landlord fixed both machines that month.
Act as an experienced housing adviser. I rent in [CITY/COUNTRY]. [DESCRIBE THE REPAIR PROBLEM AND HOW LONG IT HAS LASTED]. I've reported it on [DATES]. My landlord has now [E.G. RAISED THE RENT]. Draft a firm, polite email that sets out the timeline, refers in general terms to the tenant rights that apply where I live, and asks for the repair by a specific date.
After his grandmother died, one user had Claude Code transcribe and organise the 411 voice memos she left (recipes, gossip, weather complaints) into a small site sorted by mood and date. His mum now uses it more than the photo album.
I have [NUMBER] voice memos recorded by [RELATIVE]. Help me plan a simple, private family archive: how to transcribe them, how to group them (e.g. recipes, stories, by year or mood), what to call each group, and how to present them so non-technical relatives can browse and listen. Suggest the simplest approach that doesn't need coding first.
On Hacker News, one user moving house said they feed floor plans into ChatGPT for layout ideas, like having an interior designer. It isn't always accurate, but it's enough to get them started.
Here's the floor plan of my new home: [UPLOAD OR DESCRIBE ROOMS AND MEASUREMENTS]. Furniture I'm bringing: [LIST WITH SIZES]. Suggest a layout for each room, flag anything that probably won't fit, and tell me what I should measure on the viewing to be sure.
Feeling overwhelmed before guests arrived, a Homes & Gardens writer gave ChatGPT her jumbled list of chores. It put them in a sensible order (tidy, declutter, dust, then vacuum, with sit-down tasks last) and explained why, which saved her time and energy.
Here's everything I need to get done at home before [DEADLINE]: [LIST CHORES IN ANY ORDER]. I have about [HOURS] hours. Put the tasks in the most efficient order, explain briefly why each comes where it does, add a quick tip for each, and schedule a short break halfway.
One user found you can give Gemini a photo of your living room and a photo of a painting and ask it to show the painting hanging on the wall.
Here's a photo of my wall and a photo of a picture I'm thinking of buying. Show me how the picture would look hanging [WHERE, E.G. ABOVE THE SOFA], at roughly [SIZE]. Then suggest the best height and whether a different size would suit the wall better.
One user uploaded a photo of their living room and asked Claude for style advice. Its first suggestion was, more or less, to try putting their stuff away first, which they admitted was fair.
Here's a photo of my [ROOM]. I'd like it to feel more [E.G. CALM, COSY, SPACIOUS] on a budget of [BUDGET]. Be honest: what are the three changes that would make the biggest difference, starting with free ones like decluttering or rearranging furniture?
Quoted $12,500 to landscape her front bed, a columnist gave ChatGPT photos, measurements, her growing zone and a $2,000 budget. Its seven-page planting plan was checked by a local nursery, and she finished the garden for about $2,000.
Help me plan a garden bed. Size and shape: [MEASUREMENTS]. Sun: [FULL/PARTIAL/SHADE]. Climate or hardiness zone: [ZONE/REGION]. Challenges: [E.G. DEER, CLAY SOIL, DROUGHT]. Style: [E.G. COTTAGE GARDEN]. Budget: [BUDGET]. Suggest plants for the back, middle and front, with spacing, a simple grid layout, a shopping list with rough prices and the best time of year to plant.
One gardener sent a single grapevine leaf photo to Grok without saying what plant it was. Grok recognised the vine, diagnosed powdery mildew and gave a treatment plan, while ChatGPT said the same plant looked healthy, which is a good reason to compare answers.
Here's a photo of a leaf from a plant in my garden in [REGION/CLIMATE]. What plant is it, and do you see signs of disease, pests or nutrient problems? How confident are you? If you see a problem, give me a treatment plan starting with the gentlest options.
One homeowner uses Gemini's camera feature for repairs, saying it helped them reset their breaker panel, fix the sump pump and find the shut-off valves, like having a technician on a video call.
I'm showing you [WHAT, E.G. MY FUSE BOX / UNDER MY SINK] through my camera. I'm trying to [GOAL, E.G. RESET A TRIPPED SWITCH / FIND THE WATER SHUT-OFF]. Tell me what you can see, then guide me step by step. Tell me straight away if this is something I should leave to a professional.
When his washing machine handle snapped and a new machine would cost £300 or more, one user had ChatGPT find the right replacement part for £20, along with instructions for fitting it.
The [PART, E.G. DOOR HANDLE] on my [APPLIANCE BRAND AND MODEL NUMBER] has broken. Help me identify the exact replacement part (with the part number if possible), what to search for, and step-by-step instructions to fit it safely. Here's a photo: [UPLOAD].
A 72-year-old mum, facing a three-day wait and a £180 call-out for her washing machine, asked ChatGPT what might be wrong. It suggested a solution and she fixed it herself: it was literally a button press.
My [APPLIANCE AND MODEL] is doing this: [DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS, ANY ERROR CODE, LIGHTS FLASHING]. Before I book a repair, what simple causes should I rule out, such as child locks, reset buttons, filters or settings? Give me numbered steps in plain English.
One homeowner says he has saved thousands over two years by using ChatGPT to troubleshoot and repair appliances that usually need expensive call-outs: both garage doors, the fridge, the dishwasher and the washing machine.
My [APPLIANCE, BRAND AND MODEL NUMBER] is [SYMPTOM, E.G. NOT DRAINING, MAKING A GRINDING NOISE]. It started [WHEN]. Walk me through troubleshooting from the simplest, safest checks first. Tell me clearly when I should stop and call a professional, and remind me to switch off the power first where relevant.
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