Summarizing a long piece of text isn't always as simple as asking AI to "summarize this."
Sometimes you need the main argument. Sometimes you need only the important facts. You might want a beginner-friendly explanation, a short executive summary, or a list of actionable points.
The prompts below are designed for those different situations. Replace the bracketed sections and paste them directly into ChatGPT.
1. General Summary
Summarize the following text in clear, concise language.
Focus on the main ideas and remove repetition, minor details, and unnecessary examples.
Do not add information that isn't present in the original text.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
2. Summarize in 5 Key Points
Read the following text and reduce it to exactly 5 key points.
Each point should represent an important idea from the original text.
Do not include minor details or repeat the same idea.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
3. One-Paragraph Summary
Summarize this text in one paragraph.
Include the central idea, the most important supporting points, and the conclusion if one is provided.
Keep it concise and easy to understand.
Do not introduce outside information.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
4. Beginner-Friendly Summary
Explain the following text to someone who knows nothing about the subject.
Use simple language and explain important technical terms when necessary.
Focus on what the reader needs to understand rather than preserving the original wording.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
5. Executive Summary
Create an executive summary of the following document.
Include:
- Main purpose
- Most important findings
- Key decisions or conclusions
- Important risks or limitations
- Recommended next steps, if stated in the document
Do not invent recommendations that aren't present in the source.
Document:
[PASTE TEXT]
6. Extract Only the Important Facts
Extract the most important factual information from this text.
Ignore opinions, repetition, promotional language, and unnecessary background information.
Present the result as a bullet list.
Do not add facts from outside sources.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
7. Summarize a Research Paper
Summarize this research paper for a general reader.
Organize the summary into:
- Research question
- Method
- Main findings
- Limitations
- Conclusion
Clearly distinguish what the researchers found from what the results might suggest.
Paper:
[PASTE TEXT]
8. Summarize Meeting Notes
Turn these meeting notes into a concise summary.
Separate the information into:
- Main discussion points
- Decisions made
- Action items
- People responsible for actions, if specified
- Deadlines, if mentioned
Do not assume missing responsibilities or deadlines.
Meeting notes:
[PASTE NOTES]
9. Summarize a Long Article
Summarize this article for someone who doesn't have time to read the full version.
Start with a 2-sentence overview.
Then provide the 7 most important points.
Finish with the article's main conclusion.
Keep the summary faithful to the original article.
Article:
[PASTE ARTICLE]
10. Extract Actionable Information
Read the following text and extract only the information that can be acted upon.
Organize it into:
- Action
- Why it matters
- Important details
- Deadline or condition, if mentioned
Do not turn general statements into recommendations unless the original text explicitly recommends them.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
11. Compare Two Texts
Compare these two texts and summarize the most important similarities and differences.
Use these sections:
- What they agree on
- What they disagree on
- Important differences in evidence or reasoning
- Key takeaway
Do not decide which position is correct unless the evidence in the texts clearly supports that conclusion.
Text A:
[PASTE TEXT]Text B:
[PASTE TEXT]
12. Summarize Without Losing Numbers
Summarize this text while preserving all important numbers, percentages, dates, measurements, prices, and statistics.
Do not round, alter, or invent numerical information.
Explain briefly what the most important numbers represent.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
13. Summarize a Technical Document
Summarize this technical document for a reader with basic knowledge of the subject.
Explain the main concepts without removing important technical details.
Keep essential terminology, but briefly explain specialized terms when needed.
Separate confirmed information from assumptions or proposed ideas.
Document:
[PASTE TEXT]
14. Find the Main Argument
Identify the central argument of the following text.
Then provide:
- Main claim
- Supporting arguments
- Evidence used
- Counterarguments mentioned
- Conclusion
Use only information contained in the text.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
15. Summarize a Book Chapter
Summarize the following book chapter.
Include:
- What happens or what is discussed
- Important characters or concepts
- Major developments
- Important ideas
- How the chapter ends
Keep the summary faithful to the supplied text and do not add events from other chapters.
Chapter:
[PASTE TEXT]
16. Turn a Summary Into a Table
Summarize the following text in a table.
Use these columns:
Topic | Main Point | Important Detail | Evidence or Example
Only include information supported by the original text.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
17. Create a 100-Word Summary
Summarize the following text in approximately 100 words.
Prioritize the central argument and the most important supporting information.
Do not sacrifice accuracy simply to reach the word count.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
18. Find What the Text Leaves Unanswered
Analyze the following text and summarize what it explains clearly and what important questions remain unanswered.
Create two sections:
- Clearly answered: Important questions the text addresses.
- Still unanswered: Important questions the text does not resolve.
Do not assume an unanswered question has a particular answer.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
19. Summarize a Long Text for a Presentation
Turn this long text into presentation-ready notes.
Create 6–8 sections.
For each section provide:
- Short heading
- 3–5 key points
- One important statistic, example, or fact if available
Keep the information faithful to the original text and remove unnecessary detail.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
20. Create a Layered Summary
Create a layered summary of the following text.
Level 1: Summarize the entire text in one sentence.
Level 2: Summarize it in 5 key points.
Level 3: Expand each key point with the important supporting details from the original text.
Keep all three levels consistent with one another.
Do not introduce information that isn't in the source.
Text:
[PASTE TEXT]
Which Prompt Should You Use?
For a normal article or webpage, Prompt 1 or Prompt 9 is usually enough. If you need a very short overview, Prompt 3 or Prompt 17 works better.
For research material, Prompt 7 helps separate the research question, method, findings, and limitations. For meetings, Prompt 8 focuses specifically on decisions and action items.
If the original text contains important statistics, Prompt 12 is particularly useful because it explicitly tells AI to preserve numerical information.
For large documents where you want different levels of detail, Prompt 20 creates a useful progression from a one-sentence overview to a more detailed explanation.
One important rule applies to all of these prompts: give AI the source material and tell it not to invent information. A shorter summary is only useful when it remains faithful to the original.
For more copy-ready AI prompts, browse the Prompt Library. For broader prompting techniques and explanations, explore the Guides section.
