The `FIX` Prompt for Writing Errors

When this helps: You’ve written a draft but it feels messy, clunky, or unprofessional. You need to clean it up before you send it, but you don’t have the energy for a detailed edit.

One-Tap Reset (If You’re Foggy)

I'm foggy. Please slow down, 3 bullets, plain words.

Real Example (Before → After)

Your draft:

i need to get the report done by friday it has to have the latest sales figures included and be sent to maya. its realy important i dont miss the deadline because she needs it for the board meeting.

What you get with FIX:

I need to get the report done by Friday. It has to have the latest sales figures included and be sent to Maya. It’s really important I don’t miss the deadline because she needs it for the board meeting.

The Prompt (Copy This)

Fix all grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in this text. Keep the original meaning and tone:

[PASTE YOUR DRAFT HERE]

Voice-First Cue (For Dictation)

Say this into your phone or computer:

“Fix the errors in this text” (then paste the text)

What AI Will Give You

After you paste your draft, the AI will:

1. Correct spelling mistakes (realy → really).
2. Fix punctuation (adding periods, commas, and apostrophes).
3. Capitalize sentences correctly.
4. Clean up awkward phrasing without changing your core message.

Typical response time: 10-20 seconds

Variations for Different Situations

To Also Improve Clarity

Fix all errors and improve the clarity of this text. Make it more concise and easier to read:

[PASTE TEXT]

To Keep a Casual Tone

Fix all errors, but keep the tone casual and friendly, like I'm talking to a coworker:

[PASTE TEXT]

To Make it More Formal

Fix all errors and rewrite this to be more formal and professional for a senior executive:

[PASTE TEXT]

Pro Tips

See the changes: Add: “After you fix it, show me a list of the changes you made.”

For non-native speakers: Add: “I am not a native English speaker. Please fix any unnatural phrasing.”

To check for a specific error: Add: “Specifically check for passive voice and correct it.”

Quick Reference

Why This Works

The “FIX” trigger:

• It’s a direct command that tells the AI its primary job is proofreading, not creative writing.
• It focuses the AI on objective errors (spelling, grammar) first, which is a task it excels at.
• By default, it preserves your original voice and intent, acting as a safety net rather than a co-writer.

The psychology:

• Editing requires a different type of brain energy than writing. When you’re foggy, it’s hard to switch modes.
• This prompt outsources the low-level, detail-oriented work of proofreading, saving your limited energy for the core message.

Works across all AI platforms:

• ChatGPT (free or paid)
• Claude (free or paid)
• Microsoft Copilot
• Google Gemini

Troubleshooting

“The AI changed my meaning.”

• Your original text might have been very ambiguous. Try again, but add: “Keep the meaning of the original text exactly.” Or, fix the one sentence the AI got wrong and run the prompt again.

“The tone is too formal/casual now.”

• Add a constraint: “Fix errors but keep the tone exactly the same.”

“It didn’t catch an error I know is there.”

• Be specific: “Fix all errors, and specifically check for [the error you see].”

Next Steps

Just learned FIX? Try these next:

1. The rewrite simple Prompt for Brain Fog - For when you need to simplify, not just fix.
2. The shorter Prompt for Concise Writing - For when you need to cut words.
3. The TL;DR Prompt for Long Emails - To summarize text before you reply.

Note: This is a powerful proofreading tool, but it’s not infallible. For very important documents, it’s always a good idea to have a human read it over if possible.

Part of the MS & AI resource library. Built by someone who gets it, for people who need systems that work on hard days.