Five copy-paste prompts that explain any topic simply first, then add depth step by step, and check that you really understood it.
"Explain it like I’m 5" is one of the most useful things you can type into an AI chat. A single simple explanation often leaves gaps, though. You get the cartoon version and still feel lost when someone uses the real words.
The fix is to ask for the same idea at three levels: like you are 5, like you are a curious teenager, and like you are a college student. Each level builds on the last, so by the end you have the simple picture and the proper vocabulary. A short quiz at the end shows what actually stuck.
It works on almost anything: mortgages, inflation, black holes, how vaccines work, the offside rule, your phone contract. One caution: AI can sound confident and still be wrong, especially about recent events, numbers, law and medicine. Use it to understand, then check anything important with a trusted source.
Replace every [bracket] with your real details, then paste into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Grok.
Explain [topic] to me in three levels: first like I’m 5, then like I’m a curious teenager, then like I’m a college student. Keep each level short, and make each one build on the one before. End with 3 quick questions to check I really got it, and wait for my answers before telling me if I am right.
The core prompt. Answer the quiz honestly; the wrong answers show you what to ask next.
Explain [topic] using one everyday analogy, like something from cooking, sports or a video game. Then tell me exactly where the analogy breaks down, so I do not get the wrong idea. Finish with a one-sentence plain definition.
Good for abstract ideas like interest rates, encryption or electricity.
I keep seeing these words about [topic]: [list terms]. Explain each one in a single plain sentence, then show how they connect to each other in a short paragraph. Point out any two terms people often mix up.
Paste the words straight from the article or letter that confused you.
Here is some text I do not understand: [paste, with account numbers and personal details removed]. Explain it in plain English like I am smart but new to the subject. Then list anything I need to do, any deadlines, and any questions I should ask someone who knows.
Useful for contracts, bills, school letters and terms of service.
I just learned about [topic]. Here is my explanation in my own words: [write it]. Act as a friendly teacher. Tell me what I got right, correct anything wrong or missing, and give me one harder question to test whether I can apply it.
Explaining it back is the fastest way to find out whether you really understand something.
Situation: you are buying your first home and the lender keeps mentioning "amortization".
What you paste: "amortization" into Prompt 1. Level 1 says you pay back a big loan in small, equal pieces, and at first most of each piece goes to the lender’s fee for borrowing. Level 2 explains interest versus principal and why the balance drops slowly at the start. Level 3 adds the amortization schedule and how extra payments shorten the loan.
Next: the quiz asks why paying a little extra early saves more than paying it late. You get it half right, so you ask a follow-up, then use Prompt 3 on "APR", "escrow" and "points" from your loan estimate.
Ask for more than one level. "Explain [topic] like I’m 5, then like a teenager, then like a college student, and quiz me at the end" gives you the simple picture and the real terms, and the quiz shows what you missed.
Yes. These are plain-language prompts, so they work in any AI chat. Results vary a little between tools, and you can ask any of them to simplify or go deeper.
Treat it like a smart friend’s explanation: great for understanding the idea, not the final word. For money, health, legal or fast-changing topics, double-check the key facts with an official or expert source.
Real-life prompts for money, paperwork, planning and work, free in your inbox. Want the bigger collection? The $9 Prompts for Real Life pack goes further.