Correct and rewrite a text with an AI

Have you written an email, a letter or a text, and you are not sure about the spelling or the tone? An AI can read your text, correct it and rewrite it in a few moments. The method below works with most of the AIs presented on this site.

Paste your text and say what you want

Copy your text into the AI’s chat box, then tell it what you expect. You have three options:

• correct: spelling and grammar;
• rewrite: make the text simpler, more polite or shorter;
• both at the same time.

Without a clear instruction, the AI does not know what to do. The more precise your request, the more useful the result.

Correct without changing the meaning

First, ask for a simple correction. Say that the meaning must not change and that the [square brackets] must stay as they are.

Example request Correct the spelling and grammar of the text below. Do not change the meaning. Keep the [square brackets] as they are. [paste your text here]

Rewrite to get the effect you want

To change the tone, say the effect you want: simpler, more polite, shorter, or a different tone (warmer, firmer). Ask for two or three versions so you can choose the one that suits you.

Example request Rewrite this text in a more polite tone, for a person I do not know. Suggest 3 short versions. Keep the [square brackets] as they are. [paste your text here]

Compare before and after

Ask for a list of the changes the AI made. Accept or reject each change. Do not take the final text without having looked at what changed.

Example request List the changes you made, one by one, with the original word or sentence and the modified version.

Proofread it yourself

The AI can make mistakes. It may change a meaning without saying so, or invent a detail that seems correct. Check in particular:

• the names of people and companies;
• the numbers and dates;
• the overall meaning of each sentence.

Keep your original version so you can compare.

A well-written text is not necessarily accurate. Always proofread before sending.

Protect your data

The CNIL, the French authority that oversees personal data, advises avoiding as much as possible entering personal data into a generative AI. Never share confidential information.

So replace your personal information with [square brackets] before pasting the text. You can also ask the AI to do it for you, by listing the information to protect:

Example request Correct this text. Replace my name, my address, my phone number and my file number with [square brackets], without rewriting them. [paste your text here]

To go further, read AI, personal data and reliability.

Good habits

• Check: always compare the corrected text with the original, especially names, numbers and dates.
• Protect your data: replace personal information with [square brackets] before sending your text.
• Reread: read the result aloud before sending or printing it.
• Be precise: state the tone, the length and what must not change.

To go further:

• Reply to an email with an AI
• Write a letter in Word with an AI
• Write a good request for an AI (the “prompt” is the text you type to the AI)