Complete beginnerLesson 2 of 56 min read
Understanding a document that goes over your head
A course from the Academy: The requests that are used every day
Go to the quiz ↓A quote, an insurance contract, a prescription, a letter from the administration. Text written by professionals, for professionals.
The prompt to copy
"I'm pasting a letter I received and don't understand. Explain in five sentences what they're asking of me, and what I risk if I do nothing."
Then paste the document's text after it, in the same message.
The two good questions to ask next
"What do I need to do, concretely?" This turns a text into a list of actions.
"Is there a deadline?" This is what people most often miss in an administrative letter.
The limit, and it's a serious one
On a document that commits you legally or financially, it's for understanding, never for deciding. It gives you the vocabulary and the questions to ask. The decision, and the advice if any is needed, remain the province of a competent human.
What to do now
Take an administrative letter you have on hand. Ask it for the five sentences, then the deadline.
Complete the lesson
A 4-question quiz: 3 correct answers are enough, plus an exercise to practise. It opens in the Academy, on this same lesson.
Take the quiz and complete the lesson Free. With an account, your progress is saved and leads to the course certificate.The course: The requests that are used every day
- Writing a letter you've been putting off for weeks.6 min
- Understanding a document that goes over your head6 min
- Getting anything explained at your own level5 min
- Comparing two options without spending all evening on it.5 min
- Translating, not just word for word5 min