Updated: 31 October 2026

Ask a teacher for a recommendation

This prompt writes an email requesting a recommendation letter, telling them what it is for, the deadline, how they know you and the achievements you would like them to mention.

text-recommendation-letter-request — chatgpt — 61 words

Write an email asking [TEACHER OR MANAGER] to write a recommendation letter for me.

What it is for: [PROGRAMME OR JOB]
Deadline: [DATE]
How they know me: [CONTEXT]
Achievements I would like them to mention: [ACHIEVEMENTS]

Make it polite, specific and easy to say yes to, and give them the option to decline. Add a checklist of what I should attach.

Edit in the builder Copy & open ChatGPT ↗Copy & open Gemini ↗Copy & open Claude ↗

Ask at least four weeks ahead and send a short summary of your achievements.

Get a better result

What you will get

A polite, specific email asking for a recommendation, giving the purpose, deadline and how the person knows you, listing achievements to mention, offering an easy way to decline and a checklist of attachments.

Common mistake

The achievements list is vague.

Fix: Give numbers and dates, such as “top mark in the Year 12 physics project, May 2026”, so the writer can quote them directly.

Also watch for

The deadline is next week. Ask at least four weeks ahead, as the tip says. If you are late, say so in the email and offer a short draft of points to help.
How to submit the letter is missing. Add the submission method, such as an upload link sent by the university, so the writer is not chasing you for it.

Try a variation: ask a former manager

Change the person to a manager from a job you left, and ask for a line that reminds them of a project you did together.

Still not right? Reply with this

Write a short thank-you note I can send once the letter is submitted, and a one-line update to send later when I hear the result.