Paraphrase the problem you think the user is solving and the outcome they want, so any misunderstanding shows up before work begins. Use for "/in-your-own-words", "tell me what you think I want", or before starting on a long or messy request.
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---
name: in-your-own-words
description: Paraphrase the problem you think the user is solving and the outcome they want, so any misunderstanding shows up before work begins. Use for "/in-your-own-words", "tell me what you think I want", or before starting on a long or messy request.
---
# in-your-own-words
Before doing anything, tell the user what you think they want. Do not quote them back to themselves: a paraphrase forces you to commit to an interpretation, and a quote hides whether you have one.
1. State what you believe the user's goals are.
2. State the problem you believe they are trying to solve, which may differ from the task they described.
3. Name any point where you had to guess, so the user can correct it.
Then stop. Do not start the work until the user confirms or corrects your understanding. If they want the prompt itself improved instead, that is the [`sharpen` skill](../sharpen/SKILL.md).
