Shot type is not decoration. It changes what the audience feels and what part of the scene they interpret as important.
Wide shots establish context
Use wide shots when the environment matters, when isolation matters, or when scale is part of the emotion.
Medium shots carry most of the work
They balance character and context. For many educational, documentary, and commercial scenes, they are the most useful default because they remain readable.
Close shots create intimacy
Close shots should be chosen deliberately. They invite the viewer closer to expression, detail, tension, or revelation.
Prompt the intention, not only the label
Instead of simply saying close-up, explain why the closeness matters. That extra direction usually improves the result.