What you get from AI depends a lot on what you ask. A vague request gets a vague answer. A clear request gets something much closer to what you need. The good news is that a clear prompt follows a simple pattern you can learn in a few minutes.
A "prompt" is just the message you type into the AI tool: your instructions.
The four parts
1. Role and task. Tell the AI who to act as and what to do. "You are an office assistant at a small accounting firm. Write a reminder email..." The role sets the tone and vocabulary. The task is the job itself, stated plainly with an action word: write, summarize, rewrite, list, compare.
2. Context. Give the background a smart new hire would need. Who is the reader? What happened? What should the result help with? "The reader is a long-time client who has missed two document deadlines. We want to stay friendly but be clear." Keep context general. You can describe the situation without sharing names, account numbers or private details. Our guide to what never goes into AI covers that.
3. Constraints. Say what limits the answer should follow:
- Length: "under 120 words" or "five bullet points"
- Tone: "warm and professional" or "plain and direct"
- Format: "an email with a subject line," "a table with two columns," "a numbered checklist"
- What to avoid: "no jargon," "don't promise a specific date"
4. Example. If you have a sample of what good looks like, include it. "Here is a reminder we sent before that worked well: [sample with names removed]. Match this style." An example is often the fastest way to get the tone right.
Put it together
Here is a weak prompt:
"Write an email about missing documents."
Here is the same request using the four parts:
"You are an office assistant at a small bookkeeping firm. Write a reminder email to a client who has not sent their quarterly receipts. The client is friendly and usually reliable, so keep it warm, not scolding. Keep it under 120 words, include a subject line, and end with a clear request to upload the receipts by [date]. Use [Client Name] as a placeholder for the name."
The second prompt takes a little longer to write and saves several rounds of fixing.
You do not need all four parts every time. For a quick rewrite, role and task may be enough. For anything going to a customer, use all four.
Keep the conversation going
Your first prompt is a starting point. Most good results come from one or two follow-ups:
- "Make it shorter."
- "Make the tone more formal."
- "Turn this into a bulleted list."
- "Give me three different subject lines."
- "What did you assume that I should check?"
That last one is especially useful. It asks the AI to point out the guesses it made, so you know where to look.
Give it permission to say "I don't know"
AI tends to produce an answer even when it does not have one. You can reduce this by saying so directly in your prompt:
- "If you are not sure of a fact, say 'I don't know' or mark it [CHECK] instead of guessing."
- "Only use the information I've given you. If something is missing, ask me."
These lines do not make the AI perfect. They do make it more likely to flag gaps instead of filling them with invented details, and that makes your checking easier.
Key points
- A good prompt has four parts: role and task, context, constraints, and an example.
- Describe the situation in general terms. You don't need real names or private details to get a good draft.
- Use follow-up messages to adjust length, tone and format, and to ask what the AI assumed.
- Tell the AI it may say "I don't know" or mark items to check, rather than guess.
Four-part prompt template
Copy this, fill in the brackets, and delete any part you don't need for a quick task.
- Role and task: You are a [role] at a [type of business]. [Write / Summarize / Rewrite] [what you need].
- Context: The reader is [who, in general terms]. The situation is [what happened, no names or account details].
- Constraints: Keep it [length]. Use a [tone] tone. Format it as [email / bullet list / table]. Do not [what to avoid].
- Example: Here is a sample of the style I want: [sample with names and details removed].
- Honesty line: If you are not sure of a fact, say 'I don't know' or mark it [CHECK]. Don't guess.
- Follow-up: What did you assume that I should check?