The recipe: five parts of a good prompt
A prompt is just the message you type. You don't need special words. You need to tell it the five things you'd tell a new colleague.
| Part | What to say | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Who you are, or who it should be | "I run a small dog-grooming business." |
| What | The job, in one plain sentence | "Write a reminder text for customers who are due a visit." |
| Why and who for | What it's for and who will read it | "It's for regulars. I want them to book, and not feel nagged." |
| Details | The facts it can't guess | "We're open Tuesday to Saturday. Booking is by text to this number." |
| Shape | Length, tone and layout | "Friendly, under 40 words, two versions." |
Prompt 1
The recipe, ready to fill in
Copy this, fill in the brackets, and delete any line you don't need.
I'm [who you are]. I need [the job, in one sentence]. It's for [who will read or use it], and the aim is [what you want to happen]. Things you should know: [facts, names, dates, rules]. Make it [length], in a [tone] tone, as [a list / an email / a table / steps].
Tip: You don't need all five every time. Who, What and Shape get you most of the way.
Ten replies that improve any answer
The first answer is a draft. Reply to it. Each of these is a whole message you can send.
| When the answer is… | Reply with |
|---|---|
| Too long | "Cut this in half. Keep the most useful parts." |
| Too formal | "Make it sound like a friendly person wrote it." |
| Too vague | "Be specific. Give real examples." |
| Not quite right | "Closer. Change [this part], keep the rest." |
| Not like you | "Rewrite it in my style. Here's how I write: [paste a few lines]." |
| Hard to follow | "Explain it as if I'm new to this." |
| Possibly wrong | "How sure are you? What should I double-check?" |
| One-sided | "What's the argument against this?" |
| Unfinished | "What have I missed?" |
| Good | "Great. Now turn it into [an email / a checklist / a text message]." |
Ten starters for everyday jobs
- Write: "Draft a reply to this message. I want to say yes, but not until next week: [paste it]."
- Shorten: "Sum this up in five bullet points for someone in a hurry: [paste it]."
- Explain: "Explain [a topic] in plain English, with one everyday example."
- Plan: "Make me a step-by-step plan to [the goal] by [the date]. I have [time] a week."
- Decide: "I'm choosing between [A] and [B]. Ask me five questions, then tell me which fits."
- Check: "Read this as a critical customer would. What's unclear or missing? [paste it]"
- Tidy: "Turn these rough notes into a clear list of actions with owners: [paste them]."
- Practise: "Be the interviewer for a [job] role. Ask me one question at a time and give feedback."
- Compare: "Put [these options] in a table: cost, time, and who each one suits."
- Learn: "Teach me [a skill] in ten minutes. Start by asking what I already know."
Prompt 2
The one to use when you don't know what to ask
You have a problem, and no idea how to put it.
I want help with [the problem, in your own words]. Before you answer, ask me up to five questions, one at a time, so you understand my situation.
Three rules to keep you safe
- Nothing private goes in. No passwords, bank details, or other people's personal information. Swap names for "Customer A".
- Check what matters. AI can be confidently wrong. Check names, numbers, dates, quotes and anything legal, medical or about money.
- You're the editor. Read it before you send it. It goes out under your name, not the AI's.