To get a more useful answer from an AI assistant, explain the task, provide the information it needs, and describe what a successful response should look like. A prompt is simply the request you type. You do not need special vocabulary to write one.
This guide includes original, editable examples for everyday tasks. They are starting points, not tested promises of perfect results. Replace the bracketed text with your own details before using them. If you are choosing a tool, see our comparison of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Jump to an Example
- A reusable prompt template
- Write an email
- Summarize a document
- Learn an unfamiliar topic
- Compare options
- Improve the first answer
- Check before using the answer
A Reusable Prompt Template
Replace each bracketed field with information for your task. Include only material you are permitted to share, and check the response before using it.
Task: [What you want the assistant to do.]
Context: [Audience, source material, and relevant facts.]
Requirements: [Tone, length, constraints, and facts to preserve.]
Output: [The format you need, such as a subject line and email body.]
Missing information: Ask about essential gaps or mark them as unknown. Do not invent facts, dates, or commitments.
Example 1: Write an Email With the Right Tone
A request such as “Write a professional email” leaves the recipient, purpose, and desired action unspecified. Supply those details:
Draft an email to a customer whose delivery is delayed. Use these facts only: the original delivery date was [date], the revised estimate is [date], and the customer can contact us at [contact]. Apologize once, explain the revised estimate clearly, and invite questions. Use a calm, helpful tone in about 120 words. Include a subject line. Do not invent a reason for the delay or promise compensation.
Before sending, check the dates and whether the commitments match what you can actually offer. Replace private customer details with placeholders when they are unnecessary for drafting. If you already have a draft, see our AI email rewriting guide with before-and-after examples.
Example 2: Summarize Without Filling in Missing Facts
Summarize the document below for a colleague who has not read it. Use five bullets covering the main decision, supporting reasons, next actions, owners, and deadlines. Use only the supplied text. If an owner or deadline is absent, write “not stated.” Include the relevant section heading for each action when available.
Document:
[Paste the text you are permitted to share.]
Compare the summary with the original document. Asking the assistant to flag missing information helps define the task, but you still need to check whether the output follows that instruction. For a worked example and a review checklist, see our guide to summarizing documents with AI.
Example 3: Learn an Unfamiliar Topic
Explain cloud storage to an adult beginner who knows how to save files on a laptop. Use one everyday analogy, then explain where that analogy breaks down. Give a practical example of syncing a file and a separate example of keeping a backup. Finish with three short questions to check my understanding. Wait for my answers before showing the solutions.
For this example, you can compare the explanation with our Windows file backup guide. Giving your starting knowledge is more useful than simply requesting an “easy” explanation. To turn an explanation into practice, follow our AI study guide with quizzes and mistake review.
Example 4: Compare Options Against Your Priorities
Compare the two options using only the specifications pasted below. My priorities, in order, are portability, battery life, and price. Create a table for those three criteria, mark missing information as “unknown,” and explain which option fits the stated priorities better. Separate advertised specifications from any measured results in the material. Do not invent current prices or test results.
Option A: [Details]
Option B: [Details]
Use the same units and comparable evidence for both options. If you need current information, provide dated sources or use a tool with browsing and check the pages it cites.
Improve the First Answer With Specific Feedback
Instead of saying “make it better,” identify the change you want. Anthropic’s prompt troubleshooting advice emphasizes clear, specific instructions.
Keep the facts and overall conclusion. Shorten the introduction to two sentences, replace unexplained jargon, and add one concrete example. Return the revised version only.
If the style is still wrong, include a short sample of the style you want. For a large task, request an outline first, review it, and then ask for the full draft.
Check Before Using the Answer
Review factual claims, calculations, links, and any promises the text makes. Open cited pages and confirm they support the claim. Treat instructions to “be accurate” as a request, not evidence of accuracy. Keep a prompt that worked, but review the result each time you reuse it with new material.
Choose the next check
Before relying on a factual response, verify its sources and dates. For multilingual messages, use the translation workflow to preserve conditions and numbers. For sales copy, start with verified product specifications so a more detailed prompt does not become a source of invented claims.
For another task, browse the AI guides by workflow.