Writing a good prompt: the 4-part method

An AI assistant answers what you write, not what you mean. The more precise the request, the better the result.

1. Give context

   Say who you are and what the result is for: “I'm a technician and need to explain this fault to a non-technical customer.”

2. Describe the task precisely

   Replace “summarise this text” with “summarise this text in 5 bullet points for an email to my manager”.

1. Show an example

   Paste an example of the output you want, or one you don't want. AI matches a model far better than a description.

2. Set the format

   State length, language and shape: table, list, code, formal or casual tone.

   Context: …
   Task: …
   Example: …
   Format: table, 10 rows max, in English

   promptCopy

Good to know : Always check figures, links and commands from an AI before you use them.