AI basics · How-to
How to write prompts that get useful answers the first time
A five-part formula that works in any AI chat tool, with before-and-after examples.
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Level
- Beginner
- Works with
- Any AI chat tool
- You get
- A reusable prompt formula
Quick answer
Give AI five things: a role to play, the task, the context it needs, the format you want back, and any limits like length or tone. Put them in one message. If the first answer misses, say what to change rather than starting over.
Why most prompts fall short
Short prompts like "write an email to my landlord" leave AI guessing. It fills the gaps with generic choices, so you get a generic answer.
The five-part formula
Role
Tell it who to be: "You're a friendly, practical tenant advocate."Task
Say exactly what you want: "Write a short email asking for a repair."Context
Give the facts it can't guess: what broke, when, and what you've tried.Format
Say what to hand back: "Under 120 words, with a clear subject line."Limits
Add tone or rules: "Polite but firm. No legal threats."
Prompts to try
You're a [role]. [Task]. Here's what you need to know: [context]. Give me [format]. Keep it [limits].
That's close. Keep the structure, but make it [shorter / warmer / more specific] and remove [what you didn't like].
Common mistakes
Avoid: Starting a new chat when the answer is close.
Instead: Say what to change. AI remembers the conversation.
Avoid: Pasting a whole document with no question.
Instead: Say what you want to know about it first.
Common questions
Do prompts need to be long?
No. A clear three-sentence prompt beats a vague paragraph. Add detail only where the answer went wrong.
Does the same prompt work in every AI tool?
Mostly. The five-part formula works in any general AI chat tool. Answers will differ a little between tools.