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How to prompt better

An AI assistant is very good at doing what you ask, and very literal about it. The better you describe what you want, the better the answer. Four questions are enough for almost everything.

The four questions

  1. 1. GoalWhat do you want in the end? A finished email, a decision, a plan, an explanation?
  2. 2. BackgroundWhat does the AI need to know? Who is it for, what happened so far, what do you already have?
  3. 3. LimitsWhat must it do, and what must it avoid? Length, tone, language, things you do not want.
  4. 4. Done whenHow will you know the answer is good? Name the result you expect.

What you say, and what works better

An email

Often writtenWrite an email to my landlord.

Works betterWrite a short, polite email in German to my landlord. The heating in the living room has not worked for three days. I would like a repair this week. Please keep it under 120 words, use the formal address and finish with a clear request for a date.

A problem with a program

Often writtenMy code does not work.

Works betterThis PHP page shows a blank screen after I upgraded to PHP 8.4. Here is the error message and the 20 lines around it. First explain the likely cause in two sentences, then show the smallest change that fixes it.

Learning something new

Often writtenExplain DNS.

Works betterExplain what a DKIM record is. I run IT for a small company and know what DNS is, but I have never set up email security. Use one simple example with a made-up domain, and end with the three most common mistakes.

Planning

Often writtenPlan my week.

Works betterPlan my work week. I have three hours a day for my own project and need Wednesday afternoon free. These are my tasks: (list). Put the most important one first and tell me what you left out.

Seven habits that help

  1. Say who it is for. An answer for a ten-year-old looks different from an answer for an expert.
  2. Give an example. Paste a text you like and write: "Use this style."
  3. Say what you do not want. "No jargon." "No bullet points." "Do not guess."
  4. Ask one thing at a time. Long wish lists get thin answers. Split big jobs into steps.
  5. Let the AI ask you. Add: "Ask me up to three questions first if something is unclear."
  6. Improve instead of starting again. Reply with "shorter", "more friendly" or "now as a table".
  7. Check what matters. An AI can sound sure and still be wrong. Verify numbers, dates, names, and anything about money, health or law.

A template to copy

Goal: I want … Background: Some context: … Limits: Please keep it …, use a … tone, and avoid … Done when: The answer is good if … Before you start: Ask me up to three questions if anything is unclear.

Last reviewed: 23 October 2026. AI assistants change quickly, so we check this page every month and update it when the advice changes.

AI answers can contain mistakes. Never type a password, a seed phrase or a private key into any AI assistant. This page gives general tips and is not legal, financial or medical advice. Questions? Use the chat on this page or write to [email protected].