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12 prompt techniques

The technique tags on every prompt are this list. Each page compares a good and a bad example and links to the prompts that use it.

Five starter techniques, in order

  1. 1 Assign a role
  2. 2 Give context
  3. 3 Pin down the task
  4. 4 Specify the output format
  5. 5 Constraints
  6. Try them in the builder

Four kinds of blocks

01 Role
Assign a role
"You are an editor with 10 years of experience" — one line sets the level
112 prompts use this
02 Context · Material
Give context
Situation, purpose and reader — the same question gets a different answer
127 prompts use this
03 Task · Work
Pin down the task
Verb + object + scope. The gap between "sort this out" and "just the to-dos"
145 prompts use this
04 Format · Output
Specify the output format
Fix the table, list, length and field order and the result is usable as it is
263 prompts use this
05 Constraints · Output
Constraints
Write down don'ts, length, tone and banned words to head off the usual mishaps
196 prompts use this
06 Input · Material
Fence off the input
Wrap pasted material in """ so it does not get mixed in with your instructions
99 prompts use this
07 Example · Material
Show an example
Show one or two of the results you want and the format and tone follow
58 prompts use this
08 Steps · Work
Think step by step
Have it write out the working first, then reach a conclusion
56 prompts use this
09 Ask back · Work
Have it ask back
Have it ask for the information it is missing before it answers
52 prompts use this
10 Self-check · Work
Self-check
Have it check its own answer against the conditions and fix what is off
53 prompts use this
11
Chaining
Break a big job into several separate prompts
50 prompts use this
12
Ask for revisions
"Shorter", "three options", "more formal" — fix it with a follow-up
55 prompts use this