---
title: "Prompt basics, asking properly — StudioMeyer Academy"
description: "Context, task, format. Why 80% of bad AI answers are caused by bad prompts."
canonical: "https://studiomeyer.academy/en/lernwege/loslegen/gut-fragen/03-prompt-basics"
language: en
image: "https://studiomeyer.academy/og/academy-og-share.png"
publisher: "StudioMeyer Academy, https://studiomeyer.academy (llms.txt: https://studiomeyer.academy/llms.txt)"
---

## The three-part formula

A good prompt has three parts. If one is missing, the answer is weak.

**1\. Context.** Who you are, why you're asking, what you already know. **2\. Task.** What exactly the model should do. **3\. Format.** What the answer should look like (length, structure, tone).

## Bad vs. good

Bad: "Write me something about AI."

Good: "I'm giving a talk to 30 craft businesses who have never worked with AI. Write me a 2-minute intro in plain English, no buzzwords. Tone: honest, no hype."

The second prompt gives the model audience, length, language, tone. The answer is immediately usable.

## What you should leave out

- "Please" and "could you maybe", that's filler, makes the prompt longer without adding anything
- Contradictory instructions ("short but detailed")
- Vague time pressure ("as fast as possible")

## The one-question rule

Ask one question per prompt. If you need three things, make three prompts. The model delivers better single answers than combos.

## Next step

In Lesson 4 you'll learn what context means technically and why the model "forgets" in long chats.

You can read everything freely. An account keeps your progress saved.

[Sign in](https://studiomeyer.academy/en/login?next=%2Fen%2Flernwege%2Floslegen%2Fgut-fragen%2F03-prompt-basics)

Get started · Module 2 of 4

## Ask good questions

[Afterwards: Limits and safety](https://studiomeyer.academy/en/lernwege/loslegen#module-grenzen-und-sicherheit) [Back to learning path](https://studiomeyer.academy/en/lernwege/loslegen)

## Your notes

Sign in to save your own notes for this lesson.

[Sign in](https://studiomeyer.academy/en/login?next=%2Fen%2Flernwege%2Floslegen%2Fgut-fragen%2F03-prompt-basics)

## Sitemap

Public pages of this site as Markdown: [sitemap](https://studiomeyer.academy/sitemap.md). Curated entry point: [llms.txt](https://studiomeyer.academy/llms.txt), full text: [llms-full.txt](https://studiomeyer.academy/llms-full.txt).