Prompt basics, asking properly
Context, task, format. Why 80% of bad AI answers are caused by bad prompts.
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.