Lesson 1: Writing Good Prompts

What You'll Learn

What a "prompt" is and why the way you ask changes the answer you get
Five simple habits for writing prompts that get better results
How to improve a weak prompt step by step using real, everyday examples

What Is a Prompt?

A prompt is just the message you type to an AI tool. It is your instruction or question. The AI reads your prompt and writes a response based on it.

Here is the key idea: the AI cannot read your mind. It only knows what you tell it. If your request is vague, the answer will probably be vague too. If your request is clear and detailed, the answer is usually much better. Think of it like ordering at a restaurant. "I'll have food" gets you a confused look. "I'll have the small cheese pizza, no onions" gets you exactly what you want.

Five Habits for Better Prompts

You do not need fancy words or secret tricks. Just keep these five things in mind.

Be specific. Say exactly what you want. Instead of "tell me about dogs," try "list five dog breeds that are good for small apartments."
Give context. Share the background the AI needs. Who are you? What is the situation? For example, "I'm a first-time dog owner who works from home."
Say who it's for. A message for your boss sounds different from a text to a friend. Tell the AI the audience and the tone, such as "friendly and casual" or "formal and professional."
Give an example of what you want. If you have a format or style in mind, show it. "Write it as a short bulleted list," or "match the tone of this sentence: ..."
Iterate. Your first answer is a starting point, not the final word. If it is not quite right, tell the AI what to change: "Make it shorter," or "add a friendlier greeting."

Before and After: An Email

Watch how a weak prompt becomes a strong one.

Weak prompt:

Write an email about being late.

This is too vague. Late for what? Who is reading it? How sorry should it sound? The AI has to guess everything.

Improved prompt:

Write a short, polite email to my manager, Sam, letting them know I'll be about 30 minutes late to work tomorrow because of a dentist appointment. Keep it professional and reassure them I'll catch up on anything I miss.

Now the AI knows the audience (your manager), the situation (running late, dentist), the tone (polite and professional), and what to include (a reassurance). The result will be far more usable.

Before and After: Planning a Trip

Weak prompt:

Plan a trip.

Improved prompt:

Help me plan a relaxed 3-day weekend trip to a beach town for two adults who love good food and quiet mornings. We're driving, our budget is modest, and we'd rather have a few great activities than a packed schedule. Give me a simple day-by-day plan.

The improved version tells the AI the length, the people, their interests, the budget, and the style of trip. Compare that to "plan a trip," where the AI does not even know the destination.

Notice the pattern in both examples: the strong prompt answers who, what, why, and how. You do not have to get it perfect on the first try. Start with a clear prompt, read the answer, and refine from there.

Key Takeaways

A prompt is your instruction to the AI, and clearer instructions get better answers.
Be specific, give context, say who it's for, show an example, and iterate.
Treat the first response as a draft you can improve, not a final result.