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Fundamentals

Ten that work across every domain and every AI model. Learn these and you get noticeably more out of every prompt you write.

AI answers what you ask, not what you mean. The more you give, the more you get back.

1. Role assignment

You are an experienced [role] with deep knowledge of [area]. [Task]. Match the language to a professional audience.

2. Specify the output

[Task]. Respond as [a bullet list / an email / a report / three options / max 200 words].

3. Chain-of-thought

[Task]. Think this through step by step before giving your final answer.

4. Context + analysis

Here is the background: [context]. Analyze this and surface the three most important insights I should act on.

5. Unsure? Ask for options

I’m unsure about [topic]. Present three possible approaches as bullet points, with pros and cons for each.

6. Formatting

Present the answer as [a table / bullet list / numbered list / running prose / headings and subheadings]. Use [format] to make the information easy to scan.

7. Anti-hallucination

[Task]. If you don’t know something with certainty, say so explicitly. No guessing — flag every uncertainty clearly.

8. Constrain scope

[Task]. Stay strictly within [topic]. Ignore anything that falls outside [boundary].

9. Iterate on the output

[Paste previous answer]. Good — redo it but focus more on [aspect]. Cut to a maximum of [X words].

10. Structured format

[Task]. Respond exactly in this format:
Summary: (1–2 sentences)
Key points: (3–5 bullets)
Next steps: (concrete actions, numbered)

Legal

Prompts for contract analysis, risk assessment, legal communication, and due diligence.

IMPORTANT: AI is input, not a legal opinion. Always have qualified counsel review before you act.

1. Contract analysis

You are a senior contracts lawyer. Analyze this agreement and identify: (1) the parties’ main obligations, (2) clauses that are risky for my client, (3) missing standard provisions. Present as a numbered list per category. [Paste the contract text]

2. Risk flagging

Walk through this contract and flag every clause that could be unfavorable to the buyer. Rank each risk as High / Medium / Low and explain why in one sentence. [Paste the contract text]

3. Plain-language summary

Summarize this legal document in plain English. Max 300 words. Include: what we commit to, what we can demand, and what happens if the contract is breached. [Paste the document]

4. GDPR review

You are a data protection lawyer with GDPR expertise. Review this section and assess whether it meets the requirements for a data processing agreement. Cite specific articles and any gaps. [Paste the text]

5. Force majeure assessment

A counterparty is invoking force majeure due to [event]. Contract clause: [paste the clause]. Assess: (1) does the event fall within the clause’s definition, (2) was unforeseeability required and has it been met, (3) are there notification requirements that may have been breached. Provide a preliminary assessment per question and flag which factual circumstances most affect the outcome.

6. Argument brief

We are arguing for [position] in a dispute about [topic]. List the three strongest legal arguments for our side and the three strongest counterarguments, so we can prepare.

7. Legal letter

Write a formal letter to [counterparty] regarding [matter]. Tone: firm but professional. Include: the factual background, legal basis, what we are demanding, and a deadline for response. Background: [describe the situation]

8. Due-diligence checklist

Create a due-diligence checklist for a [type of transaction] in [industry]. Organize by category: legal, financial, personnel, IP, and contracts. Prioritize the five most important items per category.

9. Clause improvement

The following clause is unclear and potentially risky: [paste the clause]. Rewrite it so that it is legally clear, protects our side, and is still acceptable to the counterparty.

10. Liability assessment

Describe the sequence of events: [context]. Assess: (1) negligence requirement or strict liability, (2) adequate causation, (3) duty to mitigate damages. Provide a preliminary liability assessment and flag which factual circumstances most affect the outcome.

Medicine & Health

Prompts for clinical documentation, patient communication, diagnostic support, and educational material.

IMPORTANT: AI lacks the patient’s history and your clinical judgment. Decisions are always made by qualified healthcare staff, never by a model.

1. Differential diagnosis

You are an experienced clinician. Patient: [age, sex]. Symptoms: [list]. History: [background]. Generate a broad differential diagnosis list organized by likelihood: High / Medium / Low. Include which investigations should be prioritized.

2. Chart summary

Summarize these chart notes into a clinical summary of at most 200 words. Highlight: primary diagnosis, current treatment, and what requires follow-up. [Paste the chart text]

3. Patient communication

Explain [diagnosis/treatment] to a patient with no medical background. Avoid jargon. Include: what it means, what happens next, what the patient can do themselves, and when they should seek care again.

4. Evidence summary

Summarize the current evidence on [treatment/diagnosis] for a clinician. Include: strength of evidence, current guidelines, and any controversies. Flag if the information may be out of date.

5. Treatment plan draft

Help me structure a draft treatment plan for a patient with [diagnosis]. Include: treatment goals, suggested interventions, follow-up intervals, and what should trigger reassessment.

6. Drug interactions

Patient is taking: [medication list]. We are considering adding [new drug]. Identify clinically relevant interactions and rate them: Critical / Significant / Mild. Always confirm against the current drug reference.

7. SOAP note

Write a structured SOAP note based on this patient encounter: [description]. Format: S (Subjective), O (Objective), A (Assessment), P (Plan).

8. Informed consent

Draft an informed consent form for [procedure]. Include: purpose, how it is performed, risks, alternatives, and the right to refuse. Language should be readable for a patient with no medical background.

9. Referral draft

Write a referral draft to [specialty/recipient]. Include: brief history, current findings and status, work-up performed, a clear question for the recipient, and urgency. Keep it short and fact-based per professional standards. Patient: [age, sex]. Background: [paste].

10. Triage assessment

Given this clinical presentation: [description]. Which priority level do you suggest and why? Which red flags should we actively monitor? Present as: Priority / Rationale / Monitor.

Marketing

Prompts for copywriting, campaign planning, audience analysis, and channel-specific content.

Good copy makes people feel something. AI gives you the structure — you bring the voice, warmth, and tone. Always read it through and ask: does it feel like us?

1. Campaign brief

Write a campaign brief to launch [product/offer]. Include: goal, audience, key message, channels, and KPIs. Format: structured headings, max 1 page.

2. Audience analysis

Analyze the audience for [product/service]. Describe: demographics, psychographics, buying behavior, most common objections, and which message lands best. Present as a clear customer profile.

3. Ad copy, three versions

Write three variations of ad copy for [product] aimed at [audience]. Variant 1: problem-focused. Variant 2: solution-focused. Variant 3: social proof. Max 50 words per variant.

4. Email sequence

Create a 5-step welcome sequence for new subscribers to [product/service]. Each email: subject line, 150-word body, and one clear call to action. Tone: [warm / professional / energetic].

5. Social media weekly plan

Create a weekly plan with 5 posts for [platform] about [topic/product]. For each post: headline, copy (max 150 words), relevant hashtags, and recommended posting time.

6. Value proposition (Jobs-to-be-Done)

For [audience] who needs [Job-to-be-done]. Today’s solution fails because [friction/limitation]. Our product delivers [outcome] through [unique mechanism]. Write three versions of the value proposition: one outcome-focused, one friction-focused, and one identity-focused. Max 2 sentences per version.

7. Landing page copy

Write landing page copy for [offer]. Include: hook (headline), problem statement, solution description, three key benefits, social proof, and a clear CTA. Max 400 words.

8. A/B headlines

Write 5 alternative headlines for [landing page/ad/email]. Test: curiosity angle, number/statistic, direct challenge, negative framing, and identity-based message.

9. Tone and voice profile

Analyze these three examples of our communication: [paste]. Describe our current brand voice and provide a 3-point style guide for future content.

10. Content strategy

Build a 90-day content plan for [channel] with the goal of [goal]. Break it down by month with theme, format, frequency, and link to the business goal.

Finance & Accounting

Prompts for budget analysis, financial reporting, scenario modeling, and investment decisions.

IMPORTANT: Numbers don’t lie, but models can run on bad data. Always verify against the source system and let the responsible accountant take the final step.

1. Budget analysis

Analyze this budget: [paste data]. Identify: (1) line items with the largest variance against plan, (2) possible areas for savings, (3) line items that are underfunded. Present as a table followed by a brief narrative comment.

2. Scenario modeling

Build three financial scenarios (base, upside, downside) for [product/business unit] next quarter. Drivers: [e.g., growth rate, churn, headcount]. Present as a table with assumptions visible per scenario.

3. Report summary

Summarize this financial report for a non-financial audience: [paste]. Max 200 words. Highlight: results vs. target, the most important variances, and what it means going forward.

4. KPI review

We have these KPIs: [list]. Analyze which are leading indicators, which are lagging, and which are missing to give a complete picture of [business goal].

5. Investment decision memo

Help me structure a decision memo for the investment [description]. Include: purpose, expected return, risk, alternative uses of capital, and a clear recommendation.

6. Cash flow analysis

Analyze this cash flow: [paste]. Identify: periods of liquidity risk, abnormal patterns, and concrete actions to improve working capital.

7. Risk assessment

List the five biggest financial risks for [business/project] over the next 12 months. Rank by likelihood and impact. Suggest one concrete mitigation per risk.

8. Board update

Write a monthly financial update to the board based on: [key figures]. Tone: fact-based and clear. Max 1 page. Format: Actuals / Variance vs. plan / Action.

9. Cost optimization

Analyze these costs: [list]. Identify the three best areas for optimization without putting business-critical functions at risk. Suggest concrete actions and estimated savings per action.

10. Forecast assumptions

We base our revenue forecast on these assumptions: [list]. Review them critically — which are most uncertain, which have the largest impact, and what happens if the most important ones miss by 20%?

HR & Recruiting

Prompts for recruiting, onboarding, performance reviews, evaluation, and HR documentation.

HR is about people, not text. Always check against employment law, and read everything through with your eyes on the actual person it concerns.

1. Job posting

Write a job posting for the role [title] at [company/industry]. Include: role description, key responsibilities, requirements, nice-to-haves, and what we offer. Tone: [professional / warm / direct]. Avoid clichés like "driven" and "flexible".

2. Interview questions (STAR)

Generate 10 behavioral interview questions in STAR format for the role [title]. Focus on the competencies: [list 3–5 competencies]. Include what a strong answer indicates for each question.

3. 30-day onboarding plan

Create a 30-day onboarding plan for a new [title]. Break it down by week with: focus areas, meetings to book, systems to learn, and what the person should have achieved by the end of the period.

4. Performance conversation

Help me prepare a performance conversation with [role] who has [performance description]. Suggest: opening questions, discussion topics, how to raise [sensitive topic] constructively, and concrete next steps.

5. Rejection letter

Write a rejection letter to a candidate who applied for [position]. Tone: respectful and clear. Include: appreciation for their interest, the decision, and a brief rationale. Avoid wording that could create grounds for a dispute.

6. Offer letter

Write an offer letter to [candidate] for the role [title]. Include: welcome greeting, role title, start date, compensation, benefits, reporting structure, and clear signing instructions.

7. Performance review

Write a draft performance review for [name/role] based on: [performance description]. Format: Strengths (3 points), Areas to improve (2 points), Goals for next period (3 points), Overall summary.

8. Pulse survey

Create an 8-question pulse survey to measure employee engagement. Include questions about: well-being, leadership, development, and belonging. Mix of Likert scale (1–5) and one open-ended question.

9. Handbook section

Write a section for our employee handbook on [topic, e.g., remote work policy / sick leave]. Tone: clear and friendly. Cover: what the policy says, how to handle it in practice, and who to contact with questions.

10. Skills gap analysis

We have these roles on the team: [list]. Our strategic goals next year are: [goals]. Analyze the skills gap and prioritize what we should build internally vs. recruit externally.

Engineering

Prompts for code review, architecture discussion, debugging, documentation, and technical specifications.

IMPORTANT: AI-generated code can look right and still be wrong. Always test — security issues and edge cases don’t show up on a quick read-through.

1. Code review

Review this code as a senior engineer. Identify: bugs, security issues, performance bottlenecks, and best-practice violations. Provide concrete code examples for improvements. [Paste the code + language/framework]

2. Architecture discussion

We are building [system/feature]. Existing stack: [list]. Describe three possible architectural approaches with: trade-offs, scalability, complexity, and your recommendation for our specific situation.

3. Debug an error

I’m getting this error: [paste error message + stack trace]. Context: [language, framework, what I’m trying to do]. Analyze the root cause and provide a step-by-step fix.

4. Technical documentation

Write technical documentation for this code/API: [paste]. Include: purpose, parameters, return values, usage examples, and known limitations. Format: Markdown.

5. Security analysis

Analyze this code from a security perspective with focus on the OWASP Top 10. Rank vulnerabilities as Critical / High / Medium and provide specific remediations for each. [Paste the code]

6. API design

We are designing an API for [feature]. Suggest: endpoints, HTTP methods, request/response format, and error codes. Justify the design decisions and flag any edge cases to handle.

7. Refactoring

This code works but is hard to maintain: [paste]. Refactor it to improve readability and testability without changing the behavior. Explain each change you make and why.

8. Technical spec

Write a technical spec for [feature/system]. Include: background and purpose, functional requirements, non-functional requirements, proposed solution, alternatives considered, and open questions.

9. PR description

Write a pull request description for this change: [summary of what was done]. Include: what changed, why the change was made, how to test it, and any risks or side effects.

10. Technical debt

Analyze this codebase/component: [description]. Identify the five biggest sources of technical debt. Rank by impact on productivity and risk. Suggest a prioritized order to address them.

Education

Prompts for lesson planning, assessment design, concept explanations, and student communication.

You know your students. AI doesn’t. Let what you know about the group shape everything you bring into the classroom.

1. Lesson plan

Create a lesson plan for [subject] for [age group/level]. Include: learning objectives, schedule ([X] min), activities, materials needed, and how you close the lesson with reflection.

2. Assessment items

Create 5 assessment items for [subject/course] that test [competency]. Include a mix of: multiple choice, short answer, application, and analysis tasks. State the points per item and what is required to pass.

3. Explain a concept

Explain [concept] to a [age group/background]. Use: a simple definition, an everyday analogy, and a concrete example. End with a check-for-understanding question that reveals whether the student got it.

4. Three difficulty levels

Adapt this text/task to three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Keep the core content the same but adjust language, depth, and demands per level. [Paste original text/task]

5. Elaborative questions

Create 8 open why and how questions that force the student to connect [new concept] to prior knowledge. Research on elaborative interrogation shows this drives deeper retention than fact-recall questions. Include one strong and one weak example answer per question, so I can calibrate grading.

6. Feedback on student work

Give constructive feedback on this student work: [paste]. Format: What works well (2–3 strengths), What can be improved (2–3 points with concrete suggestions), and one clear next step.

7. Discussion questions

Create 8 discussion questions about [text/topic] for [age group]. Include: 3 fact questions, 3 analysis questions, and 2 reflection questions with no single right answer. Questions should encourage critical thinking.

8. Course syllabus development

Help me structure a syllabus for [course] at [level]. Include: learning objectives, content overview per module, assessment formats, and recommended reading. Base it on: [background/context].

9. Parent communication

Write an information letter to parents about [topic/activity/change]. Tone: warm and clear. Include: what is happening, why, how it affects the child, and what parents can do to support.

10. Activity design

Design a [20/45/60]-minute classroom activity about [topic] for [age group]. The activity should be [hands-on / collaborative / creative]. Include: purpose, step-by-step instructions, and how you assess whether it went well.

Sales

Prompts for prospecting, proposal writing, objection handling, follow-up, and deal analysis.

People buy from people they trust. AI gives you the skeleton — you bring the context, personality, and feel for that specific customer.

1. Prospecting email

Write a cold prospecting email to [role] at [type of company]. Background: [trigger event or reason for contact]. Max 100 words. Focus: their problem, not our product. End with a low-friction question.

2. Price objection

The customer says: "It’s too expensive." Write a response that doesn’t discount but reframes the value. Context: [product, customer type, the problem we solve]. Max 150 words. Tone: calm and persuasive.

3. Proposal structure

Help me structure a proposal to [customer] for [service/product]. Include: problem statement in the customer’s own terms, proposed solution, deliverables, timeline, price, and guarantees. No generic phrases.

4. Follow-up email

Write a follow-up email to [contact] after [meeting/demo/proposal] [X] days ago. Reinforce the value, address the most common hesitation, and propose a clear next step. Max 80 words.

5. Discovery via MEDDIC

I’m running a discovery meeting with [role] at [type of company]. Generate 2 open questions per MEDDIC element: Metrics (how success is measured), Economic buyer (who owns the budget), Decision criteria (what determines the choice), Decision process (how the decision gets made), Identify pain (what hurts today), Champion (who drives our case internally). No question may be answerable with yes or no.

6. Value proposition by segment

We sell [product] to three segments: [A, B, C]. Write a unique 2-sentence value proposition for each segment, based on their specific priorities and pain points.

7. Competitive comparison

We frequently compete against [competitor]. Write an objective comparison: what they’re better at, what we’re better at, and in which situations we win. Intended for internal preparation, not sales material.

8. Closing strategy

The deal with [customer] has been stuck for [X] weeks. Situation: [describe]. Suggest three concrete next steps to create movement, ranked from least to most direct.

9. Case study request

Write an email to a happy customer asking for a case study or reference. Tone: grateful and respectful of their time. Explain how we’ll use it, make it easy to say yes, and offer to do the work for them.

10. Win/loss analysis

We lost/won the deal against [competitor]. The customer chose [them/us] because [reason]. Analyze: what it says about our positioning, what we can learn, and what we should change in our sales approach going forward.

Public Sector

Prompts for decision memos, consultation responses, citizen communication, official statements, and plain language.

IMPORTANT: Government writing carries responsibility. Always have it reviewed by an authorized official, and check it against current legislation and internal guidelines.

1. Decision memo

Write a decision memo for [action/decision]. Include: background, purpose, alternative courses of action, impact analysis, recommendation, and proposed decision. Formal administrative language, max 2 pages.

2. Consultation response

We are responding to the consultation [name/description]. Our position is [for/against/partial]. Write a structured consultation response: summary of our position, justification, any proposed amendments, and a closing.

3. Citizen communication

Write information for citizens about [decision/change/service]. Requirements: plain language, avoid bureaucratic jargon, explain why the decision was made, what it means, and what the citizen should do. Max 250 words.

4. Policy document summary

Summarize this policy document/inquiry for internal communication: [paste or describe]. Highlight: purpose, the most important proposals, what it means for our operations, and what we may need to act on.

5. Press release, government

Write a press release about [decision/news]. Structure: headline (fact-based), lead paragraph (5W), body (3 paragraphs), quote from [official/title], and contact details. Formal but accessible tone.

6. Implementation plan

We are implementing [decision/reform] from [date]. Create an implementation plan with: activities, responsible functions, timeline, dependencies, and identified risks. Present quarter by quarter.

7. Impact assessment

Conduct an impact assessment for [action] covering: economic impact, impact on citizens, legal aspects, and gender-equality impact. Flag if further investigation is needed.

8. Official statement

Write an official statement on [matter] to [committee/board]. Include: case description, background, assessment, proposed decision, and rationale. Formal administrative language per municipal standard.

9. Plain-language rewrite

Rewrite this government text in plain language without changing the meaning. Guidelines: active voice, short sentences, no negated verbs, direct address, avoid abbreviations. [Paste the text]

10. Meeting minutes

Write meeting minutes based on these notes: [paste raw notes]. Format: date/place/attendees, numbered agenda items, decisions clearly marked, and owner + deadline per action item.

Common questions

What is a prompt?

The instruction you give an AI model. It can be a question, a task, or a full brief. The clearer the prompt, the better the answer.

How do I write better prompts?

Give the model a role, a task, and a format. Describe who it should be, what it should do, and what the answer should look like. Concrete examples improve results more than extra adjectives.

What is few-shot prompting?

Showing the model a few examples of the desired answer before it starts. Two or three good examples are often enough to set both tone and structure.