Now that you've created your OpenAI account and sent your first message to ChatGPT, you're probably wondering:
“How do I ask better questions to get better answers?”
That’s exactly what this tutorial will help you master.
✅ What You’ll Learn:
What a "prompt" is and why it matters
Simple prompt structures for beginners
Examples of good vs. bad prompts
Tips for refining ChatGPT's responses
Bonus: prompt templates for common tasks
💬 What is a Prompt?
A prompt is the message or instruction you give to ChatGPT to start a conversation or ask for help.
It can be as simple as:
“What’s the capital of Japan?”
Or more complex:
“Act as a professional CV writer and help me improve my resume for a data analyst role in the tech industry.”
The quality of the output depends heavily on the clarity of the input—your prompt.
🛠️ Basic Prompt Tips for Beginners
Here are a few guidelines to get much better results from the start:
1. Be Specific
Vague:
"Tell me about history."
Better:
"Give me a brief overview of World War II from a European perspective."
2. Give Context
Instead of:
“Write a post.”
Try:
“Write a 150-word LinkedIn post about the benefits of remote work for digital marketers.”
3. Set a Role or Tone
You can ask ChatGPT to play a role or use a specific tone. For example:
“Act like a travel guide and suggest a 5-day itinerary in Italy.”
“Explain this concept like I’m a 12-year-old.”
“Write in a funny, informal tone.”
4. Set a Format or Output Style
Want bullet points, tables, or lists? Just ask:
“Give me 5 bullet points summarizing the key causes of climate change.”
“Create a comparison table between hybrid and electric cars.”
🔁 Examples: Bad vs. Good Prompts
| Bad Prompt | Improved Prompt |
|---|---|
| “Help with CV” | “Act as a recruiter and help me improve my CV for a senior marketing position.” |
| “Write something about AI” | “Write a short blog post (200 words) introducing AI to non-technical professionals.” |
| “Tell me what to do in Paris” | “I’m visiting Paris for 3 days. What are the top attractions, including hidden gems?” |
✨ Bonus Tip: Use Follow-Up Questions
Don’t hesitate to ask follow-up questions!
“Can you simplify that?”
“Rewrite this in a more formal tone.”
“Add examples to explain better.”
“Translate that to Spanish.”
The real power of ChatGPT comes from building a conversation, not just asking one question.
📄 Prompt Templates for Common Tasks
Here are some ready-to-use prompts you can copy and tweak:
✍️ Writing:
“Write a professional email requesting a meeting to discuss project updates.”
🧳 Travel:
“Plan a 3-day itinerary in Rome with a focus on history and food.”
📚 Learning:
“Explain blockchain technology like I’m a high school student.”
👩💻 Job Help:
“Give me 3 questions I can ask in a job interview for a data analyst role.”
📈 Marketing:
“Create 5 Instagram captions for a coffee shop’s weekend promo in a fun tone.”
🧠 Final Thoughts
Learning to write better prompts is the key to unlocking ChatGPT’s full potential. Think of ChatGPT like a smart assistant: the more clearly you communicate what you need, the better it will respond.
Next up, we’ll take this further by showing you how to use ChatGPT for real-life tasks—like writing, planning, learning, and more!
👉 Stay tuned for the next article:
“10 Everyday Tasks You Can Do with ChatGPT”