Stage 1 of 5
Ask AI: writing clear prompts
About 30–40 minutes. Progress: 0%.
What is a prompt?
A prompt is the message you type to an AI tool. The AI only knows what you tell it, so the more useful context you give, the more useful the reply tends to be.
A tailored prompt usually covers four things:
- Role — who the AI should act as.
- Task — what you want done.
- Audience — who the result is for.
- Output format — how the answer should look (length, list, table, tone).
AI can still be wrong even with a great prompt. Always read the reply and check facts, numbers, and names.
Generic vs tailored
Generic
Write an email to a customer.
The AI has to guess the reason, the tone, the length, and who it's writing to.
Tailored
You are a calm, professional customer service manager. Your task: write a reply to a customer whose order arrived two days late. The audience is a frustrated first-time customer. Format the answer as a short email with an apology, a clear explanation, and one goodwill offer.
Each of the four parts removes a guess, so the first reply is closer to what you need.
Prompt builder
Fill in any of the fields. Your prompt updates as you type. Nothing here is sent to an AI — copy it and try it yourself.
Your composed prompt
Suggested examples for Everyday Learner
No path selected, so you're seeing Everyday Learner examples. Choose a path.
- explain how compound interest works
- plan five weeknight dinners using pantry staples
Exercise: one idea, three audiences
Pick a topic. Copy each prompt into ChatGPT or Claude and compare the replies. Notice how the audience changes vocabulary, length, and examples.
For a 10-year-old
Explain compound interest to a 10-year-old. Use language and examples that fit them, and keep it under 150 words.
What to look for: Short sentences, everyday comparisons (like a lemonade stand), no jargon.
For an MBA student
Explain compound interest to an MBA student. Use language and examples that fit them, and keep it under 150 words.
What to look for: Business framing, real-world examples, terms like ROI or opportunity cost are fine.
For a math professor
Explain compound interest to a math professor. Use language and examples that fit them, and keep it under 150 words.
What to look for: Precise definitions, formulas, and edge cases; skips the basics.
Try it yourself
Open one of these tools in a new tab, paste your prompt, and read the reply carefully. This app does not run AI or show AI answers — the results you get are your own.
Privacy: keep confidential information out
- Don't paste client names, contracts, financial records, passwords, or health details into AI tools.
- Replace real details with placeholders, like "[Client A]" or "a mid-size retailer".
- Check your account's data settings and your client agreements before sharing any work material.
- When in doubt, leave it out — or ask the client first.
Reflection
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Exercise checklist
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