Prompts that get you a better answer

Tips for a better answer

• Bullet points are fine for your notes, even scrappy ones. The AI finds the words; you make the decisions.
• Not quite right? Reply with what to change, such as “warmer, and shorter”, rather than starting again.

An example, filled in

Help me reply to an email. It’s from Sam, a colleague in another team I’ve worked with a few times, and it’s about joining a project kick-off and writing up a summary report afterwards. What I want to say, in rough notes: yes to the kick-off on Tuesday at 2pm; no to the report this month, as I’m on leave; happy to help with the next one. Write a reply of no more than four sentences, in a friendly tone. Use plain English and UK spelling, and don’t add anything I haven’t said. Give me two versions to choose from.

Tips for a better answer

• A clear no near the start is kinder than one buried in apologies. Ask the AI to check it can’t be read as a maybe.
• Read it aloud before you send it. If you wouldn’t say it to their face, change it.

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I need to turn down a request and keep a good relationship. The request: give a talk at a charity quiz night on 14 March. It’s from Jo, who runs our local residents’ group; we’ve met a few times. My reason, if I want to share it: I’m away that weekend. What I can offer instead: I could record a two-minute video message for them to play on the night. Write a short message, under 100 words, that says no clearly in the first two sentences, thanks them, and doesn’t over-apologise or make excuses. Make it warm. Give me one version for email and one for a text or chat message.

Tips for a better answer

• Use the AI tool your employer has approved for work email, signed in with your work account.
• Check every quoted date and figure against the thread before you act on it.

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Summarise this email thread in no more than six bullet points, under three headings: Decided, Still open, and What I need to do. I’m the project lead, who has to agree the launch date. For any date, deadline, figure or promise, quote the exact words from the thread, so I can check it. If people disagree, say who disagrees about what. Don’t add anything that isn’t in the thread, and keep the tone plain and neutral. The thread: PERSON A: Can we move the launch to 14 May? PERSON B: Only if the final figures are in by 2 May. PERSON A: I’ll ask the project lead. PERSON C: Marketing needs a firm date by Friday, or we lose the advert slot.

Tips for a better answer

• Send the actions within a day, while everyone still remembers agreeing to them.
• Working from a transcript instead of notes? Check the actions against it: AI can mix up who said what.

An example, filled in

Here are my rough notes from a meeting about planning the summer open day: open day 21 June. JB to book marquee? budget 2k max. KT posters by end May. need volunteers, who asks? parking: talk to the school. Turn them into three sections: Decisions, Actions (as a table with Action, Owner and Due date) and Open questions. Only use what’s in my notes: if an action has no owner or date, write “to agree” rather than guessing. Keep it short, clear and friendly enough to paste into an email to everyone who was there.

Tips for a better answer

• Only record or transcribe a meeting when everyone knows and has agreed, using the tools your employer allows.
• Check every decision and figure in the summary against the transcript before you send it on.

An example, filled in

Summarise the meeting transcript below for people who weren’t there. The meeting was about choosing a supplier for the office phones, and the people were chair, finance lead, IT lead and the office manager. Start with a three-sentence summary, then list the decisions, the actions (who, what and by when) and the open questions. Quote the exact words for any decision, deadline or figure, so it can be checked. If people disagreed, say about what. Leave out small talk, don’t add anything that wasn’t said, and keep the tone neutral. The transcript: CHAIR: So, two quotes. FINANCE: Supplier A is £4,200 a year. Supplier B is £3,900, but it’s a three-year contract. IT: B’s phones are older models. CHAIR: Let’s go with A if they’ll match B’s price. FINANCE: I’ll ask them by Friday.

Tips for a better answer

• Ask for “no jargon”, and name any word your line of work overuses.
• Compare the two versions side by side. You decide which changes to keep.

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Edit the text below so it’s clearer and shorter, for parents at our primary school. Use plain English, short sentences and UK spelling. Keep my meaning, my facts and my voice, and don’t add new points. Aim for about 60 words. Then list the three biggest changes you made and why, so I can learn from them. My text: Further to recent communications, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all parents and carers that, with effect from Monday 3 March, the school gates will be locked at 8.50am promptly, and any pupils arriving subsequent to this time will be required to enter via the main office, where they will be signed in.

Tips for a better answer

• Write the summary last, but put it first: busy readers may read nothing else.
• Check every figure in the finished report against its source, even ones the AI only repeated.

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I need to write a four-page report for our charity’s trustees about whether to open our helpline in the evenings. What I want readers to do after reading it: approve a six-month trial of evening opening. The facts and figures I already have: calls after 6pm have doubled this year; two volunteers can do evenings; the phone system can handle it at no extra cost. Give me an outline with: a one-paragraph summary to write last; four to six section headings in a logical order; the two or three points each section should make; and the evidence each point needs, marked “I have this” or “I need to find this”. Keep the language plain and the outline short. Don’t invent figures or sources.

Tips for a better answer

• For anything recent, use an assistant that can search the web, and check the date on what it finds.
• Ask for sources, then open them: an assistant can name a real report and still get what it says wrong.

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I need to get up to speed on heat pumps for deciding whether to replace our gas boiler. What I know already: they run on electricity, and there may be grants. Give me a plain-English briefing of under 300 words: what it is, why it matters, the main points of view, and three terms I’ll hear, each explained in a sentence. Then suggest five good questions to ask an expert. Tell me which parts are well established and which are disputed or changing fast, and say so if your information may be out of date.

Tips for a better answer

• Spot-check two or three findings against the report itself before you rely on the summary.
• Ask “what would someone who disagrees with this report say?” to find its weak points.

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Summarise the report below for my team, who will decide whether to read the full thing. Give me: a three-sentence summary; the five key findings, each with the section or page it comes from; the evidence behind each finding (survey, data, case studies or opinion); and anything a reader might expect that the report doesn’t cover. Quote figures exactly as the report gives them. Write in plain, neutral English, and if the report doesn’t say something, don’t fill the gap. The report: the full text of the council’s public consultation report on changes to local bus routes

Tips for a better answer

• Try it on something you agree with, too. It’s the best way to spot your own blind spots.
• Treat the critique as a list of things to check, not a verdict.

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Act as a careful, fair critic. Read the text below and tell me: the main claim in one sentence; the evidence offered for it; any gaps, leaps in logic or cherry-picked figures; the strongest counter-argument; and what evidence would change your view. Flag any figure I should check at its source. Keep what the text says separate from your own judgement, and mark which of your points are solid and which are a matter of opinion. Be direct but even-handed. Why I’m reading it: deciding whether to start a free trial for my team The text: An advert in my inbox: “Switch to our AI note-taker and save 10 hours a week. Our customers report 300% productivity gains. Join 50,000 happy teams.”

Tips for a better answer

• Describe the columns, not the data: you don’t need to paste any real figures or names.
• Test the formula on a few rows you can add up yourself before you trust it with the rest.

An example, filled in

I use Google Sheets. My data is in these columns: A: date of the sale, B: product name, C: amount in pounds, D: paid (Yes or No). It runs from row 2 to row 200. Write a formula for cell F2 that adds up the amounts in column C for sales marked No in column D. Then explain how it works in plain English, one part at a time, and tell me how to check it on a few rows by hand. If my request could mean more than one thing, ask me before you answer.

Tips for a better answer

• Check every number in the findings against your results: it’s easy for a figure to drift.
• Comments typed into a survey can contain personal details. Take out names and anything identifying before you paste any in.

An example, filled in

I ran a survey of members of our gym; 212 answered. Here are the results, as totals or percentages for each question: Q1 How often do you visit? Weekly or more: 61%. Monthly: 27%. Less often: 12%. Q2 Rate the classes out of 5: average 3.9. Q3 Would you pay £5 a month more for evening yoga? Yes: 34%. No: 48%. Not sure: 18%. Q4 Biggest problem: changing rooms 41%, parking 30%, prices 29%.. Tell me: the three most important findings, with the numbers behind them; anything surprising; any finding that rests on too few answers to be reliable; and three questions to look into next. Only use the figures I’ve given you, and don’t estimate numbers that aren’t there: if a finding needs data I haven’t given you, say so. Write it in plain English for the gym’s owners.

Tips for a better answer

• Use an assistant that can run code on files, and upload only data you’re allowed to share, with no names, emails or other personal details.
• Work out one key number yourself, such as one month’s total, to check the analysis.

An example, filled in

I’m attaching a file of three years of bookings for our holiday cottages, with guests’ names and contact details taken out, with these columns: booking date, first night, nights, cottage, party size, price paid, booked through (our website or an agency). I want to know which months and cottages bring in the most, and whether agency bookings are worth the agency’s fee. Before you analyse anything, describe the data (rows, columns, blanks and odd values) and ask me about anything unclear. Then analyse it step by step, showing the code you ran and the numbers behind every finding. Make one chart for the main finding. Finish with the limits of this analysis and everything you assumed, in plain English. Don’t remove or change any rows without telling me.

Tips for a better answer

• Answer its questions honestly, then ask it to sum up what your answers suggest.
• For decisions about money, the law or your health, use this to get your thoughts in order, then talk to a qualified adviser.

An example, filled in

Help me think through a decision. I’m choosing between staying in my job or taking a new one with a longer commute and £3,000 more a year. What matters most to me: time with my children, learning new skills, a steady income. My situation: the new job is 50 minutes each way by train; my current job is a 15-minute walk. For each option, give me the pros, the cons and the biggest risk, in a table. Then ask me three questions that would help me decide. Be kind but honest. Don’t make the decision for me, and don’t assume anything about my situation that I haven’t told you.

Tips for a better answer

• Ask what usually goes wrong in projects like yours, and add those to your risks.
• Put the plan where everyone can see it, and update it every week.

An example, filled in

Plan this project: moving our small office to a new building without losing a working day. Deadline: 31 August. People and budget: four staff and a removals firm; a budget of £6,000. Already done: the new lease is signed. Give me: the stages in order; the tasks in each stage, each with an owner (by role) and a rough time; the milestones; the three biggest risks, each with a way to reduce it; and what must happen this week. Show the timeline as a table, week by week. Be straightforward, and point out anything in my plan that looks unrealistic.

Tips for a better answer

• Do it with your team: people find it easier to raise worries about an imaginary failure.
• Pick the three biggest risks and give each one an owner today.

An example, filled in

Let’s run a pre-mortem. Imagine it’s January 2028, and this project has failed badly: launching our online shop in time for Christmas 2027; two staff will run it, using an online shop builder, with products photographed in house. List the ten most likely reasons it failed, covering people, money, time, technology, suppliers and outside events. For each, rate how likely and how serious it is (low, medium or high), give the early warning sign to watch for, and one thing to do now to prevent it. Put them in a table, most serious first. Be blunt and specific to my project, not generic.

Tips for a better answer

• Add one real detail, such as who baked it or why: specifics beat superlatives.
• Check every claim before you post. If you can’t back it up, take it out.

An example, filled in

Write a Instagram post for a family-run bakery in Bristol that makes sourdough and cakes. It’s about our new gluten-free loaf, on sale from Saturday. The people I want to reach: local people who can’t eat gluten, and their families. What I want them to do: come in and try a free sample this weekend. Keep it under 80 words, in a friendly tone that sounds like a person, not an advert. No hype, no more than three hashtags, and no claims I haven’t given you. Give me three versions with different opening lines.

Tips for a better answer

• Send it to yourself first and read it on your phone, where most people will.
• Only email people who’ve agreed to hear from you, and always include a way to unsubscribe.

An example, filled in

Write an email newsletter for our community choir to members, supporters and people who came to our last concert. This month’s news, in rough notes: summer concert on 21 June at St Mary’s; we need two more tenors; new rehearsal room from September; thank you to the bake sale team, who raised £640. The one thing I most want readers to do: book tickets for the summer concert. Give me: three subject lines under 50 characters; a short opening that feels personal; a section for each item, with a heading; and one clear button label for the call to action. Under 300 words, in a friendly tone, with UK spelling. Don’t invent details, dates or offers.

Tips for a better answer

• Share the guide with everyone who writes for you, and paste it in at the start of any AI chat about your marketing.
• Review it after a month. A voice guide gets better as you see what works.

An example, filled in

Here are examples of writing from my business that sound right to me: “Fresh out of the oven at 7am. First come, first served, as always.” “We’re shut on Monday for a deep clean. Back on Tuesday with extra cinnamon buns to make up for it.” “Sorry your loaf was flat. That’s on us: bring it in and we’ll swap it, no receipt needed.”. Analyse them and write a short voice guide: three to five words that describe our voice, each with what it means and what it doesn’t; do and don’t examples; words and phrases we use and avoid; and how we write headlines, calls to action and replies to complaints. Then, as a test, rewrite this sentence in our voice: Our establishment is delighted to announce the introduction of an innovative range of artisanal baked goods..

Tips for a better answer

• Describe the complaint in your own words instead of pasting it: the AI doesn’t need their name, address or order number.
• Check your company’s policy before you offer a refund or a replacement.

An example, filled in

Write a reply to a customer complaint. What they’re unhappy about, in my words: their sofa was delivered two weeks late, and the driver didn’t call ahead, so they took a day off work for nothing. What went wrong on our side, if anything: our delivery partner changed the date without telling us. What we can offer: a £50 refund on the delivery charge, and a direct number for our delivery manager. Thank them, say sorry for the specific problem (not a general “sorry for any inconvenience”), explain what happens next and when, and end with a direct way to reach us. Under 150 words, warm and professional, with UK spelling. Write CUSTOMER where their name goes, and don’t promise anything beyond what I’ve said we can offer.

Tips for a better answer

• Practise first: ask the AI to play the customer, upset but reasonable, and reply as you would on the call.
• Write down what you agreed straight after the call, and confirm it in writing.

An example, filled in

I need to call back a customer who is very upset. What happened, without personal details: their boiler service was booked for Monday, but our engineer didn’t turn up, and they’d waited in all day. What I can offer: the next free slot this Thursday, with the call-out fee waived. What I can’t do: send someone today; pay compensation for their lost day. Give me: a calm opening line; three questions to understand what they need; how to explain what we can and can’t do without sounding defensive; phrases for when they’re angry or repeat themselves; and how to end the call with a clear next step. Keep the language natural and kind, not scripted, in UK English.

Tips for a better answer

• Check the counts yourself on a small batch: AI can miscount long lists.
• For hundreds of comments, use an assistant that can read a spreadsheet and show its working.

An example, filled in

Below are 12 pieces of customer feedback from our survey after appointments at a dental practice. Group them into themes. For each theme, give: a short name; how many comments mention it; two typical quotes, in the customers’ exact words; and whether it’s praise, a complaint or a suggestion. Then rank the top three problems by how often they come up and how serious they seem, and suggest one fix for each, in plain, practical language. Count carefully, and say when a comment fits more than one theme. The feedback: Lovely staff but I waited 40 minutes. Couldn’t get through on the phone. The hygienist was so gentle. Online booking kept crashing. Running late again, 30 minutes. Reception were kind when I was nervous. Phone lines always busy at 8am. Parking is a nightmare. Great explanation of my treatment. Waited ages past my time. Can’t book online on my phone. The new chairs are comfy!

Tips for a better answer

• If an explanation doesn’t click, ask for a different everyday example.
• For decisions about your own money, use this to learn the basics, then talk to a qualified mortgage adviser.

An example, filled in

Explain how interest rates affect mortgages to me. My level: complete beginner. Why I want to know: we’re thinking about buying our first home. Start with a one-sentence explanation, then a short one with an everyday example. Keep the tone friendly and avoid jargon; if you need a technical term, explain it. Then ask me two questions to check I’ve understood, and wait for my answers before going further. If any of what you tell me is debated, or you’re unsure about it, say so.

Tips for a better answer

• Check anything surprising in its answers against your textbook or class notes: AI can be confidently wrong.
• Explaining an answer in your own words helps it stick better than picking from options.

An example, filled in

Quiz me on the causes of the First World War. I’m studying at GCSE history. Ask me one question at a time, and wait for my answer. After each answer, tell me whether I’m right and explain why in a sentence or two, then make the next question harder if I got it right, or easier if I didn’t. Mix the question types: multiple choice, short answers and explaining in my own words. Be encouraging. After ten questions, sum up what I know well and what to revise. If my notes and your knowledge disagree, point it out so I can check. My notes: Alliances: Triple Entente and Triple Alliance. Militarism: an arms race, especially in navies. Imperialism: competition for colonies. Nationalism: tension in the Balkans. The trigger: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 28 June 1914.

Tips for a better answer

• Keep the original open beside the explanation, and check the key points against it.

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Help me understand the text below. I’m a first-year nursing student who finds research papers hard going. For each paragraph or section: sum it up in one plain sentence, explain any technical terms, and say how it connects to the main argument. Then give me the main argument in three sentences, and two questions to think about. Be patient and clear. If a passage is ambiguous, say so instead of choosing one reading. The text: Methods: A randomised controlled trial was carried out across 12 wards. Patients (n=480) were allocated to the intervention or the control group. The primary outcome was length of stay; secondary outcomes included readmission within 30 days.

Tips for a better answer

• Don’t paste reference numbers, account details or anything a stranger could use to pretend to be you.
• If the letter is about money you owe, a legal matter or your benefits, check what it means with the sender, or a free adviser such as Citizens Advice.

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Explain this letter in plain English. It’s from the council, and I’ve removed my name, address and account numbers. Tell me: what it’s about, in one sentence; what I need to do, if anything, and by when; what happens if I don’t; and what any unusual words mean. Then list questions I could ask them if I’m unsure. Keep it calm and simple. If the letter is unclear, say so rather than guessing, and tell me if I should get advice from somewhere like Citizens Advice. The letter: Council Tax: review of Single Person Discount. Your entitlement to Single Person Discount is under review. Please complete and return the enclosed declaration within 21 days. Failure to respond may result in the discount being removed from your account.

Tips for a better answer

• Check your consumer rights on the Citizens Advice website before you send it.
• Keep copies of everything, with dates. If it goes further, your timeline is your evidence.

An example, filled in

Help me write a complaint to an online electrical shop. What happened, in order: ordered a washing machine on 2 May; it was delivered on 9 May; it leaks; I called on 10 and 13 May and was promised a call back that never came. What I’ve already tried: two phone calls and one email with photos. What I want: a replacement machine, delivered and installed. Write a polite, firm letter of under 250 words: a clear subject line, the facts in order, what I want and by when (suggest a fair deadline, such as 14 days), and what I’ll do if it isn’t sorted out. Don’t exaggerate, and don’t quote laws or rights unless you’re sure they apply: instead, suggest where I can check my rights.

Tips for a better answer

• Change one thing at a time between versions, so you learn what each part of the prompt does.
• Check the image tool’s rules on how you may use what it makes, especially for anything you sell.

An example, filled in

Turn my rough idea into a detailed prompt for an AI image tool. My idea: a cosy bookshop on a rainy evening, with a cat asleep in the window. It’s for the cover of our book club’s winter newsletter. Write a prompt that covers the subject, the setting, the style (such as watercolour, photo or flat illustration), the colours and mood, the composition and viewpoint, and what to leave out. Give me three versions in different styles, each under 80 words, written as clear, plain description. Avoid real people’s names, and well-known brands, characters or artists’ styles.

Tips for a better answer

• Write the headlines first. If they tell the story on their own, the presentation works.

An example, filled in

Help me plan a ten-minute presentation to parents at a school information evening about our new reading scheme. The one thing I want them to remember: ten minutes of reading at home each day makes a real difference. What I want them to do afterwards: sign up for the reading diary app. Give me a slide-by-slide plan, about one slide a minute. For each slide: a headline that states its point; what goes on it (a picture, a chart, a few words or a quote); and what I say, in two or three bullet points. Open with something that grabs attention, and end with the action. Keep the words on slides to a minimum, and the tone warm and confident.

Tips for a better answer

• Never paste passwords, API keys or customer data. Swap them for placeholders such as API_KEY.
• Only run code once you understand what it does, and try it on a copy of your data first.

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Explain this Python code to me. I’m someone who can read a little Python. It’s from a script a former colleague left on our shared drive. Tell me: what it does overall, in two sentences; what each part does, step by step; anything risky or likely to break, such as missing error handling or a password written into the code; and the first improvement you’d make. Keep it plain and patient, and don’t rewrite the whole thing. If you’d need to see more of the code to be sure, say so. The code: import csv with open('orders.csv') as f: rows = list(csv.DictReader(f)) total = sum(float(r.get('amount', 0)) for r in rows if r.get('status') == 'paid') print(total)

Tips for a better answer

• Paste the whole error, including the lines above it: the useful clue is often there.

An example, filled in

I’m getting this error: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pandas'. It happens when I run my script from the terminal with python report.py. My setup: Python 3.12 on a Mac. What I’ve already tried: I installed pandas with pip install pandas, and it said it worked. Explain what the error means in plain English, the three most likely causes in order of probability, and how to check each one. Give me the smallest fix first, as exact steps. If you need more information to be sure, tell me exactly what to look at or paste next, rather than guessing.

Tips for a better answer

• AI reviews miss things: treat this as a second pair of eyes, not a sign-off.
• Ask it to write a test that shows each bug before you fix it.

An example, filled in

Review this JavaScript code as a careful senior developer would. What it does, and where it runs: a form on our website that saves sign-ups to a database. What matters most here: security. List the problems in order of seriousness, each with where it is, why it’s a problem and a suggested fix as a short code snippet. Look especially for bugs, security problems (such as injection or exposed secrets), missing error handling and unclear names. Tell me what’s good, too, and keep the tone constructive. If you’re unsure whether something is a bug, say so and explain what would confirm it. The code: app.post('/signup', async (req, res) => { const email = req.body.email; await db.query("INSERT INTO signups (email) VALUES ('" + email + "')"); res.send('Thanks!'); });