Writing good AI prompts: templates for everyday tasks

What makes a good prompt?

OpenAI's help centre advises writing clear, specific prompts: name the task, give the necessary context and set the tone and style. According to OpenAI, models tend to work best when you write as if you were asking another person; without enough context or detail, you are unlikely to get what you want.

It helps to imagine handing the task to someone who does not know you and cannot ask questions. Five building blocks cover most situations; the first three are almost always needed.

OpenAI also suggests breaking large tasks into smaller, focused prompts, saying what matters most and asking for multiple options where useful. Perfect wording is not required: what counts is that your goal is clear.

An everyday example

Fictional example: Ciarán in Cork is organising a lunch for his mother's 70th birthday. His first prompt reads: “Plan a 70th birthday.” The answer is long and generic, with a themed party, a photo booth and surprise guests. None of it fits.

On his second attempt he writes: “I'm planning a lunch for my mother's 70th birthday with 18 guests, including three children, in a booked function room. She prefers a quiet day without speeches or games. Create a task list for the next six weeks as a table with the columns Week, Task and Who. Ask me questions if any details are missing.” The AI asks about the budget. Ciarán adds: no more than 900 euros for food and decorations. The new table is short and usable.

He still checks the prices for the room and catering himself, as the amounts in the table are only estimates. He saves the prompt as a template for the next milestone birthday.

Which templates help with everyday tasks?

Copy the templates below and replace the details in square brackets with your own. Only paste in text without confidential information about you or others. The guide Before asking an AI: which details to remove from your text explains what to leave out.

Planning

“I want to [goal, e.g. cook vegetarian meals for a week]. Constraints: [people, time, budget, preferences]. Create a plan as a table with the columns [e.g. day, dish, shopping]. Stick to these rules: [e.g. no more than 30 minutes per dish]. First ask me up to three questions if anything is unclear.”

Summarising

“Summarise the following text in [number] bullet points. I need it to [purpose, e.g. decide whether to attend the residents' meeting]. List deadlines, costs and anything I need to do first. If the text does not say something, tell me instead of guessing. Text: [paste text]”

Writing

“Draft an email to [recipient, e.g. the letting agent]. Reason: [brief and factual]. My goal: [e.g. an appointment for the repair]. Tone: [polite and firm]. Length: no more than [120] words. Leave placeholders for names, addresses and dates.”

Understanding

“Explain [term or process] so that I can understand it without prior knowledge. Use an everyday example and no more than [150] words. At the end, tell me which official body I can check this with.”

Proofreading

“Check my text for spelling and clarity. Do not change the content. Show me the changes as a list with before and after. Text: [paste text]”

Tip: The sentence “Ask me questions if any details are missing” is worth adding to almost every template. It shows you early on what is still missing.

The answer is not right: how do I improve it?

OpenAI suggests treating prompting as a conversation: refine your requests based on the first answers and keep experimenting. Short follow-up instructions in the same chat are often enough:

• “Shorter, please: five sentences at most.”
• “That's too general. We are [detail]. Adapt the suggestion to that.”
• “Explain point 3 more simply.”
• “Give me two more versions: one more formal, one more relaxed.”

If a chat has gone off track after several corrections, start a new one and write the improved prompt in one go. That version belongs in your template collection.

How do I save a template for later?

The simplest option is a note with your proven templates; it works with every chatbot. Some services can also store your preferences permanently. The labels below come from the English help pages of OpenAI and Google (as of 18 October 2026) and may change.

According to OpenAI, custom instructions are available on all plans. Free and Go users can save up to 1,500 characters, other plans up to 5,000. They suit general preferences such as language, length and tone rather than a single task. OpenAI notes that instructions are also used to improve its models unless you opt out. Chatbot privacy: setting history, memory and ads shows how.

According to Google, skills require you to be 18 or over, signed in, and to have Keep Activity turned on. If you have been using Gems: for personal Google Accounts they end in November 2026 and are converted into skills automatically.

Where does even the best prompt reach its limits?

A good prompt makes the answer more relevant, but not automatically correct. Google's Gemini help states that Gemini can hallucinate and present inaccurate information as factual, and advises double-checking its responses, for example about people. It also says not to rely on them as medical, legal, financial or other professional advice. Checking an AI answer shows how to verify what you get. For your own situation, ask a qualified professional.

Be careful with text from unknown sources. Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) warns of attacks in which specially worded instructions manipulate a language model, such as indirect prompt injections. According to the BSI, this is particularly sensitive when the model has access to private information and also processes content from untrusted sources. So do not let a chat that can access your mailbox or files analyse an unknown email or web page.