Beyond the basic prompt, a few techniques will multiply your results.

1. Assign a role (« role prompting »)

« You are a demanding proofreader… » steers both the tone and the expertise of the answer.

2. Show an example (« few-shot »)

Provide a model: « Here is the style I want: [example]. Write the rest in the same spirit. » The AI imitates the format you gave it.

3. Iterate

The first answer is rarely perfect. Follow up: « Shorter », « Add a concrete example », « Make the tone warmer ». This is a dialogue, not a slot machine.

4. Break complex tasks down

For a big piece of work, go step by step: « First, suggest an outline. » then « Now develop part 2. »

5. Ask the AI to improve your prompt

A neat meta trick: « Here is my request. How would you rewrite it to get a better result? »

Worth passing on: iteration is the single most important habit to teach a beginner. Nobody gets it right first time — and that is completely normal.