By skyforbes Ever write a prompt that felt perfect in your head, but the AI’s reply came out weirdly generic or off-topic?
That usually isn’t because your prompt was bad — it’s because it was too vague.
That usually isn’t because your prompt was bad — it’s because it was too vague.
LLMs don’t “get” your intent unless you spell it out a bit. The trick is to give just enough direction without overloading details. Here’s how:
- Give the model a clear role
Instead of saying:
“Write me a blog post about AI.”
Try this:
“You’re a tech journalist writing for beginners. Write a 400-word blog post explaining what AI is and why it matters.”
That one sentence of context completely shifts the tone, structure, and depth.
- Specify audience and tone
Vague:
“Explain blockchain.”
Better:
“Explain blockchain like I’m 12, using simple real-world examples and no jargon.”
Now the model knows how to talk, not just what to talk about.
- (Optional) Tell it your goal
Example:
“Explain blockchain so I can teach it to my students tomorrow.”
Adding the “why” helps the model focus on practical, usable responses — not just information dumps.