Prompting basics: how to ask AI for what you need

What you will learn

• What a prompt is and why the way you ask matters
• A simple five-part pattern for good prompts
• How to fix a bad answer
• What never to type into an AI tool

Ask like you would ask a new worker

Imagine you hire a new cashier for your shop in Bartica. If you only say "do the sign", you might get anything. If you say "Write a sign for the front door saying we close at 6 pm on Sundays, big letters, friendly, no more than ten words", you get what you need the first time.

AI tools work the same way. The instruction you give is called a prompt. A vague prompt gets a vague answer. A clear prompt gets a useful answer.

The five-part pattern: R-T-C-F-C

You do not need all five parts every time, but the more you give, the better the answer.

1. Role. Tell the AI who to act as. "You are a friendly customer service writer for a small hardware store in Guyana."
2. Task. Say exactly what you want. "Write a Facebook post announcing that we now stock solar lamps."
3. Context. Give the facts it cannot know. "We are on the Essequibo Coast. Prices start at $4,500 (example price). Open Monday to Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm. Payment by cash, MMG or bank transfer."
4. Format. Say how it should look. "Under 80 words. Two short paragraphs. End with a question to get comments."
5. Constraints. Say what to avoid. "No hashtags. No emojis. Do not promise delivery."

Put together, it reads like a short note to a helper. That is all prompting is.

Example: from weak to strong

Weak prompt: "Write about my cook shop."

The answer will be long, general and probably full of things that are not true about your business.

Strong prompt: "You are a copywriter for a small cook shop in Linden. Write a WhatsApp status message about our Friday special: cook-up rice with baked chicken, $1,200 a box (example price), available from 11 am while it lasts. Keep it under 40 words, warm and local. Do not invent any other dishes or prices."

Notice the last sentence. Telling AI not to invent things is one of the most useful habits you can build.

Follow up, do not start over

The first answer is rarely perfect. Treat it like a conversation:

• "Make it shorter."
• "Use simpler words. Most of my customers read on their phones."
• "Say it in a more Guyanese way, but keep it clear for everyone."
• "Give me three different versions so I can choose."
• "Turn this into a table with columns for item, price and day."

Each follow-up builds on what it already wrote.

Getting local answers

AI tools often assume you live in the United States or the United Kingdom. Fix that up front:

• Say "in Guyana" and, where it matters, the region or town.
• Give amounts in Guyana dollars (GYD) if you mean GYD.
• Say who the reader is: "a rice farmer in Region Five", "a Form 4 student", "a pensioner who does not use email".
• If you need a law, rule, fee or form, ask the AI to tell you where to check it officially rather than trusting its answer. For example: "Which Guyanese government agency handles this, and what is its official website?" Then go to that website yourself.

Useful prompt starters

• "Explain [topic] to me like I am new to it, using an example from a Guyanese market."
• "Summarise this text in five bullet points. Only use what is in the text." (then paste text that is not private)
• "Check this letter for spelling and grammar. Keep my meaning and tone."
• "Give me ten questions a customer might ask about [product], with short answers I can edit."
• "Make a weekly schedule for [task] in a table."
• "What are the risks or downsides of [idea]? Be honest."

Ask it to show its uncertainty

You can make AI more honest by asking:

• "If you are not sure, say you are not sure."
• "List anything in your answer that I should double-check."
• "Do not make up sources. If you cannot point to a real source, say so."

This does not make AI perfect, but it helps you spot weak parts.

Never paste these into a prompt

Most free AI tools may store what you type and may use it to improve their systems, depending on their settings and terms. Treat a prompt like a message to a stranger. Do not paste:

• Passwords, PINs, one-time codes or bank details
• Your TIN, NIS number, ID card number or passport number
• Other people's personal details, such as a customer list with phone numbers
• Patient information or school records
• Private business contracts or anything you promised to keep confidential

If you need help with a private document, remove names and numbers first, or describe the situation in general terms.

Practice

1. Pick a real task from your week: a notice for church, a sign for your stall, a message to parents.
2. Write it using R-T-C-F-C.
3. Ask for three versions.
4. Pick the best one, then edit it yourself. Your final version should always pass through your own eyes before anyone else sees it.

Key words

• Prompt: the instruction or question you give the AI.
• Context: the background facts the AI needs to give a useful answer.
• Follow-up prompt: a new instruction that improves the last answer.
• Constraint: a rule you set, such as a word limit or "do not invent prices".