Verbshift
Verbshift
Back to guides
Prompt Engineering

Prompt Engineering Basics

Master the fundamentals of prompt engineering to get better AI responses.

Admin
12 min read
28 views
Prompt Engineering Basics

Prompt Engineering Basics

Prompt engineering is the art and science of crafting effective inputs for AI models.

Why Prompt Engineering Matters

The quality of your prompts directly affects:

  • Response accuracy
  • Response relevance
  • Response format
  • Response depth

Core Techniques

1. Zero-Shot Prompting

Ask directly without examples:

Summarize this article in 3 bullet points.

2. Few-Shot Prompting

Provide examples:

Convert these sentences to formal English:

Informal: "gonna grab some food"
Formal: "I am going to get some food"

Informal: "what's up"
Formal:

3. Chain-of-Thought

Ask for step-by-step reasoning:

Solve this problem step by step: If a train travels...

Advanced Tips

  • Role assignment: "You are an expert in..."
  • Format specification: "Respond in JSON format"
  • Constraints: "Keep your response under 100 words"

Practice Exercise

Try converting this vague prompt into an effective one:

❌ "Tell me about dogs"

✅ "Provide a brief overview of the top 5 most popular dog breeds for families with children, including their temperament and exercise needs."

Related Guides