Practical Prompting: A Cheatsheet for Real-World Use

AI can write, code, translate, and analyze — but only if you ask clearly.
This guide skips buzzwords like “Zero-Shot” or “Chain-of-Thought” and focuses on practical patterns that actually work.

You can use these examples with any AI tool — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or others.
If you’re using RewriteBar, check out the RewriteBar Prompting Guide for advanced prompt structures designed for creating RewriteBar commands.

🎭 1. Give the AI a Role

Defining a role gives the AI a voice, tone, and perspective.
It’s like switching from “someone who knows a bit” to “an expert who’s done it for years.”

Examples:

Role	Example Prompt
Marketing Expert	Act as a senior marketing manager. Write a LinkedIn post about the benefits of remote work.
Developer	You are a React developer with 10 years of experience. Review the following code and suggest improvements.
Product Manager	You are a product manager for a SaaS product. Write a short PRD for a new feature.
Teacher	You are a math teacher. Explain the Pythagorean theorem in simple terms.
Translator	You are a professional translator. Translate the text into British English with local phrasing.
Copywriter	You are a copywriter for a tech startup. Write a headline that feels inspiring.
Journalist	You are a tech journalist. Write a short article about everyday AI tools.
Career Coach	You are a career coach. Give three tips to improve communication at work.
UX Designer	You are a UX designer. Suggest ways to simplify the onboarding process.
Historian	You are a historian. Describe how the printing press changed society.

💡 Tip: Combine roles with tone hints:

“Act as a friendly but confident product designer.”

🎯 2. Set a Clear Goal

AI works better when it knows what success looks like.
Instead of saying “Write a post,” describe the target outcome.

Examples:

Goal Type	Example Prompt
Reach	Goal: I want this post to reach 10,000 people. Suggest five catchy headline ideas.
Revenue	Goal: My landing page should generate $10,000 per month. Write a high-converting CTA.
Clarity	Goal: The text should sound clear and professional. Rewrite it in that tone.
Structure	Goal: The article should be split into three logical sections.
Brevity	Goal: Summarize this paragraph in 50 words.
Conversion	Goal: Increase newsletter sign-ups. Write three better subject lines.
Engagement	Goal: I want more comments on LinkedIn. End the post with a thought-provoking question.
Emotion	Goal: Make the text sound more human and empathetic.
SEO	Goal: Optimize the article for the keyword “AI writing for macOS.”
Learning	Goal: Teach me how to write better prompts for creative writing.

🧩 3. Add Context

Context turns a vague prompt into a precise one.
It gives the AI background — your audience, medium, tone, and goal.

Examples:

Context Type	Example Prompt
Audience	I’m writing for solo founders who use AI to improve their writing.
Platform	The text will be posted on LinkedIn — make it short, friendly, and personal.
Tone	Write in a confident but warm tone.
Medium	The text will be used in a keynote presentation.
Product	RewriteBar is a macOS app that improves writing with AI — mention that naturally.
Timeframe	The message is for an autumn campaign.
Language	Use American English and keep technical terms simple.
Region	Focus on the German market and mention local examples.
Audience Experience	The readers are beginners in AI tools.
Brand	Write in the Apple style: clean, calm, and direct.

🪜 4. Use a Clear Prompt Structure

A strong prompt gives the model everything it needs — what to do, why, for whom, and how to format it.

Element	Description	Example
Task	What should be done	Write a short email introducing a new macOS app.
Goal	Why it matters	Goal: Get users to try the app.
Context	For whom / where	Audience: tech-savvy Mac users. Platform: blog article.
Output	What format you want	Output: Markdown with a title and short paragraphs.

Combining these four parts gives the AI clarity and focus.

🧾 5. Define the Output Format

Tell the AI exactly how to return its answer.
If you plan to copy or process the output later, formatting is everything.

Examples:

Format	Example Prompt
Markdown	“Write the response as a Markdown table.”
CSV	“Output as CSV using semicolons as separators.”
JSON	“Return the result as valid JSON with keys: title, description, tags.”
List	“Give me a numbered list with five ideas.”
Headline	“Write only one headline, max ten words.”
Table	“Create a Markdown table with columns: Idea, Goal, Benefit.”
Canvas	“Use a Markdown canvas block so I can copy it easily.”
Bullet Points	“Answer in clear bullet points without long paragraphs.”
Comparison	“Make a pros and cons table comparing both options.”
Step-by-Step	“Explain the process in five steps.”

💡 Pro Tip:
When copying Markdown or CSV, use a canvas code block (````markdown … ```).
Many tools render Markdown automatically, which makes copying harder — the canvas trick keeps it clean.

💡 6. Small Tricks for Better Prompts

Simple adjustments can make a big difference.

Tell the AI how to sound: “Write like a friendly professional, not like a robot.”
Add rules: “Keep sentences under 15 words.”
Ask it to clarify if something’s missing: “If you need more context, ask before answering.”
Give priorities: “Start with the key insight, then add details.”
Limit length: “Keep the response under 150 words.”
Use keywords: “Focus on macOS, AI, and writing productivity.”
Iterate: Ask it to improve its own answer — “Now rewrite your previous response for clarity and tone.”

🧠 7. Example Prompt Patterns

Here are practical templates you can reuse or modify in any AI tool.

Category	Example Prompt
Writing	Shorten this text by 30% without losing meaning.
Marketing	Create five newsletter subject lines with high open rates.
Code	Explain what this function does and suggest improvements.
SEO	Generate ten blog titles for the keyword “AI writing tools.”
Planning	Build a weekly plan from this to-do list.
Translation	Translate this paragraph into English while keeping tone and context.
Feedback	Give constructive feedback on this paragraph.
Productivity	Extract key action items from this meeting transcript.
Email	Write a polite reply to this customer support message.
Design	Suggest three improvements to make this layout easier to read.

✍️ Final Thoughts

Good prompting isn’t about fancy terms — it’s about clarity.
If you describe what you need precisely, the AI can deliver exactly that.

❓ FAQ

1. Can I use these prompt patterns in any AI tool?
Yes. Every example here works across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any other text-based AI. The logic stays the same — only the interface differs.

2. What’s the difference between this guide and the RewriteBar Prompting Guide?
This cheat sheet covers general prompt techniques for any AI tool.
The RewriteBar Prompting Guide is focused on creating commands inside RewriteBar — prompts that automate transformations directly in the macOS app.

3. How do I know if my prompt is “good”?
A good prompt produces the result you expect on the first try. It’s clear, specific, and gives enough context. If the output feels off, refine one element: the role, the goal, or the format.

4. What’s the best format for complex prompts?
Use structure:
Task → Goal → Context → Output.
This helps the AI understand intent, tone, and formatting in one go.

5. Can I stack techniques (like roles and goals)?
Absolutely. Combining them — for example, “Act as a marketing expert. Goal: reach 10,000 readers.” — leads to sharper and more relevant answers.

6. How can I reuse prompts easily?
Save your best ones in a text file or, even better, use RewriteBar’s Prompt Library to manage and trigger them directly from your Mac.

🔗 Want more ideas?

Check out the Prompt Library for more inspiration and ready-to-use templates.

If you’re creating RewriteBar actions, read the RewriteBar Prompting Guide for advanced prompt-building patterns.