Prompt Templates for Beginners: 10 Copy-Paste Prompts
Not sure what to tell the AI? Don't worry — most people feel the same way. A good prompt (i.e., a good instruction to the AI) makes the difference between a mediocre and a fantastic response. In this article, you'll get 10 ready-made templates you can copy and adapt right away.
What Is a Prompt — and Why Does It Matter?
A promptis simply your input to an AI — your question, your assignment, your instruction. The clearer and more structured your prompt, the better the answer. Imagine giving instructions to a highly capable but very literal-minded assistant: the more precisely you say what you want, the better the result.
The RICE Method: Your Recipe for Good Prompts
Before we get to the templates, here's a simple system for improving your own prompts:
Who should the AI be? (e.g., “You are an experienced editor”)
What exactly should it do? (e.g., “Proofread this text”)
What background info does it need? (e.g., “It's a cover letter”)
Show it what the result should look like (optional but powerful)
10 Prompt Templates to Copy
Write a Formal Email
Perfect for business communication, official inquiries, or formal requests.
Write a Casual Message
For birthday wishes, invitations, or informal requests to acquaintances.
Summarise a Text
Works with news articles, academic papers, contracts, or long emails.
Generate Ideas
Ideal for business ideas, gift ideas, marketing campaigns, or team event planning.
Explain a Complex Topic Simply
Use this prompt for school, university, professional development, or simply out of curiosity.
Proofread a Text
Perfect for applications, blog posts, important emails, or academic papers.
Translate with Style
Much better than simple Google Translate, especially for texts with tone and nuance.
Recipe from Available Ingredients
Never again “What should I cook?” — just enter what's in your fridge.
Plan a Trip
Your personal travel planner. Refine the result with follow-up questions.
Decision Helper (Pros/Cons)
For job changes, moves, major purchases, or other important life decisions.
Common Prompting Mistakes
Too Vague
Bad: “Write me something about marketing.”
Better:“Explain the 5 most important online marketing channels for a small cafe in a small town. Focus on free methods.”
No Context
Bad: “Proofread this text.”
Better:“Proofread this text. It's a cover letter for a project manager position. The tone should be confident but not arrogant.”
Too Much at Once
Bad: A prompt with 10 different tasks simultaneously.
Better: Break complex tasks into several steps. First research, then structure, then write.
No Format Specification
Bad: “Give me info about electric cars.”
Better:“Create a table of the 5 best-selling electric cars in Germany in 2025: model, price, range, charging time.”
Your Turn
The best prompts are the ones you actually use. Pick a template, copy it, swap out the placeholders, and try it. Over time, you'll develop a feel for what works — and build your own collection.
To learn more about the different AI tools and which one suits which task, read our comparison of ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. And on our Reviews page you'll find honest individual reviews without affiliate links.
For advanced prompting techniques like Chain-of-Thought, few-shot prompting, and more, check out our Tutorials — where we go deeper step by step.