2.1 Prompt Types: Zero-Shot, One-Shot, Few-Shot
When you give a prompt (instruction) to an AI model, the way you frame it can change how well the AI understands your request. There are three common types of prompts used to guide the AI: Zero-Shot, One-Shot, and Few-Shot.
1. Zero-Shot Prompting
In Zero-Shot prompting, you ask the AI a question or give an instruction without showing any example.
Example:
Prompt: Write a short poem about the moon.
Output: The moon shines bright in the night sky,
Watching the stars go drifting by.
It lights the world with silver glow,
A peaceful calm from high and low.
Use: This method is simple and used when you want quick, basic answers.
2. One-Shot Prompting
In One-Shot prompting, you give the AI one example before asking it to do the same task again.
Example:
Prompt:
Example: Translate this sentence to French: "Good morning."
Answer: "Bonjour."
Now translate: "Thank you."
Output: Merci.
Use: This method helps the AI understand the format or style you want.
3. Few-Shot Prompting
In Few-Shot prompting, you give the AI multiple examples to help it learn the pattern or format.
Example:
Prompt:
Example 1: Translate to Hindi: "Hello" → "नमस्ते"
Example 2: Translate to Hindi: "How are you?" → "आप कैसे हैं?"
Example 3: Translate to Hindi: "What is your name?" →
Now translate: "Good night"
Output: शुभ रात्रि
Use: This is useful for complex tasks where the AI needs more context to give correct answers.
Summary Table:
| Prompt Type | Description | Example Count |
|---|---|---|
| Zero-Shot | No example is given | 0 |
| One-Shot | One example is given | 1 |
| Few-Shot | Multiple examples are given | 2 or more |
2.2 Role Prompting: “Act as...” Examples
Role Prompting is a special way of giving instructions to an AI. In this method, you ask the AI to “act as” a specific person, profession, or expert. This helps the AI understand how to behave, what tone to use, and what kind of answers to give.
Why Use Role Prompting?
- It makes the answer more focused and useful.
- It helps the AI give answers in a specific style or knowledge area.
- It improves the quality and accuracy of the response.
Common Format:
“Act as a [role] and [your request].”
Examples:
1. Act as a Teacher
Prompt: Act as a science teacher and explain the water cycle to a 10th grade student.
AI Output: The water cycle includes processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. Water from oceans and lakes evaporates due to heat, forms clouds, and returns as rain...
2. Act as a Doctor
Prompt: Act as a doctor and explain the symptoms of dengue in simple language.
AI Output: Dengue usually causes high fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, joint pain, and red rashes. Drink plenty of water and visit a doctor if these symptoms appear.
3. Act as a Career Counselor
Prompt: Act as a career counselor and suggest career options for a student interested in computers and technology.
AI Output: You can explore careers like Software Developer, Data Scientist, Cybersecurity Expert, AI Engineer, or UI/UX Designer...
4. Act as a Motivational Speaker
Prompt: Act as a motivational speaker and give a short speech to students before exams.
AI Output: Exams are just a way to test your learning, not your worth. Stay calm, stay focused, and believe in your preparation. You are stronger than your fear!
5. Act as a Programmer
Prompt: Act as a Python programmer and write code to reverse a string.
AI Output: text = "hello"
print(text[::-1])
Tips for Role Prompting:
- Be specific about the role (teacher, doctor, lawyer, etc.).
- Mention the audience (student, beginner, expert, etc.).
- Give clear instructions for better results.
2.3 Chain-of-Thought & Step-by-Step Prompts
Some questions are complex and need reasoning or multiple steps to reach the correct answer. In such cases, using Chain-of-Thought or Step-by-Step prompts helps the AI think in parts and give better answers.
1. What is Chain-of-Thought Prompting?
Chain-of-Thought (CoT) prompting means asking the AI to show its thinking process step by step. It breaks the answer into small logical steps rather than jumping directly to the final result.
Example (Math Question):
Prompt: A bag has 3 red balls and 2 green balls. What is the probability of picking a red ball? Explain step by step.
Output:
Step 1: Total number of balls = 3 red + 2 green = 5 balls.
Step 2: Number of red balls = 3
Step 3: Probability of picking a red ball = 3/5 = 0.6 or 60%
2. What is Step-by-Step Prompting?
It’s similar to Chain-of-Thought but often used in instructions or explanations where each step is clearly listed to complete a task or solve a problem.
Example (Science Concept):
Prompt: Explain the process of photosynthesis step by step.
Output:
Step 1: Plants absorb sunlight using chlorophyll in their leaves.
Step 2: They take in carbon dioxide from the air through tiny holes called stomata.
Step 3: They take in water from the roots through the stem.
Step 4: Using sunlight, they convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose (sugar) and oxygen.
Step 5: Oxygen is released into the air, and glucose is used by the plant for energy.
Why Use These Prompts?
- They improve accuracy by helping AI think clearly.
- They are useful for solving maths, science, logic, or real-world problems.
- They help students understand the logic behind an answer.
Tips for Writing Such Prompts:
- Use words like: “Explain step by step” or “Think step by step.”
- Ask for reasoning: “Why do you think that?”
- Use clear problems or instructions that need multi-step thinking.
Another Example (General Reasoning):
Prompt: If a train leaves City A at 2 PM and travels at 60 km/h, how far will it go by 5 PM? Show your thinking step by step.
Output:
Step 1: Time from 2 PM to 5 PM = 3 hours
Step 2: Speed of the train = 60 km/h
Step 3: Distance = Speed × Time = 60 × 3 = 180 km
Final Answer: The train will travel 180 km.
2.4 Prompting for Format: Tables, Lists, Markdown, JSON
When working with AI, sometimes we want the answer in a specific format like a table, bullet list, Markdown, or JSON. You can control this by clearly mentioning the format in your prompt.
1. Asking for a Table
Tables are useful to compare data or organize structured information.
Prompt: Create a table comparing iPhone 13, 14, and 15 with columns for Camera, Battery, and Price.
| Model | Camera | Battery | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 13 | 12 MP Dual | 3240 mAh | $699 |
| iPhone 14 | 12 MP Dual | 3279 mAh | $799 |
| iPhone 15 | 48 MP Main | 3349 mAh | $899 |
2. Asking for a List
Lists are perfect for step-by-step instructions or unordered data.
Prompt: List 5 benefits of drinking water.
- Keeps the body hydrated
- Improves digestion
- Boosts skin health
- Helps in detoxification
- Maintains body temperature
3. Asking for Markdown Format
Markdown is used in websites, GitHub READMEs, and documentation. AI can generate headings, lists, bold/italic text, code blocks, and more in Markdown.
Prompt: Write a short Markdown-formatted blog on "Benefits of Meditation".
# Benefits of Meditation
Meditation has several health and mental benefits:
## Key Benefits
- Reduces stress
- Improves focus
- Enhances emotional health
- Increases self-awareness
- Promotes better sleep
> "Meditation is not about becoming a different person, but about being yourself."
**Start meditating daily for a peaceful mind.**
4. Asking for JSON Format
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is commonly used in programming and APIs. You can tell AI to output structured data as JSON.
Prompt: Give student data (name, age, course, email) in JSON format.
{
"name": "Ravi Kumar",
"age": 21,
"course": "Computer Science",
"email": "ravi@example.com"
}Why Formatting Prompts is Useful
- Makes output easier to understand
- Useful for developers, content creators, and educators
- Reduces the need for extra formatting after generation
Tips for Prompting Specific Formats:
- Always mention the format clearly in your prompt
- Use words like: “Show in table format”, “Give JSON output”, or “Write in Markdown”
- If needed, also mention what columns/keys or structure you expect
2.5 Prompting for Tone, Style, and Audience
When you ask an AI to write something, the tone, style, and audience matter a lot. By clearly stating these in your prompt, you can control how the AI writes the response.
1. What is Tone?
Tone is the emotion or attitude of the writing. It can be formal, casual, friendly, serious, funny, motivational, etc.
Example:
Prompt: Write a motivational message in an encouraging tone.
Output: "Believe in yourself! Every step you take brings you closer to your goals. Keep moving forward — you’ve got this!"
2. What is Style?
Style is the way the message is written — short or long, simple or detailed, poetic or technical, etc.
Example:
Prompt: Explain photosynthesis in a poetic style.
Output: "Leaves dance in sunlight’s golden rays,
Turning air and water in magical ways.
With every breath and drop of light,
They give the world a future bright."
3. What is Audience?
Audience means who will read the output — a student, teacher, child, expert, customer, etc. Mentioning the audience helps the AI adjust the language and explanation level.
Example:
Prompt: Explain AI to a 12-year-old student in simple words.
Output: "AI is like a super smart robot brain. It can answer questions, help with homework, and even talk like a human. It learns from reading lots of information just like you learn from books!"
Combined Prompt Example:
Prompt: Write a formal email to a school principal requesting a leave for two days. Use a respectful tone and student-friendly style.
Output:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to request leave for two days (26th and 27th July) as I am unwell. I will make sure to complete any missed work after I return.
Kindly grant me permission for the same.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Rahul Sharma
Class 12-A
Tips for Better Prompts:
- Mention the tone: friendly, formal, motivational, funny, etc.
- Mention the style: short note, story, poem, technical explanation, etc.
- Mention the audience: child, teacher, professional, beginner, etc.
More Examples:
- Prompt: Write a funny poem for kids about school.
- Prompt: Create a formal summary of a meeting in business style.
- Prompt: Explain climate change in simple terms for 10th grade students.
No comments:
Post a Comment