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Want AI to Understand You? This "Plain English" Guide Will Get You Flying! ​

Stepping into the new world of Large Language Models (LLMs), feeling a little excited? Whether you want AI to help you write a social media post, translate a few foreign sentences, solve a math problem, or tinker with some code, you've probably heard the term Prompt Engineering. It's the art of "talking nicely" to AI.

Don't worry, this guide (about 3000 words, be patient and read it!) is tailor-made for you—someone new to AI, with a little or no programming knowledge. The goal is simple: to let you quickly master how to write simple and effective "instructions" (prompts) to easily get AI to help you. Even if you can only type a few words for AI to "try" right now, after reading this, you'll be able to start from scratch and use AI like a pro!

We'll use things we often encounter in daily life (like how to order takeout clearly, how to write a social media post that gets more likes, how to write a genuine Taobao review) as analogies to turn those high-sounding concepts into easy-to-learn tricks. After reading this, you'll understand:

  • What exactly is prompt engineering? Why is it indispensable when dealing with AI?
  • How to write prompts so that AI "instantly gets" what you mean?
  • What prompt techniques can you use in daily life? (From writing articles to doing a bit of coding, it's all here!)
  • 5 essential "secret tips" for beginners.
  • If AI gives an "irrelevant answer," how to adjust the prompt to make it more reliable?

Ready? Let's unveil the mystery of AI "commanding skills" and get started!

1. Prompt Engineering? Sounds Fancy, But It's Actually Simple ​

Simply put, prompt engineering is about teaching you how to speak clearly so AI knows exactly what you want it to do.

For example, you want AI to write an article about the Spring Festival.

  • Casual talk: "Write something about the Spring Festival for me." — AI might give you a long, vague, and confusing article.
  • Using prompt engineering: "Help me write a roughly 200-word article introducing Spring Festival customs. It should be understandable for elementary school students, with a lively tone." — Now AI understands much better, and what it gives is more likely what you want.

Another example: AI is like a super-capable food delivery person. You have to tell them: "I want a spicy hot pot, mildly spicy, no cilantro, deliver to Building X, XX Community." The clearer you are, the more "on point" what they deliver will be. Prompt engineering is about helping you state your needs clearly so that the AI "delivery person" accurately delivers the "intellectual nourishment" you want.

So why is it important?

  • Saves time and effort: Being clear means AI gets it right the first time, saving you from back-and-forth revisions and boosting efficiency.
  • More accurate results: Clear instructions naturally lead to AI output that better matches your expectations, reducing "talking past each other."
  • Beginner-friendly: No need to understand complex technology or programming. As long as you can type and speak, you can use prompts to get AI to solve many problems for you.

2. What is a Prompt? It's the "Command" You Give to AI ​

A prompt, simply put, is the text you input to AI, telling it, "Hey, help me with this!"

It can be:

  • A question: For example, "What's the tallest building in Shanghai?"
  • An instruction: For example, "Write a thank-you letter to a client, about 100 words, tone should be formal."
  • A request with a "template": For example, "Look at this well-written Taobao review: 'The product quality is super good, logistics is awesome, seller's service attitude is top-notch!' Help me imitate this style and write a review about the scarf I just bought."

Let's compare (Chinese user scenarios):

  • Vague prompt: "Talk about hot pot." (AI: Roger that! Here's a 5000-word report on the history, culture, and styles of hot pot... You: ???)
  • Clear prompt: "Use about 50 words to introduce the main characteristics of Chongqing hot pot, written for friends from other regions who have never tried it." (AI: Chongqing hot pot is famous for its numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors. The beef tallow broth is its soul. Tripe and duck intestines are super fun to cook in it! Suitable for those who love strong flavors. You: Hmm, this is reliable!)

Remember: The more specific and clear your prompt is, the more satisfactory the answer AI gives you will be!

3. The Core of Prompt Engineering: Making AI Understand Your "Plain English" ​

Writing a good prompt is actually similar to giving a friend a task—it needs to be simple, direct, and focused. These three little tricks are essential for beginners:

3.1 Speak Clearly So AI Can Do the Right Job ​

AI can't read minds. You have to tell it plainly:

  • What do you want to do? (Write an article? Translate? Calculate something? Something else?)
  • What format do you want? (A paragraph? A list? A table?)
  • Who is it for? (For kids? For clients? For friends?)

Example:

  • Scenario: Just finished eating hot pot and want to show off on social media.
  • Your prompt: "Help me write a roughly 50-word social media post expressing my happy mood after just eating hot pot. The tone should be high-energy, suitable for friends to see."
  • AI might write this: "Wow! Just devoured a steaming hot spicy hot pot, the spice was perfect, and the meat was super tender! Laughed until our stomachs hurt with friends. Winter and hot pot are indeed the best match! So awesome! 😋 #DeserveToBeFat #HotPotSustainsLife"

3.2 Give AI an Example to "Follow the Pattern" ​

Worried AI might go off on a tangent with free rein? No problem, you can give it one or two examples first, just like a master craftsman teaching an apprentice—show them first. AI will learn from your example and produce results with a more consistent, more compliant style.

Example:

  • Scenario: Writing a Taobao positive review, wanting a consistent style.
  • Your prompt:
    Please imitate the format and style of the following review:

【Example】
Product: Sweater
Review: This sweater feels super soft to the touch, and the color is very accurate, no color difference. Logistics was super fast, arrived in two days. The value for money is amazing!

【Now it's your turn】
Product: Scarf
Review: ?
  • AI might write this: "This scarf is really super warm, the material is very comfortable, not itchy at all. The color is versatile, goes perfectly with my coat. The courier was also great, packaging intact. Love it!"

3.3 Don't Be Afraid to Try and Fail; Good Prompts Are "Refined" ​

AI isn't a deity either; it's perfectly normal not to be satisfied with the first result! Don't be discouraged, try adjusting your wording:

  • Try different words?
  • Add more descriptive details?
  • Change the tone requirement?

Try a few times, just like tuning a radio to find the signal. You'll eventually find the "best channel" that makes AI output what satisfies you most.

Example:

  • First attempt: "Write a poem about the moon."
    • (The result might be too long, too profound, or the style might not be liked.)
  • Optimized prompt: "Write a four-line short poem describing the Mid-Autumn Festival moon. It should be simple and easy to understand, like a nursery rhyme, suitable for kindergarten children to listen to."
    • AI might write this:
      The Mid-Autumn moon is round and round,
Hanging in the sky like a jade plate.
Children, come quickly and see,
Eating mooncakes with happy faces.
    • (Doesn't that feel much better?)

4. Common Prompt "Patterns" (Easier to Understand with Life Scenarios) ​

Depending on what you want to do, prompts also have several common "play styles." Let's illustrate with familiar examples from daily life:

4.1 Direct Ask / Direct Tell (Zero-shot Prompting) ​

The simplest and most direct way—just throw the question or task at AI without any preamble or explanation. Suitable for simple, straightforward tasks.

Example:

  • Scenario: Checking a date.
    • Prompt: "What is the date and day of the week for the Dragon Boat Festival in 2025?"
    • AI output: The Dragon Boat Festival in 2025 is on June 9th (Gregorian calendar), the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, Monday.
  • Scenario: No inspiration for dinner.
    • Prompt: "Recommend a quick Cantonese dish suitable for making at home."
    • AI output: You can try "Ginger Scallion Poached Chicken"—simple to make, the chicken is tender and smooth, with a rich ginger and scallion aroma, very appetizing. Or "Tomato and Egg Stir-fry," a classic home-cooked dish, nutritious and delicious.

Suitable for: Quickly looking up information, getting simple advice, impromptu Q&A, etc.

4.2 Give an Example for It to Learn (Few-shot Prompting) ​

First give AI one or two "templates" so it understands the format or style you want, then have it do the work. Suitable for tasks requiring specific output forms.

Example:

  • Scenario: Writing holiday greetings, wanting to maintain a consistent style.
    • Prompt:
      Please write a greeting following the examples below:

【Example 1】
Recipient: Xiao Ming
Occasion: Birthday
Greeting: Xiao Ming, happy birthday! In the new year, may you be happy every day and make progress in your studies!

【Example 2】
Recipient: Xiao Hong
Occasion: New Year
Greeting: Xiao Hong, happy New Year! Wishing you good health, smooth work, and all the best!

【Now it's your turn】
Recipient: Xiao Gang
Occasion: Mid-Autumn Festival
Greeting: ?
    • AI output: Xiao Gang, happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Wishing your family reunion, happiness, and mooncakes sweet to the heart!

Suitable for: Writing requiring fixed formats, specific styles, like weekly reports, reviews, various greetings, etc.

4.3 Let AI "Think Step by Step" (Chain-of-Thought Prompting) ​

For slightly more complex problems, like calculating a bill or analyzing a cause, you can guide AI to think and reason step by step instead of giving the answer directly. This usually leads to more accurate results.

Example:

  • Scenario: Calculating how much was spent shopping.
    • Prompt: "I bought 2 jin of apples today, 12 yuan per jin; also bought 3 jin of oranges, 10 yuan per jin. Help me calculate how much I spent in total? Please write out the calculation steps."
    • AI output:
      Okay, let's calculate step by step:
1.  How much did the apples cost? 2 jin × 12 yuan/jin = 24 yuan.
2.  How much did the oranges cost? 3 jin × 10 yuan/jin = 30 yuan.
3.  How much was spent in total? 24 yuan + 30 yuan = 54 yuan.
So, you spent a total of 54 yuan.

Suitable for: Mathematical calculations, logical reasoning, problem analysis, tasks requiring detailed explanation of the process.

5. What Can Prompt Engineering Help You With? These 5 Scenarios Are Super Practical! ​

Let's see how prompt engineering can specifically help in our daily lives, with "foolproof" prompt references included:

5.1 Write Something: Copy, Emails, Social Media Posts—All Handled! ​

  • Scenario: Posting a social media update about taking the kid to the park on the weekend.

    • Prompt: "Help me write an about 80-word WeChat Moments post recording my happy experience of taking my child to the park over the weekend. It should reflect the warmth of parent-child time, suitable for relatives and friends to see."
    • AI output: "Perfect weekend sunshine, took the kid to check out the park near home! The little one chased pigeons, laughter sprinkled all over the grass. Seeing him carefree like that makes the whole world feel gentle. Simple companionship is the warmest happiness! ☀️ #ParentChildTime #WeekendPlans"

  • Scenario: Writing a small 618 promotion ad for an online shop.

    • Prompt: "Write a roughly 50-word promotional copy for a bubble tea shop's 618 sale. Highlight the 'buy one get one free' offer, tone should be lively, attracting young people."
    • AI output: "Bubble tea lovers, attention! The 618 frenzy is here! Our shop has [Buy One Get One Free] on all bubble tea! Mango boba, taro milk green tea... drink freely! Hurry and invite your friends, cool off this summer, double the happiness! Miss it and wait a year! 🥤 #618IsHere #BubbleTeaFreedom"

5.2 Answer Questions: Common Sense, Travel Tips—Just Ask It! ​

  • Scenario: Planning where to go for the National Day holiday, seeking recommendations.

    • Prompt: "Recommend two domestic tourist destinations suitable for the National Day holiday. Briefly describe their respective features, keep it under 80 words."
    • AI output:
      1.  **Xi'an**: Ancient capital charm, the Terracotta Army is震撼, cycling on the city wall is惬意, have a bowl of Paomo, feel the thousand-year history.
2.  **Xiamen**: Seaside town, Gulangyu Island is romantic, stroll on the beach, eat seafood, experience a bohemian vibe.

  • Scenario: Explaining a natural phenomenon to a child.

    • Prompt: "Explain why it rains in terms an elementary school student can understand."
    • AI output: "Imagine the clouds in the sky are lots and lots of tiny water droplets holding onto each other. When they hold on tighter and tighter, getting heavier and heavier, they can't hold on anymore and 'plop' down—that becomes the rain we see! It's like a shower head."

5.3 Translation & Polishing: No Worries with Foreign Languages, More Natural Expression! ​

  • Scenario: Sending a National Day greeting to a foreign friend.

    • Prompt: "Translate 'Wishing you a happy National Day, have fun!' into natural-sounding, idiomatic English."
    • AI output: "Happy National Day! Hope you have a fantastic holiday!"

  • Scenario: Optimizing a barbecue stall's slogan.

    • Prompt: "Our barbecue stall's slogan is 'Our barbecue is so delicious it's explosive!' It feels a bit tacky. Help change it to be more attractive, something that makes people's mouths water."
    • AI output: "Try our secret recipe barbecue—charcoal aroma, sizzling with oil, crispy outside and tender inside, captivating at first bite! Tonight's late-night snack is settled on this!"

5.4 Simple Programming: Calculate Numbers, Explain Code—Piece of Cake! ​

  • Scenario: Calculating how much was spent on snacks (using Python).

    • Prompt: "Write a piece of Python code to calculate: I bought 4 bottles of cola (3 yuan each) and 2 bags of chips (5 yuan each). How much did I spend in total?"
    • AI output:
      python
      # Calculate cost
cola_price = 3  # Cola unit price
chips_price = 5  # Chips unit price
cola_count = 4
chips_count = 2

total_cost = (cola_price * cola_count) + (chips_price * chips_count)

print(f"Buying cola and chips cost a total of: {total_cost} yuan")
      Output would be: Buying cola and chips cost a total of: 22 yuan

  • Scenario: Not understanding what a piece of code does.

    • Prompt: "Help me explain what this Python code does:
      python
      name = input("Please enter your name: ")
print("Hello, " + name + "! Welcome to the world of AI!")
```"
    • AI output:
      This code is very simple:
1.  `input("Please enter your name: ")` will display "Please enter your name: " on the screen, then wait for you to input text (like your name), and store the input content in the variable `name`.
2.  `print(...)` will print a sentence on the screen, incorporating the name you just entered to form a welcome message. For example, if you entered "Zhang San," it would display "Hello, Zhang San! Welcome to the world of AI!".

5.5 Control Style: Serious, Lively, Professional—Switch as You Please! ​

  • Scenario: A friend asks why you always crave hot pot, want to reply humorously.

    • Prompt: "Answer 'Why can I never control my craving for hot pot?' in a humorous, funny tone, under 50 words."
    • AI output: "Hah! It's a must! Hot pot is the switch for human happiness! The red oil boiling is the heartbeat, the tripe going up and down seven times is the soul! You're not out of control, your stomach is expressing your love for life on your behalf! 😂"

  • Scenario: Writing a formal notice about a water outage in the residential community.

    • Prompt: "Write a roughly 50-word water outage notice. The tone should be formal and serious, to be posted in the community owners' group."
    • AI output: "【Water Outage Notice】Dear Residents: To配合 municipal pipeline maintenance, our community plans to suspend water supply from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM tomorrow (Month X, Day X). Please store water in advance for备用. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. XX Property Service Center"

6. Five Little Tricks to "Greatly Enhance" Your Prompt Skills ​

Want AI to understand you better and become your capable assistant? Try these five simple and practical little tricks—even beginners can master them easily!

6.1 Be Goal-Oriented, No Nonsense ​

Just like ordering food, directly say you want "Kung Pao Chicken," don't say "随便来个下饭的" (just give me something that goes well with rice).

  • Not so good: "Write something for me." (AI: Write what? A poem? A novel? Code?)
  • Better this way: "Help me write an about 80-word thank-you email to thank Manager Wang for the help he gave me in the meeting yesterday afternoon. The tone should be sincere and professional."
  • AI might write this: "Dear Manager Wang: Thank you very much for the valuable advice and support you gave me during the project meeting yesterday afternoon; it was very enlightening. Once again, my sincere thanks! Looking forward to more opportunities to learn from you in the future. Best regards! Xiao Li"

6.2 Provide Enough "Background Information," So AI Doesn't Stray ​

Tell AI some context, relevant circumstances, so it can better understand your needs.

  • Scenario: Wanting to praise a colleague in the company group chat.
  • Prompt: "Help me write a roughly 50-word praise message to post in the company's large group. The main content is to thank colleague Xiao Zhang for staying up late with me last night to solve that urgent customer complaint; his performance was特别给力. The tone should be sincere, with a bit of team spirit."
  • AI output: "Must give Xiao Zhang a big thumbs up! 👍 Last night's urgent customer matter, thanks to him staying up late together to handle it, professional and reliable! With such a capable comrade-in-arms, there's nothing our team can't handle! Thank you, Xiao Zhang! @Xiao Zhang"

6.3 Imitate "Examples" for Doubled Effect ​

Show AI a "template," and it can better imitate the style or format you want.

  • Scenario: Wanting to write a couplet about reading.
  • Prompt:
    Please write a couplet imitating the example below:

【Example】
Theme: Spring Festival
Couplet: Firecrackers bid farewell to the old year, plum blossoms welcome the new spring.

【Now please write】
Theme: Reading
Couplet: ?
  • AI output: Diligence is the path to the mountain of books; perseverance is the boat on the sea of learning. (Or: The fragrance of ink accompanies the lamp light; wisdom glimmers, moistening the heart.)

6.4 Reject "Vagueness," Specify "Details" ​

The more specific you are, the better AI knows what to do.

  • Not so good: "Write me an ad." (AI: Ad for what product? For whom to see? What style?)
  • Better this way: "Write a roughly 30-word slogan for my pour-over coffee shop. Highlight 'freshly ground' and 'suitable for morning refreshment,' attracting nearby office workers."
  • AI output: "A cup of freshly ground good coffee in the morning, awakening your work inspiration! XX Coffee Shop, using fresh aroma, starts your energetic day! ☀️ #OfficeWorkerLifeline"

6.5 Patiently "Debug," Continuously Optimize ​

Don't expect AI to hit the mark perfectly on the first try. Try several times, like polishing jade, adjust your prompt, and the results will get better and better.

  • First attempt: "Briefly introduce the Forbidden City."
    • (The result might be too encyclopedic, too dry.)
  • Optimized prompt: "Use about 100 words to introduce the Forbidden City to a friend visiting Beijing for the first time. Highlight its historical significance and what's worth seeing. The tone can be a bit relaxed."
    • AI output: "The Forbidden City is where the emperors used to live—super big! Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worked and lived here. Red walls, yellow tiles, very imposing! Inside, you can see the emperor's throne (Hall of Supreme Harmony), stroll through the后宫 (Imperial Garden), feel the imperial grandeur. Remember to wear comfortable shoes—walking until your legs give out is common!"

7. Fine-Tuning AI Output: "Temperature" and "Length" ​

Besides carefully crafting prompts, you can also influence the style and length of AI's responses by adjusting two small "switches." Beginners just need to know these two:

7.1 Temperature ​

  • What is this?: Can be understood as controlling the "creativity" or "divergence" of AI's answers. The value is usually between 0 and 1.
    • Low temperature (e.g., 0.1 - 0.3): AI answers will be more conservative, rigorous, tending towards facts and the most common statements. Suitable for scenarios requiring accurate information, like answering factual questions, making summaries.
    • High temperature (e.g., 0.7 - 1.0): AI answers will be more creative, random, possibly coming up with unexpected ideas. Suitable for scenarios requiring inspiration,趣味性, like writing stories, brainstorming ideas.
  • How to use it? (Different AI tools may have different setting methods, usually found in settings.)
    • Example 1: Low temperature (set to 0.2)
      • Prompt: "What are some must-visit parks in Beijing?"
      • AI output (likely more standard): The Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven Park, Beihai Park.
    • Example 2: High temperature (set to 0.9)
      • Prompt: "Describe Beijing's summer in an exaggerated, funny tone."
      • AI output (likely more放飞自我): Beijing's summer? It's practically a walking sauna, going out comes with a五花肉 special effect, no need to sprinkle cumin! The sun is so enthusiastic it's like wanting to become sworn brothers with you! The air conditioner is the lifesaver! 🤣

7.2 Output Length (Max Length / Max Tokens) ​

  • What is this?: As the name suggests, it controls the length of AI's response content.
  • How to use it?
    • Method 1 (Recommended): State it directly in the prompt, e.g., "Use about 50 words to introduce...", "Write a paragraph not exceeding 100 words about..."
    • Method 2: In the AI tool's settings, find an option like "Maximum output length" or "Max Tokens" to set a limit. (Token can be roughly understood as the unit of text AI processes; one Chinese character might count as 1-2 tokens.)
  • Example:
    • Prompt: "Summarize the main characteristics of pandas in one sentence."
    • AI output (naturally very short): Pandas are known for their black-and-white fur, round and chubby bodies, and love for eating bamboo.

Beginner's advice:

  • Want AI to answer questions properly? Lower the temperature (e.g., 0.2).
  • Want AI to think outside the box and give some surprises? Raise the temperature (e.g., 0.8).
  • Want how long an answer? Best to state it directly in the prompt, e.g., "Write me a 300-word..."

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs for Beginners!) ​

Q1: I don't know any technology at all. Can I really learn to use prompt engineering? A: Absolutely! The core of prompt engineering is "speaking clearly." Think of it as communicating with a very smart but somewhat "single-minded" assistant. You just need to use our usual way of speaking to clearly assign tasks, like asking it to write an email, answer a question, or brainstorm an idea—no programming knowledge needed at all. The examples in this guide are all in plain English—just follow along!

Q2: I'm not satisfied with AI's answer. What should I do? Am I too dumb? A: Of course not! AI isn't omnipotent either; sometimes it确实会“犯傻”. At such times, definitely don't get discouraged. Trying several times is normal: * Add some ingredients: Try adding some constraints to the prompt, like "write it for my mom to read", "use simpler words", "must include XX keywords". * Give a template: Refer to the "Few-shot Prompting" mentioned earlier—give it an example to learn from. * Ask differently: Ask the same meaning from a different angle. For example, instead of saying "write a story," try "help me outline a short story about friendship, including the beginning, middle, and end, about 150 words."

Q3: Is there any "universal formula" or template I can use? A: While there's no absolute "universal formula," this thinking framework can help you get started: 【The role you want AI to play (optional)】+【The task you want AI to complete】+【Key requirements/constraints (e.g., format, length, tone, style, audience, must include/exclude what)】+【Provide examples (optional)】

*   **Example 1 (writing copy)**: "**[Role: Senior advertising copywriter]** **[Task: Write a roughly 100-word slogan]** **[Requirements: Promote the newly launched smartwatch, highlight health monitoring features and long battery life, tone should be tech-savvy, attract young people]**"
*   **Example 2 (translation)**: "**[Task: Translate 'Eat a good breakfast' into idiomatic American English]** **[Requirements: Tone should be colloquial, like a reminder between friends]**"
*   **Example 3 (explaining a concept)**: "**[Role: Patient teacher]** **[Task: Explain what 'cloud computing' is in simple language]** **[Requirements: Use an analogy so someone with no technical knowledge can understand, under 150 words]**"

9. Conclusion: Farewell, Beginner! You Can Now Easily "Command" AI Too! ​

Congratulations! Having patiently read this far, you've mastered the basics of interacting with AI—the introductory skills of prompt engineering. From how to speak clearly, to giving AI examples, to adjusting its "temperament" (temperature), you should now feel more confident in directing this smart "little buddy."

Now, you can try having AI help you:

  • Write attractive social media posts, professional emails, heartfelt Taobao reviews.
  • Answer questions in daily life, plan a spontaneous trip, help with your child's homework.
  • Translate foreign languages you don't understand, polish your writing, even help you write some simple code.

Don't hesitate, start trying now!

  1. Find an AI tool you're comfortable with (like domestic ones: 文心一言, 讯飞星火, or foreign ones: ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, etc.).
  2. Practice using the examples from this article, like "help write a 30-word ad for my coffee shop" or "explain how rainbows form in terms a child can understand."
  3. Try adjusting the prompt a few times and see if AI's answers become more and more to your liking?

Remember, practice and experiment more, and you'll soon go from an AI beginner to an "old hand" who can easily驾驭 AI! Enjoy the convenience and fun AI brings!