Lesson 3: 10 Prompt Templates You Can Copy-Paste Right Now
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Learning Objectives:
- Have 10 ready-to-use prompt templates for common tasks
- Know when to use each template
- Understand how to customize templates for your own needs
Why templates matter
You don't reinvent the wheel every time you write an email. Same with prompts.
These are battle-tested starting points. Customize the bracketed parts for your situation, and you're done.
No more staring at a blank text box wondering what to say.
The 10 Templates
Copy these. Save them somewhere you can grab them quickly. Use them daily.
Template 1: The Email Drafter
Write a [tone] email to [recipient] about [topic]. The goal is to [desired outcome]. Keep it under [X] words. Sign it [name].
Example:
"Write a friendly but professional email to my client about a project delay. The goal is to apologize, explain what happened, and propose a new timeline. Keep it under 150 words. Sign it Alex."
When to use: Any time you need to draft an email and don't want to spend 15 minutes overthinking it.
Template 2: The Summarizer
Summarize the following text in [number] bullet points. Focus on [key aspect]. Audience: [who will read this].
[Paste text]
Example:
"Summarize the following article in 5 bullet points. Focus on actionable takeaways. Audience: marketing managers who are busy and need the highlights.
[Article text]"
When to use: Long articles, meeting notes, research papers, anything you need digested fast.
Template 3: The Brainstormer
Give me [number] ideas for [topic]. I'm a [role/context]. The ideas should be [constraints: practical/creative/budget-friendly]. For each idea, include one sentence explaining why it could work.
Example:
"Give me 8 ideas for blog posts about productivity. I'm a freelance writer targeting remote workers. The ideas should be practical and based on real problems people face. For each idea, include one sentence explaining why it could work."
When to use: You're stuck. You need options. You need a starting point for anything creative.
Template 4: The Explainer
Explain [topic] like I'm [audience level: a smart beginner / a 10-year-old / a busy CEO]. Keep it under [X] words. Use a real-world analogy.
Example:
"Explain how compound interest works like I'm a smart beginner who's never invested before. Keep it under 200 words. Use a real-world analogy."
When to use: You're learning something new. You're explaining something to someone else. You need the simple version without jargon.
Template 5: The Rewriter
Rewrite the following text to be more [tone: professional/casual/persuasive/concise]. Keep the key message the same but change the style.
[Paste text]
Example:
"Rewrite the following email to be more concise and direct. Keep the key message the same but cut the fluff.
[Email text]"
When to use: You wrote something but the tone is off. You need to polish a draft fast.
Template 6: The Decision Helper
I'm trying to decide between [option A] and [option B] for [context]. Give me a pros and cons list for each. Then give me your recommendation and explain why.
Example:
"I'm trying to decide between leasing and buying a car. My budget is $400/month, I drive about 12,000 miles per year, and I like having a newer car. Give me a pros and cons list for each. Then give me your recommendation and explain why."
When to use: You're stuck between two options and need a clear breakdown to think through it.
Template 7: The Outline Creator
Create a detailed outline for [a blog post / presentation / report] about [topic]. Audience: [who]. Include [number] main sections with 2-3 sub-points each.
Example:
"Create a detailed outline for a blog post about starting a side business while working full-time. Audience: people in their 30s with corporate jobs. Include 5 main sections with 2-3 sub-points each."
When to use: You need structure before you start writing. You're planning a presentation. You're organizing your thoughts.
Template 8: The Social Media Post
Write a [platform] post about [topic]. Tone: [casual/professional/funny]. Include [a hook / a question / a call to action]. Keep it under [character limit].
Example:
"Write a LinkedIn post about why mentorship matters in career growth. Tone: professional but warm. Include a personal story hook and end with a question to encourage comments. Keep it under 200 words."
When to use: You need to post something but don't know how to start. You want engagement. You're stuck on the hook.
Template 9: The Learning Accelerator
I want to learn [topic]. I currently know [your level]. Create a learning plan for the next [timeframe]. Break it into [daily/weekly] steps. Include free resources where possible.
Example:
"I want to learn basic Python for data analysis. I currently know nothing about programming. Create a learning plan for the next 4 weeks. Break it into weekly steps with specific topics and practice exercises. Include free resources where possible."
When to use: You want to learn something new but don't know where to start. You need a roadmap.
Template 10: The Feedback Generator
Review the following [text/idea/plan] and give me constructive feedback. Be specific - tell me what works, what doesn't, and how to improve it. Be direct.
[Paste content]
Example:
"Review the following pitch deck outline for my startup and give me constructive feedback. Be specific - tell me what works, what doesn't, and how to improve it. Be direct. I can handle honest critique.
[Pitch outline]"
When to use: You need a second opinion. You're not sure if something is working. You want to improve a draft before showing it to others.
How to customize
Step 1: Pick the template that matches what you need.
Step 2: Replace everything in [brackets] with your specifics.
Step 3: Add or remove parts based on the R-T-C-F-E formula from Lesson 2. Need more context? Add it. Want a specific example? Include one.
Step 4: Hit send.
That's it. You just saved yourself 10+ minutes of figuring out how to phrase your request.
Pro tip: Save your best prompts
When a prompt gives you an amazing result, don't let it disappear into your chat history.
Save it.
Build your own prompt library over time. Keep them in a note, a doc, wherever you'll actually find them again.
Modified prompts beat new prompts. You don't need to start from scratch every time. Take something that worked and tweak it for the new situation.
Over time, you'll have 20-30 personal templates that are perfectly tuned to the stuff you do most often.
That's your secret weapon.
Real example: Combining templates
Let's say you're working on a presentation. Here's how you'd use multiple templates together:
Step 1 - Get the outline (Template 7):
"Create a detailed outline for a 20-minute presentation about improving team communication in remote work environments. Audience: mid-level managers at a tech company. Include 5 main sections with 2-3 sub-points each."
Step 2 - Get slide content (Custom prompt using R-T-C-F):
"You are a presentation coach. Write the talking points for the first section of my presentation outline: 'Why remote communication fails.' Keep each talking point to 1-2 sentences. Tone: conversational and relatable. Include one real-world example."
Step 3 - Polish a section (Template 5):
"Rewrite the following talking points to be more concise and punchy. Keep the key ideas but make them more memorable.
[Paste talking points]"
You just built a presentation in 15 minutes that would've taken you 2 hours.
What you just learned
- Templates eliminate the "blank page" problem. Start with a proven structure, then customize.
- The 10 templates cover 80% of what most people use AI for daily.
- Save prompts that work well. Your personal prompt library is your secret weapon.
- You can chain templates together for complex projects.
You now have 10 tools in your toolkit. Use them.
Try It Challenge
Pick any 2 templates from this lesson. Customize the brackets for something you actually need right now. A real email. A real decision. A real brainstorm.
Run both.
You just saved yourself 20+ minutes of work. And the results are probably better than what you'd have written from scratch.
That's the power of good prompts.
Quiz
Q1: What should you do when a prompt template gives you a great result?
A) Delete it and write a new one next time
B) Save it so you can reuse and adapt it later
C) Share it publicly
D) Never change it
Answer: B
Great prompts are reusable. Save the ones that work, and tweak them for new situations instead of starting from scratch. Over time, you'll build a personal library of reliable prompts that are tuned exactly to the stuff you do most.
Next lesson: Advanced techniques that sound fancy but aren't. You'll learn chain-of-thought prompting, few-shot prompting, and 3 more power techniques that take your results from good to "how did you do that?"