These AI prompts examples come straight from the official guides of OpenAI, Google and Anthropic, grouped by task: writing, work, study, coding, images and video. Each prompt is quoted word for word, credited to its source, and linked to its page in our prompt library, where you can copy it. Before the examples, here is the structure all three vendors recommend, so you can adapt any of them to your own task.
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The structure behind a good prompt
The vendors use different labels for the same idea: say what you want, give the background, and describe the result.
- OpenAI lists four parts in its prompting guide: Goal (what ChatGPT should do), Context (what information or sources will help), Output (format, length, level of detail) and Boundaries (what must stay unchanged, what to avoid or check first). It adds: “Use only the parts that help.”
- Google names four areas in its Gemini prompting guide: Persona, Task, Context and Format. “You don’t need to use all four in every prompt, but using a few will help!”
- Anthropic puts clarity first in its best practices: “Show your prompt to a colleague with minimal context on the task and ask them to follow it. If they’d be confused, Claude will be too.”
Google’s own example shows all four of its areas in one prompt:
You are a program manager in [industry]. Draft an executive summary email to [persona] based on [details about relevant program docs]. Limit to bullet points.
Persona is “program manager”, the task is “draft an executive summary email”, the bracketed details are the context, and “limit to bullet points” is the format. The prompt is in our library as a Gemini prompt for an executive summary email.
Square brackets in these examples are placeholders. Replace them with your own details before you send the prompt.
Writing prompts
A short email prompt from OpenAI’s prompting guide (library listing):
Draft a friendly email declining this invitation because I will be traveling. Keep it under 120 words and leave the door open for a future event.
It gives the reason, a length limit and the tone in two sentences.
A general professional email, from OpenAI Academy (library listing):
Write a professional email to [recipient]. The email is about [topic] and should be polite, clear, and concise. Provide a subject line and a short closing.
An introduction email from Google Workspace help (library listing):
Write an email introducing a new team member who will be managing [product name]. Include details about their professional experience, accomplishments, and personal interests.
For editing rather than drafting, Anthropic’s grammar prompt is in our Claude prompts guide.
Work prompts
A meeting agenda, from OpenAI Academy (library listing):
Create a structured agenda for a meeting about [topic]. The meeting will last [time] and include [attendees]. Break the agenda into sections with time estimates and goals for each section.
Catching up on a long thread, from Google’s Gemini for Workspace prompt guide (library listing):
Summarize this email thread and list all action items and deadlines.
A status update for leadership, from Google Workspace help (library listing):
Imagine you are the lead on a project. Write an update to your executive leadership team on [Project X]. Include the current status for each business function and next steps. Use a formal, brief tone.
For meeting notes, Anthropic’s Meeting scribe system prompt is in our library as turn meeting notes into action items.
Study prompts
Essay feedback, from OpenAI’s prompt pack for students (library listing):
Review my essay on [topic] and provide detailed, constructive feedback. Identify key strengths and pinpoint specific areas for improvement. Recommend additional resources or examples to strengthen my arguments and ensure clarity and coherence throughout the essay.
Learning a spreadsheet skill, from Google Workspace help (library listing):
Teach me how to use conditional formatting with a color scale.
A study plan is in the library too: ChatGPT prompt to build an adaptive study plan for exams.
Coding prompts
A one-line request from Anthropic’s prompt library (library listing):
Write me a Google apps script that will translate all text in a Google Slides presentation to Korean.
A debugging system prompt from Anthropic’s Python bug buster (library listing). Paste your code as the message:
Your task is to analyze the provided Python code snippet, identify any bugs or errors present, and provide a corrected version of the code that resolves these issues. Explain the problems you found in the original code and how your fixes address them. The corrected code should be functional, efficient, and adhere to best practices in Python programming.
Image prompts
A simple icon prompt from Google’s Gemini API docs (library listing):
An icon representing a cute dog. The background is white. Make the icons in a colorful and tactile 3D style. No text.
A precise photo edit from Google’s developer blog (library listing):
Using the provided image of a living room, change only the blue sofa to be a vintage, brown leather chesterfield sofa. Keep the rest of the room, including the pillows on the sofa and the lighting, unchanged.
Note the pattern: say exactly what changes and what stays the same. OpenAI’s image prompting guide uses it too (library listing):
Translate the text in the infographic to Spanish. Do not change any other aspect of the image.
Midjourney prompts can be very short. This one is from Midjourney’s prompt basics (library listing):
Colored pencil illustration of bright orange California poppies
Video prompts
Google’s Veo prompt guide describes shots the way a director would. A close-up (library listing):
An extreme close-up of a single, glistening drop of rain as it lands on the petal of a vibrant red rose, causing the petal to tremble slightly
A camera move (library listing):
Sweeping aerial drone shot flying over a tropical island chain
A focus change within one shot (library listing):
A medium shot of a detective's hand in the foreground, holding a single, spent bullet casing. The camera then performs a slow rack focus, shifting from the casing to reveal the anxious face of a witness in the background, now in sharp focus
How to adapt an example
- Swap the placeholders. Replace every bracket with real details: the audience, the topic, the length.
- Add the context only you have. Paste the notes, attach the file, or name the source. OpenAI suggests explaining “what ChatGPT should take from each one.”
- Set one or two boundaries. For example: “Keep the approved dates and budget figures unchanged.”
- Refine with a follow-up. OpenAI’s advice: “Your first prompt doesn’t need to be perfect.” Ask for the specific change you want.
Google offers one more shortcut in the Gemini app: start with “Make this a power prompt:” followed by your draft, and Gemini suggests improvements (source).
