Unit 1.6: Ask for a format
Say what shape you want the answer in, then put all of Level 1 together in the remix.
You ask a question and get back a long essay, when all you wanted was three lines to send on WhatsApp. Then you have to cut it yourself. The AI didn't know you wanted three lines, so it gave you everything.
A format is the last piece of Level 1. After this unit you can write a request with context, a clear task and a format, and that is already better than most prompts people send.
format කියන්නේ උත්තරයේ හැඩය: ලැයිස්තුවක්ද, වාක්‍ය තුනක්ද, table එකක්ද, සිංහලෙන්ද English වලින්ද. ඉල්ලීම අගට ඒක එකතු කරන්න. එතකොට AI එක දිග රචනාවක් ලියන්නේ නෑ, ඔයාට ඕන හැඩයටම දෙනවා.
Formats you will use every day
| Format | Words to use | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| A list | as a list, in five points, as bullet points | notes, steps, ideas |
| Short | in three lines, in under 50 words, in one sentence | WhatsApp, SMS, captions |
| A table | in a table with two columns: … and … | prices, timetables, comparisons |
| Steps | step by step, as numbered steps | maths, forms, how-to |
| Language | in simple English, in English, then in Sinhala | learning, customers |
Task + format
- Summarise my biology notes in five points.list
- Make our menu into a table with two columns: dish and price.table
- Explain this traffic fine notice in three lines.short
- List the steps to get a foreign job permit as numbered steps.steps
- Explain this word in simple English, then in Sinhala.language
Before and after
In your world
Quick check
Tap an answer. Nothing is saved.
Which format is clearer?
You want each bus and its time side by side. Which format?
Which one is standard English?
Your turn
Your turn
Saved on this device only.
Write a request that ends with a format: a list, a number of lines, a table or a language.
Score it: 0, 1 or 2 for each.
Clarity
AI එකට කරන්න ඕන දේ පැහැදිලිද?
Completeness
අවශ්‍ය විස්තර ඔක්කොම තියෙනවද?
Structure
කොටස් හරි පිළිවෙළටද?
Internationally clear
ලංකාවෙන් පිට කෙනෙක්ටත් තේරෙනවද?
Total: 0 / 8
Level 1 remix
You now have every piece of Level 1. Put them together in one request:
A Level 1 request
- ContextOne sentence: who you are, or who it is for. (Unit 1.4)
- TaskVerb first, with a, an, this or my (Units 1.1 and 1.2). No long greeting (Unit 1.3). Name the thing, not "it" (Unit 1.5).
- FormatWhat shape the answer should be in. (Unit 1.6)
Level 1 requests
- I sell cakes from home in Gampaha. Write a Facebook post about my new chocolate cake in under 60 words.
- I am an A/L commerce student. Explain question 5 in this past paper step by step.
Your turn
Saved on this device only.
Write one full Level 1 request for something you really need this week. Use all three parts: context, task, format.
Score it: 0, 1 or 2 for each.
Clarity
AI එකට කරන්න ඕන දේ පැහැදිලිද?
Completeness
අවශ්‍ය විස්තර ඔක්කොම තියෙනවද?
Structure
කොටස් හරි පිළිවෙළටද?
Internationally clear
ලංකාවෙන් පිට කෙනෙක්ටත් තේරෙනවද?
Total: 0 / 8
Side quest
Ask the AI to grade you:
That's Level 1 done. 🎉 Next comes Level 2: The full frame.
Finished this one? Tick it off. It is saved on this device only.