✍️ Prompt Style Guide: Role, Format, Tone

By Aebe

Good prompts give GPT better guidance. This guide covers the three core elements that every high-performing prompt should include: role, format, and tone. These three together help reduce ambiguity and give the AI the structure it needs to return exactly what you want.

1. Role

Define who the AI should act as. This sets the perspective, language, and behavior of the output.

Examples:

"Act as a UX designer..."
"You are an expert SEO consultant..."
"Pretend you're a kid explaining this to another kid..."

2. Format

Tell the AI how to present the response. Structured formats help it avoid generic rambling.

Examples:

"Give the output as a bulleted list."
"Return the result in a markdown table."
"Provide a headline, intro paragraph, and 3 subheadings."

3. Tone

The personality or voice of the AI’s response. Tone controls how your prompt feels to the reader.

Examples:

"Keep it friendly and conversational."
"Use formal business language."
"Make it clever and humorous, like a stand-up routine."

✨ Pro Tip: Combine All 3

Want a great prompt fast? Use all three in one line:

Act as a professional brand strategist. Write a 3-part branding guide in a markdown table. Use an expert, confident tone.

This format works across tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and even text-to-image tools when describing styles or behaviors.