Controlling Format and Length

The Default Is Not Always Right

When you do not specify a format, the AI picks one for you. Sometimes it guesses well. More often, it produces output that is too long, too short, structured in a way you did not want, or full of markdown headers and bullet points when you needed flowing prose.

Format instructions are one of the simplest, highest-return improvements you can make to any prompt. They take a few extra words and dramatically increase the chance that what you get is immediately usable.

Controlling Structure

Structure refers to how the output is visually organised. Be explicit about what you want:

• Bullet points — "Present this as a bullet list."
• Numbered steps — "Format this as a numbered step-by-step guide."
• Headers — "Use a bold header for each section."
• Table — "Format the comparison as a table with three columns: Feature, Option A, Option B."
• Prose — "Write in flowing paragraphs, no bullet points."
• Q&A format — "Present this as a list of questions and answers."

The AI will reliably follow these instructions. If you do not give them, it defaults to whatever it thinks is most common for that type of request — and that guess is often wrong for your specific use case.

Controlling Length

Length is one of the most controllable aspects of AI output — and one of the most commonly neglected. The AI has a tendency to over-explain. Specifying length is the direct fix.

• Word counts — "Under 100 words," "approximately 300 words," "no more than 150 words" — all work reliably
• Sentence counts — "In three sentences," "one paragraph of five sentences"
• Item counts — "Give me exactly five bullet points," "list ten ideas"
• Page/section counts — "Write a two-page overview," "three short sections"

When you say "be concise," the AI tries but interprets it loosely. When you say "under 80 words," it hits that target. Concrete beats abstract every time.

Controlling Output Form

Beyond structure and length, you can also specify the form of the output — what kind of document or piece it should be:

• "Write this as a professional email."
• "Format it as a LinkedIn post."
• "Give me a script I can read out loud."
• "Write it as an FAQ page."
• "Present it as a memo to my team."

Form changes not just the structure but the register and conventions appropriate for that medium. An email and a LinkedIn post covering the same topic should sound different — and the AI knows this.

Combining Format Instructions

You can stack multiple format instructions in a single prompt. They stack reliably:

"Write a landing page headline and three supporting subheadings for our project management software. Each subheading should be one sentence, benefit-focused, and under twelve words. No jargon. Bullet the subheadings."

The AI will produce exactly that structure — headlines, three subheadings, bullet list, twelve words or fewer — consistently across multiple attempts.

When to Use Plain Text

One format instruction that is easy to forget but often very useful: "Do not use markdown." By default, many AI tools output markdown formatting — asterisks for bold, hashtags for headers, hyphens for bullets. This looks great in a chat interface but terrible when you paste the output into Word, a CRM, or an email editor.

If you are copying output somewhere that does not render markdown, add "No markdown formatting, plain text only" and the output will arrive clean.