Adding Context
Context is the background information the AI needs so that it does not have to guess.
Why Context Matters
The AI knows a lot about the world in general, but nothing about your situation: your class, your shop, your client, your code. Context fills that gap.
Without context:
Example
Write a sale announcement.With context:
Example
I run "Ali Mobiles", a small phone accessories shop in Saddar, Karachi.
Most customers are students aged 16-25. We are having a sale on
Friday and Saturday: 25% off on earbuds and power banks.
Write a short Instagram caption (under 40 words) with 3 hashtags.The second version can produce a caption you can actually post.
What Context to Include
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Who you are | "I am a second-year BS Computer Science student" |
| Your goal | "I want to understand this for tomorrow's quiz" |
| Your level | "I know basic Python but not classes" |
| Facts the AI cannot know | prices, dates, names, your company's policy |
| Source material | a document, email, code or data you paste in |
| What you tried | "I already tried restarting, it did not help" |
Pasting Documents: Use Delimiters
When you paste text, separate it clearly from your instructions. Use quotes, triple dashes or tags:
Example
Summarise the email below in 3 bullet points, then list any
deadlines with their dates.
<email>
Dear students, the mid-term exams start on 4 November.
Submit your project proposals by 28 October to the coordinator.
The library will stay open until 9 pm during exam week.
</email>Delimiters stop the AI from mixing up your instructions with the document, especially when the document itself contains instructions.
Building Context in Code
Apps often add context automatically. Here a program puts the shop's details and a question together:
Example
shop = {
"name": "Ali Mobiles",
"area": "Saddar, Karachi",
"hours": "11 am to 10 pm, closed Sunday",
}
question = "Are you open on Sunday?"
context = "\n".join(f"{k}: {v}" for k, v in shop.items())
prompt = f"Shop details:\n{context}\n\nAnswer the customer: {question}"
print(prompt)Shop details: name: Ali Mobiles area: Saddar, Karachi hours: 11 am to 10 pm, closed Sunday Answer the customer: Are you open on Sunday?
Now the AI can answer correctly ("No, we are closed on Sunday") instead of guessing.
How Much is Too Much?
- Include what is relevant to the task. A whole 50-page manual for a one-line question can bury the important part.
- Put the most important instruction at the start or the end, not hidden in the middle of a long text.
- If the document is long, say exactly which part to focus on.
Ask yourself: "If I gave this prompt to a smart person who has never met me, could they do the job?" If not, add the missing context.
Ask the AI What It Needs
You can let the AI ask for the context:
Example
I want a study plan for my matric exams. Before you make it,
ask me up to 5 questions about my subjects, time and weak areas.Exercise
Exercise
Why should you use delimiters like <email> ... </email> when pasting a document?