Prompt Patterns|

A Pattern Language for Knowledge Engineering with Large Language Models

Task Directive

Defines the exact unit of work the model must perform, independently of how it must be performed.

Problem

The model is not goal-seeking by default; if the task is not explicitly named, it guesses the response type from weak cues and often solves the wrong problem.

Solution

Name the exact unit of work directly (summarize, rewrite, evaluate, extract). This high-salience task cue shifts generation toward task-shaped continuations instead of generic topic continuation.