Telling it what not to do.
WHY CONSTRAINTS WORK
Negative instructions are followed reasonably well and remove common problems.
USEFUL CONSTRAINTS
"No preamble. Start with the answer." "Do not summarise at the end." "No bullet points." "Do not use the words: [list]." "Do not hedge. State things directly." "Maximum 200 words."
THE PREAMBLE CONSTRAINT
Removes the introductory paragraph that says nothing.
Worth adding to almost any writing prompt.
THE BANNED WORDS LIST
Genuinely effective. Name the phrases you find irritating.
Common candidates: delve, leverage, landscape, unlock, robust, seamless, game-changer, in today's world.
THE HEDGING CONSTRAINT
Models qualify heavily. "Do not hedge" produces more direct output.
Use carefully where uncertainty is genuine.
WHAT CONSTRAINTS CANNOT DO
Prevent factual errors Make output accurate
WHERE TO PUT THEM
At the end of the prompt, or repeated at both ends for long prompts.
