# Operator Template — Context / Task / Standards
The canonical prompt skeleton. Drop in for any task.

_The reference Context/Task/Standards prompt. Generic, tiny, and works for almost anything. Start here, then specialize._

Used in: Lesson foundations/03 — https://vetslearn.com/lessons/foundations/03
Source: https://vetslearn.com/resources/templates/prompts#t-operator-template

---

## Context
You are [ROLE THE AI SHOULD TAKE].

Here is what you need to know:
[BACKGROUND THE AI NEEDS TO KNOW]

## Task
[WHAT YOU WANT DONE]

## Standards
[FORMAT, LENGTH, TONE, AND CONSTRAINTS]

If any part of the context is missing or unclear, ask me before answering.

---

**Why this works**

Context tells the AI who it is and what it knows. Task tells it what to do. Standards tells it what "done" looks like. Three blocks, three jobs. The final line forces the AI to ask instead of guess, which kills most bad outputs before they happen.

## Check before you use it

- Read the output against each Standards line. Anything that misses one gets a rerun, not a hand-fix.
- If the AI answered instead of asking about missing context, your context block is thin. Add what it guessed at.
- Check any fact, name, or number it added that you did not give it.