Few-Shot Examples That Actually Work

Few-shot prompting = giving the model 1–5 example pairs of input → desired output. Done well, this is the single highest-leverage prompt technique. Done badly, it leaks bias into every response.

Three rules for good few-shots

1. Diverse, not redundant. Show the model the edges of what you want, not the average case.
2. Match the production distribution. If 80% of real inputs are short, your examples should be short too.
3. Match output format exactly. The model copies tone, length, and structure from your examples.