#09 Prompting Technique

Multiple-Choice Prompts

Guide AI to select the best option from defined choices.

Overview

What It Is

Multiple-choice prompts present AI with a set of pre-defined options and ask it to select the most appropriate one based on given criteria. Instead of generating free-form responses, AI chooses from your curated list.

This technique combines the speed of constrained outputs with the nuance of having several valid options. You control the option space while leveraging AI's pattern-matching to handle the classification — consistency from your options, intelligence from AI's selection.

The Mechanics

Why It Works

By constraining AI to pre-defined options, you eliminate the risk of unexpected or inappropriate responses. AI must select from your controlled set rather than generating from its full training data.

Multiple-choice format also makes AI's reasoning more consistent because it's matching your situation against clear categories you've defined. This produces more reliable, standardized outputs compared to open-ended prompts.

Decision Guide

When To Use It

Use When
  • Categorizing or routing items systematically
  • Triage and prioritization decisions
  • Sentiment or tone classification
  • Status or stage determination
  • Standardized assessment or evaluation
Skip When
  • When you don't know what the options should be
  • Situations requiring creative or novel solutions
  • Complex judgments needing detailed explanation
  • When 'none of the above' would often be correct
  • Open-ended exploration without clear categories
Copy & Paste

Ready-to-Use Templates

T01 Category Selection Sorting items into predefined categories
Categorize this [item] into ONE of the following categories: A) [Category 1 - with brief description] B) [Category 2 - with brief description] C) [Category 3 - with brief description] D) [Category 4 - with brief description] [Provide item to categorize] Select only the letter of the best category.
Example

"Categorize this customer inquiry: A) Technical Support (product not working), B) Billing Question (payment or invoice issue), C) Sales Inquiry (pre-purchase question), D) Feature Request (wants new functionality). Inquiry: 'My credit card was charged twice this month.' Select only the letter."

T02 Priority Assignment Determining urgency or importance levels
Assign priority to this [item]: Priority Levels: 1) P1 - Critical: [Description of what qualifies] 2) P2 - High: [Description of what qualifies] 3) P3 - Medium: [Description of what qualifies] 4) P4 - Low: [Description of what qualifies] [Provide item details] Assign only the number (1, 2, 3, or 4).
Example

"Assign priority to this lead — P1: Enterprise ready to buy, P2: Mid-market evaluating, P3: SMB researching, P4: Individual exploring. Lead: CTO of 500-person company requesting demo for Q1 implementation. Assign only the number."

T03 Sentiment Classification Evaluating emotional tone or attitude
Classify the sentiment of this [content]: Options: A) Very Positive - [What this looks like] B) Positive - [What this looks like] C) Neutral - [What this looks like] D) Negative - [What this looks like] E) Very Negative - [What this looks like] [Provide content to analyze] Select only the letter.
Example

"Classify sentiment — A) Very Positive (enthusiastic praise), B) Positive (satisfied), C) Neutral (factual), D) Negative (disappointed), E) Very Negative (angry). Review: 'I guess it's okay, not really what I expected though.' Select only the letter."

T04 Stage Identification Determining position in a workflow or journey
Identify which stage this [item] is in: Stages: 1) [Stage 1 name]: [Key characteristics] 2) [Stage 2 name]: [Key characteristics] 3) [Stage 3 name]: [Key characteristics] 4) [Stage 4 name]: [Key characteristics] [Provide item details] Select only the number of the current stage.
Example

"Identify sales stage — 1) Awareness: just discovered us, 2) Consideration: evaluating options, 3) Decision: ready to buy, 4) Customer: already purchased. Prospect: 'Comparing your pricing with two competitors.' Select only the number."

T05 Best Action Selection Choosing recommended next steps from options
Given this situation, select the BEST action: A) [Action 1] - [When appropriate] B) [Action 2] - [When appropriate] C) [Action 3] - [When appropriate] D) [Action 4] - [When appropriate] Situation: [Describe the scenario] Select only the letter of the best action.
Example

"Select best action — A) Escalate to Manager (legal threat), B) Offer Refund (product defect), C) Provide Replacement (shipping damage), D) Offer Discount (minor inconvenience). Situation: Customer received product with scratched screen. Select only the letter."

Pro Tips

  • Make options mutually exclusive: Each item should clearly belong to only one category — overlap creates confusion and inconsistent results.
  • Provide brief descriptions: A short phrase after each option helps AI understand what distinguishes them, especially for edge cases.
  • Use consistent formatting: Letters or numbers for easy parsing make these prompts ready for automation and batch processing.
  • Include edge case guidance: Clarify how to handle borderline situations before running at scale — add a note like 'If between B and C, choose B.'
  • Test with known examples: Verify AI selects correctly on a few examples you already know the answer to before applying at volume.

Understanding the Fundamentals

These techniques work because of how AI actually processes language. Our Making AI Make Sense series breaks down exactly why — making techniques like this intuitive instead of mysterious. 34 videos, free on YouTube.

Watch on YouTube →

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