APE

Action · Purpose · Execution

A three-part framework that adds a "why" between the request and the output spec. Good for tasks where intent shapes the answer.

The components

AAction
The specific action the LLM should take.
PPurpose
The underlying reason — what the user is actually trying to achieve.
EExecution
How to deliver it — format, tone, length, and the quality bar.

Worked example

Rough prompt

Write me a cold email to a potential consulting client.

Super-prompt produced by APE

[Action] Draft a cold outreach email to a target consulting client.
[Purpose] Open a conversation that leads to a 30-minute discovery call. The recipient is a senior operator who receives many cold pitches and will only respond to ones that show evidence of homework and relevance.
[Execution] An email of 110–160 words: short subject line (under 8 words), opener that references something specific and recent about the recipient or their company, one sentence that names the problem you solve, one sentence that hints at the result, and a single low-friction call to action. No bullet points. No hashtags. Plain text only.

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