Action, Purpose, Expectation — The shortest useful framework — three parts, built for speed.
APE is the framework to reach for when you need something quick and the task is genuinely simple: a rewrite, a short explanation, a single piece of copy. It trades thoroughness for speed, so it's not the right choice for anything with real nuance or multiple constraints.
The task itself, stated plainly.
Why you need it — this single line of "why" often does more to improve output than extra instructions would.
What the finished output should look or feel like.
Bad prompt:
“Rewrite this sentence to sound better.”
Structured with APE:
Action: Rewrite this sentence: "Our product helps you manage tasks more efficiently." Purpose: It's the first line of our homepage and needs to earn a second sentence of attention. Expectation: One sentence, more specific and concrete than the original, no buzzwords like "efficiently" or "seamless."
A single rewritten sentence that replaces the vague claim with something concrete and specific to what the product actually does, matching the length and tone constraint given.
APE's brevity makes it a good match for quick ChatGPT sessions and for Claude when you want a fast, low-friction first draft to iterate on.