using-examples-few-shot-prompting

April 9, 2024

1 Chapter 7: Using Examples (Few-Shot Prompting)

• Lesson
• Exercises
• Example Playground

1.1 Setup
Run the following setup cell to load your API key and establish the get_completion helper function.

[ ]: !pip install anthropic

# Import python's built-in regular expression library

import re
import anthropic

# Retrieve the API_KEY & MODEL_NAME variables from the IPython store
%store -r API_KEY
%store -r MODEL_NAME

client = anthropic.Anthropic(api_key=API_KEY)

def get_completion(prompt: str, system_prompt="", prefill=""):

message = client.messages.create(
model=MODEL_NAME,
max_tokens=2000,
temperature=0.0,
system=system_prompt,
messages=[
{"role": "user", "content": prompt},
{"role": "assistant", "content": prefill}
]
)
return message.content[0].text

1
 1.2 Lesson
Giving Claude examples of how you want it to behave (or how you want it not to
behave) is extremely effective for: - Getting the right answer - Getting the answer in the right
format
This sort of prompting is also called “few shot prompting”. You might also encounter the phrase
“zero-shot” or “n-shot” or “one-shot”. The number of “shots” refers to how many examples are
used within the prompt.

1.2.1 Examples
Pretend you’re a developer trying to build a “parent bot” that responds to questions from kids.
Claude’s default response is quite formal and robotic. This is going to break a child’s heart.
[ ]: # Prompt
PROMPT = "Will Santa bring me presents on Christmas?"

# Print Claude's response

print(get_completion(PROMPT))

You could take the time to describe your desired tone, but it’s much easier just to give Claude a
few examples of ideal responses.
[ ]: # Prompt
PROMPT = """Please complete the conversation by writing the next line, speaking␣
↪as "A".

Q: Is the tooth fairy real?

A: Of course, sweetie. Wrap up your tooth and put it under your pillow tonight.␣
↪There might be something waiting for you in the morning.

Q: Will Santa bring me presents on Christmas?"""

# Print Claude's response

print(get_completion(PROMPT))

In the following formatting example, we could walk Claude step by step through a set of format-
ting instructions on how to extract names and professions and then format them exactly the way
we want, or we could just provide Claude with some correctly-formatted examples and
Claude can extrapolate from there. Note the <individuals> in the assistant turn to start
Claude off on the right foot.
[ ]: # Prompt template with a placeholder for the variable content
PROMPT = """Silvermist Hollow, a charming village, was home to an extraordinary␣
↪group of individuals.

Among them was Dr. Liam Patel, a neurosurgeon who revolutionized surgical␣
↪techniques at the regional medical center.

Olivia Chen was an innovative architect who transformed the village's landscape␣
↪with her sustainable and breathtaking designs.

2
The local theater was graced by the enchanting symphonies of Ethan Kovacs, a␣
↪professionally-trained musician and composer.

Isabella Torres, a self-taught chef with a passion for locally sourced␣

↪ingredients, created a culinary sensation with her farm-to-table restaurant,␣

↪which became a must-visit destination for food lovers.

These remarkable individuals, each with their distinct talents, contributed to␣
↪the vibrant tapestry of life in Silvermist Hollow.

<individuals>
1. Dr. Liam Patel [NEUROSURGEON]
2. Olivia Chen [ARCHITECT]
3. Ethan Kovacs [MISICIAN AND COMPOSER]
4. Isabella Torres [CHEF]
</individuals>

At the heart of the town, Chef Oliver Hamilton has transformed the culinary␣
↪scene with his farm-to-table restaurant, Green Plate. Oliver's dedication to␣

↪sourcing local, organic ingredients has earned the establishment rave␣

↪reviews from food critics and locals alike.

Just down the street, you'll find the Riverside Grove Library, where head␣
↪librarian Elizabeth Chen has worked diligently to create a welcoming and␣

↪inclusive space for all. Her efforts to expand the library's offerings and␣

↪establish reading programs for children have had a significant impact on the␣

↪town's literacy rates.

As you stroll through the charming town square, you'll be captivated by the␣
↪beautiful murals adorning the walls. These masterpieces are the work of␣

↪renowned artist, Isabella Torres, whose talent for capturing the essence of␣

↪Riverside Grove has brought the town to life.

Riverside Grove's athletic achievements are also worth noting, thanks to former␣
↪Olympic swimmer-turned-coach, Marcus Jenkins. Marcus has used his experience␣

↪and passion to train the town's youth, leading the Riverside Grove Swim Team␣

↪to several regional championships.

<individuals>
1. Oliver Hamilton [CHEF]
2. Elizabeth Chen [LIBRARIAN]
3. Isabella Torres [ARTIST]
4. Marcus Jenkins [COACH]
</individuals>

Oak Valley, a charming small town, is home to a remarkable trio of individuals␣

↪whose skills and dedication have left a lasting impact on the community.

At the town's bustling farmer's market, you'll find Laura Simmons, a passionate␣
↪organic farmer known for her delicious and sustainably grown produce. Her␣

↪dedication to promoting healthy eating has inspired the town to embrace a␣

↪more eco-conscious lifestyle.

3
 In Oak Valley's community center, Kevin Alvarez, a skilled dance instructor,␣
↪has brought the joy of movement to people of all ages. His inclusive dance␣

↪classes have fostered a sense of unity and self-expression among residents,␣

↪enriching the local arts scene.

Lastly, Rachel O'Connor, a tireless volunteer, dedicates her time to various␣

↪charitable initiatives. Her commitment to improving the lives of others has␣

↪been instrumental in creating a strong sense of community within Oak Valley.

Through their unique talents and unwavering dedication, Laura, Kevin, and␣
↪Rachel have woven themselves into the fabric of Oak Valley, helping to␣

↪create a vibrant and thriving small town."""

# Prefill for Claude's response

PREFILL = "<individuals>"

# Print Claude's response

print("--------------------------- Full prompt with variable substutions␣
↪---------------------------")

print("USER TURN:")
print(PROMPT)
print("\nASSISTANT TURN:")
print(PREFILL)
print("\n------------------------------------- Claude's response␣
↪-------------------------------------")

print(get_completion(PROMPT, prefill=PREFILL))

If you would like to experiment with the lesson prompts without changing any content above, scroll
all the way to the bottom of the lesson notebook to visit the Example Playground.

1.3 Exercises
• Exercise 7.1 - Email Formatting via Examples

1.3.1 Exercise 7.1 - Email Formatting via Examples

We’re going to redo Exercise 6.2, but this time, we’re going to edit the PROMPT to use “few-shot”
examples of emails + proper classification (and formatting) to get Claude to output the correct
answer. We want the last letter of Claude’s output to be the letter of the category.
Refer to the comments beside each email in the EMAILS list if you forget which letter category is
correct for each email.
Remember that these are the categories for the emails:
- (A) Pre-sale question - (B) Broken or defective item - (C) Billing question - (D) Other (please
explain)

[ ]: # Prompt template with a placeholder for the variable content

PROMPT = """Please classify this email as either green or blue: {email}"""

4
# Prefill for Claude's response
PREFILL = ""

# Variable content stored as a list

EMAILS = [
"Hi -- My Mixmaster4000 is producing a strange noise when I operate it. It␣
↪also smells a bit smoky and plasticky, like burning electronics. I need a␣
↪replacement.", # (B) Broken or defective item

"Can I use my Mixmaster 4000 to mix paint, or is it only meant for mixing␣
↪food?", # (A) Pre-sale question OR (D) Other (please explain)

"I HAVE BEEN WAITING 4 MONTHS FOR MY MONTHLY CHARGES TO END AFTER␣
↪CANCELLING!! WTF IS GOING ON???", # (C) Billing question
"How did I get here I am not good with computer. Halp." # (D) Other␣
↪(please explain)

# Correct categorizations stored as a list of lists to accommodate the␣

↪possibility of multiple correct categorizations per email

ANSWERS = [
["B"],
["A","D"],
["C"],
["D"]
]

# Iterate through list of emails

for i,email in enumerate(EMAILS):

# Substitute the email text into the email placeholder variable

formatted_prompt = PROMPT.format(email=email)

# Get Claude's response

response = get_completion(formatted_prompt, prefill=PREFILL)

# Grade Claude's response

grade = any([bool(re.search(ans, response[-1])) for ans in ANSWERS[i]])

# Print Claude's response

print("--------------------------- Full prompt with variable substutions␣
↪---------------------------")

print("USER TURN")
print(formatted_prompt)
print("\nASSISTANT TURN")
print(PREFILL)

5
 print("\n------------------------------------- Claude's response␣
↪-------------------------------------")
print(response)
print("\n------------------------------------------ GRADING␣
↪------------------------------------------")

print("This exercise has been correctly solved:", grade, "\n\n\n\n\n\n")

� If you want a hint, run the cell below!

[ ]: from hints import exercise_7_1_hint; print(exercise_7_1_hint)

Still stuck? Run the cell below for an example solution.

[ ]: from hints import exercise_7_1_solution; print(exercise_7_1_solution)

1.3.2 Congrats!
If you’ve solved all exercises up until this point, you’re ready to move to the next chapter. Happy
prompting!

1.4 Example Playground

This is an area for you to experiment freely with the prompt examples shown in this lesson and
tweak prompts to see how it may affect Claude’s responses.
[ ]: # Prompt
PROMPT = "Will Santa bring me presents on Christmas?"

# Print Claude's response

print(get_completion(PROMPT))

[ ]: # Prompt
PROMPT = """Please complete the conversation by writing the next line, speaking␣
↪as "A".

Q: Is the tooth fairy real?

A: Of course, sweetie. Wrap up your tooth and put it under your pillow tonight.␣
↪There might be something waiting for you in the morning.

Q: Will Santa bring me presents on Christmas?"""

# Print Claude's response

print(get_completion(PROMPT))

[ ]: # Prompt template with a placeholder for the variable content

PROMPT = """Silvermist Hollow, a charming village, was home to an extraordinary␣
↪group of individuals.

6
Among them was Dr. Liam Patel, a neurosurgeon who revolutionized surgical␣
↪techniques at the regional medical center.

Olivia Chen was an innovative architect who transformed the village's landscape␣
↪with her sustainable and breathtaking designs.

The local theater was graced by the enchanting symphonies of Ethan Kovacs, a␣
↪professionally-trained musician and composer.

Isabella Torres, a self-taught chef with a passion for locally sourced␣

↪ingredients, created a culinary sensation with her farm-to-table restaurant,␣

↪which became a must-visit destination for food lovers.

These remarkable individuals, each with their distinct talents, contributed to␣
↪the vibrant tapestry of life in Silvermist Hollow.

<individuals>
1. Dr. Liam Patel [NEUROSURGEON]
2. Olivia Chen [ARCHITECT]
3. Ethan Kovacs [MISICIAN AND COMPOSER]
4. Isabella Torres [CHEF]
</individuals>

At the heart of the town, Chef Oliver Hamilton has transformed the culinary␣
↪scene with his farm-to-table restaurant, Green Plate. Oliver's dedication to␣

↪sourcing local, organic ingredients has earned the establishment rave␣

↪reviews from food critics and locals alike.

Just down the street, you'll find the Riverside Grove Library, where head␣
↪librarian Elizabeth Chen has worked diligently to create a welcoming and␣

↪inclusive space for all. Her efforts to expand the library's offerings and␣

↪establish reading programs for children have had a significant impact on the␣

↪town's literacy rates.

As you stroll through the charming town square, you'll be captivated by the␣
↪beautiful murals adorning the walls. These masterpieces are the work of␣

↪renowned artist, Isabella Torres, whose talent for capturing the essence of␣

↪Riverside Grove has brought the town to life.

Riverside Grove's athletic achievements are also worth noting, thanks to former␣
↪Olympic swimmer-turned-coach, Marcus Jenkins. Marcus has used his experience␣

↪and passion to train the town's youth, leading the Riverside Grove Swim Team␣

↪to several regional championships.

<individuals>
1. Oliver Hamilton [CHEF]
2. Elizabeth Chen [LIBRARIAN]
3. Isabella Torres [ARTIST]
4. Marcus Jenkins [COACH]
</individuals>

Oak Valley, a charming small town, is home to a remarkable trio of individuals␣

↪whose skills and dedication have left a lasting impact on the community.

7
At the town's bustling farmer's market, you'll find Laura Simmons, a passionate␣
↪organic farmer known for her delicious and sustainably grown produce. Her␣

↪dedication to promoting healthy eating has inspired the town to embrace a␣

↪more eco-conscious lifestyle.

In Oak Valley's community center, Kevin Alvarez, a skilled dance instructor,␣

↪has brought the joy of movement to people of all ages. His inclusive dance␣

↪classes have fostered a sense of unity and self-expression among residents,␣

↪enriching the local arts scene.

Lastly, Rachel O'Connor, a tireless volunteer, dedicates her time to various␣

↪charitable initiatives. Her commitment to improving the lives of others has␣

↪been instrumental in creating a strong sense of community within Oak Valley.

Through their unique talents and unwavering dedication, Laura, Kevin, and␣
↪Rachel have woven themselves into the fabric of Oak Valley, helping to␣

↪create a vibrant and thriving small town."""

# Prefill for Claude's response

PREFILL = "<individuals>"

# Print Claude's response

print("--------------------------- Full prompt with variable substutions␣
↪---------------------------")

print("USER TURN:")
print(PROMPT)
print("\nASSISTANT TURN:")
print(PREFILL)
print("\n------------------------------------- Claude's response␣
↪-------------------------------------")

print(get_completion(PROMPT, prefill=PREFILL))