Do This
Set the format before the content
Decide what the output should look like — a table, five bullets, one paragraph — and say so up front.
Add one sentence to your request: "Answer as a table with columns for option, cost, and risk" or "Give me exactly five bullets, each under 15 words." Format instructions are followed far more reliably than vague requests to "keep it short."
Why it works
A concrete format is a target the model hits far more reliably than a vague ask — and it forces you to decide what you actually want to do with the answer.
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