diff --git a/aider/coders/base_coder.py b/aider/coders/base_coder.py
index d90b4a821..b766857b0 100755
--- a/aider/coders/base_coder.py
+++ b/aider/coders/base_coder.py
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ class Coder:
         prompt = ""
         for fname in fnames:
             relative_fname = self.get_rel_fname(fname)
-            prompt += utils.quoted_file(fname, relative_fname, fence_ticks=self.get_fence_ticks())
+            prompt += utils.quoted_file(fname, relative_fname, fence=self.fence)
         return prompt
 
     def get_files_messages(self):
@@ -355,31 +355,18 @@ class Coder:
 
         return self.send_new_user_message(inp)
 
-    num_ticks = 4
+    fences = [
+        ("```", "```"),
+        ("<source>", "</source>"),
+        ("<code>", "</code>"),
+        ("<pre>", "</pre>"),
+    ]
 
-    def get_fence_ticks(self):
-        return "`" * self.num_ticks
+    fence = fences[3]
 
     def fmt_system_reminder(self):
         prompt = self.gpt_prompts.system_reminder
-        num_ticks = self.num_ticks
-
-        explain = f"""
-You *MUST* use {num_ticks} backticks, because some files contain {num_ticks-1} backticks already!"""
-
-        number_mapping = {
-            3: "triple",
-            # 4: "quadruple",
-            # 5: "quintuple",
-        }
-        num_ticks_name = number_mapping.get(num_ticks, str(num_ticks))
-
-        prompt = prompt.format(
-            num_ticks=num_ticks_name,
-            fence=self.get_fence_ticks(),
-            num_ticks_explanation=explain,
-        )
-
+        prompt = prompt.format(fence=self.fence)
         return prompt
 
     def send_new_user_message(self, inp):
diff --git a/aider/coders/wholefile_coder.py b/aider/coders/wholefile_coder.py
index 68e207778..cc7cb3980 100644
--- a/aider/coders/wholefile_coder.py
+++ b/aider/coders/wholefile_coder.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class WholeFileCoder(Coder):
         fname = None
         new_lines = []
         for i, line in enumerate(lines):
-            if line.startswith(self.get_fence_ticks()):
+            if line.startswith(self.fence[0]) or line.startswith(self.fence[1]):
                 if fname is not None:
                     # ending an existing block
                     saw_fname = None
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class WholeFileCoder(Coder):
                     else:
                         # TODO: sense which file it is by diff size
                         raise ValueError(
-                            f"No filename provided before {self.get_fence_ticks()} in file listing"
+                            f"No filename provided before {self.fence[0]} in file listing"
                         )
 
             elif fname is not None:
diff --git a/aider/coders/wholefile_prompts.py b/aider/coders/wholefile_prompts.py
index eaea54336..3e381c6af 100644
--- a/aider/coders/wholefile_prompts.py
+++ b/aider/coders/wholefile_prompts.py
@@ -18,16 +18,16 @@ Once you understand the request you MUST:
 You MUST use this *file listing* format:
 
 path/to/filename.js
-{fence}javascript
-// entire file content goes in the
-// {num_ticks} backtick fenced block
-{fence}
+{fence[0]}
+// entire file content ...
+// ... goes in between
+{fence[1]}
 
 Every *file listing* MUST use this format:
 - First line: the filename with any originally provided path
-- Second line: opening {num_ticks} backtick fence with the correct code language.
-- Final line: closing {num_ticks} backtick fence.
-{num_ticks_explanation}
+- Second line: opening {fence[0]}
+- ... entire content of the file ...
+- Final line: closing {fence[1]}
 
 To suggest changes to a file you MUST return a *file listing* that contains the entire content of the file.
 Create a new file you MUST return a *file listing* which includes an appropriate filename, including any appropriate path.
diff --git a/aider/utils.py b/aider/utils.py
index 459ac194e..61e535bc6 100644
--- a/aider/utils.py
+++ b/aider/utils.py
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from .dump import dump  # noqa: F401
 
 
-def quoted_file(fname, display_fname, fence_ticks="```", number=False):
+def quoted_file(fname, display_fname, fence=("```", "```"), number=False):
     prompt = "\n"
     prompt += display_fname
-    prompt += f"\n{fence_ticks}\n"
+    prompt += f"\n{fence[0]}\n"
+
     file_content = Path(fname).read_text()
     lines = file_content.splitlines()
     for i, line in enumerate(lines, start=1):
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ def quoted_file(fname, display_fname, fence_ticks="```", number=False):
             prompt += f"{i:4d} "
         prompt += line + "\n"
 
-    prompt += f"{fence_ticks}\n"
+    prompt += f"{fence[1]}\n"
     return prompt