Giving Instructions

We use the imperative form

to give orders or directions

Example:
“Eat your vegetables!”
“Turn left and go straight on.”

To make the imperative, use the infinitive of

the verb without ‘to’:

Example:
“Come here!”
“Sit down!”

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To make a negative imperative,
put “do not” or
“don’t”
before the verb.
(Don’t is more informal than “do not”.)

Example:

“Don’t go!”
“Do not walk on the grass.”

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Giving instructions
You often see the imperative form in instruction manuals
or when someone tells you how to do something.

There are often “sequencing” words

to show the steps in the process.
For example, “firstly”, “secondly” and “finally”.

Simple instructions to replace a light bulb

Firstly, turn off the electricity.

Secondly, remove the light bulb.
Then, screw in the new light bulb.
Finally, turn the electricity on and switch on the light.

You can also say

“after that” instead of “then” and
“first” / “second” instead of “firstly” and “secondly”.

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Understanding the Task
1. Gather the materials needed.
2. Perform the task yourself.
3. Make a detailed outline.
4. Define your audience.
5. Draft a short introduction.
Writing Your Instructions
1. Divide the task into baby steps.
2. Start each step with an action word.
3. Follow a logical progression.
4. Choose your words carefully.
5. Use positive actions.
6. Write in second person.
7. Include alternatives.
8. Use graphics where helpful.

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Testing Your Instructions
1. Organize your instructions into parts.
2. Try your instructions as written.
3. Edit your instructions carefully.
4. Include a list of tools or supplies needed.
5. Provide warnings where appropriate.

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How to Write Clear Instructions
Understanding the Task
1. Gather the materials needed.
When you're writing instructions,
you must first be familiar with the task personally.
Get all the tools and supplies you'll need
and lay them out
in roughly the order you'll need them.
Write down everything needed.
When you write your instructions,
you may want to include a list of tools or materials
that are necessary to complete the task.

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2. Perform the task yourself.
Even if you've successfully completed the task several times,
it's still a good idea to walk yourself through it
before you write your instructions,
so make sure
you don't skip any steps
or omit any information
your reader may not have.

3. Make a detailed outline.

As you perform the task,
take a moment to write down what you've done.
This helps you keep the instructions in logical order.

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4. Define your audience.
Instructions for the same task
may be written in different ways
depending on who will be reading
and attempting to follow your instructions.
You'll write differently for teenagers
than you will for adults.
The instructions for kids
working on a project
will be different from
the instructions for parents
helping their kids with a project.

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 5. Draft a short introduction.

The introduction tells your readers

what your instructions will enable them to do
and what the final outcome will be
if they complete all instructions.

Keep in mind
that most people will skip the introduction,
or at most skim it,
so don't include vital information or key warnings
in the introduction.

 If you included an important warning

in the introduction, be sure to include it
in your steps as well,
in case someone skipped the introduction.

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Writing Your Instructions
1. Divide the task into baby steps.
Each step should have a single action,
not several.
2. Start each step with an action word.
Every step you write should be actionable.
Use verbs that show your readers
exactly the action they must take
to complete that step of the task.

Word your instructions in terms of

what someone must do,
not what someone must think or know.

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3. Follow a logical progression.
Assume that your reader is going to jump right in
and start working on the task
as soon as they read the first step.
If there's something your readers need to
know to complete a step,
include that information with the step itself.
 If there is any danger in a particular step,
include this warning with the step itself,
not at the end of your instructions
when it's too late.

4. Choose your words carefully.

Use simple language that anyone can understand.
In most cases you want to avoid
any jargon or technical terms.
If you must use a technical word,
provide a short and simple definition.

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5. Use positive actions.
Generally, it's better to tell your readers
what they should do to complete the task,
rather than what they shouldn't do.
If you start telling them what not to do,
they might get confused and do that thing
anyway.

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6. Write in second person.
The pronoun "you"
allows you to address your reader directly
and can avoid confusion.
When you use the pronoun "you,"
the reader knows exactly what he must do
to complete the task,
and doesn't have to guess.

 For example, if you wrote

"the lever should be pushed,"
you leave your reader wondering
who should push the lever.

"You must push the lever"

or even "push the lever"
leaves no doubt
that this is something your reader must do.

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7. Include alternatives.
For some tasks,
there will be more than one way
to accomplish a step or group of steps.
Provide the alternative along with the step
so that the readers can choose
how they want to complete the task.
 For example,
if you're explaining how to make
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,
you can add:
"Substitute almond butter in case of peanut allergies."

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8. Use graphics where helpful.
You may have heard the phrase
"a picture is worth a thousand words."
When it comes to writing clear instructions,
sometimes a picture or diagram
will make a particular action
more understandable for your reader.

For more technical instructions,

make sure the reader
can clearly see what's going on in the picture,
and the action isn't obscured by tools or hands.

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Part 3
Testing Your Instructions
1. Organize your instructions into parts.
Some complicated tasks have more than one part. If
you're writing instructions for a larger task that
includes several smaller parts, separate them into
separate sections.

 If you're numbering your instructions,

restart the numbering with each section. The
reader will feel a sense of accomplishment
after finishing each part.

 You should still break your task into parts,

even if it doesn't have any semi-independent
parts. Too many steps can overwhelm your
readers.

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2. Try your instructions as written.
If you can't follow your instructions as written,
nobody else will be able to follow them either.
 you may have to test your instructions several times,
particularly if they are lengthy or complex.

3. Edit your instructions carefully.

Typos and grammatical errors can ruin
otherwise clear writing, making your
instructions hard to follow. Read through them
backwards and forwards to make sure they're
error-free.
If you're not confident in your editing skills,
get a friend to look over your instructions for you.

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4. Include a list of tools or supplies needed.
Particularly
if a task requires specific tools or materials,
a list can be helpful for your readers.
Put the list towards the beginning of your instructions
so your reader can gather materials
before they begin the task.
 Think of this like a recipe in a cookbook.
Recipes always provide
a list of ingredients
and cookware at the beginning,
so you can gather all these things
before you start making the dish.

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5. Provide warnings where appropriate.
After testing your instructions,
you may realize
that there are hidden dangers
you didn't address
when you first wrote your instructions.
Alert your readers to these dangers
so they can take precautions.

 For example,
if you're writing instructions
on how to boil water,
you may want to include a warning
that the pot will be too hot to touch
even before the water starts boiling.

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