Loading…
Loading...
Loading...
Loading…
Loading…
Loading…
Home · KS3 · iLowerSecondary English · Text types · Instructions
Instructions are one of the non-fiction instructions text types you may meet in Section A, and the form you may be asked to write in Section B. Their purpose is to inform and to explain — they tell the reader how to do something, step by step, so clearly that the reader can do it themselves. This page shows you how the form works, how it is tested, and how to write it.
An instructional text has one job: to get the reader from not being able to do something to being able to do it. Everything about the way it is written serves that job. There is no room for opinion, for atmosphere, or for the writer’s own story — only the actions the reader must take, in the right order, in words the reader cannot misunderstand.
That single, practical purpose is why instructions look the way they do. The conventions below are not decoration; each one removes a way the reader could get lost or get it wrong.
When you read an instructional text in the exam — or write one — these are the features to recognise. For each one, the column that earns marks is the last: the effect on the reader.
Clear sequential steps
What it is: The instructions are broken into separate, ordered actions, each usually a single step done before the next.
Effect on the reader: A clear sequence lets the reader follow along while doing the task, one action at a time, without losing their place or skipping a stage.
Imperative (command) verbs
What it is: Each step usually begins with a bossy "do this" verb - cut, fold, press, wait, check - with no subject before it.
Effect on the reader: The imperative speaks straight to the reader and tells them exactly what to do, which makes the text feel direct, brisk and easy to act on.
Time and sequence connectives
What it is: Linking words and phrases that order the steps - first, next, then, after that, once, while, finally.
Effect on the reader: These signpost the order so the reader knows what comes before what, and never has to guess whether a step can wait or must happen now.
Numbered or bulleted lists
What it is: Steps are pulled out of continuous prose into a numbered list (for an order) or bullets (for items that have no order).
Effect on the reader: Numbering makes the sequence visible at a glance and lets the reader return to the exact step they were on; bullets show items are separate but equal.
Second person
What it is: The reader is addressed directly as "you", or addressed by an implied "you" inside the imperative itself.
Effect on the reader: Second person makes the instructions feel personal and aimed at the reader, as if the writer is standing beside them guiding the task.
Precise, concrete vocabulary
What it is: Exact nouns, numbers and measurements - "the small screw", "for thirty seconds", "two centimetres" - rather than vague words.
Effect on the reader: Precision removes guesswork. The reader can carry out the step correctly the first time because nothing is left open to interpretation.
Optional materials list
What it is: A short list at the start of everything the reader needs to gather before they begin.
Effect on the reader: It lets the reader prepare in advance, so they are not forced to stop halfway through the steps to fetch something they are missing.
Diagrams and labels
What it is: A picture of the object or stage, with labels naming the parts, often placed next to the step it illustrates.
Effect on the reader: A labelled diagram shows what words struggle to describe and ties a name to a part, so the reader can match the instruction to the real object.
Instructions are a gift in the reading paper because their language is so distinctive. Examiners use them to test two assessment objectives in particular.
You may be asked to underline or name the imperative (command) verb in a step, or to explain the effect of the imperative voice. Use the exact grammatical term: imperative. The command verb is the bossy “do this” word with no subject in front of it — cut, fold, wait — not the connective (first, then) that orders the steps.
You may be asked how the writer makes the order clear, or to comment on the effect of the numbered list or the time and sequence connectives. Name the choice precisely (numbered list, sequence connective) and always finish with what it does for the reader — that is where the marks are.
Don’t confuse the verb with the connective
In “Next, roll the paper tightly”, the imperative verb is roll — the action. Next is a sequence connective — it orders the step, but it is not a command. The most common lost mark on the underline question is selecting the connective instead of the verb.
These prompts come from the iLowerSecondary Teacher’s Guide guided-reading routine for non-fiction. Ask them of any instructional text before you answer a question about it — the genre prompt in particular names the exact features you should be hunting for.
Genre
Text structure
The two extracts below are original texts written for this page — they are not from any past paper. Read each one through, study the annotations that point out the imperative verbs and sequence markers, then attempt the questions before checking the model answers.
Practice extract 1
How to make a paper seed pot
You will need: one sheet of old newspaper, a clean jam jar, and a little water.
1. First, tear the sheet of newspaper in half along the fold.
2. Lay one half flat and place the jam jar on its side at one edge.
3. Next, roll the paper tightly around the jar until none is left.
4. Once the paper is rolled, fold the loose end in over the base of the jar to close the bottom.
5. Then slide the jar out carefully so the paper tube keeps its shape.
6. Finally, press the folded base flat and pour in a little water to settle the pot.
Annotation
Imperative verbs: Every step opens with a command verb: "tear", "Lay", "place", "roll", "fold", "slide", "press", "pour". None has a subject in front of it - the reader is the implied "you", which keeps the text direct.
Sequence markers: "First", "Next", "Once… ", "Then" and "Finally" order the steps, and the list is numbered 1-6, so the reader always knows which action comes next.
Other conventions: A materials list ("You will need: …") lets the reader prepare; precise vocabulary ("along the fold", "a little water") removes guesswork; "You will need" addresses the reader in the second person.
QUnderline the imperative verb in step 3. (1)
Model answer: The imperative verb is "roll" - "Next, roll the paper tightly around the jar". (The word "Next" is a sequence connective, not the command verb; "roll" is the action the reader is ordered to perform.)
Mark-scheme note: Pearson style: a closed underline / identify-the-word-class item. Any clear positive indication of "roll" is accepted. Selecting "Next" or "paper" would not earn the mark - the question targets the command verb specifically.
QHow does the writer make the order of the steps clear to the reader? (2)
Model answer: The writer numbers the steps 1 to 6 and opens them with time and sequence connectives such as "First", "Next", "Then" and "Finally" (1). This signposts exactly which action comes before another, so the reader can follow the process one stage at a time without skipping or repeating a step (1).
Mark-scheme note: One mark for identifying the organisational choice (numbered list / sequence connectives); one mark for explaining the effect on the reader linked to the text.
Practice extract 2
How to fold a paper boat
1. Begin with a rectangular sheet of paper placed flat in front of you.
2. Fold the sheet exactly in half, top edge down to bottom edge, and press the crease firmly.
3. After that, fold it in half again, this time from side to side, then open this second fold back out.
4. Bring the two top corners down to meet the centre crease so they form a neat triangle.
5. While holding the triangle, fold the strip of paper at the bottom up on the front side.
6. Turn the model over and fold the remaining strip up on the back as well.
7. Lastly, hold the open base, pull the two sides apart gently, and reshape the paper into a boat.
Annotation
Imperative verbs: "Begin", "Fold", "press", "fold", "open", "Bring", "fold", "Turn", "hold", "pull", "reshape" - each step is built on a command verb that tells the reader the precise action.
Sequence markers: The numbered steps 1-7 are reinforced by connectives of time: "After that", "While holding", and "Lastly". "While" shows two actions happen at the same time, not one after the other.
Other conventions: Concrete, precise vocabulary ("top edge down to bottom edge", "the centre crease", "a neat triangle") leaves nothing to guess; "in front of you" addresses the reader directly in the second person.
QIdentify two different sequence connectives the writer uses, and say what each one tells the reader. (2)
Model answer: "After that" (step 3) tells the reader the fold must happen once the previous fold is complete - the actions are in order (1). "While holding" (step 5) tells the reader two things happen at the same moment: they must keep holding the triangle as they make the next fold (1).
Mark-scheme note: One mark for each correctly identified connective with an accurate explanation of the relationship it signals (sequence vs simultaneous action). A bare list of words with no comment would be capped at one mark.
QWhat is the effect of beginning almost every step with a command (imperative) verb? (2)
Model answer: Opening each step with a verb such as "Fold", "Bring" or "Turn" speaks straight to the reader and names the exact action with no wasted words (1). This makes the instructions feel direct and easy to act on, so the reader can do each step while reading it rather than having to work out what is being asked (1).
Mark-scheme note: One mark for naming the effect of the language feature; one mark for an explanation linked to the text and the purpose of instructions.
If Section B asks for instructions, the examiner is testing whether you can match form, audience and purpose (WAO1) and write accurately (WAO2). The way to score well is to make the conventions obvious:
1.Open with a clear title and a materials list
A heading that names the task, then a short "You will need:" list, shows the examiner you know the form before you write a single step.
2.Use a numbered list, one action per step
Numbering makes the sequence visible and stops you cramming three actions into one step. If two things happen together, say so with "while".
3.Start every step with an imperative verb
Cut, fold, pour, wait, check. Begin steps with the action, and order them with sequence connectives: first, next, then, after that, finally.
4.Be precise and concrete
Give exact amounts, times and parts - "for thirty seconds", "the small screw" - so the reader cannot misread the step.
5.Keep the second person and check the order
Address the reader directly, then reread your steps to make sure nothing is needed before it appears. Proofread for accurate punctuation and spelling (WAO2).
Your task
Write a clear set of instructions, for a reader of your own age, explaining how to plant a sunflower seed in a cup. Include a title and a list of what is needed, then numbered steps. Use imperative verbs and sequence connectives, and make every step precise.
The model below is an original answer written for this page. Notice the title, the “You will need” list, the numbered steps, the imperative verb opening every step, the sequence connectives (“First”, “Next”, “After that”, “Then”, “Finally”) and the precise detail (“three-quarters full”, “about two centimetres deep”).
How to plant a sunflower seed in a cup
You will need: a paper cup, some soil, one sunflower seed, and a little water.
1. First, fill the paper cup about three-quarters full with soil.
2. Next, press a small hole in the middle of the soil with your finger, about two centimetres deep.
3. Drop one sunflower seed into the hole.
4. After that, cover the seed gently with a thin layer of soil.
5. Then pour in a little water until the soil looks dark and damp, but not flooded.
6. Finally, place the cup on a bright windowsill and check it every day, adding a little water whenever the soil feels dry.
Why this would score well
The form is established and maintained throughout (WAO1): a title, a materials list, and six numbered steps each opening with an imperative verb (“fill”, “press”, “Drop”, “cover”, “pour”, “place”). Sequence connectives order the steps so the process is fully coherent. The vocabulary is concrete and precise, and the sentences are correctly demarcated, supporting the WAO2 marks for accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling.