Write Step-by-Step Instructions

Lesson 25 min Beginner
Practise writing clear numbered instructions with direct actions, logical order, useful context, consistent terminology, checkpoints and testing.
Suitable for
All Ages

Good instructions help another person complete a task without having to guess what the writer meant.

They explain what to do, in what order and what result to expect.

In this lesson you will practise turning a task into clear numbered instructions that another person can follow.

Goal: write instructions that identify the task, begin from a clear starting point, use direct action verbs, follow a logical order and include the information a reader needs to complete the task successfully.

Before you start

Review A Practical Guide to Clear Everyday English.

You will need a notebook, document or other place where you can draft and revise a short set of instructions.

What are step by step instructions?

Step by step instructions describe a task as a sequence of actions.

For example:

  1. Open the document.
  2. Select the text you want to copy.
  3. Copy the selected text.
  4. Open the destination document.
  5. Paste the text where you want it to appear.

Each step moves the reader closer to the final result.

Why order matters

Many tasks only work when actions happen in the correct sequence.

Imagine these instructions:

  1. Put the envelope in the post box.
  2. Write the address on the envelope.
  3. Put the letter inside the envelope.

The individual actions make sense, but the order does not.

A logical order would be:

  1. Put the letter inside the envelope.
  2. Write the address on the envelope.
  3. Seal the envelope.
  4. Put the envelope in the post box.

Start by identifying the final goal

Before writing the steps, complete this sentence:

When the reader finishes these instructions, they should have...

For example:

When the reader finishes these instructions, they should have saved a copy of the document as a PDF file.

This helps you decide which steps belong in the procedure.

Step 1: Give the procedure a clear title

The title should tell the reader what the instructions will help them do.

Vague:

Document Instructions

Clearer:

Save a Document as a PDF File

Another example:

Prepare a Backpack for a Day Trip

A useful title begins with the task rather than a general topic.

Practice 1: Improve the title

Change:

Phone Settings

Suppose the instructions explain how to increase text size.

A clearer title is:

Increase the Text Size on Your Phone

Step 2: Identify the starting point

The reader needs to know where the procedure begins.

For a physical task, the starting point may involve materials.

For example:

Before you begin, place the paper, pencil, ruler and scissors on a clear table.

For a digital task, the reader may need to open a particular application or page.

For example:

Open the document you want to save.

Do not assume that every reader knows where the procedure begins.

Step 3: List the main actions before writing full sentences

First make a rough action list.

Imagine that you are explaining how to add a new contact to a phone.

Your rough list might be:

  • open contacts
  • choose new contact
  • enter name
  • enter phone number
  • save contact

This helps you check the sequence before worrying about wording.

Practice 2: Put the actions in order

Suppose you want to print a document.

Arrange these actions logically:

  • choose the printer
  • open the document
  • select Print
  • confirm the print settings
  • start printing

A sensible sequence is:

  1. Open the document.
  2. Select Print.
  3. Choose the printer.
  4. Confirm the print settings.
  5. Start printing.

Step 4: Use numbered steps for a sequence

Numbers tell the reader that the actions should normally happen in order.

Use bullets when the items do not need to happen in a particular sequence.

For example, materials can be shown as bullets:

  • one sheet of paper
  • a pencil
  • a ruler

The procedure itself can then use numbers:

  1. Place the paper on a flat surface.
  2. Use the ruler to mark the required length.
  3. Draw a line at the mark.

Numbers and bullets communicate different things

Ask:

Must these actions happen in this order?

If yes, numbers are usually appropriate.

If no, bullets may be more suitable.

Step 5: Begin instructions with action verbs

Direct instructions often begin with a verb.

Examples include:

  • Open
  • Select
  • Enter
  • Place
  • Remove
  • Check
  • Choose
  • Turn
  • Read
  • Save

For example:

Open the Settings application.

is clearer than:

You will now need to go ahead and open the Settings application.

The first version puts the action first.

Use consistent sentence patterns

Compare:

  1. Open the file.
  2. You should then select Print.
  3. The printer must now be chosen.
  4. Clicking Print is the final action.

The styles change from step to step.

A more consistent version is:

  1. Open the file.
  2. Select Print.
  3. Choose the printer.
  4. Select Print again to start printing.

Consistent patterns make instructions easier to scan.

Step 6: Keep one main action in each step

A step becomes harder to follow when it contains several unrelated actions.

Consider:

Open the application, find Settings, choose Account, change the email address, check the spelling and then save everything.

That sentence contains many actions.

A clearer version is:

  1. Open the application.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Select Account.
  4. Enter the new email address.
  5. Check that the address is correct.
  6. Select Save.

Some closely connected actions can stay together

You do not need a separate step for every tiny movement.

For example:

Enter your first and last name, then select Continue.

This may be clear if both actions happen in the same place and are simple.

The goal is clarity, not creating the largest possible number of steps.

Step 7: Tell the reader where to act

Sometimes an action word is not enough.

Vague:

Select Notifications.

If the reader does not know where to find it, add context:

In Settings, select Notifications.

Or:

On the Account page, select Notifications.

Give the location before the action when it prevents confusion.

Practice 3: Add useful context

Rewrite:

Select Language.

Suppose the option appears inside Settings.

A clearer instruction is:

In Settings, select Language.

Step 8: Use the same name for the same thing

Changing terminology can make readers wonder whether you mean a different item.

For example:

  1. Open the document.
  2. Edit the file.
  3. Save the page.

If all three words refer to the same document, use one term consistently:

  1. Open the document.
  2. Edit the document.
  3. Save the document.

Consistency reduces unnecessary decisions for the reader.

Step 9: Include information before the reader needs it

A warning or important condition should appear before the action it affects.

Poor order:

Delete the file. Make sure you have a backup before deleting it.

Better:

Make sure you have a backup of the file. Then delete the original file.

The reader receives the important information before taking the irreversible action.

Step 10: Explain the expected result when useful

A result can help readers confirm that they completed a step correctly.

For example:

Select Save. A confirmation message appears when the file has been saved.

Or:

Turn the knob clockwise until the indicator points to 3.

The expected result gives the reader a checkpoint.

Do not explain obvious results unnecessarily

Not every step needs a sentence explaining what happens next.

For example:

Select Close. The window closes.

The result may be obvious and add little value.

Include results when they help the reader know whether to continue.

Step 11: Be precise about quantities

Instructions often need useful measurements or amounts.

Vague:

Add some water.

More useful when the quantity matters:

Add 250 millilitres of water.

But do not invent an exact quantity when the task does not require one.

Step 12: Make time instructions clear

Vague:

Wait for a while.

More specific:

Wait for five minutes.

Or, when the visible result matters more than an exact time:

Wait until the indicator turns green.

Choose the information that actually tells the reader when to continue.

Step 13: Separate required and optional actions

Readers should know whether a step is necessary.

For example:

Optional: Add a profile picture.

This tells the reader that the procedure can still be completed without that action.

Do not make optional actions look compulsory.

Step 14: Explain choices clearly

Some procedures have more than one path.

For example:

If you want a printed copy, select Print.

If you only need a digital copy, select Save.

Place each choice close to the point where the reader needs to decide.

Do not hide a decision inside a long paragraph

If a reader must choose between two paths, make the options easy to find.

Bullets can help:

  • To keep editing, select Save.
  • To finish and close the document, select Save and Close.

Step 15: Avoid unnecessary background inside the steps

Instructions should help the reader act.

Compare:

Because the application was redesigned last year and the developers moved several controls to different locations, you should now open Settings.

with:

Open Settings.

If the history does not help the reader complete the task, it probably does not belong in the procedure.

Step 16: Include prerequisites before the procedure

Sometimes the reader needs something before beginning.

For example:

  • an account
  • a particular document
  • a tool
  • permission to change a setting
  • an internet connection

Tell the reader about those requirements before step 1.

Example: instructions with prerequisites

Before you begin:

  • Make sure the document is saved.
  • Make sure you know where you want to store the PDF copy.

Steps:

  1. Open the document.
  2. Select File.
  3. Select Save As.
  4. Choose PDF as the file type.
  5. Select the destination folder.
  6. Select Save.

Step 17: Write for the reader, not for yourself

The person writing instructions already knows the task.

The reader may not.

This creates an important problem: writers often leave out steps that feel obvious to them.

Ask:

What would someone need to know if they were doing this for the first time?

Do not assume specialist knowledge

Vague for a beginner:

Configure the relevant options and initialize the process.

Clearer:

Select the options you want, then select Start.

Use familiar language when it communicates the task accurately.

Step 18: Consider different ways people interact

Digital instructions may be followed with a mouse, keyboard, touch screen, voice control or another input method.

When possible, use wording that describes the intended action rather than assuming one physical input method.

For example:

Select Settings.

can work in more situations than wording that assumes everyone is using a mouse.

Step 19: Test your instructions

One of the best ways to find missing steps is to follow the instructions yourself.

Do exactly what the instructions say.

Do not silently perform extra actions from memory.

Check whether:

  • every required action is present
  • the steps are in the correct order
  • names and locations are accurate
  • the reader knows when the task is complete

Ask someone else to test them when possible

A new reader may notice assumptions that the writer cannot see.

Ask the tester to point out:

  • missing information
  • unclear terms
  • steps that contain too many actions
  • places where they do not know what to do next

Testing turns instructions from a description of what you think works into a procedure that another person has actually been able to follow.

Practice 4: Find the missing step

Read:

  1. Open the camera application.
  2. Select the photo you want to send.
  3. Select the recipient.
  4. Select Send.

Depending on the application, a step for opening the sharing option may be missing.

A revised version could be:

  1. Open the camera application.
  2. Open the photo you want to send.
  3. Select Share.
  4. Select the messaging application.
  5. Select the recipient.
  6. Select Send.

Practice 5: Split an overloaded step

Rewrite:

Open the form, enter your name and email address, choose your preferred date, read the conditions and then submit it.

One possible revision is:

  1. Open the form.
  2. Enter your name and email address.
  3. Choose your preferred date.
  4. Read the conditions.
  5. Select Submit.

Practice 6: Make the verb direct

Rewrite:

You should now proceed to make a selection of the Save option.

A clearer version is:

Select Save.

Practice 7: Put the warning first

Rewrite:

Remove the memory card. Make sure the device is turned off before you remove it.

A clearer order is:

Turn off the device. Then remove the memory card.

Practice 8: Add a useful result

Instruction:

Select Submit.

Suppose a confirmation number appears after a successful submission.

A more useful step is:

Select Submit. A confirmation number appears when the form has been submitted successfully.

Practice 9: Choose numbers or bullets

You need to list these materials:

  • paper
  • pen
  • ruler

They do not need to be gathered in a particular order, so bullets are appropriate.

You then need to explain how to complete the task in order, so the actions should use numbers.

Practice 10: Write a complete procedure

Choose one simple task:

  • save a document with a new name
  • prepare a bag for a short trip
  • add a contact to a phone
  • print a document
  • organize files into a folder

Before writing, identify:

  • the final goal
  • the starting point
  • anything the reader needs beforehand
  • the main actions
  • the correct sequence

Then write your procedure as numbered steps.

Review your procedure

After drafting, ask:

  1. Does the title describe the task clearly?
  2. Does the reader know where to begin?
  3. Are prerequisites stated before the steps?
  4. Are the actions in the correct order?
  5. Does each step begin with a clear action?
  6. Does each step contain a manageable amount of information?
  7. Have I used the same terms consistently?
  8. Are important warnings given before the related action?
  9. Does the reader know when the task is complete?
  10. Have I tested the instructions?

Common mistake 1: Writing from memory without testing

When you know a task well, your brain automatically fills in missing actions.

A beginner cannot do that.

Always test important instructions from the written steps rather than from memory.

Common mistake 2: Explaining instead of instructing

An explanation tells the reader about a process.

An instruction tells the reader what to do.

Explanation:

The Save button stores the document in the selected location.

Instruction:

Select Save.

Both forms are useful, but a procedure needs clear actions.

Common mistake 3: Giving too much information

More detail is not always more helpful.

Every extra sentence gives the reader more information to process.

Include details that help them complete the task correctly.

Common mistake 4: Using vague references

Be careful with words such as:

  • it
  • this
  • that
  • there
  • the thing

when the reader may not know what they refer to.

Instead of:

Put it there.

write something like:

Place the signed form in the Documents folder.

Common mistake 5: Ending before the task is complete

Do not stop the procedure one action too early.

If a reader must select Save, Apply, Confirm or Submit to complete the task, include that final action.

A simple procedure formula

For many tasks, this structure works well:

  1. Title that names the goal.
  2. Short introduction if needed.
  3. Prerequisites or materials.
  4. Clear numbered actions.
  5. Important results or checkpoints.
  6. Final action that completes the task.

Final challenge

Write instructions for a task that you know well.

Imagine that your reader has never completed the task before.

Use between five and ten numbered steps.

Then test your procedure exactly as written.

Revise any step where you had to rely on information that was not actually written down.

Lesson summary

Clear instructions turn a task into a logical sequence of actions.

Begin by defining the final goal and starting point.

Use a descriptive title, state prerequisites before the procedure and write ordered actions as numbered steps.

Begin steps with direct verbs, keep terminology consistent and provide enough context for the reader to know where to act.

Place important warnings before the affected action and include useful results when they help the reader confirm progress.

Do not add unnecessary detail, and do not assume that a beginner knows the steps you perform automatically.

Finally, test the instructions exactly as written.

If another person can complete the task without guessing, the instructions are doing their job.

Continue learning

Review A Practical Guide to Clear Everyday English for broader principles of clear everyday communication.

Sources and further reading