instruction
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the act of teaching someone a subject or a skill.
the process of providing information, knowledge, or training in a structured manner.
Simple“The course provides basic instruction in how to use the software.”
In context“The curriculum focuses on individualized instruction, ensuring that each student masters the fundamental concepts before moving to advanced theory.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun in this sense.
- 02 A2 Elementary
a set of steps that tell you how to do or use something.
a detailed set of directions provided to guide a user through a specific task or the operation of a device.
Simple“I followed the instructions on the box to build the bookshelf.”
In context“The assembly instructions were translated poorly, leading to significant confusion among the technicians during the initial setup phase.”
PitfallI read the instruction for the camera. I read the instructions for the camera.When referring to the printed steps in a manual, the word is almost always used in the plural form.
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
an official order telling someone what they must do.
a specific command or directive issued by an authority figure or client.
Simple“The soldiers had strict instructions not to fire unless attacked.”
In context“The legal team awaited further instructions from the client before filing the formal appeal with the high court.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
a single command that tells a computer what to do.
a basic command or operation defined by a computer's architecture that the processor can execute.
Simple“The processor can execute millions of instructions every second.”
In context“The compiler optimizes the code by reducing the total number of instructions required to perform the calculation, thereby increasing execution speed.”
UsageCountable in this technical context.
Usage specific instruction
From Middle English instruccioun, from Old French instruccion, from Latin instructio; equivalent to instruct + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.