English Reference

Word

instructs

Phoneticsin·structs

US/ˌɪnˈstɹəkts/

UK/ɪnstɹˈʌkts/

Definition

v. to tell someone exactly what to do or how to do something. You use this when you are giving clear orders or teaching a skill.

v. to provide detailed directions or guidance to someone; to teach a specific skill or subject. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the person or thing being directed.

Examples

“The manual instructs you to plug in the charger first.”

“The teacher instructs the students to raise their hands before asking a question during the lecture.”

“The software instructs the user to complete the registration process before accessing the premium features of the application.”

Examples

simple

“The manual instructs you to plug in the charger first.”

contextual

“The teacher instructs the students to raise their hands before asking a question during the lecture.”

complex

“The software instructs the user to complete the registration process before accessing the premium features of the application.”

Real-World Examples

“But in an author’s note before The Recovery House begins, Owusu instructs the reader to listen to the song “at least two to four times before going beyond this page”.”
The Guardian · 21 Sept 2026
“The result is a personalised anti-cancer jab which is specific to the patient's tumour and instructs the immune system to recognise and attack any tumour cells that remain.”
BBC News · 19 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/instructs

English Reference