Why Every Word Matters When Writing Instructions

We considered a fictional scenario in which people need to be given written instructions that they can easily understand and act accordingly.

One of the most useful real-life writing skills is learning to write clear instructions. We see instructions everywhere—on clothing labels, in DIY guides, or when putting together a piece of IKEA furniture! When instructions are unclear, even simple tasks can become frustrating.

Now imagine a more serious situation—a natural disaster where people need to evacuate quickly. In moments like these, clear and easy-to-understand instructions can make a big difference to safety.

The situation we discussed

In many parts of the world, people live with the risk of natural disasters. Knowing what to do during an emergency requires planning, and good planning depends on clear instructions. For our discussion, we looked at an example of poorly written instructions that were meant to help people prepare to evacuate if an active volcano in the area were to erupt.

Paragraph instructions vs. bullet points

The tween writers quickly began discussing what worked and what did not. One of the first things they noticed was the uncertainty in the paragraph version. Words like “maybe” and “what if” appeared often. The students pointed out that in an emergency, such uncertainty can be confusing and even dangerous.

They also noticed that the instructions were not in a clear order and included too much information. In a stressful situation, no one has the time to read long paragraphs. Important details can easily be missed.

When the same instructions were rewritten using bullet points, the difference was clear. The steps were shorter, clearer, and easier to follow. Important words were highlighted, making it easier for readers to quickly understand what they should and should not do.

The students agreed that people are much more likely to keep and use a bullet-point instruction sheet. A long paragraph version, they felt, might simply be ignored—or even thrown away.

Apart from analysing the writing approach, they also spent time identifying information that would be essential for anyone new to the area or unfamiliar with the evacuation routes. This information was added to the bullet-point instruction sheet to make it easier to use.

These weekly posts share highlights from our conversations at the Young Writers’ Club (Jr.), a writing club for pre-teens.