follow the instructions

Meaning

This phrase means to do something exactly as explained in a set of directions or steps. It is used in many everyday contexts, such as cooking recipes, assembling furniture, taking medication, or completing school assignments. The tone is neutral and practical.

Examples

• If you want the cake to turn out perfectly, you must follow the instructions carefully.

  If you want the cake to turn out perfectly, you must follow the instructions carefully.

• I struggled to assemble the desk because I didn't follow the instructions.

  I struggled to assemble the desk because I didn't follow the instructions.

• Please follow the instructions on the back of the medicine bottle.

  Please follow the instructions on the back of the medicine bottle.

• The teacher reminded the students to follow the instructions on the exam paper.

  The teacher reminded the students to follow the instructions on the exam paper.

• It is much easier to set up the new software if you just follow the instructions.

  It is much easier to set up the new software if you just follow the instructions.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ You need to make the instructions to build this.

  ✓ You need to follow the instructions to build this.

  We do not 'make' instructions when we are reading them to complete a task; we 'follow' or 'read' them.

• ✗ Please follow to the instructions carefully.

  ✓ Please follow the instructions carefully.

  The verb 'follow' is transitive here and does not require the preposition 'to' before the object.

Related Expressions

Practice

• To avoid making a mistake on your tax form, you should always ___.

  💡 The phrase that means to read and obey the written steps.

  Show answer

  follow the instructions

• The model airplane was very easy to build because I decided to ___ step by step.

  💡 The exact phrase for doing exactly what the manual tells you to do.

  Show answer

  follow the instructions