PUSAT PENGAJIAN BAHASA, LITERASI DAN TERJEMAHAN

SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES, LITERACIES AND TRANSLATION

LSP 300
BAHASA INGGERIS AKADEMIK

ACADEMIC ENGLISH

UNIT 1 - GIVING INSTRUCTIONS

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 LSP 300 – BAHASA INGGERIS AKADEMIK
(ACADEMIC ENGLISH)

Unit One – Giving Instructions

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit, students should be able to:

(a use imperatives and time connectors in giving instructions

)

(b listen and comprehend instructions

)

(c) understand and write instructions

CONTENTS

(a Giving instructions
)

(b Reading instructions
)

(c) Writing instructions – sequence of instructions

(d Vocabulary enrichment
)

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IMPERATIVES

1. An imperative sentence is a type of sentence that gives instructions or advice, and expresses
a command, an order, a direction, or a request.
2. The imperative is also very common in written instructions.
3. Depending upon its delivery, an imperative sentence may end with an exclamation mark or a
period.

Reminder: Be careful when you use the imperative, as it is often considered impolite in English.
If someone asks you for instructions, use the imperative. If, on the other hand, you would like to
request that someone do something use a polite question form.

4. Types of Imperative sentence:

a) To share a wish or request – This type of imperative sentence shares polite wishes or
requests with someone. (“Have a good day!”)

b) Offer an Invitation – This type of imperative sentence extends an invitation. (“Please join
me for dinner tonight.”)

c) Share a Command/Requests - This type of imperative sentence gives a command or shares

a request. (“Stop beating the dog!”)

d) Give Instructions – This type of imperative sentence gives instructions. (“Let him cool
down, and then ask about the incident.”)

5. The imperative sentences are formed:

a) Base verb without a subject Open the door!

Pay attention!

b) Base verb + Object Don’t touch that.

Don’t play with that cat

c) Negative auxiliary verb + Base verb + object Do not smoke in this building.

Don't rush, I'm not in a hurry.

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 6. The imperative is the standard verb form to use and linking words is important
when describing a sequence of instructions.

7. Linking by the numbers:

It is possible to list and link instructions using 'ly' adverbs based on ordinal numbers
- i.e. Firstly, secondly, thirdly ... etc.

Example: Here are some simple instructions for using a breadmaking machine using
this method.

"Firstly, put all the dry ingredients into the pan. Secondly, add the water or milk.
Thirdly, put pan into the breadmaker and finally select the right programme and press
start."

(Note that the final instruction rather than being from a number is usually finally or lastly. This
method is useful for short lists of instructions only, with a maximum of three or four items. It
is possible to carry on indefinitely but it is not natural to do so in spoken English.)

8. USING THE IMPERATIVE FORM

How can you ask someone to do something for you in English without sounding rude? Here are
some of the ways that you can give orders and instructions.

Orders We do not usually give each other orders, unless "Sit down now!" ('Sit', 'down'
we are in a position of authority. The intonation of and 'now' are all stressed,
an order is important, each word is stressed, and and the tone falls on 'now'.)
the tone falls at the end of the sentence:

Because it can sound rude to give direct orders (especially if you are talking to an adult), we
"soften" the imperative form with "let's" or "please":

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  “Let's go now.”
 “Please listen to what I'm saying.”

Use a modal verb to turn the order into a request

We use modals to change the mood of a sentence. For example, "You should help her"
is more polite than "Help her!"

Other modal verbs you can use to make requests are:

Could : Could you make me some tea?

Can : Can you come here, please?

Will : Will you shut the door, please?

Would : Would you wait here until the doctor is ready for you?

Warnings You can use the imperative to warn "Watch out!"

someone of danger. All the words in the
warning are stressed, but the last word
has a higher tone than the first word.
Advice When you give advice using the
imperative, the words are stressed
normally.
"Look out!"
"Don't cross!"
"Eat an apple – it's much
better for you than a biscuit!"
"Don't tell him you're
resigning now. Wait until
Monday when he's in a better
mood."

You can often read articles in magazines that give advice on a subject. Sometimes, this advice
is presented as "Do’s” and “Don'ts".

For example:

Travelling long-distance

 Do try to sleep well the night before.  Do try to walk about the plane during
 Do drink plenty of water. the flight.

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  Don't drink alcohol.  Don't wear restrictive clothing.
 Don't eat heavy meals.

Requests You can also use the imperative to make a "Please take a seat."
request, but you should use a polite word
before the verb. "Please wait here."

"Please hold the line."

"Please don't smoke here."

In written English, you might also see "kindly" used as a polite word:

 "Kindly return the documents as soon as possible."

 "Kindly forward this to the Sales and Marketing department."
 "Kindly send me 2 copies of your brochure."

Use an introductory phrase to soften the order

Instead of using an imperative, you can use a phrase instead. Here are some common ways of
phrasing an order, from the most indirect to the most direct:

Would you mind possibly… (+ ing) (most indirect)

 “Would you mind possibly moving your car? It's parked right in front of mine.”

I was hoping you could … (+ infinitive without to)

 “I was hoping you could spare me a few minutes this morning.”

Do you think you could … (+ infinitive without to)

 “Do you think you could do this photocopying for me?”

If you have a couple of minutes to spare …

 “If you have a couple of minutes to spare, the office needs tidying up.”

I'd like you to …

 “I'd like you to file this correspondence for me.”

I want you to …

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  “I want you to finish this by tomorrow.”

ASKING AND GIVING INSTRUCTIONS

Asking for Instructions

How do you (do this)?

How do I . . . ?
What is the best way to . . . ?
How do I go about it?
What do you suggest?
How do you suggest I proceed?
What is the first step?

Giving Instructions

Sequencing Starting out Continuing Finishing

First, (you) ... Before you begin, (you Then, … The last step is ...
should ...)
Then, (you) ... And then, … Finally …
The first thing you do is ...
Next, (you) … Next, … Lastly …
I would start by ...
Lastly, (you) … After this, … To finish …
The best place to begin
is ... Following this, … The last thing you do
is ...
To begin with, ... The next step is to ... In the end, …

First … The next thing you do is ...

Once you've done that,

then ...

When you finish that,

then ...

While …

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ACTIVITY 1

Fill in the blanks with suitable verbs from the list given.

accept delete hope look up salute

attach dial inform melt seal
bend discuss insert press serve
board dye exercise print skin
check encourage lift recite slice
chop explain litter ring sort

1. ___________ the meaning of each new word as you read the passage.
2. Don’t ________! We must keep our community clean!
3. ________ the butter over a low heat and then slowly add the milk in the pot.
4. __________ your documents in the email before sending the application.
5. __________ ‘999’ in case of any emergency.
6. Go right up to the front door and __________ the bell.
7. Stand in front of the class and _________ your favourite poem clearly for everyone to hear.
8. __________ the red button to restart the device.
9. Let’s __________ we won’t miss our flight.
10. __________ at least half an hour each day three times a week to stay fit.
11. __________ the plane at Terminal Three if it is an international flight.
12. __________ the fabric after you have applied wax on it.
13. __________ your knees when lifting a heavy box off the floor.
14. __________ the chicken and cut into bite size pieces.
15. __________ a twenty cent coin into the slot.
16. Always __________ the customers who arrived earlier first.
17. First of all, _________ the receiver and listen for a dialling tone.
18. __________ the woods and start a fire.
19. __________ the worksheets and complete them.
20. Don’t __________ any cheque payment from the participants.
21. __________ the process step by step.
22. __________ the national flag as you march past it.
23. __________ the envelope and mail it to the customer.
24. __________ the eggs by their sizes into four baskets.

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25. __________ all the club members of the voting decision.
26. __________ the tomatoes into thin slices.
27. __________ all answers except the one you have chosen.
28. __________ the problem with your parents first before you make any decision.
29. __________ all your answers carefully before you submit your papers.
30. __________ the students to practise writing essay on their own.

ACTIVITY 2: Reading Comprehension

THE 5 BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS

1 Acquiring survival skills is an ongoing process that will last for your entire life.
There is always more to learn and experience, which is part of the fun of being a
survivor.
2 As your survival expertise* grows the knowledge and abilities you gain are often
useful in other areas. For example survivors prepare ahead of time and they are
experts in the art of ingenuity* and inventiveness*. Excellent attributes for anyone.
3 The possible environments and situations you could find yourself in are
innumerable. Although each situation has its particular requirements for
successfully surviving, in the final analysis it is mastery of five basic survival skills
that are essential. Proficiency and preparedness in these 5 basic skills will give
you the edge and put you on your way toward becoming a talented survivor.

First Basic Survival Skill - Fire

4 Knowing how to build a fire is the best survival skill you can have. Fire provides
warmth, light, and comfort so you get on with the business of survival. Even if you
do not have adequate clothing a good fire can allow you to survive in the coldest of
environments.
5 Fire keeps away the creatures in the night and so you can have the peace of mind
and rest you need. And that is not all. Fire will cook your food and purify your
water, both excellent attributes when you want to stay healthy when potential
disease causing organisms are lurking about. Fire will dry your clothing and even
aid in the making of tools and keeping pesky insects at bay. But even that is not
all. Fire and smoke can be used for signalling very long distances.
6 Always have at least two, and preferably, three ways of making a fire at your
immediate disposal. With waterproof matches, a butane lighter, and a magnesium
fire starter or fire steel you should be able to create a fire anytime, anywhere, no
matter how adverse the conditions.

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Second Basic Survival Skill - Shelter
7 Shelter protects your body from the outside elements. These include heat, cold,
rain, snow, the sun, and wind. It also protects you from insects and other creatures
that seek to do you harm.
8 The survival expert has several layers of shelter to think about. The first layer of
shelter is the clothing you choose to wear. Your clothing is of vital importance and
must be wisely chosen according to the environment you are likely to find yourself
in. Be sure to dress in layers in order to maximize your ability to adapt to changing
conditions.
9 The next layer of shelter is the one you may have to build yourself, a lean-to or
debris hut, perhaps. This is only limited by your inventiveness and ingenuity. If the
situation requires, your shelter can be insulated with whatever is at hand for the
purpose. Being prepared, you may have a blanket or tarp* with you, in which case
creating a shelter should be relatively easy.

Third Basic Survival Skill - Signalling

10 Signalling* allows you to make contact with people who can rescue you without
having to be in actual physical contact with them. There are a variety of ways to
signal for help. These include using fire and smoke, flashlights, bright coloured
clothing and other markers, reflective* mirrors, whistles, and Personal Locator
Beacons. Three of anything is considered a signal for help: 3 gunshots, 3 blows on
a whistle or three sticks in the shape of a triangle.

Fourth Basic Survival Skill - Food and Water

11 Whenever you plan an excursion be sure to always bring extra food and water.
Having more on hand than you think you need, will give you that extra measure of
safety should something happen and you have to stay out longer than anticipated.
12 It is important that you know how to ration your water and food as well as find
more in the environment in which you find yourself. You can go without food for a
number of days, but living without water for even a few days will cause your
efficiency to drop dramatically.
13 If at all possible, boil any water you find in order to kill disease organisms that may
be in even the cleanest looking water. Filtering or chemically treating water is
second best.

Fifth Basic Survival Skill - First Aid

14 Always bring along your first aid kit and a blanket. Most injuries you are likely to
encounter in the wilderness are relatively minor scrapes, cuts, bruises, and burns.
Larger injuries are going to need better facilities than that which you have at your
disposal, which means you will need outside help.

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15 Panic is your number one enemy when you are in any emergency situation, be it
injured, lost, or stranded. What you need in these situations is first aid for the mind.
Think STOP: Sit, Think, Observe, Plan
16 Your best defence in any emergency is your ability to think and make correct
decisions. Building a fire is often the beginning first aid for the mind. Doing so will
keep you busy and provide an uplift from the warmth, light and protection fire
provides.

Glossary:
expertise – a high level of knowledge or skill
ingenuity – ability to think of clever new ways of doing something
inventiveness – ability to design or create something which has never been made before
tarp – (or ‘tarpaulin’) - a large piece of heavy waterproof cloth used as a covering
signalling – an action, movement or sound which gives information, a message, a warning
or an order
reflective – describes a surface which sends back most of the light that shines on it and
this therefore can be seen easily

SECTION A

Find words / phrase in the text (as indicated by the paragraph number) that match the meanings
below.

Meaning Word in text

eg. too many (paragraph 3) innumerable

1. control (paragraph 3)

2. qualities (paragraph 5)

3. use (paragraph 6)

4. negative (paragraph 6)

5. adjust (paragraph 8)

6. expected (paragraph 11)

7. face (paragraph 14)

8. cheerfulness (paragraph 16)

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SECTION B

What do the following words refer to?

1. they (paragraph 2) : ________________________________________

2. its (paragraph 3) : ________________________________________
3. These (paragraph 7) : ________________________________________
4. them (paragraph 10) : ________________________________________
5. These (paragraph 10) : ________________________________________

SECTION C

Circle the letter corresponding to the best answer, e.g. A , if A is the answer.

1. Which of the following is NOT true concerning a ‘shelter’? It

A. protects your body from outside elements.

B. includes different types of clothing.
C. should be waterproof.
D. has to be built.

2. In any emergency situation

A. first aid kits are essential.

B. you need to stop panicking.
C. it is vital to think and make correct decisions.
D. you must keep yourself busy.

SECTION D

Answer the following questions.

1. What are the uses of a fire besides providing physical comfort?

a. ________________________________________________________

b. ________________________________________________________

c. ________________________________________________________

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2. Write down four instructions the author gives concerning the fourth basic survival skill.

a. ___________________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________________________________

d. ___________________________________________________________________

3. Explain what the author means by saying that you need to think STOP in any emergency
situation.

_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

ACTIVITY 3

You have been asked to create a poster for children’s bathrooms giving them
instructions on washing their hands after going to the toilet. Write the instructions using
simple language to suit your audience who are young children. You also need to create
a heading for your poster.

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Write your instructions here:

1. __________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________________

6. __________________________________________________________________

WRITING:
Introductory Paragraph and Thesis Statement

HOW TO WRITE AN INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

The purpose of the introduction of an essay is to present the topic to your readers and to state
the scope of your essay in the thesis statement.
The introduction is made up of two parts. The first part gives a broad background and then
narrows increasingly until the thesis statement.

(a) General statement:

- It introduces the topic of the essay.
- It gives a general background of the topic which provides the necessary information
to understand the essay.
- It makes the readers interested in the topic.
- It leads the readers from the general statement to the specific statement and finally
to the thesis statement.

(b) Thesis statement:

- It is the most important sentence in the introduction.
- It is the strongest and clearest statement in the essay.
- It is usually the last statement in the introduction.
- It states the purpose of the essay.
- It conveys the central or main idea of the essay and often indicates how the main
idea will be supported.
- It contains controlling ideas that limit and direct the rest of the essay.

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Example of an introductory paragraph:

Essay topic: My Favourite Food

Food is essential for human life.
However, humans view food as much more
than basic sustenance.
1. Introduces the topic of the essay.
2. Gives the general background of the
topic which provides the necessary
information to understand the essay.

Many people like certain foods more than 3. Leads the readers from the general
others and may even develop cravings for statement to the specific statement and
those foods. finally to the thesis statement.

My favourite food is chocolate because it is 4. Gives thesis statement.

tasty, it gives me energy, and it makes me Controlling ideas: tasty, gives me energy,
happy. makes me happy

Exercise 1:

The sentences of the following introductions are not arranged in the correct order:

1. Introduction to the topic.

2. General background of the topic.
3. Leads the reader to the thesis statement.
4. Thesis statement.

Topic: Traffic Jams in Kuala Lumpur

(1) Traffic jams in Kuala Lumpur are caused by the large number of vehicles in the city
and those coming into the city. (2) The constant traffic jams in Kuala Lumpur can be
solved by improving the public transportation system from the suburbs to the city and
within the city, and by charging hefty fees for cars, buses, and lorries that enter the city.
(3) One of the serious problems Kuala Lumpur faces is the massive and constant traffic
jams. (4) This major and severe problem must be solved before it gets worse.

1. Answer: ____________________________

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Topic: Setting and Accomplishing Goals in Life

(1) There are also those who just walk through life waiting for something to come to
them. (2) Setting goals in life varies with different people. (3) I’m the one who sets my
lifetime goals and I try to accomplish as many goals as I can. (4) There are some people
who see life as a mission and work towards their goals in life.

2. Answer: _________________________________

Topic: Preserving Primitive Cultures: A Struggle

(1) For a primitive tribe to live in a technological world and yet be able to prevent their
cultures from being lost is difficult because of economic, political, and social reasons.
(2) Many small cultural groups live in places far from modern cities. (3) When they do
have contact with the outside world, their lives usually change and they lose their own
cultures. (4) Some of these tribes have never had communication with the world outside
their small geographical area.

3. Answer: _________________________________________

THESIS STATEMENT

What is a thesis statement?

(a) A thesis statement states the purpose of the essay.
(b) It conveys the central or main idea of the essay and often indicates how the main idea
will be supported.
(c) It is a one-sentence summary of the essay and contains controlling ideas.
(d) The paragraphs that follow will support the opinion of the thesis statement.

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 Writing a thesis statement.

- A statement of opinion makes a

judgment.
- Use words like interesting, exciting,
useful, effective, best and so on to
1. Present a statement of opinion. express the personal feeling or belief of
the writer.
- Eg: My neighbour plants the sweetest
and the best soft-textured bananas I have
ever tasted.

- A statement of intent is an objective

statement that tells the readers what will
be objectively explained in the
2. Present a statement of intent.
paragraphs that follow.
- Eg: There are three reasons why I call my
dog, Frosty and my cat, Snowy.

What makes a good thesis statement?

1. A good thesis statement should be precise and should clearly describe what will be
explained, described and illustrated in the paragraphs.
2. It states an idea, opinion, argument or provides information about a topic.
3. The thesis statement is what you expect to develop fully, to prove, to defend, or to
explore with evidence.

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Exercise 2:

For each of the thesis statement, identify and underline the controlling ideas.

1. Cigarette smoking harms the body by narrowing the blood vessels, making the heart
beat faster, damaging the lungs, and stimulating excessive gastric secretions in the
stomach.

2. Learning how to provide examples to prove a point is very important in writing, whether
the writing is academic, professional, or general.

3. The rural parts of Africa have three serious problems: poverty, lack of education and
poor medical care.

4. Exercise can make a difference in your life as it relieves depression, anxiety and muscle
stiffness.

5. Water is the most important nutrient in our body as it helps us to maintain body
temperature, metabolise body fat, aids in digestion, lubricates and cushions organs,
transports nutrients, and flushes toxins from our body.

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References:

Abbs, Brian and others. Strategies. 6th ed., Longman Group Ltd, 1980
http://free-english-study.com/speaking/giving-instructions.html
http://yadayadaenglish.com/functions/instructions/
https://www.vappingo.com/word-blog/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement/
www.bbc.co.uk/,,,,/learningenglish/radio/...how.../page 7.shtml
www.english-at-home.com,SpeakingEnglish
www.esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/….English/Imperative.htm
www.hotel-tefl.com/instructionsAA.htm
www.survivaltopics.com/survival/the-5-basic-survival-skills
https://www.english-at-home.com/speaking/giving-orders-and-instructions/

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