I Don’t Understand the Directions

Before you decide you can’t do the assignment, make sure you know what the assignment is asking you to do.

1. Find the Action

Look for the word or words telling you what to do.

• Explain — tell how or why.
• Compare — show what is alike and different.
• Describe — give important details.
• Support — give evidence or reasons.
• Summarize — give the most important ideas briefly.
• Solve — work through the problem and find an answer.

2. Put the Directions in Your Own Words

Ask yourself: “What am I actually supposed to make, answer, show, or do?”

Try starting with:

“I think I’m supposed to…”

If you can explain the task simply, you probably understand the directions well enough to begin.

3. Break It Into Steps

Some directions feel confusing because several jobs are packed into one sentence. Turn them into a short checklist.

Example: “Read the article, identify the author’s claim, and use two pieces of evidence to explain whether the claim is well supported.”

1. Read the article.
2. Find the author’s claim.
3. Find two pieces of evidence.
4. Decide whether the evidence supports the claim.
5. Explain my thinking.

4. Try It

“Compare the two characters and use details from the story to explain how their choices are different.”

Before answering, figure out:

• What is the action word?
• What two things are you working with?
• What evidence do you need?
• What will your final response need to explain?

Now say the directions in your own words.

💡 Funky Tip

Don’t start the work until you can explain the job. Thirty seconds understanding the directions can save ten minutes of doing the wrong thing.

Still Confused?

Don’t just ask, “What do I do?” Show what you already understand:

“I think I’m supposed to ________, but I’m not sure about ________. Can you help me understand that part?”

I can do hard things.

Hard directions can become manageable when you slow down, find the action, and take the task one step at a time.

🎒 Take It With You

Find the action. Say the job in your own words. Break it into steps. Then begin.