Lesson · R.1.3
Sequence and written directions
Learn to track the order of steps in written directions and passages, the HESI A2 Reading skill behind procedure questions and instruction sets.
ObjectiveR.1.3Read3 minExam weightKey Ideas and Details ≈ 34% of Reading
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- Identify the order of steps in a set of written directions, even when the order is not numbered.
- Spot sequence words and use them to place events in the right relationship to each other.
- Answer 'which step comes next' and 'what happens first' questions without rereading the whole passage.
What the lesson concludes
- Sequence is about order, not importance. The first step matters because it comes first, not because it is the main idea.
- Sequence words (first, then, before, after, once, finally) are the clearest signal of order in a passage.
- Some directions state steps out of order on purpose. Read for what must happen before what, not just the order printed on the page.
- In clinical writing, skipping or reversing a step is not a style choice. It changes the outcome.