Abstract
Instructional text sare in tendedtode signate procedures for readers who need to perform tasks of different nature. However, despite of an assumed expository similarity, we find forms of disparate discursive nunciation,dependingonthetextualgenre.Basedonthisfindingandbased ontheinterpretiveparadigm,thisresearchanalysesinstructionaltextsfrom three different genres in order to observe the intentions that underlie the injunctive textual type. This study also reflect son how school can draw on these linguistic mechanismstoenhance students’ reading. Basedon Speech Acts(AUSTIN1962;SEARLE,1969;1981;2002),which made it possible too bserve the commands exposed in the texts, the analyses results suggest that the phrasal structures used to instruct, as sume different imposition levels with which the speakers set out the procedures. The analyses also show that theillocutionarycomponentandthenatureofthegenreinwhichphrasesare used are the benchmarks of these instructions. Despite some limitations, such as the comparison of only four genres, when there are several other genres of the injunctive type, the results allow a critical reflection on the reproduction of the assumption that the injunction only offers orders or commands particularly in primary schools.