Procedure: an established series of steps

The idea

Use a procedure for an activity and follow a procedure for carrying out its steps. The plural is procedures.

Examples

• The procedure starts with a safety check.
• Please follow the procedure for reporting a fault.
• The team revised its emergency procedures.
• A clear procedure helps staff handle complaints.
• We discussed the procedure before testing the equipment.
• The laboratory has a procedure for storing samples.

Watch out

A procedure describes how to act; it is not necessarily the organisation’s broad policy.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct form. The office has two safety ___. (procedure / procedures)

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   procedures

   Procedures counts two sets of steps.

2. Choose the correct form. There is a procedure ___ checking tickets. (for / at)

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   for

   For introduces the activity covered by the procedure.

3. Choose the correct form. Visitors must ___ the entry procedure. (follow / grow)

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   follow

   Follow means carry out the established steps.

Use it today

Describe a procedure for dealing with a problem.