Instruction and direction

[Aleaf]

Hi everyone:
What is the different between an instruction and a direction?

Directions: there are four questions in the dialogue 1. Both the dialogue and the questions will be read only once. Choose the best answer to each question.
Could directions be replaced by instructions here?
And if on the package of a machine or bottle of pills, should we use instruction or direction?

aleaf
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Try to change youself before you try to change others.

[Mister Micawber]

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I think that they are synonymous here. 'Instruction' has the sense of teaching (here, teaching us how to answer the questions) and 'direction' has the sense of command (here, how we are required to answer the questions), so in the case of your pills, I think 'directions' would be more appropriate (a pill bottle usually reads 'Take as directed').
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's