Which discourse category would you use to give directions or request permission?

The appropriate discourse category for giving directions or requesting permission is directive. This category involves communication intended to influence the behavior of others or to prompt a specific response. When giving directions, the speaker seeks to guide the listener toward a particular action, making it a clear example of directive language. Similarly, when asking for permission, the speaker is directly engaging with the listener to elicit a decision or action, which also falls within the directive framework.

In contrast, imaginative discourse focuses on creativity and storytelling, personal discourse relates to personal experiences and feelings, and interpersonal discourse emphasizes social relationships and connections. While these other categories serve important communicative functions, they do not specifically pertain to instructing or requesting actions in the same way that directive discourse does.