Well arent we a typical bunch of pilots, overcomplicating things with rules and nitpicking on their understanding etc?! 31 posts above, many of which ‘clarifying’ what was said and yet, somehow at loggerheads with each other!! An ATC instruction should not be subject to interpretation but should, instead, be unambiguous and clear. If not, then something is seriously wrong with the message. I have 14,000 hours - including 3000 of which teaching circuits in light aeroplanes - and I would have been confused by that instruction...if it needs this much interpretation, it aint right!!