Not hearing, not processing, or not paying attention?

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bjtao... It's not just you who cuts words out of sentances, and not just in your neck of the woods. It's so very common all over the world. He will learn to adapt to it.. just not so young.. and not until he's got a bit of stock in self confidence / success from doing these things 'by himself'. So work on the full[er] instructions and see how it goes.

You shouldn't beat yourself over these things - it's a totally different mindset, and a totally different way of looking at the world. You came here and you're looking for answers. You were smart enough to do that, so I applaud you. And you're listening to the suggestions too.

Sort thru them all. Try them all. See what works. See what doesn't. There is more advice here and more range of experiences than any book or shrink will ever be able to provide. You found your wailing wall - and it's talking back, in a good way!

So please keep talking to us and asking your questions.
We're here to help each other, and that means we're here for you too.

I don't know what other issues you've been addressing, but this particular one reminds me of Nonverbal Learning Disorder, which is a learning disability that has many common traits with AS, ADHD, Dyspraxia, and no doubt others. It is my opinion that a lot of these things are either interchangeable or at least have resulted in misdiagnoses of children on the borders of each condition. I believe that NLD explains the problems I've had all my life, but if nothing else the description helps explain some qualities of AS. I'm going to be taking steps to have two of my kids assessed for NLD this year.

bjtao: Children on the spectrum and/or with sensory processing issues have difficulty filtering environmental sensory input. Everything tends to clump together as a turbulent collective, and it becomes really difficult to pick out any one thing from the fray. Turning off the TV when you said computer doesn't surprise me, he probably created a mental image and, as he went to follow through on the task, the 'noise' from the environment interfered with the image. Getting distracted midway is not uncommon, and it sounds like he is trying.

I still think it's simply a matter of detail and explaination.
Maybe a matter of labelling (or failing to assign proper labels to things)

To him
- The computer and the tv do the same thing - they make pictures.
- The desk and the table each serve the same function. Things are put on them.
What really is the difference? Define desk for me? Somewhere to do work, right?
Does he do work, on that desk, like you do? Experience hasn't taught the difference: it's just a flat surface with legs. One is the "eating table" and one is the "book and paper covered table"
- Hose on / Hose off. he's seen someone turning the knob clockwise (or counterclockwise) and the other end is all the way on the other end of the lawn. Is there a connection between the gushing tube over there and the knob over here? Not yet. They're too far apart. Ask him where the hose is. Betcha he shows you the tap.

I'll bet he doesnt need detailed instructions anymore to turn off the coffee machine - now that he's done it once, you could simply say "make the light on the coffee machine turn off" and he'd probably get it...

It really does sound to me like he hasn't labelled all the furniture 9etc) in the house yet.

Narrate your day: "I am turning the coffee machine off". "I am puttting a water bottle on the table". "I am turning the knob to make water come out of the hose" "Moving this switch up to make the lights turn on".

Occam's Razor:
Simplest answer first. Don't go looking for more diagnoses. He just doesn't have the same perspective on his environment as a world wise adult does.... yet.

Having said that.. First thing to rule out is hearing problems. But i assume that's already been checked.

More great advice, thank you. I am so happy for this forum.