In article .com,
"PilotWeb.org" wrote:

If ATC uses the term "Cleared for approach" and/or gave you a clearance
limit, using the term "Cleared" then yes, you were operating under IFR.

Well, that's the question, isn't it? Are you talking about the US here?
I've spent entire afternoons doing practice approaches with NorCal
Approach here on the US's left coast and been "cleared for [approach]"
every time. They'll occasionally throw in a "maintain VFR" in the same
phrase, but that's not even common on the approaches I typically
practice on.

The actual term IFR isn't usually used on the radio much, (they rarely
say anything like "Cleared IFR...")

I can't imagine they *ever* say that, but never mind...

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Hamish