Stages of annealing in order:

The effects associated with plastic deformation (e.g., strain hardening, decreased ductility, distorted grains, and increased dislocation density) can be reversed by simply heating the metal  to an appropriate elevated temperature without melting it. This process is called annealing and it takes place in three successive stages: recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth. Phillips 12 ed page no 404