Defining the task
State the main features or characteristics of a topic.
What is Describe?
Examine something in detail to show meaning, identifying its elements and their relationships.
What is Analyse?
Identify and comment on the similarities and/or differences between two or more items.
What is Compare?
Make an informed judgement about the value or quality of something.
What is Assess?
show how something works or to provide examples to illustrate a point.
What is demonstrate?
Produce an answer from a given source or recall/memory.
What is give?
Write in depth about an issue or topic in a structured way, exploring different aspects.
What is Discuss?
Identifying and commenting on the differences between items.
What is Contrast?
Judge or calculate the quality, importance, or value of something.
What is Evaluate?
Take forward to a more advanced stage or build upon given information.
What is Develop?
Name/select/recognise
What is identify?
Support a case with evidence and reasoning.
What is Justify?
A question that uses this phrase requires a balanced evaluation of arguments or points.
What is To what extent?
Set out purposes or reasons / make relationships between things evident / provide why and/or how and support it with relevant evidence.
What is Explain?
Choose and present the main points of a topic, without detail.
What is Summarise?
Express something in clear, unambiguous terms.
What is State?
Review and respond to a given piece of information.
What is Consider?
identify the similarities and differences, while also evaluating their importance.
What is Compare and contrast?
Apply knowledge and understanding to situations where there is a range of valid responses in order to make proposals.
What is Suggest?
Apply your knowledge to make a proposal, often when there is a range of valid answers.
What is Suggest?
This command phrase, often at the end of an essay prompt, requires you to present a balanced evaluation of different arguments before coming to a reasoned conclusion.
What is "To what extent"?
This command word goes beyond simply describing by asking you to examine something in detail, identify its core components, and explain the relationships between them.
What is "Analyse"?
A question using this command word requires you to not only identify similarities and differences between two items but also to make an informed judgment on their relative importance, value, or effectiveness.
What is "Compare and evaluate"?
This command word asks for an informed judgement on the quality, significance, or value of a topic, requiring you to weigh different pieces of evidence and form a substantiated opinion.
What is "Evaluate"?
A prompt using this command word asks you to apply your knowledge to a situation where there is a range of valid answers, and you must justify your proposals with reasoned evidence from the provided material.
What is "Justify" your response?