How to Revise Exam Command Words: Explain, Analyse, and Evaluate

Exam questions often tell you what to do with a small verb near the beginning. Words such as describe, explain, compare, analyse, justify, and evaluate are called command words. They are not decoration. They tell you the kind of thinking and evidence the marker expects.

Many students lose marks because they know the topic but answer a different question. They describe when the question asks for an explanation. They give one side when it asks for an evaluation. They list points when it asks them to compare. Learning command words is a practical exam skill.

What exam command words mean

A command word is an instruction. It sets the job for your answer, but it does not replace the rest of the question. Read the subject, topic, source, time period, number of marks, and command word together.

Different exam boards may use slightly different definitions, so check your own specification or teacher guide. A general guide is useful for practice, but the wording used in your course should be the final reference.

Read the whole question first

Do not stop after the first verb. A question may say explain two reasons why a change happened using evidence from the source. The command is explain, the number is two, the focus is reasons for change, and the source may set a boundary.

Underline or mark the key parts. Ask what is the topic, what action is required, what evidence is allowed, and what must be included. This takes seconds and can prevent a long answer that misses the task.

Describe state and identify

Describe usually asks you to say what something is like or what you can see. It may need features, patterns, or details rather than reasons. State often means give a short fact, answer, or value. Identify usually means name the correct item.

Keep these answers direct. If the question says describe a graph, mention the pattern and useful figures. If it says state the formula, write the formula clearly. Adding a long explanation may waste time without answering more of the question.

Explain with reasons and links

Explain normally asks how or why. A strong explanation connects a cause to an effect, a step to a result, or an idea to evidence. Use because, therefore, this leads to, or this means when those links are accurate.

Do not assume that adding more facts creates an explanation. A list of facts can still leave the reader asking why they matter. After each point, add the link that answers the question.

Compare and contrast clearly

Compare asks you to show similarities, differences, or both. Check the wording. If it says compare two methods, write about both methods in the same paragraph or in matched points. Do not write everything about one and then start the other without making the relationship clear.

Use phrases such as both, whereas, unlike, similarly, and in contrast. A comparison is stronger when the same feature is used for both sides. For example, compare their cost, speed, result, or purpose rather than giving two unrelated descriptions.

Analyse by breaking the idea down

Analyse means examine parts and relationships to show how something works or what it suggests. In a source or text question, identify a detail, explain its effect or meaning, and connect it to the wider question. In a science or maths question, show how values, steps, or variables relate.

Analysis goes further than naming a feature. Ask what does this detail do, why does it matter, and how does it support the point? Use evidence, then explain the connection instead of leaving the evidence alone.

Evaluate and reach a judgement

Evaluate, assess, and to what extent usually ask you to make a reasoned judgement. You need to consider relevant strengths, weaknesses, causes, evidence, or alternatives and then decide how far you agree.

Do not write one advantage and one disadvantage and stop. Weigh them. Explain which factor matters more and why. End with a conclusion that answers the exact question rather than saying there are good and bad points.

Justify suggest and discuss

Justify means give reasons and evidence for a choice or claim. A sentence that says I chose this because it is better is not enough unless you explain better in what way and support the reason.

Suggest usually allows a reasonable idea based on the information given. Make the suggestion clear and explain why it fits. Discuss often asks you to explore different sides before reaching a balanced view. Follow the exact wording in your course guide.

Match evidence to the command word

Use the same evidence in different ways depending on the instruction. A fact may describe what happened. The same fact may support an explanation when you show why it happened. It may support an evaluation when you compare its importance with another factor.

During revision, take one topic and write three different questions using three command words. Answer each in a short form. This helps you practise the skill, not only the content.

Build a simple answer checklist

Before writing, ask four questions: what is the command word, what is the topic, what evidence do I need, and what would a complete answer look like? While writing, check that every paragraph does the instructed job.

For longer answers, plan the structure in quick notes. A useful pattern may be point, evidence, explanation, and link. For an evaluation, add a counterpoint and a final judgement. The best structure depends on your subject and marks.

Practise command words by subject

Make a command-word list for each subject because the same verb can look different in maths, science, English, history, or geography. Use your syllabus, teacher examples, mark schemes, and past questions.

Start with short questions. Circle the command word and say the task in plain English before answering. Then try unfamiliar wording. An AI practice quiz can create variations, but check that the questions match your course and level.

Review answers for the instruction

When you mark an answer, do not ask only whether the facts are correct. Ask whether the answer followed the command. Did you explain when it asked why? Did you compare both sides? Did you make a judgement? Did you support the point with evidence?

Keep a small command-word error list. Write the question, what you did, what the instruction required, and one change for next time. Reattempt the same type later without copying the old answer.

Common command-word mistakes

Do not treat describe, explain, and analyse as interchangeable. Do not evaluate by listing pros and cons without a judgement. Do not compare two topics in separate blocks with no links. Do not write everything you know when the question asks for one focused task.

Avoid memorising a definition of a command word without using it. The skill becomes reliable when you practise with real questions and see how the wording changes the answer.

Frequently asked questions about command words

How do I know what a command word wants?

Check your course guide, teacher examples, and mark schemes. Then translate the word into a simple action: name it, show what it is like, explain why, break it down, compare it, or make a judgement.

Is analyse the same as explain?

They overlap, but analyse usually asks you to break an idea into parts and show relationships or effects. Explain focuses on reasons or how something happens. Follow the wording and evidence requirements of your subject.

How much should I write for each command word?

Use the marks, space, and time as clues. Give a complete answer rather than a fixed number of lines. A short state question may need one phrase, while an evaluation needs evidence and a conclusion.

Related AcademyNC tools

Use an AI practice quiz for varied command-word questions, place practice blocks in the study planner, and use the study timer for short answer-writing sessions. Track repeated exam-skill errors with the study time tracker.

Final thoughts

Command words turn a topic into a task. Read the whole question, translate the instruction into plain English, choose evidence that fits, and check your answer before moving on.

You do not need to sound complicated. You need to do exactly what the question asks, clearly and with enough support.