Exam Command Words Explained: Describe vs Explain vs Evaluate

You can know the content perfectly and still lose marks — simply by answering the wrong TYPE of question. Command words tell examiners (and should tell you) exactly what kind of answer is expected.

"Describe"

Asks for what is happening, in factual detail, without necessarily explaining why. Describing a graph's trend, or a process step-by-step, fits here. Don't drift into reasoning the question didn't ask for.

"Explain"

Asks for the reasoning behind something — the "why," not just the "what." This is where a lot of marks are lost: students describe instead of explain, missing the causal link the mark scheme is actually looking for.

"Evaluate"

Asks for a balanced judgment, weighing strengths and weaknesses or comparing options, usually ending with a justified conclusion. A one-sided answer, even a well-argued one, rarely scores full marks here — the examiner wants to see both sides genuinely considered.

"Analyse"

Asks you to break something down into its components and examine how they relate to each other — closer to "explain" but usually expecting more structured, multi-part reasoning.

"Compare" / "Contrast"

Asks specifically for similarities (compare) or differences (contrast) between two or more things — not just a description of each one separately. Structuring the answer point-by-point across both items, rather than as two disconnected paragraphs, tends to score far better.

"Justify"

Asks you to defend a position or choice with clear reasoning and evidence — similar to "explain," but specifically in support of a stated stance rather than a neutral cause-and-effect explanation.

The One Habit That Fixes Most of This

Before answering, underline the command word itself. It sounds almost too simple, but forcing a half-second pause to identify exactly what type of answer is expected prevents the single most common way of losing marks you actually deserved.