Why command words cost students marks

A huge share of marks lost on IGCSE papers has nothing to do with not knowing the content. It comes from answering the wrong type of question: writing a one-line answer when the command word wanted a developed explanation, or writing three paragraphs of description when one sentence of analysis was all that was needed. Command words are the examiner telling you, in advance, exactly what kind of answer earns marks. Learn to read them properly and you can improve a grade without learning a single new fact.

The core command words and what they actually want

  • State / Name / Give: a short factual answer, often one word or one phrase. No explanation needed and none rewarded. Don't waste time writing sentences here.
  • Define: a precise statement of what a term means, usually matching specific wording from the syllabus. Vague paraphrasing loses marks.
  • Describe: set out what something is or what happens, in sequence or in detail, without explaining why. A common trap is sliding into explanation when the question only asked for description. That won't cost you marks directly, but it burns time you need elsewhere.
  • Explain: give reasons, causes, or mechanisms, the "why" or "how", not just the "what". An Explain question is rarely fully answered by a Describe-level response.
  • Calculate: show your working, not just the final answer. Method marks are usually available even if your final number is wrong, but only if the working is visible.
  • Compare: directly relate two things to each other, similarities and/or differences, rather than describing them separately one after another. Two paragraphs that never reference each other usually lose marks even if both are individually accurate.
  • Evaluate / Discuss: weigh up evidence or arguments on more than one side and reach a supported conclusion. The conclusion needs to follow from points you actually made, not appear out of nowhere in the final sentence.
  • Suggest: give a plausible, reasoned answer even where there may be more than one acceptable response. Often used for novel or unfamiliar contexts where you're expected to apply general principles rather than recall a fixed fact.

Matching answer length to mark allocation

The number of marks available is usually your best clue to how much to write. A 1-mark question wants one clear point. A 4 or 6-mark Explain question wants several distinct, developed points. Writing one good point four different ways won't earn the marks available for four genuinely different points.

Command words differ slightly by board: always check your syllabus glossary

CAIE and Edexcel both publish a command word glossary at the back of each syllabus document, and the exact wording of definitions can differ subtly between boards and between subjects (a Geography "Describe" isn't identical to a Biology "Describe"). Check your specific syllabus's glossary rather than assuming command words mean exactly the same thing everywhere.

Practising command-word discipline

A useful drill: take a past paper and, before answering anything, go through and label every question with its command word and mark allocation. This forces you to plan the right type and length of answer before you start writing, instead of discovering halfway through a long Explain answer that you've only made one point.

Using ExamPass.ai to build this habit

ExamPass.ai's exam papers and exam questions use the same command-word conventions as your real exam board, and instant marking gives feedback against the stored mark scheme, including whether your answer matched the depth the command word demanded, not just whether the content was correct.