Exam adviceCommand words

Before you attempt questions in the exam you should be aware of the command words that will to use within the exam questions. This will help you structure your exam responses and ensures you answering the question in the right way to receive full marks for that question.

These are as follows:

• Questions that will ask you to name or state
• Questions that will ask you to outline
• Questions that ask you to describe
• Questions that ask you to explain

Questions that will ask you to NAME

You will provide an answer in brief form or simply name something. The number of statements required in the answer will usually be the same as the number of marks available.

Example:-

Questions that will ask you to OUTLINE

You must provide a few points of content. More than just naming, but not a detailed description. You will normally be required to make the same number of factual/appropriate points as marks available in the question.

Example:-

Questions that ask you to DESCRIBE

This will be more than an outline or a list. You may have to refer to a point or name something and provide a description about that point. You will normally be required to make the same number of appropriate points as marks available in the question.

Example:-

Questions that ask you to EXPLAIN

You must generally relate cause and effect and make relationships between things clear. This will be related to the context of the question or a specific area within a question.

Example:-