In the context of school and English, "command words" refer to the specific verbs used in exam questions and assessment tasks that instruct students on how to answer. These words dictate the type of response required, guiding students to analyze, evaluate, describe, explain, or perform other actions with the given information. Understanding these words is crucial for students to effectively address exam questions and achieve the best possible results. Here's a breakdown of common command words and what they mean in an educational setting:
Analysis & Evaluation:
- Analyze: Break down information into its component parts to understand their relationships and significance.
- Assess: Make a judgment based on evidence, weighing the strengths and weaknesses of an argument or concept.
- Evaluate: Similar to assess, but often requires a more in-depth judgment based on criteria and evidence.
- Critically: Examine something from a critical perspective, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and potential biases.
- Examine: Investigate something thoroughly, often by looking at different aspects and perspectives.
- Discuss: Explore an issue by presenting different viewpoints and arguments.
- Justify: Provide reasons or evidence to support a claim or conclusion.
Description & Explanation:
- Describe: Provide a detailed account of something, outlining its features or characteristics.
- Explain: Make something clear by providing reasons, causes, or a detailed account of how it works.
- Outline: Give a brief summary of the main points of something.
- Identify: Name or otherwise characterize something.
- Define: Provide the precise meaning of a word or concept.
Other Common Command Words:
- Compare: Identify similarities and differences between two or more things.
- Contrast: Focus on the differences between two or more things.
- Calculate: Work out a numerical answer using given information.
- Suggest: Propose an idea or solution based on the information provided.
- Summarize: Give a brief overview of the main points of a text or topic.
- Sketch: Draw a simple, approximate representation of something.
- Label: Provide appropriate names on a diagram.
By understanding the specific instructions given by these command words, students can better understand what is being asked of them and tailor their responses accordingly.