The single fastest way to lose marks you should have earned is to misread the command word. A student who writes a brilliant description when the question asked for an evaluation will get partial credit at best — even if the content is correct. With Cambridge IGCSE and IB DP exams underway and Edexcel, AQA and International A-Level papers starting in mid-May, this is the right moment to make sure every command word in your subject is doing the work it should.

This guide compares the most-tested command words across Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, AQA and IB Diploma, shows what each one actually requires, and includes mark-scheme excerpts so you can see what examiners reward. The four boards use overlapping vocabulary but apply it differently — a “discuss” answer that scores top marks for AQA English will lose marks under IB Paper 2 criteria if you do not adapt.

Why command words decide your grade

Mark schemes are written around command words, not topics. A typical Cambridge 6-mark “explain” question awards marks for named causal links; a Pearson “evaluate” question awards marks for balanced argument plus a justified judgment; an IB DP “to what extent” prompt awards marks for a sustained, criteria-based evaluation. The content you can write about photosynthesis, the French Revolution or supply elasticity is the same; the structure of your answer changes with the verb.

Examiner reports across all four boards say the same thing every series: students lose marks because they do not respond to the command word. The fix is not learning more content; it is learning what each verb expects.

The four boards’ command-word lists at a glance

Each board publishes an official command-word glossary. The lists overlap heavily, but the definitions and the marks attached to them differ. The table below shows the most common verbs and where they appear.

Command word	Cambridge IGCSE/IAL	Pearson Edexcel	AQA GCSE/A-Level	IB DP
State / Identify / Name	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Define	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (often “Define” or “Outline”)
Describe	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Explain	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Compare / Contrast	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Analyse	Yes (A-Level)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Discuss	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Evaluate	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Justify	Yes	Yes	Yes (less common)	Yes
To what extent	Less common	Yes (essays)	Yes (history/politics)	Yes (Paper 2 essays)
Suggest	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Calculate / Show that	Yes (Maths/Sci)	Yes	Yes	Yes

Boards also use board-specific command words: AQA uses “Comment on” in English Literature; IB uses “To what extent do you agree” in Paper 2 essays; Cambridge A-Level uses “Justify” with a stricter mark-scheme expectation than Edexcel.

The eight command words that decide most marks

The marks at stake on most papers are concentrated in roughly eight verbs. Master these and the rest fall into place.

1. State / Identify / Name (1–2 marks)

The lowest-tariff command words. The mark scheme wants a single piece of correct information — usually one or two words, sometimes a short phrase. No explanation. No elaboration. Examiners do not give credit for repeating the question.

• Strong answer: “Mitochondrion.”
• Weak answer: “Mitochondria are the part of the cell that make energy through respiration.”

The weak answer would still score the mark if the term is correct, but on a 1-mark “state” question every additional word is wasted time. Move on.

2. Define (1–2 marks)

A precise, technical definition. Boards reward the syllabus wording or a close paraphrase. Cambridge and IB are particularly strict — definitions in IB DP biology and chemistry must be exact for the mark. The Tutopiya definition-keyword lists publish board-aligned 2026 wording for the highest-frequency definitions across IGCSE Sciences, Geography, Business and IB DP, so you drill the same phrasing the marker has in front of them.

• Cambridge IGCSE Biology: “Define osmosis.”
  • Mark-scheme answer: the net movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential, through a partially permeable membrane.
  • Each underlined element is a separate marking point. Miss “partially permeable” and you lose the mark.

If you are not sure of the exact wording, write the definition you know plus the technical term — partial credit is common when the concept is right.

3. Describe (2–4 marks, sometimes 6)

State the features, trends or steps without explaining why. “Describe the trend shown in the graph” wants direction, magnitude and any change in pattern — not the cause.

• Strong answer: “Sales rise sharply between 2018 and 2020, plateau in 2021, then decline by approximately 30% in 2022.”
• Weak answer: “Sales rose because of new marketing strategies.”

The weak answer has confused describe with explain. The mark scheme will not credit causal reasoning under “describe”.

4. Explain (3–6 marks)

The verb that carries the most marks across IGCSE and A-Level science, geography and economics. Explain = describe + reason. Each marking point is typically a linked pair: a fact and the reason behind it.

• Cambridge IGCSE Geography: “Explain why some areas of a city have higher land values than others.”
  • Marks awarded for: competition for accessible locations (1) → bidding pushes up land values in central business districts (1) → decreasing accessibility with distance lowers values (1).
• A list of three reasons without the causal chain typically scores half marks.

The pattern that wins marks: point → because → therefore. Use those words explicitly if your subject allows.

5. Analyse (4–9 marks)

Break a topic into parts and show how those parts relate to each other or to a wider context. Common in Edexcel, AQA and IB Paper 2.

• Edexcel A-Level History: “Analyse the causes of the Russian Revolution.”
  • The mark scheme rewards: identification of multiple causes (1–3) → categorisation (long-term, short-term, trigger) (3–5) → discussion of how the causes interact (6–9).

A common failure mode is to describe the causes one after another. Analysis demands relationships between causes, hierarchies of importance, or causal chains.

6. Compare / Contrast (4–6 marks)

Two-sided. The mark scheme expects explicit comparative language in every point: “whereas”, “in contrast”, “both”, “unlike”. Two paragraphs of separate description score badly even if the content is good.

• Strong structure: “Both X and Y rely on Z. However, X uses Z under condition A, whereas Y uses Z under condition B.”
• Weak structure: “Paragraph one: X does this. Paragraph two: Y does that.”

If the question says “compare”, the comparative point belongs inside the sentence, not implied between paragraphs.

7. Discuss (6–12 marks)

Examine multiple sides of an issue, weigh evidence, and reach a defensible position. Discuss is broader than evaluate — boards typically award marks for breadth (range of points covered) plus depth (development of each point).

• AQA A-Level Psychology: “Discuss explanations of obedience.”
  • Mark scheme rewards: knowledge of explanations (AO1) + application or evaluation (AO2/AO3) + balance + a clear thread.

A “discuss” answer without a stance still scores well if the discussion is rich. A “discuss” answer that takes a strong stance also scores well if it acknowledges the counter-position. The killer is a one-sided answer that ignores the alternative.

8. Evaluate / Justify (6–15 marks)

The highest-tariff command word. Evaluate = weigh up the evidence and reach a justified judgment. This is where top-band marks are won and lost.

• IB DP Economics Paper 2 (Paper 1 since 2024 syllabus): “Evaluate the likely effectiveness of subsidies in increasing the consumption of merit goods.”
  • Top-band mark scheme requires: theoretical analysis (diagrams, definitions) → real-world example → evaluation of strengths and weaknesses → a substantiated conclusion that is not just a summary.

The conclusion is the discriminator. Boards consistently report that students score in the middle band when they review both sides and stop, and in the top band when they commit to a position and defend it with criteria (e.g. magnitude, time frame, alternatives).

Where the boards diverge

The most common cross-board mistakes:

• Using AQA “Discuss” structure for IB Paper 2. AQA rewards balance and breadth; IB Paper 2 wants sustained engagement with the specific question including criteria for judgement. A balanced AQA-style answer can still miss IB’s top band if it does not commit.
• Using Cambridge “Explain” structure for Edexcel “Analyse”. Cambridge “Explain” is point-and-reason; Edexcel “Analyse” wants interrelationships. The same content with the wrong structure costs marks.
• Using IB “To what extent” structure for Cambridge IAL essays. IB rewards explicit weighting of factors; Cambridge IAL rewards a strong thread and worked examples. Over-structuring an IAL essay with “factor 1 / factor 2 / weighting” headings can read as mechanical to a Cambridge marker.

The remedy is to drill board-specific phrasing in your final fortnight — not just the verb, but the verb under your board’s mark scheme.

How to drill command words effectively

Three techniques work better than re-reading mark schemes.

1. Highlight the command word first, every time

In every past-paper question you attempt, circle the command word before you read the rest of the question. This sounds trivial and prevents the most common error in the room. Students who forget this in the exam read “Evaluate” as “Describe” and lose six marks before they begin.

2. Match your answer’s verbs to the question’s verb

If the question is “Evaluate”, your answer should contain the words “however”, “on the other hand”, “the strongest argument is” and a final “overall” judgment. If the question is “Explain”, your answer should be full of “because” and “therefore”. The marker can scan for these words. Make sure they are there.

3. Practise a focused command-word drill

Pick one command word at a time and answer five past-paper questions on it back to back, comparing your answer to the mark scheme each time. The pattern reveals itself quickly: you start to feel what an “evaluate” answer should look like in your subject.

A free tool to drill command words by board

We built the Tutopiya Command Words Trainer for exactly this drill. You pick your board (Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A-Level, Pearson Edexcel International GCSE, AQA GCSE or IB DP) and your subject, and the trainer presents real exam-style prompts grouped by command word. Each one comes with the mark-scheme expectation for that verb on that board, so you build the verb-specific instinct that examiners reward.

It is free, works in the browser, and is structured around the 2026 syllabus command-word lists for each board. Use it for 15 minutes a day in the final fortnight before your papers.

A worked example: the same content, three command words

To make the difference concrete, here are three answers on the same topic — supply elasticity in microeconomics — written under three different command words at A-Level.

Question A (Describe, 4 marks): Describe what is meant by price elasticity of supply.

Price elasticity of supply is a measure of the responsiveness of quantity supplied to a change in price. It is calculated as the percentage change in quantity supplied divided by the percentage change in price. Supply is described as elastic when the value is greater than 1, and inelastic when it is less than 1.

Question B (Explain, 6 marks): Explain two factors that affect the price elasticity of supply.

The first factor is the availability of spare capacity. If a firm has unused machinery and labour, it can expand output quickly when prices rise, so supply is more elastic. The second factor is time: in the short run, fixed inputs limit how quickly firms can expand, so supply is inelastic, whereas in the long run firms can build capacity, so supply becomes more elastic.

Question C (Evaluate, 12 marks): Evaluate the likely impact of an increase in the price of agricultural land on the price elasticity of supply of wheat in the long run.

A rise in agricultural land prices increases the cost of expanding wheat production, suggesting that long-run supply will become more inelastic as marginal expansion becomes less profitable. However, the magnitude depends on substitutability — if farmers can switch from other crops or use existing land more intensively, the long-run elasticity may not fall significantly. A second consideration is technology: yield-improving technology can offset land cost pressures, sustaining elasticity even as land prices rise. Overall, while higher land prices put downward pressure on long-run elasticity, the effect is likely moderate in countries with flexible land use and active agri-tech investment, and stronger in countries where land is the binding constraint. The judgment depends on the time frame and the degree of land-use flexibility.

The same economics content carries three different structures. Examiners reward the structure that matches the verb.

What to do this week if your exams are imminent

If you are sitting Cambridge or IB papers in the next two weeks, prioritise these three drills:

1. Pull the official command-word glossary for your board (Cambridge, Edexcel, AQA, IBO all publish them). Print one copy.
2. Highlight the verbs that carry the highest marks in your subject. For sciences: explain, evaluate, calculate. For humanities: discuss, analyse, evaluate, to what extent. For maths: show that, prove, justify.
3. Drill 10 past-paper questions per high-tariff verb in the command words trainer or against your subject’s past papers. After each, compare your answer to the mark scheme and rewrite the weakest paragraph.

For a broader last-week revision plan that builds command-word practice in alongside past papers and active recall, see how to revise in the last week before IGCSE exams and how to use past papers effectively for IGCSE 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are command words in exams?

Command words are the verbs that begin an exam question — state, describe, explain, analyse, evaluate, discuss — and they tell you what the mark scheme is looking for. The same content scored against a different command word earns different marks.

Are command words the same across all exam boards?

No. The verbs overlap, but the definitions and mark-scheme expectations differ. Cambridge “Explain” and Edexcel “Analyse” are not interchangeable. Always work from your board’s official glossary.

What is the difference between “discuss” and “evaluate”?

“Discuss” expects you to examine multiple sides of an issue with breadth. “Evaluate” expects the same examination plus a substantiated judgment. Evaluate questions are typically higher tariff because they require you to commit to a position and defend it with criteria.

What does “to what extent” mean as a command word?

It is a variant of “evaluate” used in IB DP Paper 2 essays and AQA history/politics. The expected structure is: identify the position in the question, examine evidence for and against, weigh the evidence, and reach a degree-based judgment (e.g. “to a significant extent”, “only partially”).

How do I learn command words quickly?

Drill them by verb, not by subject. Pick one command word, answer five past-paper questions on it back-to-back, compare to the mark scheme each time. The pattern emerges in under an hour.

What is the highest-tariff command word?

For most boards, “Evaluate” and “To what extent” carry the highest marks per question — typically 8–25 marks depending on subject and qualification. Top-band performance on these is the difference between an A and an A*.

Where can I find my board’s official command-word list?

Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, AQA and IBO all publish glossaries on their official websites, usually as part of the syllabus document. Your school exam officer or subject teacher can supply the relevant version for your 2026 series.

Is there a free tool to practise command words?

Yes — the Tutopiya Command Words Trainer lets you drill exam-style prompts by board and subject, with mark-scheme expectations for each verb. It is free and browser-based.

What is the most common command-word mistake?

Treating “Explain” as “Describe”, or “Evaluate” as “Discuss”. Students give correct content under the wrong structure and lose marks they should have earned. Circling the command word before reading the rest of the question is the simplest fix.

Do command words matter for maths and science calculation papers?

Yes. “Show that” requires a full working with each step justified — not just the answer. “Calculate” typically rewards the answer with a method mark for working. “Prove” in A-Level maths expects a deductive argument from stated assumptions. The verb tells you how much working to show.

How do command words differ for the IB DP Paper 2 essay?

IB Paper 2 essays use higher-order command words — evaluate, examine, to what extent, discuss — and reward sustained engagement with the question, evaluation against criteria, and a substantiated conclusion. A balanced description with no judgment scores in the middle band; a committed, criteria-led argument scores in the top band.

Should I memorise definitions for every command word?

No — memorise the structure each verb implies. A definition tells you what the verb means; the structure tells you what your paragraph needs to look like. Structure is what examiners scan for in the moment.

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Last reviewed: 29 April 2026. Always cross-check command-word definitions against your official 2026 syllabus and the most recent published mark schemes for your board and subject.

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