Edexcel IGCSE Economics: Command words and keywords

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Economics (4EC1) uses the command words defined in the specification. Mark schemes reward accurate economic terminology and correct response to command words. Extended questions use levels-based marking; balance and conclusion matter for Assess, Evaluate and Discuss.

Command words in Edexcel Economics 4EC1

Command word	What to do	Common mistake
State	Recall; short answer	Overwriting
Identify	Choose from data/diagram	Adding explanation
Define	Precise economic meaning	Vague
Describe	What the data/diagram shows	Adding explanation
Explain	Why or how; use “because”	Only describing
Suggest	Apply to context; propose reasons	Textbook recall
Compare	Similarities and differences	Listing separately
Contrast	Differences only	Including similarities
Assess	Judge importance; conclude	Description only
Evaluate	Judge; conclude with evidence	No conclusion
Discuss	Explore aspects; conclude	One-sided
Calculate	Work out; show working; units	Missing working
Outline	Main points	Too much detail
Analyse	Break down; show relationships	Only describing
Justify	Support with evidence	Unsupported claim

Economic keywords examiners look for

Microeconomics

Term	Use correctly	Avoid
Demand	Quantity wanted at each price	”Want”
Supply	Quantity offered at each price	”Have”
Equilibrium	Where demand = supply	”Balance”
Elasticity	Responsiveness to change	”Sensitive”
Price elasticity of demand	% change in Qd / % change in P	Wrong formula
Substitute	Alternative good	”Similar”
Complement	Good used together	Substitute
Opportunity cost	Next best alternative forgone	”Cost”
Scarcity	Limited resources; unlimited wants	”Shortage”
Factor of production	Land, labour, capital, enterprise	”Resource”
Division of labour	Specialisation in tasks	”Sharing work”
Economies of scale	Lower average cost as output rises	”Bigger is cheaper”
Diseconomies of scale	Higher average cost as firm grows	Economies
Monopoly	One seller; high barriers	”Big company”
Competition	Many firms; low barriers	Monopoly

Macroeconomics

Term	Use correctly	Avoid
GDP	Gross Domestic Product	”Wealth”
Inflation	Rising general price level	”Expensive”
Unemployment	People seeking work but without jobs	”Jobless”
Fiscal policy	Government spending and taxation	Monetary policy
Monetary policy	Interest rates; money supply	Fiscal policy
Exchange rate	Price of one currency in another	”Value”
Balance of payments	Record of transactions with rest of world	Trade balance
Economic growth	Increase in real GDP	”Development”
Recession	Negative growth for two quarters	”Depression”
Standard of living	Material well-being	Quality of life
Development	Broader than growth; includes HDI	Growth only

Development and international

Term	Use correctly	Avoid
Primary sector	Agriculture; raw materials	”Farming”
Secondary sector	Manufacturing	”Factories”
Tertiary sector	Services	Secondary
HDI	Human Development Index	”Development”
Aid	Assistance from one country to another	Trade
Trade	Exchange of goods/services	Aid
Tariff	Tax on imports	Quota
Quota	Limit on quantity	Tariff
Liberalisation	Reducing barriers to trade	”Free trade”
Sustainability	Meets need without compromising future	”Green”

Edexcel marking principles

• Apply positively—reward what candidates show.
• Best-fit for levels-based questions.
• Data questions—use the data; quote figures when relevant.
• Diagram questions—label correctly; explain shifts.
• Define—precise economic definitions.
• Evaluate/Assess/Discuss—conclusion required.

What examiner reports highlight

• Define—precise definitions; avoid repetition of term.
• Describe vs Explain—Describe = what; Explain = why.
• Assess/Evaluate/Discuss—conclusion with justification.
• Use data—quote figures when the question provides data.
• Diagrams—label axes; explain shifts correctly.
• Calculation—show working; correct units.

Tips for Edexcel Economics 4EC1

1. Underline the command word before answering.
2. Define precisely—e.g. “Opportunity cost is the next best alternative forgone when making a choice.”
3. Use data when the question provides it—quote figures.
4. Reach a conclusion for Assess, Evaluate, Discuss.
5. Show working in calculations.
6. Past papers + mark schemes show acceptable wording.

How Tutopiya helps

Tutopiya supports Edexcel IGCSE Economics with tutors who use the 4EC1 specification and past papers. Explore IGCSE resources or book a free trial.

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Based on Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Economics 4EC1 specification. Check the latest specification for your exam series.

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