Teach IGCSE command words from each syllabus’s own table, not a generic school list. Cambridge publishes command words in every syllabus, and the lists differ: History 0470 uses three, Geography 0460 sixteen. Some definitions change between subjects too. A whole-school approach should agree the shared core words and let each department teach its own.
Where does Cambridge publish command words?
In each syllabus, near the end of the assessment section. Every table opens the same way: “Command words and their meanings help candidates know what is expected from them in the exams. The table below includes command words used in the assessment for this syllabus. The use of the command word will relate to the subject context.” (Biology 0610 syllabus). That last sentence is why a single school list can mislead. The same word can ask for different things in different subjects.
Which command words are shared across subjects?
A core set appears with the same definition in several syllabuses:
| Command word | Cambridge definition | Appears in (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| State | ”express in clear terms” | Biology, Mathematics, Geography |
| Describe | ”state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features” | Biology, History, Mathematics, Geography |
| Explain | ”set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things clear / say why and/or how and support with relevant evidence” | Biology, History, Mathematics, Economics |
| Calculate | ”work out from given facts, figures or information” | Biology, Mathematics, Geography |
| Compare | ”identify/comment on similarities and/or differences” | Biology, Geography |
| Suggest | ”apply knowledge and understanding to situations where there are a range of valid responses in order to make proposals / put forward considerations” | Biology, Geography |
| Evaluate | ”judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something” | Biology |
| Discuss | ”write about issue(s) or topic(s) in depth in a structured way” | History, Economics |
Sources: Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses for Biology 0610, History 0470, Mathematics 0580, Geography 0460 and Economics 0455.
“Describe” versus “Explain” is the distinction that matters most across the school. Describe asks for features. Explain asks for reasons, “why and/or how”, with evidence.
Where do the definitions differ?
In a few important places:
| Difference | What the syllabuses say |
|---|---|
| Determine | Mathematics: “establish with certainty”. Biology: “establish an answer using the information available” |
| Explain | Geography: “make the relationships between things evident / provide why and/or how”. Most others: “make the relationships between things clear / say why and/or how” |
| History’s short list | Only Describe, Discuss and Explain, plus “phrases such as ‘How far do you agree…?’ and ‘Write an account…’” |
| Mathematics-only words | ”Show (that)”: “provide structured evidence that leads to a given result”; “Write down”: “give an answer without significant working”; “Work out” and “Plot” |
| Geography-only words | Devise, Estimate, Justify, Locate and Plan, plus “phrases such as ‘How far do you agree …?’ and ‘To what extent …?’” |
So “Write down” in Mathematics means little or no working, while “Explain” in Geography expects extended reasoning. A student who carries one department’s habits into another loses marks.
How do Pearson Edexcel command words compare?
Pearson publishes a “command word taxonomy” in each International GCSE specification, and its wording differs from Cambridge’s. In International GCSE Biology 4BI1, “Explain” means “an explanation requires a justification/exemplification of a point”. “Describe” is “to give an account of something”, with statements that “do not need to include a justification or reason”. Pearson adds that “Give/State/Name … are really synonyms”. Schools running both boards should teach from each board’s own taxonomy.
Why do command words matter for EAL students?
Because they are the language of the question, not the subject. Cambridge syllabuses such as Biology 0610 state that the “assessment materials are available in English only”. The EEF’s guidance on secondary literacy recommends schools “provide targeted vocabulary instruction in every subject” and “prioritise ‘disciplinary literacy’ across the curriculum” (EEF). Command words are the clearest case. See tracking EAL learners in IGCSE.
What whole-school approach works?
Our recommendation, in five steps:
- Agree a core set of shared words (State, Describe, Explain, Compare, Calculate) with the Cambridge definitions, taught from Year 7.
- Let departments own their extras, taught from their own syllabus table, not the school list.
- Flag the differences in each department: Determine, Explain in Geography, Write down in Maths.
- Model answers that show what each word earns, using mark schemes and examiner reports.
- Check in mocks that students answer the command word asked, not the one they expected.
A single poster of “school command words” is useful only if it states that departments’ definitions take priority.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
Command words are learned by answering questions, not reading definitions. AI Buddy gives students past-paper-style questions using each syllabus’s command words, with instant feedback on what the answer missed. Teachers can see which command words a class misreads, such as describing when asked to explain, and target it.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find the Cambridge IGCSE command words list?
In each syllabus’s “Command words” table. Each table lists only the words used in that syllabus, and Cambridge notes that their use “will relate to the subject context”.
What is the difference between describe and explain in IGCSE?
Describe means “state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features”. Explain means “set out purposes or reasons”, saying “why and/or how” with relevant evidence.
Are command words the same in every IGCSE subject?
No. Core words such as State and Describe are shared, but lists differ, and some definitions change. Determine, for example, differs between Mathematics and Biology.
Does Pearson Edexcel use the same command words as Cambridge?
Pearson publishes its own command word taxonomy in each specification, with different wording, so schools should teach each board’s definitions separately.
Discover how AI Buddy helps schools strengthen teaching, learning and evidence-informed school improvement. Or start a short consultation with our schools team using the form below — we will get back to you directly.
Sources
- Cambridge International, IGCSE syllabuses: Biology 0610 (2026–2028), History 0470 (2024–2026), Mathematics 0580 (2025–2027), Geography 0460 (2025–2026) and Economics 0455 (2027–2029)
- Pearson, International GCSE Biology (4BI1) specification, command word taxonomy
- Education Endowment Foundation, Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools