ACCOUNT

Account for: Give reasons for; explain why something is the way it is.
Give an account of: Give a detailed description of something.

ANALYSE
Look at each part in detail and state the main ideas and their importance (using supporting arguments
and evidence for and against). Then look at how the parts connect to one another.

ANNOTATE
Add brief notes to a diagram or graph.

ARGUE
Present the case, using appropriate evidence, for and/or against a particular position.

APPLY
Use or employ the given information in a particular situation. Show how an abstract concept or method
explains a concrete situation or solves a problem.

APPRECIATE
Make a judgement about the value of.

ARGUE
Challenge or debate an issue or idea with the purpose of persuading or committing someone else to a
particular stance or action.

ASSESS
Make a judgement of the value or importance of something, paying attention to positive and negative
aspects.

CALCULATE
Obtain a numerical answer showing the relevant stages in the working.

CLARIFY
Make the meaning clear or plain and, where appropriate, simplify it.

CLASSIFY
Sort objects or ideas into groups according to their similarities.

COMMENT
Pick out the main points on a subject and give your opinion, reinforcing your point of view using logic
and reference to relevant evidence.

COMPARE
Describe two or more items or situations and show the difference and similarities between them. State the
significance of the item/situation in relation to what is being asked in the question.

COMPLETE
Finish a task by adding to given information.

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CONCLUDE
To arrive at a decision or bring to an end.

CONSIDER
Say what you think and have observed supporting your comments using appropriate evidence. Include any
views which are contrary to your own and how they relate to what you originally thought.

CONSTRUCT
Make; build; put together items or arguments.

CONTRAST
Describe the major differences between multiple items or situations. Give details and examples to
support your judgment.

CRITICALLY ANALYSE/EVALUATE
Give your opinion as to what extent a statement or findings are true, or to what extent you agree with
them. Provide evidence which both agree with and contradict an argument. Come to a final conclusion,
basing your decision on what you judge to be the most important factors, and justify how you have made
your choice.

CRITICISE
Make a judgment about the merit or truth or usefulness of the views or factors mentioned using the
evidence available.

CRITIQUE
Provide a detailed analysis and assessment of something, highlighting your reasons for your judgment.

DEDUCE
Draw conclusions from the information provided.

DEFINE
Give a brief, clear explanation of what something means.

DEMONSTRATE
Using examples, show how you arrived at an answer.

DERIVE
Manipulate a mathematical relationship to give a new equation or relationship.

DESCRIBE
Give a detailed or graphic account or picture that covers what happened, when it happened and where it
happened, including all important elements or features. Do not include an evaluation or personal opinion.

DESIGN
Produce a plan, simulation or model.

DETERMINE
Find out something; calculate.

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DEVELOP
Take forward or build upon given information to reach a goal or clearly defined objective.

DIAGRAM
Demonstrate your answer by drawing a chart, graph or other visual element to illustrate your points.

DIFFERENTIATE
State what makes someone or something different.

DISCUSS
Examine and analyse different points of view using carefully selected evidence to make a case for and
against each side of an issue. Then provide an overall conclusion on the validity, strength or value of the
topic discussed.

DISTINGUISH
Point out (and clearly explain) the differences between concepts, arguments, information or things.

ELABORATE
Provide more detail or information.

ENUMERATE
Concisely list, one by one, the points required.

ESTIMATE
Find an approximate value for an unknown quantity.; predict.

EVALUATE
Make a judgment about the quality of something, taking the evidence or arguments for and against into
account. Use criteria or standards to make judgments about the strengths and weaknesses of a position on
a particular issue.

EXAMINE
Look in close detail and establish the key facts and important issues surrounding a topic. Offer reasons as
to why the facts and issues youve identified are the most important, and provide your opinion and explain
how or why you came to your conclusions.

EXPAND
Rewrite the expression without brackets, e.g. 3(2b + 1) = 6b + 3

EXPLAIN
Clarify a topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurs, or what is meant by the use of
a term in a particular context. Give reasons for differences of opinion or results, and try to analyse
causes.

EXPLORE
Examine or investigate without any preconceptions about the outcome, evaluating different viewpoints.
Where possible reconcile opposing views by presenting a final line of argument.

EXPRESS
Rewrite in a particular way.

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EXTRACT
Choose relevant and/or appropriate details.

EXTRAPOLATE
Assume that existing trends will continue and infer unknown values or situations from what is known.

EVALUATE
Analyse or discuss something and make a judgement on its importance, significance, usefulness or worth.

GIVE REASONS FOR

Provide a statement or fact that explains why something happened or is the way it is.

GIVE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF

Present information which determines or highlights the importance of an event or issue.

HENCE
Find or prove a result using the answers from the previous part of the question.

IDENTIFY
State what you regard to be the most important facts about a person or subject area as outlined in the
question.

ILLUSTRATE
Explain or clarify your answer by presenting a figure, picture, diagram, or concrete example.

INDICATE
Point out; show.

INFER
The answer is not clearly stated in the passage so you are required to read between the lines and use the
information or clues provided to draw conclusions.

INTERPRET
Explain what you understand to be the meaning, or what someone else intended the meaning to be.

INVESTIGATE
Carry out a systematic inquiry to discover and examine the facts and the draw conclusions from the
findings.

JUSTIFY
Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion. In order to present a balanced
argument, consider opinions which may run contrary to your own before stating your conclusion.

LABEL
Add title, labels or brief explanation(s) to a diagram or graph.

LIST
Present a group of items or brief answers (with no explanation) in the required order.

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ORDER
Arrange something in a methodical way.

ORGANISE
Put ideas, opinions and facts into an order that fits the purpose.

OUTLINE
Give a short description of the main points leaving out minor details, and present the information in a
systematic arrangement or classification.

PERSUADE
Take a stand and defend one side of an issue giving reasons or providing evidence to support your idea or
opinion.

PLAN
Think out and arrange the details of your work beforehand.

PREDICT
Suggest what may happen based on the available information.

PRESENT
Offer for display, observation, examination or consideration.

PROPOSE
Put forward (for example a point of view, idea, argument, suggestion) for consideration or action.

PROVE
Establish the truth of a statement by giving factual evidence and logical reasoning; use a sequence of
logical steps to obtain the required result in a formal way. In questions where an answer is given, prove that
the answer is true using formal mathematics and reasoning.

RECALL
Present remembered ideas, facts or experiences.

RECOMMEND
Provide reasons in favour of.

RECOUNT
Retell a series of events.

RELATE
Explain how things are connected to each other and to what extent they are alike or affect each other.

REVIEW
Examine a subject critically, analysing and commenting on the important or controversial statements. Then
make a choice or judgment.

SELECT
Choose, according to the given instructions or guidelines.

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SHOW
Write down the details, steps or calculations needed to prove an answer that youve been
given, or a position/scenario youve been asked to address.

SIMPLIFY
Reduce to a shorter, neater form.

SKETCH
Represent by means of a diagram or graph (labelled as appropriate). The sketch should give a general idea
of the required shape or relationship, and should include relevant features.

SOLVE
Obtain the answer(s) using algebraic and/or numerical and/or graphical methods.

STATE
Present the main points in a brief and clear sequence, usually omitting details or examples.

SUGGEST
Propose a solution, hypothesis or other possible answer to a new situation or a context.

SUPPORT
Provide facts, examples and quotations to back up an idea or an opinion.

SUMMARISE
Give a brief overview of the main points of an idea or an argument omitting all details, analyses and
illustrations.

SYNTHESISE
Put individual elements together to make a whole.

TO WHAT EXTENT
Provide a thorough assessment of the evidence in presenting your argument. Explore alternative
explanations where they exist.

TRACE
Describe the steps or process that brought some event to pass.

VERIFY
Show or check that a result is correct.

WRITE DOWN
Write the answer, formula or result without working or explanation.

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