<\/p>\nEver opened a paper, read the first line, and felt your heart sink because you weren\u2019t sure what the question was actually asking? You\u2019re not alone. In the IB Diploma Programme, the difference between a good answer and a top-mark response often comes down to one thing: how precisely you respond to the command term. The good news: command terms are learnable, practiceable, and massively transferable across subjects.<\/p>\n
This post walks you through a living, usable Command Term Bank \u2014 a practical toolkit you can carry from physics practicals to history essays, from math papers to language analyses. You\u2019ll get definitions, clear strategies, paragraph starters, subject-by-subject examples, and a ready-to-use practice plan. Sprinkle in short, targeted practice and your answers will start matching what examiners are actually looking for.<\/p>\n
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Command terms are not just vocabulary; they are instructions. They tell examiners what cognitive move you must make: describe, compare, analyze, evaluate, justify \u2014 each word maps to a different depth of thinking and a different shape of response. If you treat every prompt as an essay-in-waiting without checking the command term, you risk writing the wrong kind of answer \u2014 long, impressive, and low-scoring.<\/p>\n
Think of command terms as the blueprint the examiner gives you. Respond to the blueprint accurately and you\u2019ll score the marks the rubric awards. Misread it and you might win style points but lose marks for relevance and assessment criteria.<\/p>\n
Below is a compact bank of essential command terms, what they expect you to do, and quick strategies you can apply immediately. Keep this table as a printable cheat-sheet when you practice past papers.<\/p>\n
| Command Term<\/th>\n | What it Asks For<\/th>\n | Strategy<\/th>\n | Sentence Starter<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Describe<\/td>\n | State features, characteristics, or events clearly and in sequence.<\/td>\n | Focus on accurate detail and clear structure; avoid evaluation unless asked.<\/td>\n | “Describe the main features\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Explain<\/td>\n | Give reasons or causes; show how\/why something happens.<\/td>\n | Link cause and effect; use connectives (‘because’, ‘therefore’, ‘so that’).<\/td>\n | “This occurs because\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Compare<\/td>\n | Show similarities and differences; organize by theme or item.<\/td>\n | Use a two-column approach or topic-by-topic; highlight significance of contrasts.<\/td>\n | “Both X and Y\u2026 However\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Analyse<\/td>\n | Break down into parts and explain relationships and implications.<\/td>\n | Identify components, explain how they work together, and point out effects.<\/td>\n | “This element contributes to\u2026 because\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Discuss<\/td>\n | Consider different perspectives, weigh evidence, and reach a reasoned conclusion.<\/td>\n | Present balanced points, assess strengths\/weaknesses, judge overall significance.<\/td>\n | “One view is\u2026 On the other hand\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Evaluate<\/td>\n | Make a judgement based on evidence and criteria; show limitations.<\/td>\n | State criteria, assess evidence against them, conclude with justified judgment.<\/td>\n | “Against this criterion\u2026 therefore\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Justify<\/td>\n | Provide evidence and reasoning to support a decision or conclusion.<\/td>\n | Give reasons, cite evidence, and link back to the claim directly.<\/td>\n | “This is supported by\u2026 which shows\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Outline<\/td>\n | Give a brief summary of main points without detailed explanation.<\/td>\n | Be concise, focus on core points, avoid extended analysis.<\/td>\n | “In brief, the main points are\u2026”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\nReading a Question Like a Pro<\/h2>\nDon\u2019t rush. In timed papers, the pressure is real, but a 60\u201390 second investment in careful reading can save several marks. Follow this quick routine every time you see a question:<\/p>\n
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