Command words

Command words are the words and phrases used in exams and other assessment tasks that tell students how they should answer the question.

The following command words are taken from Ofqual’s official list. Their meanings are relevant to this subject. We’ve added our own command words and their meanings to complement Ofqual’s list.

Explain

Students should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of political events, concepts and ideas including the use of relevant examples.

Analyse

Students should demonstrate an understanding of the significance, causes, and effects of political ideas, events and concepts, as well as the relationship between them.

Compare

Students should identify the similarities and differences between two extracts, considering their significance and impact in a political context.

Evaluate

Students should make a reasoned judgment about the strengths and weaknesses of an argument, concept, or theory in a statement or extract.