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.

Circle

Used in multiple choice questions.  Students should select their answer from the given options by circling.  Students may show working but no working is required.

Describe geometrically

Used in some questions involving transformation matrices. Students are expected to use mathematical terminology.

Do not use trial and improvement

Mainly used in questions where students are asked to solve an equation or simultaneous equations. Students are expected to show their working using mathematical processes rather than just trialling possible values.

Draw

Students will need to draw a graph on given axes (graph paper).

Expand

Used in algebraic questions with brackets where students are required to give an answer that does not contain brackets.

Expand and simplify fully

Used in algebraic questions with brackets where students are required to give an answer that does not contain brackets. Once brackets have been expanded there will be at least one further step to obtain the answer in simplest form.

Factorise

Used in algebraic questions where students are required to give an answer written as a product. This product will contain at least one pair of brackets.

Factorise fully

Used in algebraic questions where students are required to give an answer written as a product. This product will contain at least one pair of brackets. The use of  ‘fully’ means there is a partially factorised form that can be factorised further.

Eg an answer (2x + 6)(x – 5) is partially factorised but has only been factorised fully when written as 2(x + 3)(x – 5)

How many

Used in some questions where the answer is numerical, usually a positive integer.

Prove that

Students must show working to obtain the required answer. Students should not omit any stages of their working when this instruction is given.  Responses should follow an ordered step-by-step approach.

In a geometrical proof students should give reasons for statements made using mathematical terminology.

In an algebraic proof reasons are not required although sometimes a concluding statement may be beneficial.

Rearrange

Used in algebraic questions where students are required to change the subject of a given formula.

Rationalise the denominator

Used in some questions involving surds. Answers must not have any square roots in the denominator.

Show that

Students must show working to obtain the required answer. Students should not omit any stages of their working when this instruction is given. Reasons are not required but responses should follow an ordered step-by-step approach.

Simplify fully

Most commonly used in algebraic questions but could also be used in a number question. Students are required to give an answer in simplest form.

Sketch

Students will need to sketch a graph on given axes (no graph paper).

Solve

Used in algebraic questions where students are required to work out the value or values of a variable or variables.

Use (a particular method)

If a method is specified (eg Use calculus) students are expected to follow the instruction given.

Use an algebraic method

Used in questions where students are required to show their working using algebraic processes. Graphical approaches and trial and improvement are not acceptable.

Write

Most commonly used in questions where students are required to give an answer in a given form. Unless the question is worth 1 mark it is likely that working will be needed to obtain the given form.

Write down

Used in questions where working out is not expected to be shown. Students may still show working if they want to.

Work out

Students are very likely to need to do some working to obtain the answer but the correct answer with no working will score full marks.

You must show your working

Used in questions where students are required to show their working using mathematical processes. Simply writing an answer down will not be sufficient.