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Home » Blog » Understanding Essay Questions: Command Words Explained | EasyMarks
Analyse, discuss, evaluate, compare — what each instruction word actually wants from you.
7 min read · Written by UK academic writers
Command words are the instruction verbs in an essay question, such as analyse, discuss, evaluate or compare. Each demands a different response, so identifying the command word tells you what kind of answer the examiner expects.
One of the fastest ways to lose marks is to misread the command word. "Describe" and "evaluate" ask for very different essays. This guide explains the most common UK command words and what each one requires.
The command word tells you the type of thinking the examiner wants. Answering "evaluate" with pure description, or "describe" with a long argument, means you are not answering the question — the single most common cause of low marks.
These ask you to show knowledge: define, describe, outline, summarise, state. They want accurate, organised information rather than argument, and usually appear in shorter or earlier tasks.
These ask you to think critically and are typical of degree-level essays.
The command word is only part of the task. Identify the topic and any limits on scope — a date range, a region, a particular theory — and make sure your answer respects them.
Once you know the command word, you know the shape of your answer. "Evaluate" needs arguments on both sides plus a judgement; "compare" needs a structured side-by-side analysis. Let the verb guide your outline.
It is the instruction verb — such as analyse, discuss or evaluate — that tells you what kind of answer to write.
Analyse means break something down to examine how it works; evaluate means weigh its strengths and weaknesses and reach a judgement.
It asks you to question assumptions, methods and evidence, not just report findings — the hallmark of higher marks.
Address each in turn. Many questions ask you to, for example, describe and then evaluate; your structure should cover both.
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