Exam Command Terms

The following list of command terms may be useful in more than your Geography exam! Its clearly important to do what the examiner requires inorder to gain maximum marks. A useful tactic in the exam is to highlight command terms in one colour. Its also useful to highlight key geographical terms in another colour, making sure that you demonstrate understanding of the key terms in your answers where appropriate.

Annotate:Add notes of description or explanation to labels.
Comment:On the basis of your knowledge and understanding, give views on…
Compare:To write what is similar and what is different between two areas or two ideas. Two descriptions do not make a comparison.
Describe:To write about what something is like, without attempt to explain.
Explain:To write how or why things appear.
Give reasons for:To write two or more points about why or how things happen.
Identify:‘Pick out’
Justify:Make out a case for.
Label:Pick out name feature(s) required.
List:A number of one word or one line facts or ideas.
Locate:To write or mark accurately where something is in relation to other places.
Predict:To look at the evidence and suggest what might happen next.
Select:Choose
State:Write in a short, clear way.
Study:Look carefully at the resource.
Suggest:On the basis of your knowledge and understanding, to write down how and why you think things happen
Summarise:Write down the main points.
Use:This means that you must get information from the resources provided.