You can know the chemistry… and still lose marks.

This is one of the most frustrating parts of A-level Chemistry: students often understand the content perfectly, but answer the wrong question. 

And the reason for this is because they misread (or misunderstand) the command word.

Command words are the exam’s way of telling you exactly how to answer each question.

If you ignore them, you risk:

  • Writing too much (and wasting time)
  • Writing too little (and dropping marks)
  • Giving the wrong type of answer entirely

This is one of the biggest hidden causes of lost marks across all the exam boards. 

Thankfully, the fix is simple:

Learn what each command word is really asking you to do.

Across AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and the other exam boards, these command words are remarkably consistent.

In this A-level Chemistry study guide, we’ll break down the ones that matter most. 

You can find even more exam guides like this one in Brainscape’s free A-level Academy. We also have expert-vetted, certified flashcards for every A-level Chemistry board…

…and a library of flashcards for dozens of other A-level subjects and boards (look for the ones with the little green ticks). These have been created by our team of educators to help you efficiently learn and retain the essential content you need to know to perform well on the A-level Chemistry examinations.

Now that you know about these exam preparation resources, let’s dive into the command words you can expect to encounter in your exams.

What Does “Explain” Mean In A-Level Chemistry Exams?

“Explain” is where many students go wrong.

They either:

  • State a fact (not enough), or
  • Ramble without linking ideas (too vague)

What Examiners Want

An explanation is a reason + a link to the question

Think of it as a mini cause-and-effect chain.

Example question:

Explain why increasing temperature increases the rate of reaction.

Weak answer: Particles have more energy.

Strong answer: Particles have more kinetic energy, so they collide more frequently and with sufficient energy to overcome activation energy, increasing the rate.

Notice the difference:

  • The strong answer links each idea together
  • It doesn’t just state or list facts, it builds a chain

What Does “Suggest” Mean In A-Level Chemistry Exams?

“Suggest” questions often throw students off because they may push the boundaries of their chemistry knowledge; of what they know for sure.

They assume, “I don’t know this”. 

But that’s the point… you’re not expected to recall a memorised answer.

What Examiners Want

“Suggest” means use your chemistry knowledge to make a logical, plausible answer.

There may be more than one correct answer.

Example question

Suggest why the yield is lower than expected.

Good answers might include:

  • Side reactions occurred
  • Product lost during transfer
  • Reaction did not go to completion

What matters is:

  • The answer is chemically sensible
  • It fits the context of the question

What Does “Deduce” Mean In A-Level Chemistry Exams?

When students see the command word “deduce”, they often either guess or repeat the data, without actually using or interpreting it.

What Examiners Want

“Deduce” means use the information provided to reach a conclusion.

In other words, you are supposed to extract meaning from data, not necessarily recall knowledge.

Example question

Deduce the oxidation state of the element from the data.

To answer this, you must:

  • Use the numbers given
  • Apply rules
  • Arrive at a logical conclusion

If the data is there, the answer is there: you just have to connect the dots!

What Does “State” Mean On An A-Level Chemistry Paper?

“State” is deceptively simple and often overdone.

What Examiners Want

“State” means provide one clear, concise fact

That’s it.

Common Mistake

Students write: “The temperature increases because energy is released in an exothermic reaction.”

That’s an explanation, not a statement.

If the question says “state,” a better answer is:

“Temperature increases.”

This extra detail may not directly cost you any marks but it will cost you precious time, which you should be spending completing the paper and double-checking your answers and calculations.

How Do Students Over-Answer And Under-Answer A-Level Chemistry Questions?

This is where command words really matter.

Over-Answering: Writing too much when it’s not required wastes time, increases your chances of contradicting yourself, and doesn’t gain you any extra marks. This commonly happens with “state” and “deduce” questions.

Under-Answering: Not giving enough detail, on the other hand, may cost you marks because you don’t provide all the necessary links in your explanations (or your “suggest” answers may feel too vague to the examiners). Look out for this in “explain” and “suggest” questions.

The bottom line here is to match your answer exactly to the command word.

Not more. Not less.

How Can You Practise A-Level Chemistry Command Words Effectively?

This is not something you fix by just “doing more questions.”

You need to train yourself to:

  • Recognise command words instantly
  • Recall what each one requires
  • Apply the correct answer style automatically

A Simple Technique

Before answering any question, pause and ask: “What is this command word actually asking me to do?”

This takes 2 seconds and can save multiple marks.

Brainscape’s A-level Chemistry flashcards include three free practice exam papers, so use those as a practicing ground for your command words. You can download them here:

What Other A-Level Chemistry Resources Can Help You Improve Your Exam Technique?

To sharpen your exam performance further, you might also explore:

Final Thoughts: Command Words Are The Key To Unlocking Marks In A-Level Chemistry

A-level chemistry exams don’t only test what you know, but also how precisely you can communicate that knowledge

Command words are the instructions.

If you follow them:

  • Your answers become sharper
  • Your writing becomes more efficient
  • Your marks increase, without learning any new content

So next time you read a question, don’t rush. Pause. Look at the command word.

Because that single word will help you prove to the examiner that you’re worth every mark that question has been allocated.