command words!

Question 1

asses?

Answer 1

make an informed judgement, (evaluate, to what extent, discuss)
mainly AO3 as judgement should be made
* refer back to the question in answers using words from the question, eg ‘important’,
‘significant’, ‘useful’
* consider structuring responses appropriately, eg:
◦ opening with a judgement to focus the answer
◦ making multiple points to support the judgement
◦ making a counter-argument if needed
◦ finishing with a clear conclusion, emphasising the judgement
* use evidence from examples, case studies or fieldwork, linking it back to the question
* link ideas from the figure if there’s one
* answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ to develop responses
* extend their argument using phrases like, ‘because…’, ‘this means that…’, this leads to…’,
‘as a result…’
* use comparative words to evaluate, eg ‘whereas’, ‘however’, ‘although’

Question 2

what is AO1 and AO2

Answer 2

demonstrate knowledge and understanding

Question 3

what is AO3

Answer 3

application of knowledge and/or
evaluation

Question 4

what is AO4

Answer 4

geographical and fieldwork skills

Question 5

compare?

Answer 5

Identify similarities and differences.
write about similarities and differences
* link the sources together within
sentences, don’t write about them
separately
* use comparative words, eg ‘whereas’,
‘however’, ‘compared to’, ‘similarly’
* use adjectives like ‘higher’, ‘lower’,
‘stronger’, ‘weaker’
* comment on anomalies

Question 6

describe?

Answer 6

Set out characteristics – to
say what something is, is
like, or appears like.
* spot the geographical terms in the
question and use them in their answer,
eg ‘distribution’, ‘change’, ‘track’.
* understand what they need to do to get
the marks:
* develop answers for 4-mark questions
* a 2-mark question will usually require
two ideas will be allocated a mark for
each idea
* a 2-mark question requiring one idea will
usually need a development to be made.
* use adjectives, eg ‘largest/smallest’
‘highest/lowest’, ‘increasing/decreasing’,
‘rapidly/slowly’

Question 7

discuss?

Answer 7

Present key points about different sides of
an argument, issue or the strengths and
weaknesses of an idea.
Approach this similarly to other evaluative
commands (assess, to what extent, evaluate).
present both sides of the argument, but it doesn’t need to be balanced
* refer back to the question in answers using words from the question, eg important,
significant, useful
* consider structuring responses appropriately, eg:
* opening with one side of the argument
* making multiple points to support the argument
* making counter-arguments
* finishing with a clear conclusion that links back to the question
* use wording from the statement, if the question has one
* use evidence from examples, case studies or fieldwork, linking it back to the question
* link ideas from the figure if there’s one

Question 8

evaluate?

Answer 8

Judge from evidence, weighing up both sides
of an argument.
Approach this similarly to other evaluative
commands (assess, to what extent, discuss).
* refer back to the question in answers using words from the question, eg ‘important’,
‘significant’, ‘useful’
* consider structuring responses appropriately, eg:
* opening with a judgement to focus the answer
* making multiple points to support the judgement
* making a counter-argument if needed
* finishing with a clear conclusion, emphasising the judgement
* use evidence from examples, case studies or fieldwork, linking it back to the question
* link ideas from the figure if there’s one
* answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ to develop responses
* extend their argument using phrases like, ‘because…’, ‘this means that…’, this leads to…’,
‘as a result…’
* use comparative words to evaluate, eg ‘whereas’, ‘however’, ‘although’
* measure their judgement by using a scale like the example below

Question 9

explain?

Answer 9

Set out purposes or reasons – say why or how.
understand that ‘explain’ is one of the most common command words and used in many
different ways
* refer back to the question in answers using words from the question
* use key geographical terms
* look for how many elements the question has and address them
* cover ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ to develop answers and evaluate where appropriate
* make explicit references to the figure if there’s one eg, ‘I can see… in Figure 1… which
shows that…’
* extend ideas with phrases like ‘because…’, ‘this leads to…’, ‘this means that…’.

Question 10

justify?

Answer 10

Support a case with
evidence – give detailed
reasons for an idea.
* use key geographical terms
* focus on why rather than what, eg for
fieldwork, why certain data collection
methods or data presentation methods
were chosen
* develop answers with phrases like ‘I
think/know this because…’, ‘We did this
because…’
* consider approaching 9-mark questions
by:
* opening their answer with their opinion if
the question asks to agree/disagree
* giving an argument that could be onesided or balanced
* making multiple points to support
arguments
* linking ideas from the figure if there’s one
◦ use evidence from examples, case
studies or fieldwork, linking it back to
the question
◦ extending ideas with phrases like
‘because…’, ‘this leads to…’, ‘this
means that…’
◦ coming to a conclusion.

Question 11

outline?

Answer 11

Set out main characteristics – to give a brief
account or summary.
keep answers short and focused
* use key geographical terms
* give only the number of answers the
question asks for
* understand what they need to do to get
the marks:
◦ a 2-mark question will usually require
two ideas will be allocated a mark for
each idea
◦ a 2-mark question requiring one idea
will usually need a development to be
made.

Question 12

suggest?

Answer 12

Present a possible case, to
propose an idea, solution or
answer.
* understand that ‘suggest’ is one of the
most common command words and
used in many different ways, eg:
◦ similarly to ‘outline’ and ‘describe’
◦ similarly to explain: ‘suggest one
reason’, ‘suggest how’
◦ to evaluate in 9-mark questions
* refer back to the question in answers
using words from the question
* use key geographical terms
* cover ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ to develop
answers and evaluate where appropriate
* make references to the stimulus explicit
and relevant eg, ‘I can see… in Figure 1…
which shows that…’
* extend ideas with phrases like
‘because…’, ‘this leads to…’, ‘this means
that…’.

Question 13

to what extent?

Answer 13

Judge the importance or success of (strategy,
scheme, project).
Approach this similarly to other evaluative
commands (assess, evaluate, discuss).
refer back to the question in answers using words from the question, eg ‘important’,
‘significant’, ‘useful’
* consider structuring responses appropriately, eg:
* opening with a judgement to focus the answer
* making multiple points to support the judgement
* making a counter-argument if needed
* finishing with a clear conclusion, emphasising the judgement
* use evidence from examples, case studies or fieldwork, linking it back to the question
* link ideas from the figure if there’s one
* answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ to develop responses
* extend their argument using phrases like, ‘because…’, ‘this means that…’, this leads to…’,
‘as a result…’
* use comparative words to evaluate, eg ‘whereas’, ‘however’, ‘although’