Direction Words (Academic Papers)

Question 1

analyse

Answer 1

find and describe the main ideas, show how they are related and why the are important

Question 2

comment

Answer 2

discuss briefly

Question 3

compare

Answer 3

show both the similarities and differences, emphasising similarities

Question 4

contrast

Answer 4

describe differences

Question 5

criticise

Answer 5

give your judgement or resigned opinion of something, giving its good and bad points. Your opinion should be supported by facts and /or arguments. (remember to criticise does not necessarily mean to attack)

Question 6

define

Answer 6

give the precise meaning of something, with no detail

Question 7

demonstrate

Answer 7

show or prove an opinion or judgement

Question 8

describe

Answer 8

write a detailed account in a logical sequence

Question 9

discuss

Answer 9

describe, and give good and bad points

Question 10

distinguish

Answer 10

show the main differences

Question 11

evaluate

Answer 11

discuss advantages and disadvantages, with your opinion

Question 12

explain

Answer 12

give reasons for something

Question 13

identify

Answer 13

list and describe

Question 14

illustrate

Answer 14

give examples to make your meaning clear

Question 15

outline

Answer 15

give a short summary, giving main points and omitting minor details

Question 16

relate

Answer 16

• tell the story *or show the connections between things, making clear how one causes or is like another

Question 17

sketch

Answer 17

same as outline

Question 18

state

Answer 18

list main points briefly without details

Question 19

summarise

Answer 19

give a brief account of the main ideas - no details or examples

Question 20

support

Answer 20

back up a statement with facts, ideas and proof

Question 21

trace

Answer 21

follow the progress or history of the subject and give main points from beginning to end of an event

Question 22

adjective

Answer 22

byvoeglike naamwoord
An adjective is a word that describes a noun, giving extra information about it. For example:

an exciting adventure
a green apple
a tidy room

Question 23

noun

Answer 23

naamwoord
A noun is a word that identifies:

a person (man, girl, engineer, friend)
a thing (horse, wall, flower, country)
an idea, quality, or state (anger, courage, life, luckiness)

Question 24

verb

Answer 24

werkwoord
Verb
A verb describes what a person or thing does or what happens. For example, verbs describe:

an action – jump, stop, explore
an event – snow, happen
a situation – be, seem, have
a change – evolve, shrink, widen

Question 25

adverb

Answer 25

bywoord
Adverb
An adverb is a word that’s used to give information about a verb, adjective, or other adverb. They can make the meaning of a verb, adjective, or other adverb stronger or weaker, and often appear between the subject and its verb (She nearly lost everything.)

Question 26

pronoun

Answer 26

voornaamwoord
Pronoun
Pronouns are used in place of a noun that is already known or has already been mentioned. This is often done in order to avoid repeating the noun. For example:

Laura left early because she was tired.
Anthony brought the avocados with him.
That is the only option left.
Something will have to change.

Personal pronouns are used in place of nouns referring to specific people or things, for example I, me, mine, you, yours,his, her, hers, we, they, or them. They can be divided into various different categories according to their role in a sentence

Question 27

Preposition

Answer 27

voorsetsel
Preposition
A preposition is a word such as after, in, to, on, and with. Prepositions are usually used in front of nouns or pronouns and they show the relationship between the noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They describe, for example, the position of something, the time when something happens, or the way in which something is done.

Question 28

Conjunction

Answer 28

Samewerking
A conjunction (also called a connective) is a word such as and, because, but, for, if, or, and when. Conjunctions are used to connect phrases, clauses, and sentences.The two main kinds are known as coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.

Question 29

Determiner

Answer 29

Bepaler
A determiner is a word that introduces a noun, such as a/an, the, every, this, those, or many (as in a dog, the dog, this dog, those dogs, every dog, many dogs).

The determiner the is sometimes known as the definite article and the determiner a (or an) as the indefinite article.

Question 30

Exclamation

Answer 30

Uitroep
An exclamation (also called an interjection) is a word or phrase that expresses strong emotion, such as surprise, pleasure, or anger. Exclamations often stand on their own, and in writing they are usually followed by an exclamation mark rather than a full stop.