Study Tips

Command words

What a question is actually asking for.

Word	What it wants
Describe	State what you see or know — no reasons needed, just facts
Explain	Give a reason — always use the word "because"
Compare	State a similarity and a difference between two things
Contrast	Focus only on the differences, not the similarities
Evaluate	Weigh up more than one point of view and reach a judgement
Suggest	Use what you know to answer something you haven't directly learned
Calculate	Show your working, not just the final number
Identify	Pick out and name something specific — one or two words is often enough
Outline	Give the main points briefly, without going into full detail
Justify	Back up an opinion or choice with clear evidence or reasoning

1 mark = 1 clear point. Asked for "two reasons"? Write two separate points, not one long sentence.
A 4-mark question wants roughly 4 different points — not four sentences repeating the same idea.
For "explain" questions, a correct fact without "because" attached often only gets half marks, even if it's right.
Check the number of lines or the size of the answer box — it's usually a hint at how much they want, not a hard limit.
If a question gives you data (a graph, table, or map), the answer almost always has to reference it directly — general knowledge alone won't get full marks.

Underline or note the command word first, before you start writing — it decides the shape of your whole answer.
Watch for "and" in a question — "describe and explain" means you need to do both, not just one.
If a question says "using Figure 1", you must mention Figure 1 specifically, not just write generally about the topic.

Test yourself, don't just re-read — use the flashcards on each lesson's revision page instead of reading notes back.
Spread it out — short sessions across several days beats one long cram the night before.
Little and often — 15–20 minutes a day beats 3 hours once a week.
Teach it to someone else — explaining a topic out loud (even to nobody) quickly shows you which bits you don't actually understand yet.
Mix up the order — don't always revise topics in the same sequence; it stops you relying on "what comes next" instead of really knowing the content.
Do it without notes first — try to recall what you know before checking your notes, then fill the gaps. It's harder, but it's what actually sticks.

Repeating the question back as the answer, without adding anything new.
Writing "it's better" or "it's bad" without saying why.
Running out of time on long questions because too long was spent on short ones — quick questions should take proportionally less time.