Paste Your Essay Question
We'll identify the command word(s) and explain exactly what your marker expects.
A well-written, well-researched answer to the wrong type of question still loses marks. Markers set command words deliberately, and a huge number of avoidable mark losses come from answering "describe" when the question said "evaluate," or vice versa. This tool identifies the command words in your specific essay question and explains exactly what each one is actually asking for.
How to Use This Analyser
- Paste your full essay question or title into the box above and click "Analyse Question" to see every command word it contains explained.
- Browse the full glossary below to look up any command word directly, whether or not you have a specific question to hand.
Why Command Words Matter More Than Students Realise
Markers are trained to look for the specific type of thinking a command word signals. An essay that describes a topic beautifully but was asked to evaluate it is, by definition, missing the analytical judgement the question actually required, no matter how accurate or detailed the description is. This is exactly why reading the command word carefully before you start planning, not just the topic, is one of the highest-value five minutes you can spend on any assignment.
A Rough Hierarchy: Descriptive to Analytical
| Level | Command words | What's expected |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | Describe, outline, summarise, define | Accurate, well-selected detail; minimal independent judgement required |
| Explanatory | Explain, illustrate | Show understanding of how or why something happens, with reasoning |
| Analytical | Analyse, examine, compare, contrast | Break a topic into parts and show how they relate; identify patterns |
| Evaluative | Evaluate, assess, discuss, critically [X], to what extent, justify, argue | Reach and defend a reasoned judgement, weighing evidence and alternative views |
Most university-level assignments, especially from second year onward, sit in the analytical or evaluative bands. A first-class piece of work almost always goes beyond description into genuine analysis or evaluation, regardless of which specific command word was used.
When Questions Combine Multiple Command Words
Many real essay questions combine two command words, such as "describe and evaluate" or "critically discuss." When this happens, treat the more demanding word as the dominant instruction: a brief, efficient description sets up the context, but the bulk of your marks-earning effort should go toward the evaluative or analytical part, since that is almost always where the higher-band criteria actually sit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between "evaluate" and "discuss"?
Both require weighing evidence and reaching a judgement, but "discuss" typically implies a broader exploration of multiple perspectives before concluding, while "evaluate" more directly asks for a judgement of value, effectiveness, or significance. In practice, strong answers to both usually look quite similar: balanced, evidence-based, and clearly concluded.
My question doesn't use any of these exact words — what do I do?
Look for the closest equivalent in meaning; many modules and exam boards use slightly different wording for the same underlying instruction. If you are still unsure, ask your tutor directly what kind of answer the specific wording is looking for.
Can a "describe" question still get a First?
Yes, but it needs to be an exceptionally well-selected, precise, and clearly structured description, since a purely descriptive command word does not require the same explicit evaluative judgement that pushes other answers into the top band. Even here, though, the best answers usually show insight in what they choose to include and how they organise it.