Quick Answer
What do command words mean in university assignments?
Command words are directive verbs such as analyse, evaluate, discuss, compare and explain. They tell you what kind of thinking and writing the assessment expects. Understanding the verb is essential because two assignments on the same topic can require completely different answers.
Why Command Words Matter
The command word controls the intellectual task. If a question asks you to describe a theory, you mainly need to present its main features accurately. If it asks you to evaluate the same theory, description alone is not enough: you need criteria, evidence, strengths, weaknesses and a reasoned judgement.
This is why students can write factually correct assignments and still lose marks. The content may be relevant, but the response does not perform the task requested by the verb.
Academic Command Word Glossary
| Command word | What it usually asks you to do | Useful question to ask yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Analyse | Break an issue into parts and explain relationships, causes or meaning | How and why do these parts connect? |
| Evaluate | Judge value, effectiveness or importance using evidence and criteria | How strong, useful or convincing is it? |
| Discuss | Examine an issue from relevant viewpoints and reach a reasoned position | What are the main arguments and what do they mean? |
| Compare | Identify meaningful similarities and differences | What is similar, different and significant? |
| Contrast | Focus mainly on differences | Where and why do the two differ? |
| Explain | Show how or why something happens | What causes or accounts for this? |
| Describe | Present the main features accurately | What is it or what happened? |
| Critically assess | Examine evidence, assumptions and limitations before judging | How well does the claim stand up to scrutiny? |
| Justify | Give reasons and evidence for a choice or position | Why is this choice defensible? |
| Examine | Investigate the issue closely using evidence | What does careful inspection reveal? |
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Analyse vs Evaluate: The Difference Students Often Miss
Analysis asks you to break an issue down and explain relationships. Evaluation goes one step further by asking for a judgement based on evidence or criteria. You can analyse why a policy produced mixed results, then evaluate whether the policy was effective overall.
In practice, good evaluation usually contains analysis first. You cannot judge something convincingly unless you understand how it works, what evidence supports it and where its limitations appear.
What Does “Discuss” Usually Require?
A discuss question normally expects more than a list of points. Identify the central debate, present relevant arguments or perspectives, compare their evidence and explain your position. The conclusion should follow from the discussion rather than appear as an unsupported opinion.
Do not assume “discuss” means you must give exactly equal space to two sides. Give space according to the strength and relevance of the evidence.
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What Makes a Command Word “Critical”?
Words such as critically analyse, critically discuss and critically evaluate ask you to question evidence, assumptions, methods and implications. Critical writing is not simply negative writing.
You may agree with an argument after testing it. The important part is showing why it is convincing, where uncertainty remains and what alternative interpretation could be considered.
Turn the Verb Into a Writing Plan
Underline the command word
Treat it as an instruction, not decoration in the question.
Identify the content words
These tell you the topic, theory, population, case or issue.
Identify limits
Look for place, time, number of examples, required sources or specific context.
Translate the verb into actions
For evaluate, plan criteria and judgement; for compare, plan shared dimensions.
Check every section
Each major paragraph should help perform the command rather than only provide background.
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What If the Question Uses More Than One Command Word?
Some questions ask you to “describe and evaluate,” “compare and discuss,” or “analyse and recommend.” Treat each command as a separate requirement and decide how they connect. Description may establish context before evaluation; analysis may establish the problem before recommendations.
Do not let the easiest verb take most of the word count. Students often spend 70% describing and leave little space for the higher-level task that carries more marks.
Common Command-Word Mistakes
- Answering the topic but not the command word.
- Treating analyse, discuss and evaluate as synonyms.
- Writing only strengths and weaknesses for every evaluation question.
- Giving equal space to arguments even when the evidence is not equally strong.
- Using critical to mean negative.
- Ignoring a second command word in a multi-part question.
Key Takeaways
- The command word defines the type of thinking the assignment requires.
- Analyse explains relationships; evaluate adds an evidence-based judgement.
- Discuss requires a reasoned examination of relevant perspectives.
- Critical tasks test evidence, assumptions and limitations rather than simply criticising.
- Translate the verb into paragraph-level actions before writing.
- When several command words appear, make sure each one is visibly answered.
