Kids need to know these 16 words and phrases before exams

The Easter break is here and, for many , it's crunch time to revise ahead of . Some teachers have suggested pupils need to spend up to seven hours a day practising for upcoming tests.

A 2023 survey showed that a quarter of students are hitting the books for at least three hours a day, while 10% are going above and beyond with over six hours of study time. Meanwhile, 40% of parents are feeling the pressure, worried they're not up to scratch when it comes to providing support due to a lack of knowledge.

But there's hope, as experts point out that parents can still lend a hand without being subject matter gurus. Linsey Wright from Tutors Valley advises: "No matter how much revision is completed, students often lose out on good grades by not studying up on just certain words - whatever subject they are revising for.

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"I often find those whose results come back most successful are those that have taken my advice on board. Command words are the words and phrases used in exams and other assessment tasks that tell students how they should answer the question.

"Failing to understand these words significantly prohibits a student from being able to answer the question properly, and ultimately will lead to poorer grades and university entry.

"Luckily for students, command words are listed on the main exam boards' websites, so parents can support their children by reviewing these words - which require no subject knowledge - and ensuring their child can conquer their exam technique.

"Ensure you know which exam board you are under for each subject, and visit their website for any specific language. Not understanding the words can cost easy marks that could make the difference between grades."

Words and phrases students should learn before exams

Analyse

Pick apart a topic or issue into its key parts and show you grasp each one and how they fit together.

Annotate

Explain the individual bits of a diagram, image, or graphic, rather than just labelling them.

Assess

Weigh up all the factors and pinpoint the most crucial or relevant ones. You should be able to make a judgement related to quality, value, or importance, and explain your reasoning.

Critically

Usually comes before 'assess' or 'evaluate', this means scrutinising an issue from a critic's viewpoint, with a focus on the strong and weak points of the arguments being put forward.

Define

Clearly state the exact meaning of a concept or idea, keeping unnecessary words to a minimum.

Describe

Give a verbal account, including details like size, scale, materials, and how it relates to something else.

Discuss

Present both sides of an argument (for and against), and draw a conclusion based on the content and emphasis of the discussion. Show some balance, even if it's not a 50-50 split.

Evaluate Consider

Weigh up the options, ideas or arguments and determine their order of importance or value.

Examine

Scrutinise carefully and provide a comprehensive account of the specified topic.

Explain

Clearly state the point, incorporating some element of reasoning and justification. Explanation is a more advanced skill than description and often demands more detail - typically requiring the use of 'because' or 'therefore' to aid in providing explanations.

Identify

Select from a range of options, highlight something or list the key features.

Justify

Provide reasons to support the validity of a viewpoint or idea, or why a certain action should be taken. This could reasonably involve discussing and dismissing alternative viewpoints or actions.

Each presented view or available option will have its pros and cons. For the chosen outcome(s), the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Students should be capable of explaining this entire review process.

Outline

Give a concise account of relevant information, focusing on the main features while disregarding minor details.

Propose

Suggest a potential plan or action for what needs to be done.

Review

Assess information, and inform the examiner about what is effective or not.

To what extent...

Formulate and express an opinion on the worth or validity of a view or statement after examining the available evidence and/or different sides of an argument.