What is the difference between describe and explain?

Describe asks what something is like or what happens. Explain asks why or how it happens, so you need reasons or causes, often linked with words like because, so or therefore. Explaining when asked to describe wastes time; describing when asked to explain loses marks.

Do CBSE and IGCSE use the same command words?

Many are the same or very similar, such as state, define, describe, explain and justify. Cambridge and other UK boards publish an official list of command words with definitions. CBSE papers use similar words, and also phrases like give reasons and differentiate between. Check your board's own guidance.

How can I stop misreading questions in exams?

Slow down for the first read, underline the command word and key terms, check the marks, and reread the question once before you start writing and once after you finish. Practising this with past papers makes it automatic.

Study skills

How to read exam questions carefully and understand command words

What explain, describe, evaluate and justify really ask for in CBSE, GCSE and IGCSE papers, with examples, a reading method and a checklist to avoid lost marks.

For students. By the Qlive team. 25 September 2026 . 6 min read.

Have you ever got a test back and found that you knew the topic, wrote a lot, and still lost marks? Very often the reason is that you answered a slightly different question from the one on the paper. You described when the question asked you to explain. You gave one reason when it asked for two. You wrote about the cause when it asked about the effect.

Reading questions carefully sounds obvious. In a timed exam, with nerves, it is easy to skip. This guide gives you a simple reading method and explains the command words that tell you what kind of answer the examiner wants.

The four-part reading method

For every question, look for four things before you write.

The command word. What are you being asked to do? (Explain, describe, compare…)
The topic. What exactly is it about? Not just “photosynthesis” but “the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis”.
The limits. Any conditions, like “two reasons”, “with reference to the passage”, “in the 19th century”, “using a diagram”.
The marks. How much detail is expected.

Underline or circle each one on the question paper. It takes seconds and saves you from many mistakes.

Example

Explain two ways in which the Industrial Revolution changed working conditions in Britain. (4 marks)

Command word: explain (give reasons or how, not just a list)
Topic: working conditions, not transport or trade
Limits: two ways, in Britain
Marks: 4, so about two marks per way, each needing a point and an explanation

Command words and what they ask for

The exact definitions vary a little between boards. Cambridge (IGCSE) and the UK GCSE boards publish official lists of command words, and CBSE papers use very similar language. The meanings below are a good general guide, but check your own board’s guidance too.

Words that ask for knowledge

Command word	What it asks for	Example
State / Name / Give	A short answer, no explanation needed	State the unit of force.
Define	The exact meaning of a term	Define osmosis.
Identify	Pick out or recognise something	Identify the gas produced at the anode.
List	Several short points	List three sources of renewable energy.

Words that ask for detail

Command word	What it asks for	Example
Describe	What something is like or what happens, step by step	Describe the trend shown in the graph.
Outline	A brief description of the main points	Outline the stages of mitosis.
Explain	Reasons, causes or how something works	Explain why the boiling point increases down the group.
Give reasons	Very similar to explain, common in CBSE	Give reasons why metals are good conductors.

Words that ask for judgement

Command word	What it asks for	Example
Compare	Similarities and differences	Compare the climate of two regions.
Differentiate / Distinguish	Clear differences, often point by point	Differentiate between arteries and veins.
Analyse	Break it into parts and show how they connect	Analyse how the poet creates tension.
Evaluate / Assess	Weigh strengths and weaknesses, then reach a judgement	Evaluate the success of the policy.
Discuss	Consider different sides with evidence	Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power.
Justify	Support an answer or decision with evidence	Justify your choice of method.
Suggest	Apply what you know to a new situation; more than one answer may be right	Suggest why the plant grew towards the window.

Words that ask for working

Command word	What it asks for
Calculate	A numerical answer with working shown
Show that	Working that reaches a given answer
Determine	Find a value, often from data
Sketch	A rough diagram or graph with key features
Draw	An accurate, labelled diagram

Describe versus explain, side by side

This pair causes more lost marks than any other.

Question: Describe what happens when magnesium burns in air.

Good answer: Magnesium burns with a bright white flame and produces a white powder (magnesium oxide).

Question: Explain why magnesium gains mass when it burns in air.

Good answer: Magnesium reacts with oxygen from the air to form magnesium oxide. The mass of the oxygen that combines with the magnesium is added, so the product is heavier than the magnesium you started with.

The first answer says what you see. The second says why.

Evaluate and justify, the higher-level words

Evaluate questions want a balanced answer and a clear conclusion. A simple structure:

Point in favour, with evidence
Point against, with evidence
Your judgement: which side is stronger, and why

Justify questions want you to back up a statement with reasons or evidence. Use phrases like “This is supported by…”, “This shows that…”, “Therefore…”.

Use the marks as a guide

In many papers, the marks give a strong clue to how many points you need. A 3-mark “explain” question usually needs three clear points, or one point fully developed in steps. A 1-mark question does not need a paragraph.

Practice routine

Once a week, take five questions from a past paper and, before answering, write:

The command word
What it asks you to do in your own words
How many points you need

Then answer and compare with the marking scheme. Notice where you went off track. After a few weeks, the reading method becomes a habit.

Question-reading checklist

I underline the command word.
I circle the exact topic.
I note limits like “two”, “not” or “with reference to”.
I check the marks.
I reread the question before writing and after finishing.
My answer matches the command word.

When you understand the words but not the topic

Reading carefully helps you use what you know. It cannot fill gaps in what you have learnt. If you often recognise what a question wants but cannot produce the explanation, the topic itself may need more work.

Qlive teachers work one to one with students following CBSE, IGCSE, GCSE and other curricula, practising exam-style questions together and showing you how marks are awarded. To find out which topics need attention first, try the free assessment. You can also read about how Qlive supports students on the IGCSE curriculum.