You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
Every exam question begins with a command word — the instruction that tells you exactly what the examiner wants. Misreading or misunderstanding the command word is one of the most common reasons students lose marks. You might know the chemistry perfectly but still score zero if you describe when the question asks you to explain.
This lesson covers every command word used in the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification, with Chemistry-specific examples and the mistakes students commonly make.
The command word determines:
A question worth 3 marks starting with "State" requires three short facts. The same 3-mark question starting with "Explain" requires reasons and logical links.
Exam tip: Before writing anything, underline the command word. Ask yourself: "What is this word telling me to do?" This takes 5 seconds and can save you from throwing away marks.
What it means: Write a short, factual answer. No explanation is needed.
How to answer: Keep it brief. One word, one phrase, or one sentence per mark.
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.