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Every question on your AQA GCSE Geography exam papers begins with a command word — the instruction that tells you exactly what the examiner expects you to do. Misreading or ignoring the command word is one of the most common reasons students lose marks. This lesson gives you a complete breakdown of every command word you will encounter, along with strategies for responding to each one.
The command word determines the type of thinking the examiner wants you to demonstrate. A question that says "State" requires a completely different response from one that says "Evaluate". If you write a detailed explanation when the question only asks you to state a fact, you waste valuable time. If you simply state a fact when the question asks you to evaluate, you will score zero or very low marks.
Exam Tip: Before you start writing, underline or circle the command word. This simple habit can prevent you from misreading the question under pressure.
Below is a comprehensive table of the command words used across AQA GCSE Geography Papers 1, 2 and 3.
| Command Word | What It Means | Typical Marks | What the Examiner Wants |
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Give a short, factual answer | 1 | A single word, phrase or sentence — no explanation needed |
| Name / Identify | Give the name of something | 1 | A specific term, feature or location |
| Define | Give the meaning of a term | 1 | A clear, precise definition |
| Describe | Say what something is like | 2–4 | Key features, patterns or characteristics — use data if a resource is provided |
| Explain | Say why or how something happens | 4–6 | Reasons, causes and effects linked together logically |
| Compare | Identify similarities and/or differences | 4 | Use comparative connectives ("whereas", "in contrast", "similarly") |
| Suggest | Give a plausible reason or idea | 3–6 | Apply your geographical knowledge to an unfamiliar context |
| Assess | Weigh up the importance or effectiveness of something | 6–9 | Consider strengths and weaknesses; come to a supported judgement |
| Evaluate | Judge the success, value or significance of something | 6–9 | Use evidence to support a balanced argument and reach a conclusion |
| Discuss | Present different viewpoints or arguments | 6–9 | Show both sides before reaching a reasoned conclusion |
| To what extent | How far do you agree with a statement? | 9 | A balanced argument with a clear final judgement |
| Justify | Give reasons to support a decision or choice | 4–6 | Explain why one option is better than alternatives |
| Calculate | Work out a numerical answer | 1–2 | Show your working clearly |
| Complete | Finish a task such as a graph, table or diagram | 1–3 | Accuracy and precision in plotting or labelling |
| Label / Annotate | Add labels or detailed notes to a diagram or image | 1–4 | Accurate placement and clear geographical detail |
| Draw | Produce a sketch, diagram or graph | 2–4 | Neat, accurate and properly labelled |
These are the quick-fire questions at the start of each section. They test your recall of knowledge.
Exam Tip: For 1-mark questions, write one clear sentence. If you find yourself writing more than two sentences, you are probably over-answering.
These questions require more detail and structured thinking.
When a question says "Describe", the examiner wants you to say what you can see, not why it happens.
Exam Tip: If a figure is provided, you must refer to it. Use specific data — "The highest rainfall is approximately 1,200 mm in the north-west" is far better than "It rains a lot in some places."
When a question says "Explain", you need to give reasons and show how one thing leads to another.
You must refer to both things being compared in the same sentence or paragraph.
Exam Tip: A common mistake is to describe each thing separately. If you write about A in one paragraph and B in another without linking them, you will lose marks.
This word appears when the examiner wants you to apply your knowledge to an unfamiliar scenario.
These are the extended writing questions that carry the most marks. They appear at the end of each section.
You must weigh up how important, successful or significant something is.
Similar to assess, but with a stronger emphasis on judging value or effectiveness using evidence.
Present multiple viewpoints or perspectives.
This requires a balanced argument leading to a clear judgement.
Exam Tip: For 9-mark questions, aim for three developed points plus a conclusion. Each point should include a specific example or case study detail.
Read each question below and identify (a) the command word and (b) what type of response is needed.
Exam Tip: Practise identifying command words using past papers. The more familiar you are with them, the less likely you are to misread a question under timed conditions.
Past-paper style question (Paper 1, Section C — Rivers):
"(a) State one fluvial process of erosion. (1 mark) (b) Describe the features of a typical meander. (3 marks) (c) Explain the formation of a waterfall. (4 marks) (d) 'Hard engineering is the most effective way to manage flood risk on a UK river.' To what extent do you agree? (9 marks + 3 SPaG)"
Decoding each command word:
Model answers:
(a) State:
Hydraulic action.
(b) Describe:
A meander has a curved channel shape, with the outer bend (the river cliff) forming a steep bank and the inner bend forming a gentler slip-off slope. The deepest and fastest-flowing water is on the outside of the bend, while the inside of the bend has shallower, slower water where deposition builds up a point bar.
(c) Explain:
A waterfall forms where a river flows over a band of hard rock lying above a band of softer rock. The softer rock is eroded more quickly by hydraulic action and abrasion, creating a step in the river's long profile. Over time, undercutting of the soft rock leaves an overhang of hard rock, which eventually collapses due to gravity. The fallen rocks swirl in the plunge pool below, causing further erosion and retreating the waterfall upstream, leaving a steep-sided gorge.
(d) To what extent: (outline only due to space)
Plan: Agree — Jubilee River scheme (hard) has successfully reduced flood risk in Maidenhead. Disagree — soft engineering (river restoration on the River Skerne) can be more sustainable and cheaper. Conclusion — hard engineering is effective locally but soft engineering is often more sustainable; a combination is best.
Mark-scheme commentary: The student who reads "state" and writes a paragraph on hydraulic action, or reads "describe" and starts explaining why meanders form, will lose marks not because their geography is wrong but because their response does not match the command word. Command-word discipline is the single biggest fix for moving from grade 5 to grade 7+.
Common misconception: "Explain and describe are basically the same." They are fundamentally different. Describe asks what something is like (features, pattern, values). Explain asks why or how something happens (reasons, causes, consequences). A describe answer typically contains no "because"; an explain answer is built on "because" and "therefore". Similarly, assess and explain are not interchangeable — assess requires a judgement, while explain requires a reasoned chain. If you are unsure, ask: "Is the examiner asking me to say WHAT, WHY or HOW MUCH?"
Consider this 9-mark question: "'Physical factors are more important than human factors in determining flood risk in the UK.' To what extent do you agree?" (9 marks + 3 SPaG)
Grade 3-4 response (Level 1, approx. 3/9):
Rain causes floods. If it rains a lot rivers get full and flood. Humans build houses on flood plains so they get flooded. Overall both physical and human factors are important.
Mark-scheme commentary: Simple statements, no named example, no data, no clear judgement. AO1 weak, AO3 absent.
Grade 5-6 response (Level 2, approx. 5/9):
In Boscastle in 2004, heavy rainfall (89 mm in 2 hours) caused a flash flood, showing that physical factors like rainfall are important. However, human factors like building on flood plains and removing vegetation also increase flood risk. In Sheffield, urbanisation has reduced the land's ability to absorb water. Overall both factors are important but physical factors usually trigger the flood.
Mark-scheme commentary: Named case study (Boscastle, Sheffield), some data, emerging balance. Conclusion is reasonable but undeveloped.
Grade 7-9 response (Level 3, approx. 8/9):
Physical factors are often the immediate trigger of flooding. In the 2004 Boscastle flood, 89 mm of rain fell in 2 hours onto steep, impermeable catchments, producing a flash flood with a peak discharge of around 140 cumecs that devastated the village. Similarly, the 2015 Cumbria floods saw over 340 mm of rain in a single day as Storm Desmond stalled over the Lake District — physical factors on an extreme scale.
However, human factors often amplify flood risk or turn heavy rainfall into a disaster. Urbanisation in cities such as Sheffield has replaced permeable soil with tarmac, reducing infiltration and accelerating surface runoff; the 2007 Sheffield floods followed intense rainfall but were worsened by this urban surface. Deforestation and moorland drainage in upland catchments (such as the upper Calder valley) reduce interception and increase peak discharge, contributing to flooding in Hebden Bridge. Building on flood plains also places more people and property at risk, turning a natural flood into a disaster.
Overall, I partly agree with the statement. Physical factors (rainfall intensity, antecedent conditions, geology) remain the dominant trigger of UK flooding, but human factors (urbanisation, land management, development) shape whether rainfall becomes a flood and how severe the impacts are. The most reasonable judgement is that flood risk is always a **combination** of physical and human factors, with human factors often turning physical events into social disasters.
Mark-scheme commentary: Multiple named UK case studies with specific data (89 mm, 140 cumecs, 340 mm), developed PEEL paragraphs, balanced argument distinguishing trigger from amplifier. Sophisticated final judgement. Strong AO1, AO2, AO3.
This content is aligned with the AQA GCSE Geography (8035) specification (Papers 1-3: Living with the physical environment; Challenges in the human environment; Geographical applications). For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official AQA specification document.