The 12 Powerful Words

To tell about something. 

• infer
• describe
• support
• explain

To tell the way things are different.

• compare
• contrast
• predict
• describe

To tell the way things are alike.

• compare
• contrast
• predict
• desribe

To "read between the lines" or think beyond the text. 

• trace
• analyze
• infer
• evaluate

To create.

• formulate 
• evaluate
• predict
• describe

To list in steps.

• formulate
• evaluate
• infer
• trace

To break apart and inspect closely.

• summarize
• evaluate
• contrast
• analyze

To back up answers with details.

• describe
• support
• compare 
• contrast

To tell how something happened. 

• trace
• analyze
• predict
• explain

To take your best guess on what will happen next. 

• compare
• contrast
• summarize
• predict