Directive Terms Year 9 for Assessments

Match the following

• Share previous remembered facts, experiences or ideas

• Recall

• State meaning

• Identify

• Recognise and Name

• Outline

• Indicate the essential parts only.

• Define

• Provide Characteristics and features

• Describe

Answer explanation

These would generally be terms used in short answer style questions in exams/tests.

Your answer would be specific and short. Only 'describe' might require an example.

To answer a question which asks me to 'explain' something I would...

• Only state the meaning of the topic.

• Discuss the pros and the cons (for and against)

• Give the 'how' and 'why' of the topic with examples and details.

• Make a judgement about the topic

Answer explanation

'Explain' and 'how' are interchangeable. These directive verbs demand more words and at least one example to demonstrate your understanding.

E.g. How do the extracts in Section 1 inform your understanding of...? You would quote the extract in your answer.

'Assess', 'deduce', 'justify', 'evaluate' are all directive terms which ask you to...

• provide a definition

• make a judgement

• list the characteristics

• retell known facts

Answer explanation

These directive terms ask the responder to present their opinion, supported by the facts. The assessor wants to see you developing your own ideas based on what you have learned, rather than just rewriting memorised knowledge.

Calculate. Identify. Predict. These directive terms are most often used in the subjects of ....

• Poetry and English

• Sport and Music

• History and Geography

• Maths and Science

Answer explanation

Of course these directive terms may be used by any assessors for any subject, however, you are most likely to come across them in STEM subjects. Fun Fact: Calculating involves a different part of the brain to languages.

When a question asks you to 'compare' things you need to...

• Only show how things are similar

• Show how things are similar and/or different

• Only show how things are different

• Share what you think they should be like

Answer explanation

Sometimes we learn that "compare" relates to telling how similar things are while 'contrast' relates to telling how different things are but this is not true for 'compare'.

When you compare two or more things it's helpful to draw up a pros and cons table then discuss both in your answer.

When you are addressing the directive terms "contrast", "discuss" and "distinguish" you always need to address the

• differences

• similarities

• facts

• outcomes

Answer explanation

To 'distinguish' is note the differences that make something distinct. "Contrast" always refers to identifying the differences. When you 'discuss' you present both similarities and differences.

But ALL of these terms require you to address the differences.

I provide the 'how' and 'why' to address questions beginning with______.

To _______ things I need to discuss the similarities and the differences.

When I want to summarise something I should remember that means to..

• List all the possible elements and relationships.

• recall the total history of the topic.

• use as few words as possible, even if it means missing an important point or two

• Express, concisely, the relevant details.

Answer explanation

A summary is not the whole topic. A summary should be inclusive of all the important facts. A summary helps you remember key points for exams, when well-written.

Match the following

• Show how things are different or opposite

• Summarise

• State meaning and identify essential qualities

• Evaluate

• Express, concisely, relevant details.

• Contrast

• Indicate essential parts only.

• Define

• Make a judgement based on criteria

• Outline

Answer explanation

Outline and Define are almost interchangable however they are unlikely to be used for the same kind of question. Define usually relates to a word or concept, while outline is better used with a movement, organisation or series of events.

If you made errors with the others, redo this quiz!!