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Recall words: define, state, list
Command words tell you exactly what an answer must do, and matching them is often the difference between a mark and a blank. The recall-level words ask you to reproduce known physics.
- Define asks for a precise meaning, often the full statement of a quantity, sometimes with its formula and unit.
- State asks for a short fact, value or relationship, with no explanation needed.
- List asks for a set of short items, one after another.
Keep these answers tight: give exactly what is asked and no padding. Because there is no formula sheet, a definition that includes a formula must come from memory.
Read the mark allocation, since a 1-mark state needs only one clear point.
Reasoning words: explain, describe, compare
These words ask you to develop an answer rather than just recall it.
- Explain asks for reasons or a mechanism: say why something happens, usually with because or therefore linking cause to effect.
- Describe asks what happens, step by step, without necessarily giving the reason, for example describing a trend on a graph.
- Compare asks for both similarities and differences, ideally paired point against point, and a comparison of two things should mention both.
Match points to marks: a 3-mark explain usually needs three linked points. Use correct physics terms rather than vague words, since precision is what the examiner rewards.
Application words: calculate, determine, suggest, predict
These words apply physics to a task or a new situation.
- Calculate asks for a numerical answer with working shown: write the formula, substitute with units, and give the answer with its unit.
- Determine asks you to find a value using given data, which may mean reading from a graph before calculating.
- Suggest asks you to apply knowledge to an unfamiliar context, where more than one sensible answer can be correct if it is physically sound.
- Predict asks for an expected outcome, usually with a brief reason.
Example for calculate: I = V ÷ R, so I = 12 V ÷ 4 Ω, giving I = 3 A. Every calculation line carries units.