A command word tells you the shape of the answer. State wants a point, explain wants a point with a reason, compare wants both sides linked, and evaluate wants a judgement.
This lesson opens answering historical questions. The next skill is turning facts into developed explanations.
What does each command word ask for?
| Command | Answer shape | Length guide |
|---|---|---|
| State | One clear point | A line |
| Explain | Point, reason, result | Two to three sentences per point |
| Compare | Similarity and difference, both sides named | A paired sentence per point |
| Evaluate | Judgement with reasons for and against | A short paragraph ending in a conclusion |
The mark scheme rewards the shape. A correct fact in the wrong shape loses marks.
Worked example: one fact, four commands
Use this real fact: the Malayan Union of 1946 was replaced in 1948 because of strong Malay opposition. 1
State one reason Malays opposed the Malayan Union. “It reduced the powers of the Malay rulers.” 2
Explain why the Malayan Union was replaced. “The Malayan Union reduced the powers of the Malay rulers and offered easy citizenship to immigrants, so many Malays felt their position was threatened. 2 They formed UMNO in 1946 to resist it 4, and the British replaced the plan with the Federation of Malaya in 1948.”
Compare the Malayan Union with the Federation of Malaya Agreement of 1948. “Both were British plans for governing Malaya, but the Malayan Union reduced the position of the rulers while the Federation restored it, and the Federation also made citizenship stricter. 3”
Evaluate how important Malay opposition was in ending the Malayan Union. “Opposition was very important because the plan was replaced soon after it began. 1 However, the British also had to negotiate with the rulers, so the outcome came from pressure and bargaining together. Opposition started the change, but it did not decide the final form alone.”
The mistake that costs marks
The common mismatch is to write the explain answer for a compare question. Two good paragraphs about two plans, with no linking word, leave the marker to do the comparing.
The fix is to name a link in each sentence, using words such as “both”, “while” or “whereas”.
How do you spot the command word quickly?
Underline the verb and the topic before you write. Then ask: is one line enough, or does the verb ask for a reason, a link or a judgement?
For evaluate questions, plan the conclusion first. A judgement written at the end of a rushed answer is often missing or weak.
Check yourself
Question: “Compare the Malayan Union (1946) and the Federation of Malaya (1948) in their treatment of the Malay rulers and of citizenship.” Write the skeleton of a full answer.
Answer
A full skeleton names one similarity and one difference, both sides linked.
Similarity: “Both were British-led constitutional arrangements for Malaya, and both kept Singapore outside. 3”
Difference: “The Malayan Union reduced the position of the Malay rulers, whereas the Federation restored it, and the Federation also made citizenship harder to obtain than the Union did. 3”
Notice that every sentence mentions both the Union and the Federation.
What to study next
Continue with turning facts into developed explanations. The evidence-to-explanation planner helps you build an answer step by step.
For a teacher to go through your own answers, see online one-to-one Sejarah tuition.