GCSE Command Words 指令词 Describe Explain Evaluate

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GCSE Command Words 指令词 Describe Explain Evaluate

GCSE 卷面上的第一个词常常不是知识点，而是一个动词。Describe、Explain、Evaluate 出现在题干开头，它们决定这一题要写到什么深度。同一段内容放在 Describe 下可能只值两分，换成 Evaluate 就是六分。很多学生以为这些词只是修辞，阅卷时它们直接对应评分点。本文的释义全部取自 AQA 官网的 Command words 页面、Ofqual 的官方指令词清单与 Cambridge International 官网的说明。中文翻译只作提示，真正要记的是英文释义。每个小节给一个判断动作，考场上照着做就行。

Command words sit at the start of almost every GCSE question and set the depth of the answer expected. Two marks under Describe and six under Evaluate often test identical content, which is why the verb matters more than the topic. Every definition below is taken from AQA command words pages, Ofqual's official list and Cambridge International's published guidance, and the Chinese glosses are prompts rather than substitutes.

Ofqual 清单是同一份，考试局只做加法

指令词的释义不是各考试局自己编的。AQA 官网的 Command words 页面写明，这些词与释义取自 Ofqual 的官方指令词清单。考试局只在这份清单之外，补上本科目额外用到的词。Pearson 的做法是按科目发布一份 taxonomy，把指令词和具体题型对应起来。Cambridge International 官网也说明，2019 年起的新 syllabus 统一使用同一套释义。三家口径不完全相同的地方在补充词，核心动词的意思是一致的。所以背 Explain 的时候不必分考试局准备三份。

The definitions are not invented by individual boards; AQA states on its command words pages that the wording comes from Ofqual's official list, with subject-specific additions layered on top. Pearson takes a different route and publishes a per-subject taxonomy that aligns each command word with the question types it should appear in, while Cambridge International applies its own list to syllabuses published from 2019 onwards. The overlapping core is stable enough that one set of definitions covers AQA, Pearson and Cambridge papers.

Describe 只写特征，不给理由也拿满分

Describe 的官方释义是 set out characteristics。Cambridge 的版本更细一些，写成 state the points of a topic, give characteristics and main features。这两个说法都指向同一件事，把对象的样子、组成、步骤摊开写。题干要两个特征，就写两个特征，每个特征一句。很多学生以为 Describe 写得越长越安全，结果把理由写了三段，特征只点到一句。阅卷时看到特征句就给分，看到推理句反而要去找它落在哪一个特征上。两分题的常见分布是一分一个特征，写完立刻停。需要理由的题会换成 Explain，动词换了，评分点也换了。

Describe means set out characteristics, which is why a full-mark answer can contain no reasoning at all. Cambridge International words it as stating the points of a topic and giving characteristics and main features, a definition that rewards breadth of description rather than explanation. Two-mark questions usually pay one mark per characteristic, so a candidate who writes three reasons and one characteristic has answered a different question.

Explain 要有机制，because 之后不能重复题干

Explain 的官方释义是 set out purposes or reasons，Cambridge 的版本补了一句 make the relationships between things clear。也就是说，光出现 because 不算解释，because 后面要接上机制。写 Explain 时可以先问自己一句，为什么这一条会导致那一条。常见的错误是 because 之后把题干的话重说一遍。阅卷时这种句子通常拿不到第二个分，因为关系没有被说清。一个可用的结构是先写原因，再写它通过什么环节起作用，最后写结果。三个环节齐全，六分题的两到三个点就有了着落。中文里常说的因为所以，换成英文时要落到 mechanism 这个词上。

Explain is defined as setting out purposes or reasons, and Cambridge adds the requirement to make the relationships between things clear. A sentence that repeats the question after because has not explained anything, because the mechanism connecting cause and effect is still missing. In practice, examiners look for a named process or step between the cause and the outcome before awarding the second mark.

Evaluate 要落判断，不是加长版 Explain

Evaluate 的官方释义很短，就是 judge from available evidence。AQA 科学科目的页面写得更完整，要求学生用题干给的信息加上自己的知识，考虑支持与反对两面的证据，再作出判断。关键动作落在最后那个判断上，没有结论就没有 Evaluate。很多学生以为 Evaluate 就是把 Explain 写长一点，通篇两面陈述，最后一句停在中立。中立结尾在评分时通常只能拿到过程分。一种稳妥的写法是先给判断，再用两句证据支撑，然后用一句让步处理反方。判断要能回答题目里的那个具体问题，不要写泛泛的利大于弊。常见的错误是只写好处，把坏处一句带过。

Evaluate is defined as judging from available evidence, and AQA's science version asks candidates to weigh evidence for and against before reaching a judgement. The judgement is the mark-bearing element, so an answer that lists both sides and stops without deciding has done the groundwork and skipped the point. A workable shape is a stated judgement, two pieces of supporting evidence and one concession that acknowledges the counter-argument without overturning the conclusion.

Compare 与 Contrast 必须两边都写

Compare 的官方释义是 identify similarities and/or differences。Contrast 只要求差异，不要求共同点。AQA 在科学科目的页面上加了一句提醒，Compare 不能只写其中一方。这句话针对的是最常见的半篇答案，花了五行写 A，一行写 B。有效的 Compare 通常成对出现，一句写共同点，一句写差异，再各配一个证据。六分题一般要三组对照，每组两分，覆盖共同与差异两类。结构整理以后，两边的段落长度自然接近，分数也更稳。提醒一句，Compare 不等于分别描述，分别描述是另一种题型。

Compare asks for similarities and differences, while Contrast asks only for differences, so the two verbs are not interchangeable. AQA adds an explicit warning on its science pages that Compare cannot be answered by writing about one side only, which is exactly what a half-finished answer looks like. Paired sentences, one for a shared feature and one for a divergence with evidence attached, keep the response balanced and map cleanly onto mark allocations.

Analyse 拆环节，Discuss 给多角度

Analyse 的官方释义是 examine in detail to show meaning，并把要素以及要素之间的关系找出来。落笔前可以先画一张三格的图，把过程拆成开始、作用、结果。每一格写一到两句，关系用 therefore 或 which leads to 连起来。Discuss 的释义不同，要求就一个问题或话题写出不同观点，或者写出某个想法的优势与局限。也就是说 Discuss 允许并列多个视角，Analyse 要求把同一个对象拆开。把 Discuss 写成 Analyse，会漏掉对立观点；把 Analyse 写成 Discuss，会缺少拆解。这两种混淆在人文科目的大题里出现得最多。检查办法很简单，看答案里有没有出现对立的第二方。

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Analyse requires examining a topic in detail to show meaning and identifying the elements and the relationships between them, so the answer has to divide one object rather than survey several. Discuss is a different job: it asks for key points about different ideas, or the strengths and weaknesses of one idea, and therefore tolerates parallel viewpoints. Mixing the two is common in humanities papers, and the quick test is whether a second, opposing position appears in the response.

Assess 先权衡，Justify 只证明自己

Assess 的官方释义是 make an informed judgement。Justify 的释义是 support a case with evidence。两个词都要证据，区别在于立场是不是给定的。Assess 的立场由考生自己定，所以要先权衡再表态。Justify 的立场通常已经写在题干里，任务是用证据把它撑住。把 Justify 写成两面权衡，会显得没有回应题目。把 Assess 写成单向支持，会被判为没有考虑反方。分值较高的 Assess 题一般要求至少一个让步句，让步之后再回到自己的判断上。

Assess means making an informed judgement, while Justify means supporting a case with evidence, and the difference is whether the position is given or chosen. Under Assess the candidate picks the side after weighing, so a concession is part of the answer rather than a weakness. Under Justify the side is already set by the question, and spending paragraphs on the opposing view simply delays the evidence the marker is looking for.

Suggest 必须吃题干里的材料

Suggest 的释义是把知识用到一个新情境里。AQA 在科学科目页面上写得很直白，答案必须基于题目给的信息。同一页还补了一句，如果题干给的信息没有被用上，就不能给分。这句话解释了很多学生的一个困惑，明明知识点答对了，却拿到零分。Apply 的释义相近，是把某个原理按公认的方式用出来。遇到 Suggest 时，先把题干里的数据、装置、场景圈出来，再逐一对应到原理。答案里最好出现题干中的具体词，让阅卷人看到材料被用了。只写课本结论而不碰题干，通常一分不得。

Suggest places knowledge in an unfamiliar situation, and AQA states plainly that the answer must be based on the information given in the question. The same page adds that no marks can be given unless that information is used, which explains why a scientifically correct sentence can still score zero. Circling the data, apparatus or scenario in the stem and reusing its exact wording is the cheapest way to satisfy that condition.

Outline、State、Define 只要短答案

Outline 的释义是 set out the main points。State 与 Identify 的释义都是清楚简短地表达，或者用公认术语命名。Define 要的是精确含义，一句话就够。AQA 在这几个词的页面上写明，只需要短答案，不需要解释也不需要描述。很多学生以为写长更保险，实际是在用两分题的格子消耗大题的分钟数。一分题的合理长度通常是一个短句，最多再加一个同义说明。把时间留给后面的六分题，整张卷的得分结构会不一样。检查办法是数一下这一分的答案写了几行，超过三行就偏了。

Outline asks for the main points, State and Identify ask for clear and brief expression or a recognised technical term, and Define asks for a precise meaning. AQA notes on these pages that only a short answer is required, not an explanation or a description. Writing three lines for a one-mark item borrows minutes from the six-mark question later in the paper, and markers give no extra credit for length.

分值决定深度，同一知识点写两个版本

指令词解决方向，分值解决深度。两分的 Describe 与六分的 Describe 要求完全不同，前者两个特征，后者要覆盖更多侧面。考场上的判断动作是先把分值写在题号旁边，再决定句子数量。经验比例是一分对应一个评分点，两到三分对应两个句子。六分以上的 Explain 或 Evaluate 需要三组以上内容，每组带一个证据。常见的错误是低分题写太满，高分题反而只剩一句结论。用近三年的 mark scheme 反读最有效，官方评分表会写明一分对应什么。把同一道题分别按两分和六分各写一遍，差别会立刻显出来。

The command word sets the direction and the mark tariff sets the depth, so the same verb can demand two sentences or three developed points. A practical habit is to write the mark total beside the question number before starting, then allocate one scoring point per mark and about two sentences for two or three marks. Reading the official mark scheme backwards is more reliable than guessing, because it states what a single mark is awarded for.

题干限定词决定答案边界

指令词之后通常跟着限定词，它们决定答案能不能用课外的内容。AQA 地理科目官网给出的示例题干里出现 Use Figure 5 and an example you have studied，这类限定要求两部分都写。只写了自选案例而没引用图表，就丢掉一半分。时间、地点、数据范围也属于限定词，超出范围的内容不计分。很多学生以为多写不会扣分，实际是挤掉了规定内容的位置。落笔前把限定词圈出来，在草稿上写两个词，给的材料、自己的例子。两个都出现，再看指令词要求的是描述还是判断。这一步花二十秒，做完再动笔，题目的边界就清楚了。

Command words are usually followed by qualifiers that decide which material may be used, such as a figure reference or a studied example. AQA geography pages show stems of the form Use Figure 5 and an example you have studied, where both parts must appear before full marks are available. Anything outside the stated time period, place or data range is treated as irrelevant, however accurate it happens to be.

别背中文译名，背英文释义

中文译名只能当提示，不能当判断依据。Explain 译成解释，Evaluate 译成评价，这两个中文词在口语里几乎通用。英文释义的差别很清楚，一个要求给理由，一个要求落判断。常见的错误是把 Evaluate 当成解释得更详细，于是整段都在讲原因。更稳的记法是把每个指令词配一个动作，Describe 摊开特征，Explain 补机制，Evaluate 下结论。训练时可以拿近三年的真题，只读题干，把动词圈出来分类。分类完之后，同一类题的答案结构会变得很像。这一步不需要额外资料，考试局官网的 past papers 就能做。

Chinese glosses blur the distinctions that the English definitions keep, since both Explain and Evaluate can be rendered with the same everyday word. Pairing each command word with an action, spread out the features for Describe, add the mechanism for Explain, and state a judgement for Evaluate, keeps the response aligned with the mark scheme. Sorting three years of past papers by command word alone, without writing full answers, is enough to expose the pattern.

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