IV. IMPORTANT QUESTION WORDS

Learners must understand the meaning of common Literature examination instructions, question words and phrases, and what they require from the candidate.

• Discuss: When asked to discuss, the candidate is expected to examine the issue in detail from relevant angles and support ideas with evidence.
• Explain: Here, the candidate should make the meaning clear and show why or how something happens.
• Analyze: This requires candidates to break the issue into parts and examine how and why it works.
• Examine: The candidate here is required to investigate an issue carefully and consider its different aspects.
• Assess: When asked to assess, candidates should consider the importance, effectiveness and significance of something.
• Evaluate: This entails making a judgement after considering relevant evidence.
• The candidate should focus on explaining the techniques and methods used to achieve an effect.
• To what extent…? This is a two-sided question. Here, the candidate should consider how far a statement is true, while acknowledging other possibilities.
• Do you agree…? This is an argumentative question. The candidate should argue out the opposing views and take a clear position with enough evidence.
• In what ways…? This type of question requires the candidate to identify and explain the different ways something is presented.
• Comment on… Here, the candidate will need to give a logical discussion of the stated issue.
• Show that… This requires a clear demonstration of the validity of the statement with evidence.
• Compare and Contrast. Here, the examiner requires the candidate to identify similarities and differences of two characters, settings or themes.