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Tawjihi Command Terms Explained: What the Question Is Really Asking

There is a quiet kind of frustration that only a Tawjihi student understands.

You revise the chapter. You know the definitions. You can even teach the topic to a friend. Then the exam arrives, and the markscheme acts like you never showed up.

Most of the time, it is not because you did not know the content. It is because you answered the wrong task.

In ministerial exams, command terms are the hidden steering wheel. They tell you what kind of thinking the marker wants and how your marks will be unlocked. When you treat them like decoration, your answer becomes a beautifully written detour.

This guide explains Tawjihi command terms in a way you can use today: what they really mean, what they look like in higher-scoring responses, and how to practice them until they feel automatic.

Command terms: the fast checklist

Use this before you write anything:

• Circle the command term (the verb).
• Translate it into an output: "What must be on the page?"
• Match your structure to marks: more marks usually means more layers (points, evidence, explanation, judgment).
• Do not over-answer: "define" is not an essay.
• Do not under-answer: "evaluate" is not a description.
• Leave ten seconds at the end to confirm you actually did the command term.

Arabic command words on ministerial exams

Many Tawjihi questions use Arabic verbs on the booklet. Match them to the same depth ladder (this is a practical guide, not an official ministry glossary):

If the booklet mixes Arabic and English wording, circle the verb first, then choose structure before you write.

Drill this in the Question Bank by picking questions that use the verb you keep missing (filter by topic if your bank supports it).

Why command terms decide your grade

Think of an exam like a lock. Content knowledge is the key shape, but command terms are the direction you turn.

Two students can write about the same concept and score very differently. One answers what the question is about. The other answers what the question is asking them to do.

This matters across subjects:

• In sciences, it is the difference between describing a process and explaining the mechanism.
• In humanities, it is the difference between comparing two perspectives and evaluating which is more convincing.
• In math, it is the difference between determine (get a correct value) and justify (prove your method and reasoning).

For how markers think, pair this with Tawjihi Markschemes Explained.

Three levels of command terms

Most command terms cluster into three useful groups. This is a practical mental model, not an official ministry list.

Level 1: Recall (short, precise, no drama)

Common examples: define, state, identify, list, name.

What to do:

• Write the minimum that is fully correct.
• Use subject vocabulary from the textbook.
• Avoid examples unless asked.

A common trap is turning recall into explanation. That wastes time and sometimes introduces errors.

Level 2: Understanding (show the mechanism)

Common examples: describe, outline, explain, suggest.

What to do:

• Use a clear sequence.
• Include "because" (explicit causality) for explain.
• For describe, focus on what happens, not why.

Level 3: Higher-order (marks live here)

Common examples: analyze, examine, compare, contrast, discuss, evaluate, to what extent, justify.

What to do:

• Build an argument or a breakdown.
• Use criteria (what are you judging by?).
• Make a conclusion that follows from evidence.

When students say "I run out of time," it often means they are doing higher-order verbs with recall-level structure.

The command terms that cost the most marks

Define vs describe vs explain (the depth ladder)

• Define: a precise meaning. One sentence is often enough.
• Describe: what happens, what it looks like, the key features.
• Explain: why it happens, using reasons, causes, or mechanisms.

Self-check:

• If you wrote "because," you are probably explaining.
• If you never wrote "because," you are probably describing.
• If you could replace your answer with a dictionary entry, you are defining.

Compare vs contrast vs compare and contrast

• Compare: similarities (and sometimes differences, depending on subject conventions).
• Contrast: differences only.
• Compare and contrast: both similarities and differences.

Use a two-column plan before you write. Many students write a paragraph about A, then a paragraph about B, and never actually compare.

Evaluate vs discuss vs to what extent

• Discuss: present multiple sides with evidence; often ends with a balanced view.
• Evaluate: make a judgment using criteria; your conclusion must be justified.
• To what extent: agree partially; show limits of the statement with evidence on both sides.

These verbs need a visible conclusion. If your last line could be copied from the middle of your answer, you probably did not evaluate.

Calculate vs determine vs show / prove (math and sciences)

• Calculate / determine: get the value with clear working.
• Show / prove / justify: every step must be visible; the marker must see your logic chain.

Lost marks here are often technique marks, not knowledge gaps.

How to practice command terms (15-minute drill)

1. Pick one verb you keep missing (e.g. explain).
2. Open Notes on one subtopic only.
3. Write three prompts using that verb.
4. Answer on a blank page without looking.
5. Check against Question Bank model logic or ask Zaki once about the gap.
6. Repeat tomorrow with the same verb on a different subtopic.