Directive Verb Decoder
What the examiner actually wants — decoded at the rubric level, not the vocabulary level. Ten verbs. Ten rubric shapes. The difference between a 6 and a 9.
Discuss
Open exploration across multiple dimensions — no fixed verdict required. The examiner wants breadth and balance.
Analyse
Break the topic into its component parts, show how they inter-relate, and draw out the implication of the relationship.
Examine
Inspect the topic carefully — present the evidence on both sides and reach a qualified conclusion.
Critically Examine
Examine the topic AND explicitly challenge the assumptions or premises that underlie it. The critique is the differentiator.
Evaluate
Assess the worth or merit of something against explicit criteria. The criteria must appear in the answer.
Comment
Give a brief, informed opinion on the topic with supporting reasoning. Compact and pointed — not a full essay.
Elaborate
Develop and expand a concept or statement — explain its mechanism, show its implications, and ground it with examples.
Explain
Clarify the cause, mechanism, or process. Linear — cause to mechanism to effect.
Enumerate
List the relevant items with brief descriptions. Completeness is the primary criterion, not depth.
Bring Out
Surface what is implicit, hidden, or under-examined. The examiner wants you to reveal something that is not immediately obvious.
Each verb page shows the exact rubric shape the verb demands — intro, body structure, conclusion — alongside real PYQs that use it. The goal is not vocabulary memorisation. It is understanding what the examiner is asking for at the structural level, so you build the right answer before you write the first word.