L22: Command Words & Question Types
Understanding what GCSE Law exam questions are really asking
Command Words & Question Types
Understanding what GCSE Law exam questions are really asking
Key Fact: Command words tell you exactly what the examiner expects — misreading them is the most common reason for losing marks
Key Fact: 'Describe' requires a straightforward account of what something is or how it works — give factual detail without analysis or evaluation
Key Fact: 'Explain' requires you to give reasons or show how something works — go beyond description by showing causes, effects or the reasoning behind a legal principle
Key Fact: 'Analyse' requires you to break down a topic into its component parts and examine the relationship between them — identify strengths and weaknesses
Key Fact: 'Evaluate' or 'How far' or 'To what extent' requires a balanced assessment with a supported judgement — present arguments for and against and reach a reasoned conclusion
Key Fact: 'Compare' requires you to identify similarities and differences between two or more things — use comparative language such as 'whereas', 'similarly', 'in contrast'
Key Fact: Short-answer questions (1-4 marks) require concise, focused responses — one mark per point, no elaboration needed
Key Fact: Medium-answer questions (5-10 marks) require developed responses — make a point, explain it and support with an example
Key Fact: Extended-response questions (15 marks) require a structured essay with an introduction, balanced arguments and a justified conclusion
Key Fact: For 15-mark evaluation questions, spend roughly 5 minutes planning and 20 minutes writing — aim for three paragraphs of analysis plus an introduction and conclusion
Key Fact: Source-based questions require you to use information from the provided source alongside your own legal knowledge — always refer to the source explicitly
Key Fact: Scenario questions require you to apply legal rules to the facts given — identify the legal issue, state the relevant law, apply it to the facts and reach a conclusion
📋 Key Vocabulary and Concepts
For Command Words & Question Types, you must know:
- Command word: The instruction word in an exam question that tells you what type of response is required, such as describe, explain, analyse or evaluate
- Evaluate: To assess the strengths and weaknesses of a legal rule, principle or proposal and reach a supported judgement about its effectiveness or value
- Analyse: To break down a topic into its component parts and examine how they relate to each other, identifying key features, strengths and limitations
- Application: The skill of applying legal rules to the specific facts of a scenario to determine the likely legal outcome, used in problem questions
- Extended response: A longer written answer typically worth 15 marks, requiring a structured argument with introduction, balanced analysis and a justified conclusion
- Justified conclusion: A final judgement that is supported by the arguments and evidence presented in the essay, not merely a personal opinion or repetition of one side
❓ Practice Questions
Q: What is the difference between 'describe' and 'explain'?
Q: How should you approach a 15-mark evaluation question?
Q: What does 'to what extent' require in your answer?
Q: How do you approach a scenario-based question?
Q: What mistake do students most commonly make with command words?
✅ Answers
- 'Describe' requires a factual account of what something is — what the law says, what a procedure involves. 'Explain' goes further by giving reasons — why the law is as it is, how a principle works in practice, or the relationship between causes and effects.
- Start with a brief introduction defining the key terms and indicating your approach. Then present two to three paragraphs of balanced analysis — arguments for and against, supported by specific legal examples. Finally, write a justified conclusion that clearly states your judgement and briefly summarises the main reasons supporting it.
- 'To what extent' requires you to assess how far a statement is true — present evidence that supports the statement and evidence that contradicts it, then reach a judgement about the degree to which the statement is valid. You must not simply agree or disagree; you must evaluate the strength of the arguments on each side.
- Identify the legal issues raised by the scenario, state the relevant legal rules and principles accurately, apply those rules to the specific facts of the scenario, and reach a conclusion about the likely legal outcome. Use the ILAC method: Issue, Law, Application, Conclusion.
- The most common mistake is describing when the question asks for evaluation — giving factual information about a legal rule without assessing its strengths and weaknesses or reaching a judgement. Another common error is giving a one-sided answer when the question requires balanced analysis.
🎯 Exam Tips
- Underline the command word and the focus of the question before you start writing — this keeps your answer on track
- For evaluation questions, always present both sides before reaching a conclusion — one-sided answers cannot access the top mark bands
- Use connectives to signal your argument: 'On one hand...', 'However...', 'Furthermore...', 'In conclusion...'
- For scenario questions, always apply the law to the facts — don't just state legal principles without connecting them to the specific case
- Plan your 15-mark answer before writing — even 2 minutes of planning produces a more coherent and better-structured response
📝 Exam Technique
GCSE Law Exam Tips — Command Words & Question Types:
1. For Command Words & Question Types questions, identify the relevant area of law and state the legal principles clearly
2. Apply legal rules to the facts of the scenario — don't just state the law
3. When evaluating, consider both the effectiveness and fairness of legal rules
4. Reference relevant cases and statutes when discussing Command Words & Question Types
5. Consider reform proposals and alternative approaches where relevant
1. For Command Words & Question Types questions, identify the relevant area of law and state the legal principles clearly
2. Apply legal rules to the facts of the scenario — don't just state the law
3. When evaluating, consider both the effectiveness and fairness of legal rules
4. Reference relevant cases and statutes when discussing Command Words & Question Types
5. Consider reform proposals and alternative approaches where relevant
⚠️ Common Errors
✗ Describing the law when the question asks you to evaluate it ✓ Evaluation requires assessing strengths and weaknesses and reaching a judgement — description alone will not access the higher mark bands for an evaluation question
✗ Giving a one-sided argument for evaluation questions ✓ Evaluation requires balanced analysis — present arguments for and against before reaching a justified conclusion; one-sided answers lose marks
✗ Ignoring the scenario facts in problem questions ✓ You must apply the law to the specific facts given — state the legal rule, then explain how it applies to the particular situation in the scenario
✗ Writing an unsupported conclusion ✓ Your conclusion must be justified by the arguments you have made — it should follow logically from your analysis, not introduce new points or merely repeat one side
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
How should you approach a 'how far' question in a GCSE Law exam? (15 marks)
A 'how far' question requires you to assess the extent to which a statement is true by presenting balanced evidence and reaching a justified judgement. Begin with a brief introduction that defines key terms and indicates the approach you will take. For example, if asked 'How far does the Human Rights Act 1998 protect individual rights?', start by briefly explaining what the HRA does. Then present two to three paragraphs of balanced analysis. In the first paragraph, discuss the strengths — for instance, section 3 requires legislation to be interpreted compatibly with Convention rights, and section 6 makes it unlawful for public authorities to violate rights. In the next paragraph, discuss the limitations — such as the fact that courts cannot strike down legislation, only issue declarations of incompatibility, and that the Act only applies to public authorities. Support each point with a specific legal example. Finally, write a conclusion that clearly states your judgement and briefly explains the key reason for it. Avoid sitting on the fence — make a clear judgement, but ensure it is supported by your analysis. Use connective phrases such as 'on one hand', 'however', 'furthermore' and 'in conclusion' to structure your argument clearly. A well-structured answer that presents both sides and reaches a supported judgement will access the highest mark bands.
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Analysis
AO1 (Knowledge & Understanding): Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of command words & question types, including key legal rules, principles and concepts relevant to OCR J271.
AO2 (Application): Apply knowledge and understanding of command words & question types to legal scenarios and problems, using legal reasoning and analysis.
AO3 (Analysis & Evaluation): Analyse, evaluate and critique legal rules, principles and reform proposals related to command words & question types, constructing balanced and supported arguments.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
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