List of Directive Terms which will Clarify Essays

Below are some common directive terms used in assessments and exams.

1. Analyze: determine the nature and relationship of the component parts of ______; explain the
importance of; break down into social, economic, political parts.

2. Assess: judge the value or character of something; appraise; evaluate.

3. Compare: examine for the purpose of noting similarities of differences, focusing more on
similarities.

4. Contrast: compare to show unlikeness or points of difference.

5. Criticize: make judgments as to merits and faults; criticism may approve or disapprove, or
both.

6. Define: give the meaning (a word, phrase, concept); determine or fix boundaries or extent.

7. Describe: give an account; tell about; give a word picture.

8. Discuss or examine: talk over; write about; consider by argument or from various points of
view; debate; present the different sides.

9. Enumerate or list: mention or itemize separately; name one after another.

10. Evaluate: give the good points and the bad; appraise; give an opinion regarding the value of;
discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

11. Explain: make clear or plain; make known in detail; tell the meaning of; make clear the cause
or reason.

12. Illustrate: make clear or intelligible as by examples.

13. Interpret: explain the meaning; make plain; present your thinking about.

14. Justify: show good reasons; present your evidence; offer facts to support your position.

15. Prove: establish the truth of something by giving factual evidence or logical reasons.

16. Relate: show how things are connected with each other or how one causes another.

17. Summarize: state or express in concise form; give the main points briefly.

18. Trace: follow the course.

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 List of Directive Terms which will Clarify Essays (Simplified)

1. Analyze: What are the economic, social, and political parts?

2. Assess: What’s good and bad? Judge.

3. Compare: What is the same? What is different?

4. Contrast: What is different?

5. Criticize: What’s good? What’s bad? What are the good and bad parts?

6. Define: What does this mean? (or) What are the limits of this?

7. Describe: Write a word picture to show this.

8. Discuss or examine: What are the pros and cons?

9. Enumerate or list: What is each item involved?

10. Evaluate: What is the good and bad?

11. Explain: Make the cause clear by telling in detail.

12. Illustrate: Give examples to explain your position.

13. Interpret: Why do you think this is important?

14. Justify: Give reasons or facts to support your position.

15. Prove: Give facts to show the truth.

16. Relate: How are these things connected? What caused what to happen?

17. Summarize: What were the main ideas?

18. Trace: What happened first, second, third…?

Source:
List of Directive Terms which will Clarify Essays
<http://evcenglish104.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/directive-words.doc> accessed 21 November
2017.