Answering assignment & essay questions

Understanding key words is your secret to effectively answering assessment questions.

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What are key words?

The key words and phrases in your essay question are your guide for how to approach answering it.

To decide how to answer an essay question, you need to identify what the question requires in terms of content and genre. Assignment questions can be broken down into parts (key words and phrases) so that you can better understand what you are being asked to do.

Types of key words

Task words��— the key words in an essay question that indicate what you need to do. Task words include analyse, define, identify, prove and summarise. These are important indications of the way you’ll need to approach the task and structure your response.
Content words��— the key words that tell you what the topic areas of your assignment are and help you narrow down your material and select your answer. Content words help you to focus your research and reading on the correct area.
Limiting words��—��the key words that make a broad topic workable. They focus the topic area further by indicating aspects you should narrowly concentrate on.

Task words are 'clue words'

Task words are clues that indicate the angle to take when you answer an essay or short-answer question.

You must to be aware of the precise wording of questions and the precise meanings of the clue words which will guide you on how to answer. Once you have found the clue words and worked out exactly what they mean, you can answer the question correctly.

Example:

Question: Compare the goals of liberal and socialist feminism.

Clue word: The clue word in this question is compare.

Note: If the question asked you to "Evaluate the goals of...", a completely different answer would be required. See our definitions below.

📖 Common clue words and their definitions

Explore our alphabetised list of definitions for clue words you can expect to find in your assessment questions.

To find the main ideas, how they are related and why they are important.
To discuss, criticise, or explain its meaning as completely as possible.
To show both the differences and the similarities.
To compare by showing the differences.
To give your judgement or reasoned opinion of something, showing its good and bad points. However, it is not necessary to attack.

To give the formal meaning by distinguishing it from related terms. This is often a matter of giving a memorised definition.
To write a detailed account or verbal picture in a logical sequence or story form.
To make a graph, chart or drawing. Be sure to label it and add a brief explanation if necessary.
To present arguments for and against a point of view and reach a conclusion. The arguments must be supported with appropriate evidence.
To name and list the main ideas one by one.
To give an opinion, supported by some expert opinions, of the truth or importance of a concept. Show the advantages and disadvantages.
To explain or make clear by concrete examples, comparisons or analogies.
To give the meaning using examples and personal comments to make something clear.
To give a statement of why you think something is so. Give reasons for your statement or conclusion.

To produce a list of words, sentences or comments; same meaning as enumerate.
To give a general summary. It should contain a series of main ideas supported by secondary facts. Show the organisation of the idea.
To show by argument or logic that something is true. However, the word prove has a very specific meaning in maths and physics.
To show the connection between things, telling how one causes or is like another.
To give a survey or summary in which you look at the important parts and criticise if necessary.
To describe the main points in precise terms. Use brief, clear sentences. Omit details or examples.
To give a brief, condensed account of the main ideas.
To follow the progress or history of the subject.