It's vital that you're familiar with a wide array of task words in order to convey the message and/or instructions that you're trying to get across.
ANALYSE → Look closely to a subject, argument, idea or topic, determine the essence of the components in detail and the relation to each other.
E.g. Examine closely a current social event you have learned about.
ARGUE → Present a systematic case built on reasons and evidence supporting or rejecting an idea, theory or proposition.
ASSESS → Decide the value, state positive and negative judgements, and conclude. (usually numeric by nature)
COMPARE → Show and discuss similar and different characteristics or qualities of two things.
E.g. Discuss the pros and cons of offline and online friendships.
CONTRAST → Emphasize differences of two things and give evidence to differentiate or distinguish their significance and consequences.
CRITICIZE → Give your judgment about merits and faults of an opinion, theory or statement, and support it with evidence.
DEFINE → Make clear what the precise meaning of a word, term, phrase or situation is and why this definition is necessary.
E.g. Give the exact meaning of of narcissism.
DESCRIBE → Present a detailed account of the features or characteristics. (usually containing some adjectives)
DISCUSS → Consider all pros and cons, and make claims on the evidence and arguments presented.
ENUMERATE → Mention separately steps and stages one by one.
E.g. Present the steps to simple life.
EVALUATE → Explain strong and weak aspects or opinions about the usefulness or utility and formulate a personal judgement.
E.g. The usefulness of diplomas and certifications.
EXPLAIN → Show clearly how something happens in detail and the reasons why.
E.g. Why sibling rivalry happens plus how.
ILLUSTRATE → Use examples, diagrams, figures and evidence to make a complex concept easily understood.
INTERPRET → Bring out the importance, meaning and implications of information data and state your personal judgement.
JUSTIFY → Defend adequate reasons and grounds for your decisions or conclusions, and support with good evidence.
OUTLINE → Provide the main points and principles in a logical order and name the relationship between each point.
PROVE → Demonstrate the truth or falsity with logical evidence and arguments.
REVIEW → Critically report the main facts, theories, issues of an event, and explain the importance
SUMMARIZE → Describe concisely the main points without examples or details.
TRACE → Identify and describe the stages, steps, phases, processes or the historical events and start from its origin.
Sources for this list:
Peterson, Jim A. (2007). How to Deal With Your Persuasive Speech Assignment.
Marshall, L and Rowland, F (2001). A Guide to Learning Independently.
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