Week 2
Dear Tony and group partners,
Normally, I will start to introduce the command words to leaners when they do the
homework or question first. And I instruct these words when we meet them. Then
during the revision period, I will go through each command words in past paper with
learners when they finish one past paper.
Command Words Activities Based on the questions in paper 4 (06_2023_0620_43)
1) STATE: State questions are straightforward command-word questions. It simply
means to carefully write something in a clear term. You simply have to recall a fact
or definition (include symbols if any) and write it down.
Example:
(c) An ion contains 10 electrons, 13 protons and 14 neutrons.
(i) State the nucleon number of the ion. [1]
(ii) Identify the element that forms this ion. [1]
Answer:
27
Commentary: Most of time, candidates can answer the questions with “state”
command words well. They give wrong answer not because they don’t know the
words state, but they misunderstand the question, for example, many candidates
did not understand the difference between the number of neutrons and the
nucleon number, and gave the answer 14.
2) Identify: Identify questions require candidate to use information in questions to
write down directly with chemical terms by naming, selecting or recognizing.
Example:
(c) An ion contains 10 electrons, 13 protons and 14 neutrons.
(i) State the nucleon number of the ion. [1]
(ii) Identify the element that forms this ion. [1]
Answer:
Aluminium
Commentary: identify is a little different from state, it is the command words of
AO2 in my sight. Candidates need to deal with information in questions or with their
thinking, the answer usually cannot be directly found in questions description.
3) Calculate: work out the number from given facts, figures or information by
manipulation principle and specific formula.
Example:
Answer:
24.3
Commentary: For calculation questions, there are two points that I will instruct to
learners. One point is to show all your working process, in the other word, write
down your answer as much as possible in details. The others to make sure that they
have remembered all the specific working formula related to chemistry that we
learned.
4) Complete: finish the diagram or figures by adding some key information to them.
Example:
Answer:
Commentary: Many candidates were confused by the fact that this ionic bonding
question was asked in an unfamiliar way, with the electronic configuration of only
one fluoride ion required rather than two. And then ignored the rule of forming
ions for main group elements.
5) Deduce: to calculate or conclude from available information or followed by specific
principle of science.
Example:
Answer:
MgF2
Commentary: Confusing by the question(i), candidates might write down MgF or
directly symbol of name component without considering the principle of “no overall
charge”. Candidates are easy to be bothered by given information and forget the
key rule that actually works in chemistry.
I prefer to let learners understand the command words through questions in past
paper. It could be more direct to master and learn how to answer. And we also will
correct some work from leaners to figure out why the answer did not follow the
command word.