How to Write Better Essays

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8 Using the right ability

In this chapter you will learn:

• how to make sure we answer the question using the abilities the
  examiner wants to assess;


• how to interpret accurately the ‘instructional verbs’ in questions.

So far we have seen how important it is to interpret the question

carefully, because it tells us the structure our essay should adopt for

us to deal relevantly with all the issues it raises. With this clear in our

mind we can avoid taking masses of irrelevant notes, which are likely

to find their way into our essays, making them irrelevant, shapeless

and confusing.

But we also made it clear at the beginning that there is one other

thing that the question tells us: the range of abilities the examiner

wants to see us use. This is normally made clear through what is

known as ‘instructional verbs’. Given below is a list of short definitions

of those most frequently found in questions, which should help you

avoid the common problems that arise when you overlook or misinter-

pret them.

Instructional verbs

Analyse Separate an argument, a theory, or a claim into its

elements or component parts; to trace the causes

of a particular event; to reveal the general principles

underlying phenomena.

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