{"id":35103,"date":"2026-03-13T16:29:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T09:29:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/times.edu.vn\/?p=35103"},"modified":"2026-05-08T16:37:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T09:37:29","slug":"igcse-chemistry-command-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/times.edu.vn\/en\/igcse\/igcse-chemistry-command-words\/","title":{"rendered":"IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Command Words: Decode Exam Questions for A*"},"content":{"rendered":"

IGCSE<\/a>\u00a0Chemistry command words are the action verbs in exam questions\u2014such as state, define, describe, explain, calculate, suggest, and deduce<\/strong>\u2014that tell you exactly what the examiner wants and how marks are awarded.<\/p>\n

Mastering these instructions helps you match your response to the marking scheme<\/strong>, the relevant assessment objectives<\/strong>, and the expected level of chemical terminology<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The key is precise answering<\/strong>: Keep \u201cstate\/define\u201d concise, build clear cause\u2013effect links for \u201cexplain,\u201d show working and units for \u201ccalculate,\u201d and justify ideas for \u201csuggest\/deduce.\u201d When you train command words as a skill, you reduce avoidable errors, manage time better, and convert the same chemistry knowledge into a higher score.<\/p>\n

Understanding IGCSE Chemistry Command Words To Boost Your Grade<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"IGCSE<\/p>\n

In Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry, command words are not decoration; they are the marking instructions. Cambridge explicitly defines command words as terms that tell candidates how to answer a question and what the examiner expects.<\/p>\n

Based on our years of practical tutoring at Times Edu, the fastest grade gains often come from training response discipline<\/strong>: Matching your depth, chemical terminology, and structure to the command word before you write a single sentence.<\/p>\n

A critical detail most students overlook in the 2026 exam cycle is that Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) is assessed across three components, and command words appear heavily in Theory papers where AO1 and AO2 dominate the marking.<\/p>\n

Why command words are \u201cgrade boundaries\u201d in disguise<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Grade thresholds move each session, but the underlying skill demand stays stable: Students who consistently hit command words convert the same knowledge into more marks. Cambridge [1]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0publishes grade threshold tables each series and explains how thresholds are set at component\/option level.<\/p>\n

This matters tactically because \u201cI knew the chemistry\u201d is not the same as \u201cI wrote what the marking scheme rewards.\u201d The marking scheme is built around assessment objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3), and command words are the examiner\u2019s shorthand for which AO is being tested.<\/p>\n

The high-yield strategy Times Edu uses with international-school students<\/strong><\/h3>\n

From our direct experience with international school curricula, high achievers separate revision into two tracks:<\/p>\n