Command Terms Posters

for MYP subjects

By Natalie Jensen
 Table of contents
Introduction
03

About the author

04

Command Terms

Generic
05
Physical and health education
11

Arts
07
Language and literature
12

Design
08
Science
13

Individuals and societies

09
Mathematics 17
Language acquisition
10

02
 Introduction
The IB Command Terms help to develop a shared academic vocabulary

that informs teaching and learning in the MYP. This pack of posters is

designed as a set of visuals to support explicit and consistent teaching of the

command terms across subject groups. These posters can be used to inculcate the
use of precise terminology in students and help them accurately recognise, and
respond to, command terms in tasks and instructions. While these posters are MYP
specific, they can be useful across the continuum of IB programmes.

Ideas for using these posters:

.
As a dynamic classroom display for students’ ready-reference & clarification

For classroom discussions and checks for understanding of the command

.
terms used in tasks

As teacher support material during collaborative vertical planning

Disclaimer - The ideas presented in this resource have been developed independently from and are not endorsed
by the International Baccalaureate (IB).

03
 About the author
Natalie Jensen is an IB World School Principal at Preshil
K-12, in Melbourne. She is passionate about education
and improving the wellbeing of young people. She holds
a Masters Degree in Child and Adolescent Welfare and is
also the founder of the IB PYP/MYP Community Network
Group that supports educators across the globe to
collaborate, inspire, share ideas, and stay connected.

As an educational consultant, and regional IB workshop

leader, Natalie is committed to extending support to
educators across the different aspects of their teaching.
She has considerable experience working with the IB
continuum of education across PYP, MYP, and DP, and is
particularly enthusiastic about experiential learning and
student agency.

04
 Command Terms

Generic
Identify State
Provide an answer from a number of & Give a specific name, value or other brief
possibilities. Recognize and state briefly answer without explanation or calculation.
a distinguishing fact or feature.

Describe Explain
Give a detailed account or picture of & Give a detailed account including
a situation, event, pattern or process. reasons or causes. (See also “Justify”.)

Outline Summarize
Give a brief account or summary. & Abstract a general theme or major
point(s).

Use Apply
Apply knowledge or rules to put theory Use knowledge and understanding in response to
into practice.
& a given situation or real circumstances. Use an idea,
equation, principle, theory or law in relation to a
05 given problem or issue.
 Command Terms

Generic
Demonstrate Justify
Make clear by reasoning or evidence, & Give valid reasons or evidence to support
illustrating with examples or practical an answer or conclusion.
application.

Analyze Interpret
Breakdown in order to bring out the Use knowledge and understanding to
essential elements or structure. (To identify & recognize trends and draw conclusions
parts and relationships, and interpret from given information.

information to reach conclusions.)

Discuss Evaluate
Offer a considered and balanced review Make an appraisal by weighing up the
? that includes a range of arguments, factors & strengths and limitations.
or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions
should be presented clearly and supported
by appropriate evidence.

06
 Command Terms

Arts

Create Critique

Evolve from one’s own thought or Provide a critical review or commentary,

imagination, as a work or an invention. especially when dealing with works of art

or literature.

Develop
Explore
Improve incrementally, elaborate or expand
Undertake a systematic process
in detail. Evolve to a more advanced or
of discovery.
effective state.

Formulate

Express precisely and systematically

the relevant concept(s) or argument(s).

07
 Command Terms

Design

Create Define
Evolve from one’s own thought or Give the precise meaning of a word,
imagination, as a work or an invention. phrase, concept or physical quantity.

Develop
1
Prioritize
Improve incrementally, elaborate or 2
3 Give relative importance to, or put in
expand in detail. Evolve to a more
an order of preference.
advanced or effective state.

Construct
Design
Display information in a diagrammatic
Produce a plan, simulation or model.
or logical form.

Present List
Offer for display, observation, Give a sequence of brief answers with
examination or consideration. no explanation.

08
 Command Terms

Individuals and societies

List Formulate
Give a sequence of brief answers Express precisely and systematically
with no explanation. the relevant concept(s) or argument(s).

Synthesize Explore
Combine different ideas in order to Undertake a systematic process of
create new understanding. discovery.

Investigate Document
Observe, study or make a detailed Credit sources of information used by
and systematic examination, in referencing (or citing) following a
order to establish facts and reach recognized referencing system.
new conclusions. References should be included in the
text and also at the end of the piece of
work in a reference list or bibliography.

09
 Command Terms

Language acquisition

Communicate Organize
To give messages or information to Put ideas and information into a
others through speech, writing, body proper or systematic order.
movements or signals.

Synthesize Find
Combine different ideas in order to Obtain an answer showing relevant
create new understanding. stages in the working.

Present Examine
Offer for display, observation, Consider an argument or concept in a
examination or consideration.
way that uncovers the assumptions and
interrelationships of the issue.

10
 Command Terms

Physical and health education

Construct Suggest Recall

Display information Propose a solution, Remember or
in a diagrammatic hypothesis or other recognize from prior
or logical form. possible answer. learning experiences.

Solve Develop
Obtain the answer(s) Improve incrementally, List
using algebraic
elaborate or expand in Give a sequence of
and/or numerical detail. Evolve to a more brief answers with no
and/or graphical advanced or effective explanation.
methods. state.

Investigate
Design Define
Observe, study or make
Produce a plan, Give the precise a detailed and systematic
simulation or meaning of a word,
examination, in order to
model. phrase, concept or establish facts and reach
physical quantity. new conclusions.

11
 Command Terms

Language and literature Aa

Comment Critique
Give a judgment based Provide a critical review
1 3 Select
on a given statement or 2
or commentary, especially Choose from
result of a calculation. when dealing with works a list or group.
of art or literature.

Compare and Contrast

Give an account of the Create Organize
similarities and differences Evolve from one’s Put ideas and
between two (or more) own thought or information into
items or situations, imagination, as a a proper or
referring to both (all) of work or an invention. systematic order.
them throughout.

Examine Synthesize Explore

Consider an argument or Combine different Undertake a
concept in a way that uncovers ideas in order to create systematic process
the assumptions and new understanding. of discovery.
interrelationships of the issue.

12
 Command Terms

Science

Estimate 1
2
3 Select
Obtain an approximate value for
Choose from a list or group.
an unknown quantity.

Formulate
Measure
Express precisely and systematically the
Obtain a value for a quantity. relevant concept(s) or argument(s).

Write Down
Determine Obtain the answer(s), usually by extracting
information. Little or no calculation is
Obtain the only possible answer.
required. Working does not need to be
shown.

Calculate
Obtain a numerical answer showing the
relevant stages in the working.
13
 Command Terms

Science

Suggest Verify
Propose a solution, hypothesis or other
Provide evidence that validates the result.
possible answer.

Recall
Show
1 2

Remember or recognize from prior learning 4 3

5 Give the steps in a calculation or derivation.

experiences.

Find Comment
Obtain an answer showing relevant stages Give a judgment based on a given statement
in the working. or result of a calculation.

Solve
Obtain the answer(s) using algebraic and/or
numerical and/or graphical methods.

14
 Command Terms

Science

Classify List
Arrange or order by class or category. Give a sequence of brief answers with
no explanation.

Define Organize
Give the precise meaning of a word, Put ideas and information into a proper or
phrase, concept or physical quantity. systematic order.

Present Document
Offer for display, observation, examination Credit sources of information used by
or consideration. referencing (or citing) following a recognized
referencing system. References should be
included in the text and also at the end of the
piece of work in a reference list or
bibliography.

15
 Command Terms

Science

Annotate Plot

Add brief notes to a diagram or graph. Mark the position of points on a diagram.

Draw

Represent by means of a labelled, accurate Sketch

diagram or graph, using a pencil. A ruler Represent by means of a diagram or graph

(straight edge) should be used for straight (labelled as appropriate). The sketch

lines. Diagrams should be drawn to scale. should give a general idea of the required

Graphs should have points correctly plotted shape or relationship, and should include

(if appropriate) and joined in a straight line or relevant features.

smooth curve.

Label Construct

Add a title, labels or brief explanation(s) Display information in a diagrammatic or

to a diagram or graph. logical form.

Design

Produce a plan, simulation or model.

16
 Command Terms

Mathematics

Label
Annotate
Add a title, labels or brief explanation(s) to
Add brief notes to a diagram or graph.
a diagram or graph.

Draw
Sketch
Represent by means of a labelled, accurate

diagram or graph, using a pencil. A ruler Represent by means of a diagram or graph

(straight edge) should be used for straight (labelled as appropriate). The sketch

lines. Diagrams should be drawn to scale. should give a general idea of the required

Graphs should have points correctly plotted shape or relationship, and should include

(if appropriate) and joined in a straight line relevant features.

or smooth curve.

Plot Construct

Mark the position of points on a diagram. Display information in a diagrammatic or

logical form.

17
 Command Terms

Mathematics

Estimate 1 3
Obtain an approximate value for
2 Select
an unknown quantity. Choose from a list or group.

Write down
Obtain the answer(s), usually by Calculate
extracting information. Little or no Obtain a numerical answer showing the
calculation is required. Working does relevant stages in the working.
not need to be shown.

Trace Derive
Follow and record the action Manipulate a mathematical relationship
of an algorithm. to give a new equation or relationship.

Measure
Obtain a value for a quantity.
18
 Command Terms

Mathematics

Predict Suggest
Give an expected result of an Propose a solution, hypothesis or other
upcoming action or event. possible answer.

Comment 1 2

3
Show
Give a judgment based on a given 4

5
Give the steps in a calculation or derivation.
statement or result of a calculation.

Solve Prove
Obtain the answer(s) using Use a sequence of logical steps to obtain
algebraic and/or numerical and/or the required result in a formal way.
graphical methods.

Verify
Provide evidence that validates the result.

19