1. English
Evaluate– comes after analysis. Judging
how effective the text is
Analyse –
pick out
words,
phrases,
prose etc
Details of
language
Explain–
clarify.
You need to
analyse
before you
can explain
Description
– senses, simile,
metaphor,
adjective
adverb
Varied
sentence
structures
2. Science
Analyse–
State what
data is telling
me
Use data to
identify
relationships
When you
then come up
with a
conclusion you
are evaluating
Evaluate –
quantify errors in
an experiment
Look how to
improve the
experiment
Describe – state a fact
3. History
Evaluate – informed
judgement based on evidence.
Weigh up importance of
different factors
Describe–
say what
something is
like
Explain – To
say why
something
happens
Analysis –
break
something
into its parts
4. Change and Continuity
Words (and definitions) for different rates
of change
Words (and definitions) for the
extent of change
Words (and definitions) for the
nature of change
When you are describing or explaining
change, you need to think about:
• the rate of the change (how quick or
slow it was)
• the extent of change (was it big, small
or none at all-continuity)
• the nature of the change(is it to do with
people, or money etc)
Words Examples
Fast (Rapid, quick, swift) e.g. a lightening strike
Slow (gradual, measured,
steady)
e.g. a person growing in
height
Uneven (Undulating, patchy,
erratic)
e.g. waves in the sea going up
and down
Word Definition
Economic Change to do with money and jobs
Political Change to do with laws and leaders
Social Change to do with people and how
they live
Cultural Change to religion and customs
Strategic Change to tactics, plans and
relationships between countries
Structural Change to how people’s lives are
organised
Physical Change to buildings and the
environment
Words Examples
Big (Massive, dramatic, striking) e.g. Winning the entire lottery
Small (Minor, lesser, slight) e.g Winning £100 on the lottery
Big but slow (evolutionary) e.g A cliff wearing away
Big and fast (seismic, explosive,
cataclysmic, revolutionary)
e.g. a building being blown up
and destroyed
Widespread (Macro, pervasive) e.g. the weather gets colder all
across the UK in Winter
Isolated (Micro, limited, restricted) e.g. it starts raining in Hitchin
but nowhere else
Unstable (bumpy) e.g. A football team are at the
top of the table but might not
be next week
Continuity This means when something
stays the same and does not
change
e.g. the monarchy is an
example of British history in
British history
5. Causation
These words help
to explain the
effect a cause
had..
These words help
to show how
important you
think the cause
it…
These words help
to describe the
timing of the
cause…
These phrases help
to link causes
together…
Allowed Crucially Turning point This bred
Incited Underlying Trigger This nurtured
Prevented Principally Spark This compelled
Developed Central Latent Subsequently
Discouraged Significantly This was the
source
Encourage
Deterred Underpin The root of Impede…
Drove Despite Beginning Prevent
Encouraged Nevertheless Origins Bring about
Permitted However Birth In addition
Erupted Fundamentally Foundation This exacerbated
Extinguished Preceding Trend Consequently
Alphonse
Bad back
Straw
The straw was
the trigger
that finally
broke the
camel’s back
The load on his back
was a turning point,
they changed the
situation and made
his back breaking
more likely
Alphonse’s bad
back was a trend
because it slowly
led to his back
breaking over
several years
6. Significance
Generated change
Remembered
Enduring
Affected everyone
The first time
An event or person that led to change or
changes
An event or person that has been
remembered in history, it/they continue
to be written about or have monuments
and exhibits for them
An event or person that whose actions
or changes continue to affect us today
An event or person that had an impact
on large numbers of people
An event or person that happens or
does something for the first time
The Romans changed the buildings and roads in
Britain.
Nelson has been remembered, he has a statue in
Trafalgar square
Henry Ford set up the Ford car company at the
beginning of the twentieth century, his cars are still
used today
When Alexander Graham Bell invented the
telephone it affected the way everyone
communicated.
The Battle of the Somme in WW1 was the first
battle in which the tank was used
Phrases that might help you write and speak about significance:
This event was significant/ important / key / vital because…
This person was more/ less / partially / equally significant because…
This event was only significant in some ways, such as…
In contrast, this person was significant for different reasons such as…
Similarly this event was significant because it also…
Person X deserves to be called significant because…
Event A is more significant that event B because…
7. Listing Points/Examples Giving Examples
(evidence)
Linking to the Point
(explaining)
Changing Point/topic Contrasting
firstly, secondly, finally for example which shows that… turning to… however
in the first place for instance which proves that… as regards… on the other hand…
to begin with such as this demonstrates… with regard to… …although…
on top of this …as can be seen this reveals… concerning… despite this…
in addition to this …as is shown by this indicates… as far as...is concerned on the contrary…
more importantly take the case of… this evidence makes
clear…
moving on to… instead…
in addition this can be proven by… which led to… because… now to consider… as for…
…and… by contrast… …whereas…
…also alternatively… …while…
…as well Then again… …alternatively…
furthermore
another
not only…but also
what is more / moreover
Emphasising Comparison Persuade Concession Summing up/Concluding
mainly compared with… it is clear that… although… in conclusion…
usually …in comparison with… …undoubtedly shows
that…
while it is true that… in summary…
mostly similarly… opponents say… but… despite the fact that… to sum up…
unfortunately in the same way… by far the most… in spite of… overall…
most often likewise… it is certain that… despite this… on the whole…
chiefly equally… undeniable however…yet… in short…
primarily as with… definitely still… in brief…
…are similar in that… it is irrefutable that… nevertheless… to conclude…
correspondingly categorically It is fair that… so, to round off…
deserves to be… It is reasonable…
I want to describe…
To describe is when you go into detail, painting a
picture with words. You need to use lots of key words
and lots of examples. In History you describe an
event, a person, or something about people and
society in the past. A Point + Example structure is
good, and you may use contrasting, comparing and
emphasising words to develop your description.
I want to persuade or argue…
To persuade or argue is to convince someone that your point is correct. You must
use Point + Evidence + Explanation. But you must always respect other Points /
ideas by explaining them too (PEE). You should contrast them with your opinion,
and you might make some concessions, but you will emphasize your point over
others.
