| One line, nothing more | “State two pieces of legislation that govern data protection.” Two names. Adding a paragraph of explanation wastes your evening and earns nothing extra. |
| Name it, then say which applies here | Slightly more than “state”: you name the thing and show which one is relevant to your own role or setting. Still short. |
| A precise meaning, one or two sentences | The assessor wants the accepted meaning of a term, not an example. Examples belong in “describe” answers. |
| Main points only, no detail | A skeleton. Three or four bullet-style points covering the shape of something. If you are writing 400 words for an “outline”, you have misread the verb. |
| The detail — but no reasoning | What it looks like, what happens, in what order. A good description could be followed by someone who had never done it. It does not need a single “because”. |
| The reasoning — how and why | The verb that catches most learners. Every point needs a “because” or a “so that”. A description submitted against “explain” comes back every time. |
| Break it apart, show the relationships | Take the topic to pieces and show how the parts affect each other. Common from RQF Level 4 upwards, rare at Level 2. |
| A judgement, backed by evidence | Weigh strengths against limitations and commit to a conclusion. This is Level 5 to 7 territory, and it needs both sides before the verdict. |