Is there one official MYP command terms glossary for every subject?

The IB provides common MYP definitions that apply across subject groups, and many command terms retain the same central meaning wherever they appear. However, the range of terms used and their disciplinary application can vary between subjects. For example, analyse may involve textual choices in Language and Literature but variables and relationships in Sciences. Students should therefore consult both the programme-wide glossary and their current subject guide. The task instructions and assessment criteria show how the term applies in the particular assessment.

What is the difference between describe and explain in MYP tasks?

Describe requires a detailed account of what happened, what is present, or what a pattern looks like. Explain goes further by providing reasons, causes, mechanisms, or connected steps. A scientific description might state that reaction rate increased as temperature rose. An explanation would connect that increase to faster particle movement and more frequent successful collisions. Students commonly lose opportunities to demonstrate the criterion when they provide accurate observations but omit the required reasoning.

Are MYP command terms the same as MYP assessment criteria?

No, command terms and assessment criteria are connected but not interchangeable. A command term identifies the action a student must perform, such as identify, analyse, or justify. An assessment criterion describes the broader quality or outcome against which the work is judged. Criterion strands often contain command terms to clarify the expected performance, while level descriptors distinguish the quality achieved. Students should read the command term, criterion strand, and level descriptor together before planning a response.

Do command terms tell me how long my answer should be?

Command terms indicate the type of thinking required, but they do not set a universal response length. State or identify usually permits a concise answer, while discuss or evaluate normally requires developed reasoning. Nevertheless, the marks, task scope, subject conventions, and teacher instructions determine the appropriate depth. A short but fully supported explanation may be stronger than a long paragraph of unrelated facts. Students should ask how much evidence is needed to demonstrate the requested action completely.

Should students memorize every MYP command term?

Students should know the terms that appear regularly in their subjects, but memorizing definitions is only the first step. They must also practise converting each term into an appropriate answer structure. For example, remembering the definition of evaluate is not enough if the response never establishes criteria or reaches a judgment. Flashcards can support recall, while practice questions develop application. Teachers can help by showing contrasting examples that describe, analyse, and evaluate the same material.

Can I use an online MYP command terms glossary instead of my subject guide?

An online glossary is useful for quick reference, revision, and practice, but it should not replace current official documentation. Third-party lists may be incomplete, outdated, or written primarily for the Diploma Programme rather than the MYP. Check that definitions match those in the current MYP guide or materials supplied by your school. If wording differs, ask the subject teacher or MYP coordinator which version applies. Use online resources to clarify and practise the terms after confirming the authoritative definition.

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Where to Find an MYP Command Terms Glossary

MYP Assessment Study Guides

Nathan J.

• 11 Sept 2026•8

Where to Find an MYP Command Terms Glossary

An MYP command terms glossary is a list of instructional words that show the type and level of thinking required in a task. For example, describe asks for a detailed account, while explain requires reasons, causes, or mechanisms.

The most authoritative glossary is found in current IB MYP documentation, especially MYP: From principles into practice and the relevant subject guide. Students should access current guides and criteria through their MYP coordinator or teacher. Public IB materials and RevisionDojo resources can provide useful supporting references.

Where to find an official MYP command terms glossary

The IB includes MYP command terms in programme and subject documentation. A public IB presentation on teaching, learning and assessing includes definitions for terms such as analyse, compare, define, discuss, evaluate, explain, justify, and outline.

Do not rely on an old downloaded list without checking it against current course materials. The safest sources are:

The current MYP subject guide supplied by the school
Task-specific assessment criteria provided by the teacher
MYP: From principles into practice, normally accessed by authorized schools
Official project guidance, including the public MYP Projects guide
A teacher-created glossary that accurately reproduces current IB definitions

Some IB documents are distributed mainly through programme schools. If you cannot access the relevant guide, asking your teacher or MYP coordinator is more reliable than using an unattributed glossary online.

Common MYP command terms

The following summary covers frequently misunderstood terms. The subject, task context, criteria, and available marks determine the required depth.

Command term	Meaning and practical response
Define	Give the precise meaning of a word, concept, or quantity.
Describe	Give a detailed account of what happens or can be observed.
Explain	Give reasons, causes, mechanisms, or connected steps.
Analyse	Break something into elements, identify relationships, and interpret significance.
Compare	Explain similarities between two or more items, referring to each throughout.
Contrast	Explain differences between two or more items, referring to each throughout.
Discuss	Present a considered, balanced review followed by a conclusion.
Evaluate	Assess implications and limitations, then make a judgment using criteria.
Justify	Support an answer or conclusion with valid reasons or evidence.
Outline	Give a brief account containing the main points.

Compare does not automatically mean “give similarities and differences.” In official MYP usage, compare focuses on similarities, contrast focuses on differences, and compare and contrast requires both.

How command terms connect to assessment criteria

MYP assessment criteria describe the qualities teachers use to judge student performance. Command terms appear in objectives, criterion strands, task instructions, and level descriptors because they clarify the intellectual action expected.

A criterion may progress from asking students to identify information at a lower achievement level to asking them to analyse or evaluate it at a higher level. Adding more facts does not demonstrate the advanced skill. Analysis requires relationships and conclusions, while evaluation requires judgment against relevant standards.

These parts work together:

The command term identifies the intellectual action.
The criterion strand identifies the assessed skill or outcome.
The level descriptor indicates the quality demonstrated.
The task context identifies the content, evidence, product, or problem.

The IB's research report on developing and assessing thinking skills explains how command terms make forms of thinking explicit. They are more than examination vocabulary because they help teachers teach disciplinary thinking consistently.

How to use a glossary in a task

Underline the command term and translate it into a concrete action. For analyse, a useful plan is to identify parts, explain relationships, interpret significance, and reach a conclusion.

Then read the complete criterion strand rather than focusing on the verb alone. A command term does not prescribe a universal number of paragraphs, examples, or minutes. Response length depends on the question, marks, subject conventions, and teacher instructions.

Use the RevisionDojo MYP resource hub and MYP syllabus and assessment overview to review subjects and practise recognizing command terms. The guide to using IB command terms effectively offers planning structures, but current MYP guides and classroom criteria remain authoritative.

Do not confuse a command-term glossary with a subject-vocabulary glossary. The MYP Biology glossary and MYP Individuals and Societies glossary explain content terms; command terms explain what to do with that content.

Common mistakes

Students often treat describe and explain as synonyms, list facts when analysis is required, give opinions without criteria for evaluate, or write separate descriptions instead of direct comparisons. Memorizing definitions without practising the associated thinking skill is another common problem. Teachers can help by modelling responses and annotating where each command term is demonstrated.

Conclusion

The best place to find an MYP command terms glossary is in current official MYP programme and subject documentation obtained through your school. Use it alongside the exact assessment criterion, task context, and teacher guidance because a definition alone cannot determine the required depth.

RevisionDojo supports this process with MYP subject resources, glossaries, Study Notes, Flashcards, and Questionbank. Start with the official definition, turn it into an answer checklist, and practise applying it to realistic questions.

Sources and referenced URLs

Command term

Meaning and practical response

Define

Give the precise meaning of a word, concept, or quantity.

Describe

Give a detailed account of what happens or can be observed.

Explain

Give reasons, causes, mechanisms, or connected steps.

Analyse

Break something into elements, identify relationships, and interpret significance.

Compare

Explain similarities between two or more items, referring to each throughout.

Contrast

Explain differences between two or more items, referring to each throughout.

Discuss

Present a considered, balanced review followed by a conclusion.

Evaluate

Assess implications and limitations, then make a judgment using criteria.

Justify

Support an answer or conclusion with valid reasons or evidence.

Outline

Give a brief account containing the main points.

Where to Find an MYP Command Terms Glossary

Where to Find an MYP Command Terms Glossary