The most useful thing an MYP student can learn about any question is what its command term is asking them to do. "Explain", "justify" and "evaluate" each call for a different kind of thinking, and once you can tell them apart, a good deal of the guesswork in assessment answers disappears. It is a skill that can be taught, and it is far less mysterious than many students fear.
Put simply, "explain" asks how or why something happens, "justify" asks you to defend a position with evidence, and "evaluate" asks you to weigh strengths against limitations before reaching a judgement. An answer that describes when the question wanted a reason, or lists points when it wanted a verdict, can lose marks even when every fact in it is correct.
Why a correct answer can still lose marks
Many students study hard, know the content, and still feel puzzled when a teacher hands back work with comments like "this is description, not explanation". The problem is rarely knowledge. It is that the answer answers a slightly different question from the one that was asked.
MYP assessment is built around command terms and the published criteria, particularly the subject rubrics for Criteria A to D. Each command term signals the level of thinking the rubric will reward. Reading the command term first is therefore a way of reading the mark scheme before you write a word.
Explain: showing the chain of reasoning
To explain is to make a process or relationship clear, step by step. The key word is because. A strong explanation links cause to effect, and effect to consequence, so that a reader could follow the logic without you in the room.
A useful test is to check whether each sentence earns the next one. If you could remove a sentence and the answer would still make sense, it was probably description rather than explanation.
Justify: backing a claim with evidence
To justify means you have already taken a position, and now you must show why it holds. Evidence matters here more than in explanation. A justification without a specific example, a figure, a quotation or a clear principle is just an opinion with a confident tone.
- State the claim clearly in one sentence.
- Give at least one piece of specific evidence from the source or the topic.
- Say why that evidence supports the claim, not just that it exists.
Students often skip the final step. Saying why the evidence matters is what turns a fact into a justification.
Evaluate: weighing both sides to reach a judgement
To evaluate is the most demanding of the three. You must consider the strengths and limitations of an idea, method or argument, and then reach a judgement that follows from what you have weighed. The judgement should be explicit, and it should be conditional where it needs to be. A sentence such as "this holds in most cases, but it breaks down when the sample is small" shows evaluative thinking far better than a vague "it depends".
Teachers often look for three things: a fair account of both sides, a clear reason why one side carries more weight, and a conclusion that the evidence actually supports.
Building the habit at home and in class
Command terms become second nature through practice, not memorisation. A few routines help:
- Underline the command term in past questions before you start writing.
- Rewrite a descriptive answer as an explanation, then as a justification, to feel the difference.
- Use the mark scheme or rubric language to check whether your conclusion is earning credit, not just your facts.
- Keep a short list of the command terms your subject uses and what each one looks for.
Parents can help by asking a child to explain a topic aloud and then asking, "how do you know?" or "what would change your mind?". Those two questions quietly practise justification and evaluation without any exam pressure.
Our teachers build this into every session at INACADEMICS, using small batches of four to eight students so that each learner's answers can be read closely. Diagnostic checks show which command terms cause trouble, weekly worksheets practise them, and monthly mocks show whether the improvement holds under timed conditions. You can read more about our IB MYP tuition programme, and for further practice questions our RevisionPrep question bank includes IB-style questions with progress tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between explain and justify in MYP?
"Explain" asks how or why something works, focusing on a clear chain of cause and effect. "Justify" asks you to defend a claim you have already made, so it needs specific evidence and a clear reason why that evidence supports the claim. Both use reasoning, but justification demands proof.
Why do teachers keep marking my answers as description?
Description tells the reader what something is or what happened. MYP command terms ask for more, usually reasoning, evidence or judgement. Check the command term first, then ask whether every sentence adds a reason or a link. If it only reports facts, it is probably description.
How do INACADEMICS tutors help with command terms?
Our tutors are subject specialists who teach to the MYP criteria and command terms. Small batches allow close feedback on each answer, weekly worksheets practise specific command terms, and monthly mocks show whether students apply them under timed conditions. Parents receive regular updates tracked against the plan.
Ready to sharpen your answers?
Command terms are one of the quickest wins available to an MYP student, and they reward steady practice rather than extra hours. If you would like to see where your child stands, our free counselling includes a short diagnostic and a plan for each subject. You can reach the team on +91 9014010410 through phone or WhatsApp, or visit us at 117, 1st Floor, Raichandani Business Bay, above Karachi Bakery in Kokapet. For more practical guides, visit the Inacademics blog.