Command words tell you what kind of answer earns the marks. Show, explain, hence, state and justify each demand something different, and answering the wrong one loses marks even when the mathematics is right.
Why command words matter more than students think
A question saying “show that” is not asking for the answer — the answer is already printed. It is asking for the reasoning that gets there, and a student who writes the final value earns nothing.
Similarly, “state” wants a bare answer and no working, while “explain” wants sentences. Students who treat every question the same way lose marks in both directions.
The main ones and what they require
“Show that” — the destination is given, so every step of the route must be visible. Skipping steps is the commonest way to lose these marks.
“Hence” — you must use the previous part. A correct answer obtained independently may not score, because the question is testing whether you can connect the parts.
“Explain” or “justify” — words, not just symbols. A calculation alone does not answer an explain question.
“State” or “write down” — no working expected, and spending time on it costs time elsewhere.
What each command word expects:
- Show that — full visible reasoning to a given result
- Hence — use the previous part
- Explain / justify — sentences, not only symbols
- State / write down — answer only, no working needed
- Calculate / find — working plus answer, units included
Where the marks actually go
On “show that” questions, students work backwards from the printed answer, which markers recognise and do not credit.
On “hence” questions, students restart from scratch, which is slower and frequently unrewarded.
On “explain” questions, students present arithmetic and no sentence, which answers a different question.
Building the habit
Underline the command word before starting. It takes a second and determines the shape of the whole answer.
When reviewing past papers, check the command word against what was written. A surprising share of lost marks turn out to be this rather than the mathematics.
What lessons at Odyssey are actually like
Our students describe the teaching in their own words. This one is a secondary student — the approach is the same one your child would meet in a primary class, taught at the right level. More are on Odyssey Math TV.
Where Odyssey fits
We mark for this explicitly in class, because it is one of the few sources of lost marks that can be fixed in a week.
We teach maths only, in small classes at Hexacube, 160 Changi Road #01-02, about three minutes from Eunos MRT. See the primary and secondary programmes, our MOE-aligned curriculum, schedules and fees, or the tutors who teach. Free video solutions to past-year papers are on Odyssey Math TV.
This is why we teach the primary years as one arc rather than six separate ones. Our MOE-aligned curriculum runs from Primary 1 to Primary 6, so when something goes wrong we can trace it to the year it actually formed and repair it there, instead of drilling the level where it happens to be showing up. That distinction usually decides whether extra work produces improvement or simply produces more work.
The first lesson is a free trial, and it is a diagnosis rather than a sales pitch: we would rather tell you what is actually wrong than sign you up. If the answer is that your child does not need tuition yet, we will say so. Book a free trial class or WhatsApp +65 8512 6882.
What we describe here comes from teaching this syllabus in our own classes since 2012. It is not a forecast for any individual child: progress is produced jointly, by a student willing to do the work with support at home. We do not promise grades. Topics follow the MOE primary mathematics syllabus — check the current syllabus on the MOE website for the definitive version, and see our curriculum page for how we teach it.
Frequently asked questions
What does “hence” mean in an exam question?
That you should use the result from the previous part. Solving independently may not earn the marks even if the answer is right.
Does “show that” need the answer written at the end?
The reasoning is what earns credit, but restating the result is good practice. The essential thing is that every step is visible.
Do explain questions need full sentences?
Yes. A calculation on its own does not constitute an explanation.
How can my child practise command words?
Underline them before answering, and when reviewing a paper check what each question asked for against what was actually written.
