All too often students approach a test question by writing down all they know about the general topic. They assume that they will get credit for having some information. But that's not enough to get a good grade or pass an important exam. You also have to be sure you've satisfied the requirements of the question For example, look at the follow ng question taken from an end-of-course examination in Earth Science. 1. Earth's climate is in a delicate state of balance and many factors affect it. Describe the way the climate has changed in the past 100 years. Identify two specific reasons for climactic change. Discuss what outcomes in climate change we can predict in the future. The first thing you need to do is identify the topic and the main idea of the question. This is clearly stated in the first sentence. The broad topic is the delicate state of the Earth's climate and the factors that affect it. But you can't start writing yet. There are three important words in this question that give you very specific instructions about what you do before you begin. First, the direction is to describe the way climate has changed; second, to identify two reasons for change; third, to discuss predictions for the future. Another way this question could have been asked would be: 2. Identify three factors that have contributed to climactic changes in the past 100 years. Describe the effects that each has had. Discuss possible future effects. You'll notice that in this question you do not have the advantage of having the general topic stated for you. But you can figure it out, and before you go any further in the question that is what you must do. If you said climate change in the past 100 years, you would have been correct. Now, you can go ahead and determine the direction words. They are: identify, describe, and discuss. Here are some verbs which are commonly used by teachers and test preparers to write essay questions: Shu loin identify contrast demonstrate compare contrast discuss list cite prove, analyze, evaluate. summary of this passage.