How to properly answer a GCSE exam question (and stop losing easy marks)

One of the most frustrating things in a GCSE exam is knowing the content, but not getting the marks.

Often, the problem isn’t knowledge; it’s interpretation.

Students lose marks every year because they misread the question, misunderstand the command word, or drift away from what’s actually being asked.

Learning how to decode a GCSE exam question properly is one of the simplest ways to improve your grades. It sharpens your answers, makes them more focused, and aligns them with what examiners reward.

Why decoding the question matters

Examiners don’t give marks for everything you know about a topic. They give marks for how well you answer this question.

For example, if the question asks:

      Explain how Shakespeare presents ambition in Macbeth.

It’s not asking for everything about the play. It’s specifically asking about ambition and wants an explanation, not just a description.

When students skip this step and jump straight into writing, their answers often drift. That’s where easy marks disappear.

Top students slow down first. They decode the question before they write.

The three parts inside every GCSE exam question

Most GCSE questions contain three key elements:

1. The command word – what you must do
2. The topic – what the question is about
3. The focus or limitation – how it’s narrowed down

If you miss any one of these, your answer can lose direction.

Take this question:

     Evaluate how useful Source A is for understanding attitudes towards women in the 19th century.

The topic is attitudes towards women.
The command word is evaluate.
The focus is usefulness, based on Source A, within a specific time period.

That’s already a lot more specific than it first looks.

What GCSE command words actually mean

Understanding command words changes the way you write.

Here’s what examiners are really looking for:

Describe: Give accurate detail. Stay focused on what is there.

Explain: How or why something happens. Develop your reasoning clearly.

Analyse: Break it down. Explore how language, structure, causes or methods create effects.

Compare: Show similarities and differences in a balanced way.

Evaluate: Make a judgement. Consider strengths and limitations before reaching a conclusion.

Many students write analytical answers for “describe” questions, or one-sided answers for “evaluate” questions. That mismatch immediately limits marks.

Before you start writing, make sure your answer matches the task.

A simple method to decode any GCSE question

When you turn to a new question, pause. Don’t start writing immediately.

Instead:

• Identify the command word
• Underline the topic
• Look for words that narrow the focus (e.g. “in this extract”, “to what extent”, “how far”)
• Ask yourself what a full-mark answer would need

This takes less than a minute, and it can gain you multiple marks.

Example: Breaking down a high-mark question

Let’s take this example:

     Analyse how the writer uses language to present fear in this extract.

Here’s what that tells you:

• You must analyse (not describe)
• You must focus on language
• You must link everything to fear
• You must stay within the extract

A strong answer would:

• Select specific language techniques
• Explain their effect
• Link clearly to the idea of fear
• Stay tightly focused on the extract

If you start discussing structure across the whole text, you’ve drifted.
If you identify techniques without analysing their effect, you’ve limited your marks.

Decoding the question prevents that.

Why students lose marks on GCSE questions

Some common mistakes include:

• Writing everything they know instead of answering precisely
• Ignoring key phrases like “to what extent”
• Forgetting to evaluate when evaluation is required
• Drifting beyond the extract or source

Examiners reward relevance. If it doesn’t answer the question, it doesn’t earn marks.

How to practise decoding exam questions

You don’t need to write full essays to improve this skill.

Take five past paper questions and simply break them down. Identify the command word, clarify the topic, and notice the limits.

Then ask yourself: what would a top-band answer need?

Over time, you’ll start spotting patterns in how exam boards phrase questions. In the real exam, you’ll feel calmer because you’ve seen it all before.

How Atom GCSE helps you understand what examiners want

Decoding questions becomes much easier when you understand how marks are actually awarded.

With Atom GCSE, you can:

📘 Practise exam-board-specific questions tailored to what you’re studying

🧠 Get feedback based on real mark schemes — not generic advice

🎯 See exactly where you gained and lost marks

✍️ Understand what strong analysis and evaluation really look like

Instead of wondering why you dropped marks, you’ll see:

• What met the criteria
• What was missing
• What would move your answer into the next band

Over time, this builds real exam confidence. You start recognising patterns in mark schemes. You begin writing with the examiner in mind.

Final thoughts: Slow down to speed up

In a GCSE exam, it can feel like you need to start writing immediately.

But taking 30–60 seconds to decode the question properly can make a significant difference to your final grade.

Before you begin your next answer, ask yourself:

• What exactly am I being asked to do?
• What would a full-mark response include?
• Am I answering the question, or just the topic?

The students who consistently achieve top grades aren’t just strong at content; they’re strong at reading the question.

And that’s a skill you can practise, starting today.