NESA’s glossary of key words: how to answer HSC questions

Many HSC marks are lost for a simple reason: the student knew the content but answered a different task from the one on the page. NESA publishes a glossary of key words that appear frequently in exam questions across subjects. Used well, the glossary sharpens exam technique. Used poorly, it becomes a set of rigid one-liners that ignore the subject and the mark value.

This guide shows how to apply the glossary the way NESA describes it — in context, inside real questions.

What the glossary is for

NESA’s glossary helps students see that certain verbs are used in similar ways across courses. If you know what explain typically demands, you are less likely to write a vague description when the question asked for cause and effect.

Teachers can use the same glossary when they design tasks and marking guidelines, so classroom language matches exam language.

NESA also warns against rigid interpretations. Key words should be discussed inside the questions students are working on, not only as a list to recite. Some subjects give those words a specialised meaning. And exams still use everyday stems such as “how?”, “why?” and “to what extent?” that are not limited to the glossary list.

High-frequency verbs, in plain English

Below are working senses based on NESA’s published glossary. Always check the official page for the full list and wording.

• Account for — give reasons; report on. Give an account of — narrate a series of events.
• Analyse — break into components, show relationships, draw out implications.
• Apply — use in a new or unfamiliar situation.
• Assess / Evaluate — make a judgement using criteria, quality, outcomes or value. (Critically analyse/evaluate adds depth, logic and reflection.)
• Compare / Contrast — similarities and/or differences.
• Describe — characteristics and features.
• Discuss — issues, with points for and/or against.
• Explain — relate cause and effect; make relationships evident; give why and/or how.
• Identify — recognise and name.
• Justify — support an argument or conclusion.
• Outline — sketch in general terms; main features only.
• Synthesise — put together various elements to make a whole.

If a question says outline, a three-page essay is usually the wrong shape. If it says analyse, a list of definitions without relationships will fall short.

A method you can use on every paper

1. Underline the verb and the topic limits

Circle the glossary verb (or the everyday stem). Then box the content limits: which text, which period, which scientific system, which graph.

2. Match depth to marks

A 2-mark identify is not a 6-mark analyse. Plan length and number of points from the mark value and the lines or space provided.

3. Check for stimulus

If the paper includes a quotation, graph, map or extract, NESA notes that stimulus is there to be used. An otherwise accurate answer that ignores the stimulus often misses the question.

4. Draft a micro-plan in the margin

For extended responses, spend 30–60 seconds listing: verb demand → 2–4 content points → judgement (if required). Students who skip this step often drift into a memorised essay.

5. Self-check after writing

Ask: Did I do the verb? Did I stay inside the topic limits? Did I use the stimulus? Would a marker find my answer in the right place, written clearly in black pen?

Subject-specific caution

NESA states that teachers must not use key words in ways that contradict subject meanings. Students should learn those differences in class:

• Evaluate in mathematics may mean something tighter and more calculation-linked than evaluate in a humanities essay.
• Explain in science often needs a mechanism (why/how), not only a restated definition.
• Analyse in English usually needs close reference to techniques and effects, not a plot summary.

When you practise with past papers, mark yourself against the guidelines for that course, not against a universal template.

Common student errors linked to key words

1. Memorised essays lightly edited to mention the new topic — NESA warns that exams are not designed for pre-prepared answers.
2. Verb blindness — writing everything they know about a topic after spotting a familiar word in the question.
3. Outline inflation — treating outline like discuss.
4. Judgement without criteria — writing “in conclusion, it was effective” without the standards the question implied.
5. Ignoring “to what extent” — giving only one side when the stem asked for degree and limitation.

How to practise for two weeks

• Days 1–3: Take ten past short-answer questions. For each, write only the verb, the limits, and a three-bullet plan — no full answers yet.
• Days 4–8: Write full answers under time for mixed verbs in your weakest subject.
• Days 9–14: Full sections from past papers, then mark with guidelines and rewrite any response that missed the verb.

Keep NESA’s glossary open beside you for the first week; close it later so retrieval becomes automatic.

FAQ

Do I need to memorise the whole glossary?

Learn the high-frequency verbs thoroughly and know where to look up the rest. Practising them inside past questions matters more than alphabetical drilling.

Are glossary words the only verbs used in HSC exams?

No. NESA notes that papers also use self-explanatory terms and subject-based wording outside the glossary.

Will using the glossary guarantee band 6?

No. The glossary helps you aim at the right task. Content knowledge, syllabus coverage and clear writing still decide the mark.

Should junior students learn these words before Year 11?

Yes, gradually. Years 9–10 assessments already use many of the same verbs. Early familiarity makes senior exams less of a language shock.

Can a tutor help with key-word technique?

Yes — by marking responses against the verb and mark value, and by drilling fresh questions instead of polishing one memorised answer. Book a free trial or contact Master Academy if you want that feedback in Cabramatta.

Soft next step

Bring one marked school short-answer or paragraph to a trial lesson. We will rebuild it so the verb, evidence and mark value line up. Book a free trial · Contact

Sources: NESA — Glossary of key words; NESA — Preparing for the HSC exams.