A single command verb can decide whether a learner’s evidence meets the standard — or falls short of it. Get the interpretation wrong, and you risk passing work that shouldn’t pass, or holding learners to a bar they were never told to meet. This free Assessor’s Guide to Command Verbs eBook gives assessors and IQAs a clear, practical reference for the 21 command verbs most commonly found in vocational assessment criteria. From “state” and “identify” through to “evaluate” and “justify”. Plus the crucial exception, “be able to”, which isn’t a command verb at all.
Why command verbs matter
Every awarding organisation builds its assessment criteria around command verbs. They tell a learner what kind of response is expected, and they tell you, the assessor, exactly what to look for as evidence. Without a shared understanding of what each verb demands, assessment decisions become inconsistent, and inconsistency is exactly what IQA sampling and standardisation meetings are designed to catch.
You’ll also find a dedicated section on “be able to”, which signals that a skill must be demonstrated in practice rather than described in writing: one of the most commonly misjudged distinctions in vocational assessment.
Who is the Assessor’s Guide to Command Verbs eBook for
Whether you’re a newly qualified assessor building confidence in your judgement, an experienced practitioner refreshing your approach, or an IQA supporting standardisation across a team, this guide gives everyone a shared reference to work from.
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