Each command word in National 5 English is a scoring instruction. Understanding what SQA markers expect is critical to earning full marks.
analyse2-4 marks (RUAE word-choice and imagery questions; critical essay paragraphs)
Examine in close detail how the writer uses a specific language feature, technique or structural device, and explain the effect it creates. A synonym is not an analysis.
Common mistake
Providing a synonym for the chosen word rather than analysing its effect. Course Reports note candidates using a 'translation' approach that 'can result in an answer that is not specific enough' to earn analysis marks.
explain2-3 marks per question in RUAE
Make clear why something is the case, giving reasons or showing how a cause leads to an effect. In RUAE, this usually means showing how the writer's language creates a specific impression or meaning.
Common mistake
Lifting words directly from the passage instead of explaining the writer's meaning in own words. Identified as 'a significant obstacle for many candidates' across all three years.
evaluateTypically the final RUAE question (3-5 marks); also a central focus of the 20-mark critical essay
Make a judgement about how successfully the writer uses language, structure or technique, and justify that judgement with evidence from the text.
Common mistake
Selecting an appropriate quotation but failing to explain how it contributes to the passage's effective conclusion. Markers note candidates 'make an appropriate selection' but cannot articulate the textual effect.
identify1 mark per item identified
Select and name specific examples from the passage that match the requirement of the question. In RUAE, always follow identification with a comment unless the question specifies otherwise.
Common mistake
Failing to draw clear distinctions between the writer's ideas — Course Reports flag candidates who 'repeated one or two very similar points several times' instead of identifying distinct ideas.
comment1-2 marks (paired with quotation or identification)
Make an analytical observation about a language feature or structural choice and explain its effect. A comment must go beyond description.
Common mistake
Stopping at description of the feature ('alliteration is used') without commenting on its effect. The mark is awarded for the analytical effect, not the spotting.
summarise4-5 marks (RUAE key-ideas questions)
Put the writer's key ideas into your own words concisely. Do not quote the passage directly; instead distil distinct points and express each one freshly.
Common mistake
Lifting phrases verbatim from the passage instead of summarising in own words. Course Reports cite this as one of the most persistent year-on-year errors.
referEmbedded in Scottish text and critical essay paragraphs (1 mark per supported point)
Point to specific evidence from the text — this may be a quotation or a close reference to events or language. At National 5, references carry the same credit as direct quotations.
Common mistake
Making a critical-reading point without anchoring it to a specific moment in the text. References must be precise enough to identify the passage being discussed.
justify2-4 marks (RUAE evaluation; critical essay conclusions)
Provide reasoning or evidence to support a point or judgement already made. Used frequently in evaluation-style questions to show why you reached a particular conclusion.
Common mistake
Stating the judgement without textual evidence. The justification must point to specific language, structure or technique in the text — not a general impression.
compare8 marks (Scottish text comparison question — every year)
Identify both similarities and differences between two items — texts, techniques, characters or ideas — making the relationship between them explicit.
Common mistake
Listing features of each text in turn without explicitly comparing them. Markers reward direct comparison — 'whereas', 'similarly', 'in contrast' — not parallel descriptions.
contrast2-4 marks within larger questions
Focus on the differences between two items, explaining what each one shows or achieves and why those differences matter in the context of the question.
Common mistake
Listing the two items separately rather than directly highlighting the difference. Comparative phrasing ('whereas', 'unlike') is required to access full marks.
