#125: Mains Answer Writing | Directive Words

Read this before starting answer writing

If you see UPSC Mains PYQs, you will see many questions asking you to Explain, Comment, Analyze etc.

What are these words?🤔
How to tackle question related to every word?

Let's take them up one by one

1. Justify

- Generally, the given statement is true anyway (see image for examples)
- Provide pointers as evidences in your answer to prove it is indeed tru

2. Explain

- In such answers, explain the involved issue (see image)
- Present an in-depth stance explaining the details in simple words

3. Discuss

- Such Qs present some issues in front of you (see image)
- Examine each of these issues w/ pro/anti arguments on paper
- Conclude with an apt statement to summarize the 'discussion'

4. Analyze

- To understand this better, see these 2 Qs from GS3 Mains 2019
- Here, you are to identify diff points involved
- Give pointers on every point and present your multidimensional knowledge

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5. Evaluate

- 'Evaluation' is strictly based on the situation given to you
- See the 2 Qs in image; here you have to write about main issues
- Also, present the reactions from different sides (avoid personal opinions)

6. Examine

- What do you do when you 'examine' someone? Just do that here!
- Look at topic in detail, understand and develop desired inferences
- When writing, present the importance of things you learnt in your examination and their implications

7. Comment

- Most common directive offering a statement and seeks your comment (see image)
- Stay neutral and give facts/viewpoints on the statement
- End with a conclusive statement offering apt conclusion

8. Critically Examine

- Examine but 'critically'
- This directive is for you to present detailed story of both sides
- See it like a strict examiner taking in-depth stance on both students in a fight (except you are the examiner now)

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