IB command term
State: what the command term means in IB exams
By Michael Thompson - Head of Teaching Excellence; 15 years as an IB Coordinator
In IB exams, state means: give a specific name, value or other brief answer, with no explanation or calculation around it. Write the exact term or value, add units where they apply, and move on to the next question.
Paraphrased from the command-term definitions in the IB Diploma Programme subject guides (International Baccalaureate Organization).
At a glance
Short, precise answers
Answer shape: A word to a few exact lines, no reasoning attached
What state asks you to do
State is the briefest command term on the paper. The examiner wants a name, a value or a short phrase and nothing else. You are not asked to justify the answer, show how you reached it or put it in context. The answer itself is what earns the mark.
Keep it short and keep it exact
Write a phrase or a single sentence. A longer answer spends time that the paper has allocated to other questions. Precision matters more than length: use the exact term, or the exact value with its units. A vague answer that points in the right direction is weaker than a short answer that is exactly right.
Give one answer when one is asked
If the question asks for one thing, give one thing. Offering a list of alternatives in the hope that one fits can void an answer that would otherwise have been correct. Decide on your answer, write it clearly, and stop.
Use state questions to win time
Because state questions need so little writing, they are where you can gain time for the longer command terms later in the paper. Answer them quickly and accurately, then spend the saved time on the questions that need developed reasoning.
Where it appears
Biology
In biology, a state question wants the correct term or a short phrase, such as the name of a structure or process. Skip the explanation of how it works; it earns nothing here.
Biology tutoringChemistry
In chemistry, state usually means writing the exact name, value or short phrase asked for, with units where a value is involved. Leave out the reasoning and any working around it.
Chemistry tutoringPhysics
In physics, give the specific value with its units, or the exact term, and stop there. A bare value without units is not precise enough, and extra explanation is wasted time.
Physics tutoringMathematics AA
In mathematics AA, state means writing down the required value or result directly. No calculation or explanation is wanted around it, so give the answer exactly and move on.
Mathematics AA tutoringCommon mistakes
- Explaining the answer when the question only asks you to state it.
- Writing a long paragraph where a phrase or one sentence is enough.
- Giving a value without its units, or an approximate term instead of the exact one.
- Listing several alternatives when one answer is asked for, which can lose a mark you had earned.
- Spending time on state questions that you should be saving for longer command terms.
Frequently asked questions
- What does state mean in IB exams?
- State means give a specific name, value or other brief answer, without any explanation or calculation around it. The answer should be short and exact, with units if it is a value.
- How long should an answer to a state question be?
- A phrase or a single sentence is enough. Anything longer takes time the paper has allocated to other questions and does not earn extra credit.
- Should I show working in a state question?
- No. State asks for the answer without calculation or explanation around it. Write the exact name or value and move on.
- Can I give two possible answers to be safe?
- Avoid it. When one answer is asked for, hedging with a list of alternatives can void an otherwise correct mark. Commit to the one answer you think is right.
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