A-Level Business · Exam Technique
FREE
Command Words
Decoded
The nine command words A-Level Business students must master, with AO mapping, examiner expectations, common mark-losses, and a worked example for every word.
Page 2
The Four AOs
Knowledge · Application · Analysis · Evaluation
Pages 3–4
Low + Mid-Mark Commands
Calculate · Explain · Analyse · Assess · Discuss
Pages 5–6
High-Mark Commands
Evaluate · Justify · Recommend · To what extent
Page 7
The 5 Mark-Loss Patterns
From senior examiner reports
Page 8
Worked comparison + practice
Greggs prompt × 4 commands + 9 practice tasks
Mapped to
AQA 7132 · Edexcel 9BS0 · OCR H431
All three exam boards
The Business School
thebusiness.school
The Four AOs — the foundation under every command word
Every Business answer is marked against four Assessment Objectives. Each command word tells you which AOs to prioritise.
AQA 7132: AO1 / AO2 / AO3 / AO4 used
Edexcel 9BS0: same four AOs
OCR H431: same four AOs
AO1
Knowledge
What it tests: definitions and theory. Can you recall the relevant Business concept correctly? Lower-mark questions weight this most.
e.g. "Price elasticity of demand measures how sensitive consumer demand is to a change in price."
AO2
Application
What it tests: linking theory to the case. Use specific facts, figures or context from the question. Quoting the case is what unlocks AO2.
e.g. "Greggs reported a 7% fall in like-for-like sales — likely demand for £2.80 sausage rolls is more elastic at this price point than expected."
AO3
Analysis
What it tests: chains of reasoning. Use connectives — "this means", "which leads to", "as a result". Two strong chains beat four shallow points.
e.g. "Falling demand reduces revenue, which lowers gross margin, which means Greggs may need to cut variable costs or accept reduced operating profit."
AO4
Evaluation
What it tests: judgement. Weigh both sides, decide, justify. Top-band evaluation is decisive — examiners reward "it depends, but in this case..." commitments.
e.g. "The 6% price rise is unlikely to protect margin overall — Greggs's value positioning means even loyal customers may trade down to Tesco bakery aisle."
Which AOs each command word targets
| Command word | Dominant AO | What this means in practice |
|---|
| Calculate | AO1 + AO2 | Show the formula, apply the numbers, give the answer with units. |
| Explain | AO1 + AO2 | State the point, develop it, link to the case. |
| Analyse | AO3 | Build chains of reasoning. No judgement required. |
| Assess / Discuss | AO3 + AO4 (light) | Both sides briefly, then judge which factor matters most. |
| Evaluate / Justify / Recommend / To what extent | AO4 dominant | Full both-sides argument, strong judgement, defended with evidence. |
The Business School · Command Words Decoded
02 / 08
Low-Mark Commands · Calculate & Explain
Questions worth 2–6 marks. AO1 + AO2 dominant. Speed matters — these should take 2–7 minutes.
Typical mark range: 2–6
Time: 1 minute per mark
Common in: AQA Section A, Edexcel Paper 1, OCR Section A
Calculate
AO1 + AO2 · 2–6 marks · ~2–6 min
Produce a numerical answer. Always show the formula and workings — method marks are awarded even if the final figure is wrong. Round only at the final step.
Structure: Formula stated → values substituted → calculation → final answer with units
Worked Example · Greggs
Greggs reports revenue of £1,800m and gross profit of £612m. Calculate the gross profit margin. (2 marks)
Gross profit margin = (Gross profit ÷ Revenue) × 100
= (£612m ÷ £1,800m) × 100
= 34.0%
Common error: students give a number without units (£, %, units, days). Examiners cannot award the mark for an undefined figure. Always state units.
Explain
AO1 + AO2 · 3–6 marks · ~3–7 min
State a point AND develop it. The structure is What → Why → So what. Apply to the case context — do not just define terms in isolation.
Structure: Point (AO1) → Develop with reasoning → Link to specific case (AO2)
Worked Example · M&S cyber-attack
Explain one reason why a cyber-attack on M&S's customer database could damage the business in the short term. (3 marks)
Customer trust in M&S would fall (AO1) → trust is essential to repeat purchase, and a data breach signals weak control (AO2 reasoning) → in the short term, M&S would likely see a drop in online orders as customers switch to John Lewis or Next where they feel data is safer (AO2 case-applied).
Common error: students stop at the definition (AO1) and never link to the case (AO2) — losing half the marks on a 4-mark question. Always link explicitly to the named business.
The Business School · Command Words Decoded
03 / 08
Mid-Mark Commands · Analyse, Assess, Discuss
Questions worth 6–16 marks. AO3 dominant for Analyse; AO3 + AO4 for Assess and Discuss.
Typical mark range: 6–16
Time: 7–18 minutes
Plan first. 2 minutes planning saves 5 minutes of confused writing.
Analyse
AO3 dominant · 6–12 marks · ~7–14 min
Break down a chain of reasoning. Use connectives — "this means that...", "as a result...", "which leads to...". Two well-developed chains beat four shallow bullet points.
Structure: Cause → effect 1 → effect 2 → effect 3 (consequence for the business)
Worked Example · JD Sports
Analyse how Nike going direct-to-consumer (DTC) might affect JD Sports's gross margin. (9 marks)
Nike DTC means Nike sells directly via its own stores and website, bypassing wholesalers like JD Sports. This means JD Sports loses access to exclusive Nike releases and bulk-discount pricing → which leads to lower revenue per Nike SKU and weaker negotiating power → as a result, JD Sports's gross margin on Nike products falls because they cannot maintain the previous markup → this means JD Sports must either find non-Nike brands to fill the gap or accept a structural decline in profitability on its largest supplier line.
Common error: students write a list of effects without explaining the connection between them. Examiners reward logical chains, not bullet points. Use connectives explicitly.
Assess
AO3 + AO4 · 10–16 marks · ~12–18 min
Weigh up factors and reach a judgement. Different from Analyse: you must state which factor matters most, and why, given the case context.
Structure: Both sides briefly + one-line judgement at the end stating which factor dominates and why
Common error: students give a balanced analysis and forget to judge. "It depends" is fine only if you state what it depends on, then commit.
Discuss
AO3 + AO4 · 8–16 marks · ~10–18 min
Present multiple sides of an argument. Always give counter-arguments. Reach a judgement at the end about which side is stronger and why.
Structure: For (2 points developed) + Against (2 points developed) + Judgement on which side wins
Common error: students give only one side, treating "discuss" as "explain". A discussion without a counter-argument cannot reach top bands.
The Business School · Command Words Decoded
04 / 08
High-Mark Commands · Evaluate & Justify
Questions worth 12–20 marks. AO4 dominant. These separate Grade B from Grade A*.
Typical mark range: 12–20
Time: 14–22 minutes
The judgement is everything. Commit decisively.
Evaluate
AO4 dominant · 12–20 marks · ~14–22 min
Weigh both sides and commit to a judgement backed by evidence from the case. Use the structure: arguments for → arguments against → judgement that decides.
Structure: Intro stating direction → 2 FOR arguments developed → 2 AGAINST arguments developed → decisive judgement with "it depends on X, and here X is..."
Worked Example · Boohoo restructuring (16 marks)
Evaluate Boohoo's decision to split its brands into separate operating companies. (16 marks)
FOR: Brand split allows each label (Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing, Karen Millen) to target distinct audiences without dilution → enables more focused marketing → improves operating margin per brand.
AGAINST: Splitting creates duplication of overheads (HR, IT, finance) → loses economies of scale → working capital strain in the short term.
Judgement: The split is justified only if Boohoo can monetise the brand-specific marketing within 18 months. Given current fast-fashion fatigue and ESG pressure, this is uncertain. On balance, the cost of duplication likely outweighs the focus benefit for the next 24 months — the split looks more defensive than strategic.
Common error: sitting on the fence with "it could go either way". Examiners reward decisive judgements with supporting reasoning. Decide. Then defend.
Justify
AO4 dominant · 10–16 marks · ~12–18 min
You are given a decision and must defend it. Acknowledge the opposing view briefly (about 30% of your answer), then explain why the given choice is right given case context (about 70%).
Structure: Brief acknowledgement of counter (1 paragraph) + Defence of given decision (2–3 developed paragraphs) + Summary that re-states why the chosen side wins
Common error: students treat "justify" as "evaluate" and argue both sides equally. Justify means defend — give the chosen side ~70% of the answer.
The Business School · Command Words Decoded
05 / 08
High-Mark Commands · Recommend & To What Extent
Questions worth 12–25 marks. AO4 dominant. These reward commitment and calibrated judgement.
Typical mark range: 12–25
Time: 14–28 minutes
Most common A-Level Business question type in Paper 3 / Theme 3 / Unit 3
Recommend
AO4 dominant · 12–20 marks · ~14–22 min
Make one clear recommendation and defend it. Often appears as "Recommend whether [firm] should..." — your answer must give one recommendation, not options.
Structure: State your recommendation upfront → defend with 2–3 reasons → acknowledge the biggest risk + how to mitigate it → re-state recommendation
Worked Example · Wetherspoon (16 marks)
Recommend whether Wetherspoon should raise its core pint price by 8% to protect operating margin. (16 marks)
Recommendation: Wetherspoon should not raise the core pint price by 8%.
Reason 1: Wetherspoon's brand promise is value — an 8% rise breaks the £2.65 mental price anchor that drives footfall.
Reason 2: Demand for budget pubs is highly price-elastic; a 7%+ rise typically reduces volume by 15%+, more than offsetting margin gain.
Reason 3: The threat is real (rising wage and energy costs) but better addressed through menu engineering and food upsell.
Risk acknowledged: if competitors all raise prices by 5–8%, Wetherspoon's relative position improves and the risk shrinks. But independent action invites disproportionate volume loss.
Restated: Hold prices, find margin elsewhere.
Common error: giving conditional recommendations ("if X, then A; if Y, then B"). Pick one. Defend it. Examiners reward commitment, not equivocation.
To what extent
AO4 dominant · 16–25 marks · ~18–28 min
Calibrate. Your judgement should specify how much: "largely yes, but for two reasons not entirely..." or "only partially, because..." Show the spectrum, not the binary.
Structure: Position upfront ("To a large/limited/significant extent...") → arguments supporting that calibration → arguments qualifying it → re-stated calibrated judgement
Common error: students give a binary yes/no, ignoring the "to what extent" calibration. Top-band answers quantify or qualify their judgement — "to a large extent because X and Y, but limited by Z".
The Business School · Command Words Decoded
06 / 08
The 5 Mark-Loss Patterns — From Senior Examiner Reports
These are the five recurring patterns that cap A-Level Business answers at lower levels. Run through them before a mock.
Source: Patterns synthesised from AQA, Edexcel and OCR senior examiner reports
Frequency: Each occurs in 30%+ of mid-band answers
01Defining without applying
Students write a textbook definition (AO1) but never connect it to the specific business in the case. The definition is correct but worth only 1–2 of the available marks.
Fix: After every definition sentence, write "In the case of [Business Name], this means..." — that single sentence unlocks AO2 marks.
02Listing instead of chaining
Students write three short points instead of one fully developed argument. The marker sees breadth but no depth, which caps Analyse questions at Level 2.
Fix: Use connectives — "this means", "which leads to", "as a result", "consequently". Two chained paragraphs beat six bullet points every time.
03Weak or absent counter-argument
In Discuss / Evaluate / To what extent questions, students give only one side or include a "fake" counter that is too weak to be a real counter. Examiners spot straw-man arguments immediately.
Fix: Make sure the counter-argument is genuinely the strongest opposing case. If you cannot defeat it without effort, you have not understood the question.
04Judgement that doesn't decide
"It depends on a number of factors" with no commitment. This is the single biggest reason A-grade students lose A*. The marker sees indecision and caps AO4.
Fix: Always finish with "It depends on X. In this case, X is [present/absent], so the answer is [Y]." Commit. Defend. Move on.
05Time mismanagement on the long question
Students spend 35 minutes on a 12-mark Analyse and rush a 20-mark Evaluate in 8 minutes. The Evaluate is worth more, but the rushed answer earns less because the judgement is undeveloped.
Fix: One minute per mark. Plan all answers before starting any. A two-minute plan on a 20-mark question is the highest-ROI activity in the whole paper.
The Business School · Command Words Decoded
07 / 08
The Same Prompt, Four Commands · Practice Tasks · Quick Reference
How your response changes by command word, plus 9 practice prompts (one per word) for revision.
Worked comparison — Greggs price-rise scenario
Greggs reports revenue of £1.8bn, gross profit margin 34%, and falling footfall in city-centre stores. The board is considering raising prices by 6%.
| Command word | What your answer should do |
|---|
| Explain the impact | Describe what would happen with reasoning. Apply elasticity briefly. Stay descriptive. 2 short paragraphs. |
| Analyse the impact | Build chains of reasoning. Lower demand → lower volume → effect on margin depends on elasticity. Two chains, no judgement. |
| Assess the price rise | Both sides briefly. Commit: "Raising prices 6% is unlikely to protect margin overall given Greggs's value positioning and current footfall decline." |
| Evaluate the price rise | Both sides at length. Strong judgement with case evidence. Acknowledge "it depends on competitor pricing and footfall recovery" — then decide. |
Practice prompts — one for every command word
Calculate
M&S reports £10.4bn revenue and £750m operating profit. Calculate the operating profit margin.
2 marks · ~2 min
Explain
Explain one reason JD Sports might lose market share if Nike continues its DTC strategy.
4 marks · ~4 min
Analyse
Analyse how a 12-month delay in Costa Coffee's London relaunch could affect Coca-Cola's beverages portfolio.
9 marks · ~9 min
Assess
Assess whether BrewDog should accept the £350m buyout offer from a US private equity firm.
12 marks · ~12 min
Discuss
Discuss the impact of remote-working on the John Lewis Partnership's department store footprint.
12 marks · ~12 min
Evaluate
Evaluate Shein's decision to pursue a London IPO rather than New York.
16 marks · ~16 min
Justify
Justify Wetherspoon's strategy of holding pint prices below £3 across all sites.
12 marks · ~12 min
Recommend
Recommend whether Boohoo should re-merge its brand portfolio into a single operating company.
16 marks · ~16 min
To what extent
To what extent is the M&S brand recovery driven by leadership change rather than store-level operational improvements?
20 marks · ~20 min
The Business School · Command Words Decoded
08 / 08