12 Powerful Words: Words that give you the power to show others what you know.
1. trace: To list in steps. (Example: Trace the history of the development of the airplane
from the Wright Brother’s first flight to modern airplanes. Make a timeline.
2. analyze: To break apart and inspect closely. (Example: Analyze the math problem and
show all your work.)
3. infer: To “read between the lines” or think beyond the text. (Example: You read a
mystery story and figure out the mystery from the clues)
4. evaluate: To judge something. (Example: I evaluated your book report and gave it an A+!)
5. formulate: To create. (Example: Formulate a plan to deal with the huge amount of trash
our school generates.)
6. describe: To tell all about something. (Example: Tell what your desk looks like. Include
lots of details so the reader can form a correct mental picture of the desk in their mind. )
7. support: To back up an answer with details. (Example: If you say that a character in a book is evil,
give reasons to back up your answer)
8. explain: Tell how something happened. (Example: Tell what happened during lunch today
that you got in trouble for)
9. summarize: Give the short version of an event. (Example: Write what the book was
about in a paragraph. Tell only the most important details)
10. compare: To tell all the ways things are alike. (Example: How are cars and trucks the
same?)
11. contrast: To tell all the ways things are different. (Example: How are cars and trucks
different?)
12. predict: To take your best guess on what will happen next. (Example: What will
happen next in the story?)
Developed by Larry Bell.