Cognitive Verbs

Introduction

Cognitive verbs are, put simply, mind skills. To be a successful student it is important to understand the meaning of, and know how to perform, the various cognitive verbs that appear in tasks, assignments and exams. However, simply knowing what the words mean and how to perform them is not always enough. Sometimes prompts take the form of questions, requiring students deduce which skill is required to respond appropriately.

Marzano and Kendall's Cognitive Processes

The following arrangement of cognitive verbs is according to Marzano and Kendall's Cognitive Processes.

Retrieval (who, what, when)

defining
demonstrating
executing
identifying
naming
recalling
recognising
retrieving
selecting
stating
using

Comprehension (why, how)

clarifying
communicating
comprehending
describing
explaining
illustrating
integrating
modeling
representing
summarising
symbolising
understanding

Analysis

analysing
applying
categorising
classifying
comparing
connecting
considering
contrasting
critiquing
differentiating
discriminating
distinguishing
examining
generalising
identifying
inferring
interpreting
judging
matching
reflecting
specifying

Knowledge Utilisation

creating
conducting
deciding
decision-making
determining
developing
discussing
elaborating
evaluating
experimenting
investigating
justifying
problem-solving
predicting
proposing
solving
synthesising

Bloom's Taxonomy Verbs

The following arrangement of cognitive verbs is according to Bloom's Taxonomy.

Know

Questions: Where? When? Who? What?

Cognitive Verbs:

Defining
Identifying
Describing
Recognising
Telling
Selecting
Searching
Outlining
Memorising
Quoting
Listening
Finding

Understand

Questions: Why? How?

Cognitive Verbs:

Summarising
Interpreting
Classifying
Comparing
Contrasting
Inferring
Relating
Extracting
Paraphrasing
Citing
Annotating
Gathering
Extending

Apply

Questions: How is it used? How does it work?

Cognitive Verbs:

Solving
Changing
Relating
Completing
Linking
Using
Sketching
Teaching
Articulating
Discovering
Transferring
Choosing
Determing

Analyse

Questions: Why does it work? Why is it used? What does it mean/infer/suggest? What would happen? How could/would? What is the cause/connection/reason/relationship/influence?

Cognitive Verbs:

Contrasting
Connecting
Relating
Devising
Correlating
Calculating
Illustrating
Structuring
Concluding
Categorising
Dissecting
Organising
Explaining
Synthesising

Evaluate

Questions: What is the effect/impact/outcome/result? What if? What could happen? How may/might/will? Which one? What is your opinion/perspective? What do you believe/feel/think?

Cognitive Verbs:

Criticising
Reframing
Judging
Defending
Appraising
Valuing
Prioritising
Reflecting
Grading
Experimenting
Reviewing
Debating
Hypothesising

Create

Questions: What can you build/create/design? What can you do? What could you invent? How could you innovate?

Cognitive Verbs:

Designing
Modifying
Role-Playing
Developing
Rewriting
Pivoting
Collaborating
Inventing
Adapting
Negotiating
Animating
Composing

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