Understanding the question

Welcome, brilliant students! Today, we're talking about something super important for your WASSCE, NECO, UTME, and NABTEB exams: Essay Writing.

Specifically, we're focusing on the very first step, a step many students miss, which can make them lose valuable marks.

It's like when you're going to the market in Lagos to buy fresh tomatoes, but instead, you end up buying onions because you didn't really understand what your mum asked for. Big problem, abi?

That first step is Understanding the Question.

What is 'Understanding the Question'?

Understanding the question is knowing exactly what the examiner wants you to write about. It means you can clearly identify the topic, the scope, and the specific tasks involved in the essay.

It's not enough to just read the question quickly. You need to 'decode' it, like Chidi trying to fix a complicated phone.

Why is it so important?

It prevents you from writing off-topic: If the question asks about the 'causes of youth unemployment' but you write about 'solutions to youth unemployment', you will fail, even if your solutions are brilliant. Your essay is 'off-topic'.

It helps you plan your points: Once you know what to write, you can brainstorm relevant ideas. Aisha won't just start cooking jollof rice without knowing if it's for a small family dinner or a big party.

It ensures you answer all parts: Some questions have multiple parts. You must answer every single part to get full marks.

How to understand the question

Look for Keywords.

Keywords are the most important words or phrases in the question that tell you exactly what to do and what to write about.

Think of them as signposts pointing you in the right direction, like road signs telling Tunde if he's going towards Kano or Port Harcourt.

Types of keywords:

Topic keywords: These tell you the subject matter. For example, in 'Discuss the challenges of farming in rural Nigeria', 'farming' and 'rural Nigeria' are topic keywords.

Instructional keywords (or 'task words'): These tell you what to do with the topic. Examples include 'discuss', 'explain', 'analyse', 'compare', 'evaluate', 'describe'.

Limiting keywords: These narrow down the topic. In 'Discuss the challenges of farming in rural Nigeria', 'in rural Nigeria' limits your discussion. Don't write about farming challenges in urban areas!

Example 1: 'Discuss the major causes of road accidents in your community and suggest solutions.'

Topic: Road accidents.

Instructional: 'Discuss' (causes), 'suggest' (solutions).

Limiting: 'major' (focus on main ones), 'in your community' (use local examples, not just general ones).

Example 2: 'Evaluate the role of social media in promoting youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria.'

Topic: Social media, youth entrepreneurship.

Instructional: 'Evaluate' (weigh the pros and cons, assess importance).

Limiting: 'promoting', 'in Nigeria' (focus on how it *helps* entrepreneurship, and keep it Nigerian context).

Always underline or circle these keywords as you read the question. This simple trick can save your marks!

Practice this, and you'll be writing excellent essays in no time. Keep shining!