Learning Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify the purpose of an assignment.
- Recognize important instruction words (task verbs).
- Break complex assignment instructions into smaller steps.
- Create a plan before beginning an assignment.
Why This Skill Matters
One of the easiest ways to lose marks is to misunderstand the assignment.
Many students read only the first sentence and immediately begin working. However, successful ENG2D students slow down, carefully read the instructions, and make sure they understand exactly what their teacher expects.
Before you start any assignment, ask yourself:
- What am I being asked to do?
- What skills am I expected to demonstrate?
- How will my work be assessed?
Taking five minutes to understand the instructions can save hours of frustration later.
4 Steps to Follow
Read the entire assignment at least twice.
First Reading
- Get a general understanding of the task.
Second Reading
- Highlight important information.
- Circle task verbs.
- Underline due dates, formatting requirements, or special instructions.
The task verb tells you what kind of thinking your teacher expects.
Here are some common ENG2D task verbs.
| Task Verb | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Identify | Name or recognize something. |
| Describe | Explain what something is like. |
| Summarize | Explain the main ideas briefly. |
| Explain | Tell how or why something happens. |
| Analyze | Break an idea into parts and explain how they work together. |
| Compare | Show similarities between two ideas. |
| Contrast | Show differences between two ideas. |
| Evaluate | Judge the strengths or weaknesses using evidence. |
| Support | Use quotations or examples to prove your ideas. |
| Justify | Explain why your opinion is reasonable using evidence. |
Look for important details such as:
- Which text are you using?
- How many examples are required?
- Do you need quotations?
- Is there a word count?
- Is MLA formatting required?
- When is the assignment due?
These details often appear in different parts of the instructions, so read carefully.
Instead of thinking about one large assignment, break it into smaller tasks.
Example Assignment
Analyze how the author develops the theme of courage in the short story. Support your response with at least two quotations from the text.
Now break it apart.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is my task? | Analyze |
| What am I analyzing? | The theme of courage |
| Which text? | The short story |
| What evidence is required? | At least two quotations |
| What must I explain? | How the author develops the theme |
Now the assignment feels much more manageable.
Guided Example
Assignment
Compare the two main characters and explain how each responds to conflict. Use evidence from the text to support your ideas.
Let's identify the important parts.
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Compare | Find similarities between the characters. |
| Two main characters | Focus on both characters. |
| Explain | Tell how and why they respond differently or similarly. |
| Conflict | Look for problems or challenges in the story. |
| Evidence | Include quotations or examples from the text. |
A student who skips this step might only describe one character or forget to include quotations, resulting in a lower mark.
Common Mistakes
Many students make one or more of these mistakes.
Reading only the first sentence.
Ignoring the task verb.
Forgetting to include evidence.
Writing about the story instead of answering the question.
Starting to write before making a plan.
Practice Activity
Read the assignment below.
Explain how the setting influences the mood of the story. Support your answer with two specific examples from the text.
Complete the planning chart.
| Question | Your Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the task verb? | __________________ |
| What should you explain? | __________________ |
| What literary element should you discuss? | __________________ |
| How many examples are required? | __________________ |
| What evidence will you use? | __________________ |
Challenge Activity
Read this assignment.
Evaluate whether the main character made the right decision at the end of the story. Use evidence from the text to justify your opinion.
Before writing, answer these questions.
- What does evaluate mean?
- What does justify mean?
- Does the teacher want only your opinion?
- What kind of evidence will make your answer stronger?
Assignment Checklist
Before beginning any ENG2D assignment, ask yourself:
☐ Have I read the instructions twice?
☐ Do I understand the task verb?
☐ Do I know which text I am using?
☐ Do I know how many examples or quotations are required?
☐ Do I understand how my work will be assessed?
☐ Do I have a plan before I start writing?
Apply It to Your ENG2D Course
If you are currently taking ENG2D
Choose one of your current assignments.
Using today's lesson:
- Highlight the task verb.
- Underline the important requirements.
- List the evidence you will need.
- Write a one-sentence summary of what the assignment is asking you to do.
If you are preparing for ENG2D
Use the sample assignment below.
Analyze how a character changes throughout a story of your choice. Support your ideas with two examples.
Complete the Assignment Planning Chart before you begin writing.
Key Takeaways
Before moving to the next lesson, remember these important ideas:
- Always read assignment instructions at least twice.
- Find the task verb first—it tells you what kind of thinking is expected.
- Highlight key requirements such as the text, evidence, formatting, and due date.
- Break large assignments into smaller questions to make them easier to understand.
- Planning before writing helps you stay focused and meet all the assignment requirements.