Knowing an answer and explaining an answer are different skills.
A student may know why a plant wilts, why a character is anxious or why a method works. But if the explanation does not show the relationship between ideas, the listener still has to do the missing work.
Explanation vocabulary makes relationships visible: cause, sequence, definition, example, contrast and consequence.
This Academic English article develops the reasoning vocabulary around the protected Top 100 Vocabulary List for Primary 5 (AL1 Grade) Advanced.
Six jobs of explanation
| Job | Useful language |
|---|---|
| define | means, refers to, can be described as |
| cause | because, due to, contributes to, leads to |
| sequence | first, next, subsequently, eventually |
| example | for example, for instance, such as |
| clarify | in other words, specifically, this means |
| consequence | therefore, as a result, consequently |
A definition is not always an explanation
“Evaporation is the change from liquid to gas” defines. “Evaporation increases when particles at the surface gain enough energy to escape into the air” begins to explain.
The because test
If a student gives an answer and cannot complete “because…”, the explanation may be missing a relationship. But “because” alone is not enough; the reason must actually connect.
Examples should clarify, not replace explanation
“A renewable resource is replenished naturally. For example, sunlight is continuously available as an energy source.” The example makes the concept concrete. It does not replace the definition.
Academic explanation bank
- this occurs because
- one important factor is
- the process begins when
- this leads to
- in contrast
- for example
- this can be seen in
- the final outcome is
English comprehension
Instead of “He was anxious because he was worried”, explain the clue: “He appears anxious because he repeatedly checks the door and rereads the message, suggesting uncertainty about what will happen next.”
Science explanation
Good Science language often follows condition → process → effect. The student should state what changes, how it changes and what follows.
Mathematics explanation
Mathematics explanations use vocabulary such as therefore, difference, equivalent, pattern, estimate, calculate, verify. Students should explain why a method is valid rather than merely show steps.
Repair clinic
| Weak explanation | Repair |
|---|---|
| It happened because of the cause. | Name the actual mechanism. |
| For example… followed by unrelated story | Use an example that illustrates the exact idea. |
| Therefore used without logical connection | Check that the conclusion follows. |
| Definition repeated twice | Add cause, process or consequence. |
Seven-day explanation workout
| Day | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Turn five definitions into explanations. |
| 2 | Practise condition → process → effect. |
| 3 | Add useful examples. |
| 4 | Explain one comprehension inference. |
| 5 | Explain one Mathematics method. |
| 6 | Give a one-minute Science explanation. |
| 7 | Review and remove sentences that do not clarify. |
Return to the Primary 5 hero and choose ten words. Explain each one through a relationship rather than definition alone.
Maximum-Resolution Explanation: Relationship, Mechanism and Resolution
An explanation succeeds when the reader no longer has to ask the missing “how?” or “why?”. The writer has made the relevant relationship visible at the right level of detail. That means explanation is partly a vocabulary problem and partly a resolution problem: how much mechanism does this audience need?
The Explanation Ladder
| Level | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| label | names the concept | The character is anxious. |
| evidence | shows the clue | He checks the clock repeatedly. |
| relationship | connects clue to concept | Repeated checking suggests uncertainty about what will happen. |
| mechanism | shows how one state produces another | Uncertainty keeps his attention fixed on time and possible outcomes. |
Resolution Should Match the Audience
A younger student may need a concrete example before an abstract definition. A teacher may need the reasoning link, not a long restatement of basics. Strong explanation therefore combines accuracy with receiver awareness.
Mechanism Prevents Circular Explanation
“The plant wilted because it was wilting” explains nothing. “The plant wilted because insufficient water reduced the pressure that helps keep its tissues firm” adds mechanism. In English, “He was nervous because he felt nervous” is circular; behavioural evidence and uncertainty provide the missing relationship.
Explanations Have Stop Rules
More detail is not always better. Stop when the question has been answered at the required level and the important relationship is clear. Over-explaining can bury the central mechanism beneath irrelevant background.
A complete explanation closes the important gap, not every possible gap.
Worked Cross-Subject Explanation
| Subject | Question | Explanation spine |
|---|---|---|
| English | Why is the character reluctant? | clue → interpretation → motive |
| Mathematics | Why does the method work? | known relationship → operation → valid result |
| Science | Why did the outcome change? | condition → process/mechanism → effect |
Explanation Diagnostic
- What exact relationship am I explaining?
- Have I merely renamed the problem?
- What mechanism connects the ideas?
- Does the audience need an example, definition or deeper mechanism?
- Where can I stop without leaving a critical gap?
- Can the explanation survive “How do you know?”
Primary 5 to Primary 6 Transfer
As questions become denser, students who recognise explanation jobs can build answers faster. They know whether the missing piece is evidence, cause, process, comparison or consequence instead of adding unrelated length.
Return to the Primary 5 vocabulary hero. Choose ten concept words and explain each at three resolutions: one sentence for a younger child, one for a classmate, and one for an academic answer.