Some Verbs for Cognitive Objectives

define write underline

state recall select
Knowledge
list recognize reproduce
name label measure
identify illustrate explain
justify represent comprehend
Comprehension
select name compare
indicate formulate classify
predict exemplify construct
select compose compute
Application
assess show use/apply
explain demonstrate perform
analyze select justify
identify separate resolve
Analysis
conclude compare categorize
differentiate contrast criticize
combine argue select
restate discuss relate
Synthesis
summarize organize generalize
outline derive conclude
judge support/ defend identify
evaluate refute avoid
Evaluation
determine attack select
recognize criticize choose
ABCD of Objective Writing

Audience- your learners

Behavior - what you expect the students to perform

Condition- under what circumstances and restrictions

Degree- how much will be accomplished

By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to identify three of the advantages and

disadvantages of living in a city after reading the text on city life.

A- The students

B- identify

C- by the end of the lesson, after reading the text on city life

D- three of the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city.

Acceptable Objectives with their ABCD

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to exemplify at least 5 vocabulary items
C A B D

related to environmental pollution using their own words.

D C

Within 20-minute group work, the students will able to discuss

C A B

the health problems of underdeveloped countries.

D

Given the article "Criminals Everywhere", the students will be able to support
C A B

their ideas to reduce the crime rate in big cities.

D
 Read the Following Problematic Objectives

 Students will understand the meaning of the words.

Under what circumstances and restrictions & How many or which vocabulary items?

Understand/ learn/ be aware of / be familiar with: these are too general to be objectives;

you can use them with goals of the lesson.

 Students will be able to pick out a topic to discuss in class.

This is not an objective but an activity, so it does not show the cognitive process:

Students will be able to decide on their topics in order to prepare a 5-minute presentation

to deliver in class.

 The instructor will explain the effects of fossilization in learners' language.

Not based on the students but the teacher

 Given a list of sentences, the students will underline the adjectives.

This is not an objective, but an activity:

The students will be able to identify the adjectives related to temperature through

scanning a reading text about holidays.