Exercise question follows start of term (4)
I believe the answer is:
task
'exercise' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'question follows start of term' is the wordplay.
'question' becomes 'ask'.
'follows' says to put letters next to each other.
'start of' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'term' is 't'.
'ask' put after 't' is 'TASK'.
(Other definitions for task that I've seen before include "Allocate work" , "Arduous bit of work" , "commission" , "Give mission" , "Job of work" .)