IGCSE Business Studies (0986) — real past-paper questions, marked by AI
IGCSE Business Studies (0986) runs the same case-based course as 0450 on the 9-1 grade scale: a named business, real figures, and command words that escalate from define and outline through to analyse, justify and recommend. Both papers mix short-answer and data questions, sat in two variants a session, and the mark scheme rewards answers that reason from the specific business in the case rather than restating a general theory.
This hub holds 224 real 0986 questions from 16 papers set between 2023 and 2025. Business activity leads the topic table with 16 questions, with people in business and finance each contributing 10, and marketing and the external environment recurring too — a clear guide to where revision time pays off. Type a full recommend or justify answer and the AI examiner marks it instantly against the real Cambridge scheme, flagging the moment an answer stops applying the case and starts generalising.
Sweep one topic across several sessions, then sit a full timed variant to test your pacing on the data questions. It is free, with no signup required.
Past papers by year
2025
| Paper | Session | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 11 | May–June 2025 | 4 |
| Paper 12 | May–June 2025 | 4 |
| Paper 21 | May–June 2025 | 4 |
| Paper 22 | May–June 2025 | 4 |
2024
| Paper | Session | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 11 | May–June 2024 | 4 |
| Paper 12 | May–June 2024 | 4 |
| Paper 21 | May–June 2024 | 4 |
| Paper 22 | May–June 2024 | 4 |
| Paper 11 | October–November 2024 | 4 |
| Paper 21 | October–November 2024 | 4 |
2023
| Paper | Session | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 11 | May–June 2023 | 4 |
| Paper 12 | May–June 2023 | 4 |
| Paper 21 | May–June 2023 | 4 |
| Paper 22 | May–June 2023 | 4 |
| Paper 11 | October–November 2023 | 4 |
| Paper 21 | October–November 2023 | 4 |
Practise IGCSE Business Studies by topic
- Understanding business activity (21 questions)
- People in business (13 questions)
- Financial information and decisions (12 questions)
- Marketing (7 questions)
- External influences on business activity (7 questions)
Frequently asked questions
Which 0986 papers and years are covered?
Every May–June and October–November session from 2023 to 2025 — 16 papers across Paper 1 and Paper 2, in variants 11, 12, 21 and 22.
How does the AI marking work for business answers?
You type your full answer and the AI examiner checks it against the official mark scheme point by point, exactly as it does for every question here. For analyse, justify and recommend questions, it tells you whether the reasoning used the case detail or stayed generic.
Is it really free?
Yes — every 0986 question, its mark scheme and the AI marking are free, with no signup and no card required.
Is 0986 the same as 0450?
0986 is the 9-1 graded version of IGCSE Business Studies (0450), with the same course content and exam style — Cambridge just reports the grade differently. This hub treats 0986 as its own page, separate from 0450.
How should I revise business studies with past papers?
Work topic by topic first — business activity, people in business, finance — using the hub's tags, then move to full timed papers so you practise the case-reading under time pressure.
Are these official Cambridge papers?
The questions are transcribed from real Cambridge papers and marked against the real mark schemes, which remain © Cambridge International. Cambridge Papers is an independent study tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge.