How IGCSE Physical Science (0652) is really marked
In our bank, IGCSE Physical Science spans twelve papers (11, 12, 21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 61, 62), covering both the written theory papers and the practical/alternative-to-practical papers. Marking is dominated by points: 651 questions in our bank award marks for specific creditable answers, against 52 calculation questions concentrated in the theory papers (41 and 42 alone account for 32 of them) and in the higher-mark chemistry and physics questions on papers 31/32.
The practical papers (51, 52, 61, 62) are almost entirely points-marked too, but the points being tested are procedural — correct circuit symbols, correctly labelled axes, sensible processing of results — rather than recalled facts. A method that is scientifically sound but presented imprecisely (missing a unit, an unlabelled diagram, a line forced through the origin) loses the mark for that specific point even though the underlying idea was right.
Because the subject blends recall-style points questions with calculation questions that need full working, the two skills this paper rewards are precise use of scientific vocabulary (the exact term the mark scheme wants, not a near-synonym) and disciplined, fully-shown method in every calculation.
Where candidates actually lose marks
- Confusing two similar-sounding scientific terms — for example writing 'moment' when 'momentum' was meant, which the mark scheme treats as a different quantity altogether. (try the question)
- Defining a term without including the specific detail the mark scheme requires — for example describing melting point without stating it is a temperature, or using 'dissolve' to describe a solid turning to liquid when that word is reserved for a different process. (try the question)
- Naming a heat-transfer method that isn't one of the three creditable options, or defaulting to radiation when conduction or convection was the correct mechanism for the situation described. (try the question)
- In practical questions, drawing circuit meters the wrong way round (voltmeters in series, ammeters in parallel), omitting the measuring instrument needed for a stated variable, or processing results only vaguely rather than showing the calculation. (try the question)
- Naming a product of a reaction without meeting the condition stated in the question — for example suggesting carbon monoxide when the question specifies complete combustion, or omitting oxygen-containing products that complete combustion produces. (try the question)
- Giving an overly general answer for a raw material where a more specific one was required, or the reverse — for example giving 'oil' alone rather than one of the accepted specific sources. (try the question)
- In graph-based questions, forcing a best-fit line through the origin when the data doesn't support it, or drawing two separate lines through the same data set so that neither can be credited. (try the question)
- Giving observations in the wrong order relative to what happens, or describing the products of a reaction instead of what was actually observed happening. (try the question)
- Reading a protractor and giving its complement rather than the angle actually asked for, or placing locating pins too close together in a way that reduces the accuracy of a constructed point. (try the question)
- Repeating a measurement without averaging the repeats, when the mark scheme credits the averaging step itself rather than just having more than one reading. (try the question)
Command words in IGCSE Physical Science
| Command word | Times in our bank | What it demands |
|---|---|---|
| Identify | 267 | The most common command word by far — asks you to pick out or name the correct substance, component or feature, usually from data, a diagram or a described scenario. |
| State | 122 | Wants a brief, precise fact or definition with no supporting reasoning — the exact wording matters more than length. |
| Calculate | 62 | Needs a numerical answer with the method shown; in this subject's calculations, method marks are available even when a final figure is wrong. |
| Explain | 57 | Requires you to give the reason or mechanism behind an observation, connecting a cause to its effect rather than just describing what happens. |
| Describe | 55 | Asks for the sequence of what happens or what is observed, in the correct order — often used for practical procedures or physical changes. |
| Draw | 42 | Used for graphs, circuit diagrams and apparatus sketches — precision of the drawing itself (correct symbols, axes, line of best fit) is what earns the mark. |
| Find | 37 | A calculation-style command asking for a specific value to be obtained from given data or a graph, with working expected. |
| Suggest | 34 | Allows for a reasoned answer that isn't a single fixed 'correct' response — used where more than one scientifically sound answer could be credited. |
How to revise with past papers
Because this subject runs across so many paper variants — theory, alternative-to-practical and practical — the most useful past-paper habit is to practise across all the styles you'll actually sit, not just the written theory papers. Practical-style questions test a distinct skill (precise measurement, graph drawing, sensible processing of results) that theory revision alone won't build.
In every calculation, write out your method in full even when you're confident of the answer. This subject's mark schemes credit correct working, so a fully shown method protects marks even if you make an arithmetic slip at the final step, while an unsupported final answer risks losing everything if it's wrong.
Keep a running list of terms you mix up as you mark your own practice papers — moment versus momentum, dissolve versus melt, and similar pairs recur. In a subject marked heavily on precise points, the discipline of using the exact term the mark scheme wants is worth more revision time than it might seem.
Practise real 0652 questions with AI marking →FAQs
How much of this subject is calculation-based?
In our bank, 52 of the questions across all twelve papers are calculation-based, against 651 points-marked questions — so most marks come from precise recall and description rather than numerical work, though the calculation questions still matter.
Do the practical papers test different skills from the theory papers?
Yes. The practical and alternative-to-practical papers (31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 61, 62) are still mostly points-marked, but the points reward procedural accuracy — correct apparatus, labelled graphs, sound processing of results — rather than recalled facts.
What's the most frequent command word to prepare for?
Identify, used 267 times in our bank — more than double the next most frequent command word, State (122 uses).
Are there any level-marked or extended-writing questions?
No — in our bank every question in this subject is either points-marked or calculation-marked; there are no pure-levels or points-with-levels questions.