How IGCSE Physics (9-1) (0972) is really marked
IGCSE Physics (9-1) 0972 covers eleven papers, and the marking style splits clearly by paper type. Multiple-choice papers 11-12 and 21-22 are entirely point-marked. The structured theory papers (31-32, 41-42) carry a substantial calculation load alongside points — paper 31 alone has 56 calculation questions against 136 points in our bank — because these papers test quantitative physics directly: forces, energy, circuits, waves, all requiring a numerical answer with method shown.
Overall, our bank shows 1,326 point-marked questions against 212 calculation-marked ones, so points still dominate numerically, but the calculation questions carry real weight on the papers where they appear, and method marks matter: correct working can earn credit even when the final numerical answer is wrong, so showing each step of a calculation is not optional extra effort but a direct route to partial credit.
The practical paper (51) and alternative-to-practical papers (61-62) are almost entirely points, testing whether you can record results with correct units, use apparatus correctly, and draw a valid conclusion from given data — a different, and separately practisable, skill from the calculation-heavy theory papers.
Command words in IGCSE Physics
| Command word | Times in our bank | What it demands |
|---|---|---|
| Identify | 500 | The most frequent command word — requires selecting or naming the correct item, quantity, or feature specified in the mark scheme. |
| Calculate | 325 | Needs a correct final value with units and clear method, since method marks are available even if the final answer is wrong. |
| State | 158 | Wants a brief, precise fact, definition, or value given with no further development. |
| Explain | 101 | Requires reasoning that connects a physical cause to its effect, not just naming the phenomenon involved. |
| Describe | 97 | Needs an accurate account of a pattern, process or observation using correct physics terminology. |
| Draw | 59 | Used for diagrams, circuits and graphs, where correct symbols, scale and construction are marked alongside overall accuracy. |
| Determine | 50 | Asks you to work out a value using data or a graph given in the question, showing how you arrived at it. |
| Suggest | 45 | Requires applying physics knowledge to a scenario or data you have not seen before, rather than recalling a fixed answer. |
How to revise with past papers
Because calculation questions are concentrated on specific papers (31-32 and 41-42 carry far more than the multiple-choice or practical papers), practise those paper types with a deliberate focus on setting out method fully — units at every step, the correct equation stated before substitution — since method marks are how you protect your score when arithmetic slips happen under time pressure.
For the point-marked papers, treat past-paper review as a vocabulary check as much as a content check: compare your wording against the mark scheme's accepted answers line by line, since a physically correct idea expressed with the wrong specific term will not always be credited.
Practise the practical and alternative-to-practical questions as their own category, separate from calculation revision, since they test a distinct set of habits — correct units on recorded results, correctly named apparatus, valid conclusions drawn only from the data actually given.
Practise real 0972 questions with AI marking →FAQs
Is this subject mostly calculation or mostly recall?
Recall-based points still make up the majority of questions overall (1,326 of 1,538 in our bank), but calculation is concentrated heavily on papers 31-32 and 41-42, where it accounts for a large share of the marks on those specific papers.
Do I get credit for a calculation if my final answer is wrong?
Yes, in principle — this subject uses calculation marking where method marks are available for correct working, so showing each step of your calculation protects your score even if the final figure is wrong.
Which command words matter most?
Identify and Calculate are by far the most frequent, reflecting the mix of recall-based multiple-choice content and the calculation-heavy structured papers.
Are the practical papers marked differently from the theory papers?
Yes — the practical paper (51) and alternative-to-practical papers (61-62) are almost entirely points-based, testing recording, apparatus use and valid conclusions rather than calculation.