All exam insights

0620 · June 2024

Chemistry

Candidates found this to be an accessible paper overall. Candidates found Questions 7, 15, 27 and 37 to have the least challenge.

16 pitfalls133 questions4 takeawaysView official report
Last reviewed: 2026-06-30Paraphrased for study purposes — not an official publication of the exam board.

Cohort performance

Session statistics from official examination reports

No data available in official reports

Key examiner messages

Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise

1

Candidates should read each question carefully so they answer the question being asked.

2

Candidates would benefit from learning the syllabus definitions of chemical terms, processes and qualitative chemical tests in particular.

3

Interpretation of data and the prediction of physical properties using data was generally accurate.

4

Candidates should check they have answered all the questions on the paper, particularly those which require them to add to a diagram or graph and therefore do not have a specific answer line.

Question difficulty map

How candidates performed on each question in this series

0620/11

Multiple Choice (Core)

Weakest: Q12, Q16, Q35, Q40
Q3
Q9
Q10
Q11
Q12
Q16
Q19
Q24
Q28
Q29
Q32
Q34
Q35
Q40
StrongMixedWeak

0620/12

Multiple Choice (Core)

Weakest: Q13, Q16
Q3
Q4
Q8
Q13
Q14
Q16
Q26
Q27
Q30
Q31
Q37
Q39
StrongMixedWeak

0620/13

Multiple Choice (Core)

Weakest: Q3, Q5, Q26
Q3
Q5
Q6
Q7
Q11
Q13
Q20
Q21
Q22
Q23
Q25
Q26
Q39
Q40
StrongMixedWeak

0620/21

Multiple Choice (Extended)

Weakest: Q7, Q10, Q11, Q13, Q16
Q2
Q3
Q7
Q10
Q11
Q12
Q13
Q16
Q24
Q30
Q31
Q35
StrongMixedWeak

0620/22

Multiple Choice (Extended)

Weakest: Q8, Q14
Q5
Q8
Q9
Q10
Q12
Q14
Q21
Q27
Q31
Q40
StrongMixedWeak

0620/23

Multiple Choice (Extended)

Weakest: Q7, Q13, Q19
Q2
Q6
Q7
Q9
Q13
Q18
Q19
Q30
Q35
Q36
Q39
Q40
StrongMixedWeak

0620/31

Theory (Core)

Strongest: Q2, Q4(c)(i), Q5(c), Q7Weakest: Q2(a)(ii), Q2(b), Q3(d)(ii), Q5(b)(ii)
Q1
Q1(a)(i)
Q1(a)(ii)
Q1(a)(iii)
Q1(a)(iv)
Q1(a)(v)
Q1(a)(vi)
Q1(b)
Q2
Q2(a)(i)
Q2(a)(ii)
Q2(b)
Q2(c)
Q2(d)
Q2(e)
Q2(f)
Q2(g)
Q3
Q3(a)
Q3(b)(i)
Q3(b)(ii)
Q3(c)
Q3(d)(i)
Q3(d)(ii)
Q3(d)(iii)
Q4
Q4(a)
Q4(b)(i)
Q4(b)(ii)
Q4(b)(iii)
Q4(c)(i)
Q4(c)(ii)
Q5
Q5(a)
Q5(b)(i)
Q5(b)(ii)
Q5(c)
Q5(d)
Q5(e)
Q6
Q6(a)
Q6(b)
Q6(c)
Q6(d)(i)
Q6(d)(ii)
Q6(e)(i)
Q6(e)(ii)
Q6(f)
Q7
Q7(a)
Q7(b)(i)
Q7(b)(ii)
Q7(b)(iii)
Q7(c)
Q7(d)
Q8
Q8(a)(i)
Q8(a)(ii)
Q8(a)(iii)
StrongMixedWeak

Assessment objectives

Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary

No data available in official reports

Method marks watchlist

Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost

No data available in official reports

Recurring mistakes across years

Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject

No data available in official reports

Question choice intelligence

Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)

No data available in official reports

Level exemplars

What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like

No data available in official reports

Grade & admission context

How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards

No data available in official reports

Deep insights

What top candidates did

Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series

No data available in official reports

Command word playbook

How to match each command word to the expected response style

No data available in official reports

Time traps

Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks

No data available in official reports

Syllabus traceability

Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session

No data available in official reports

MCQ trap analytics

Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary

0620/11 · Q3

Trap: C

Option C was the most commonly chosen, suggesting that candidates recalled the relative charge and location of an electron but not its relative mass.

0620/11 · Q16

Trap: B

Option B was the most commonly chosen incorrect answer where candidates confused the direction of energy transfer.

0620/11 · Q19

Trap: C

Option C was the most commonly chosen option where candidates confused the relative melting points of two different oxides.

0620/11 · Q29

Trap: B

Option B was the most commonly chosen incorrect answer.

0620/13 · Q13

Trap: D

Option D was most commonly chosen.

0620/21 · Q3

Trap: B

Most candidates recognised that the gas with the greater Mr would take longer to travel down the tube.

0620/21 · Q10

Trap: B

To calculate 32.2%, candidates did not make any attempt to use the equation or the moles of reactants and products or to use a simple ratio.

0620/21 · Q31

Trap: B

Some candidates confused the role of zinc in sacrificial corrosion and assumed it promoted rusting rather than protected the iron.

0620/21 · Q35

Trap: B

Option B was the most commonly chosen option overall.

0620/22 · Q8

Trap: B

Few chose options C or D whereas option B was most commonly chosen, suggesting some confusion about the term ‘empirical formula’ compared with ‘molecular formula’.

Topic heatmap across years

Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject

Mark intensity

LowHigh
Topic
2023
2025
Σ

Reversible reactions and equilibrium

11
11

Electrolysis

10
10

Atomic structure and the Periodic Table

9
9

Rate of reaction

8
8

Preparation of salts

6
6

Group VII properties

6
6

Difficulty trend

How session difficulty has shifted across recent years

202320242025
2023 June 2023 · 3.8/52024 June 2024 · 2.8/52025 June 2025 · 3.8/5

Paper comparison

Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session

No data available in official reports

Marks you can still earn

Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit

No data available in official reports

Practise what examiners flagged

Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app

Self-diagnostic checklist

Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise

  • 1Message

    Candidates should read each question carefully so they answer the question being asked.

  • 2Message

    Candidates would benefit from learning the syllabus definitions of chemical terms, processes and qualitative chemical tests in particular.

  • 3Message

    Interpretation of data and the prediction of physical properties using data was generally accurate.

  • 4Message

    Candidates should check they have answered all the questions on the paper, particularly those which require them to add to a diagram or graph and therefore do not have a specific answer line.

Teacher briefing pack

One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review

June 2024 2024

Chemistry

Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education 0620 Chemistry June 2024 Principal Examiner Report for Teachers © 2024 CHEMISTRY Paper 0620/11 Multiple Choice (Core) Question Number Key Question Number Key Question Number Key Question Number Key 1 D 11 D 21 A 3

  • Candidates should read each question carefully so they answer the question being asked.

  • Candidates would benefit from learning the syllabus definitions of chemical terms, processes and qualitative chemical tests in particular.

  • Interpretation of data and the prediction of physical properties using data was generally accurate.

Examiner insights

General comments

  • Candidates found this to be an accessible paper overall.
  • Candidates found Questions 7, 15, 27 and 37 to have the least challenge.
  • Questions 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 32 and 40 were most demanding.
  • Candidates found it difficult to recall the direction of energy movement in endothermic or exothermic reactions as well as expected observations during reactions.