9620 · Oxford AQA International AS Level
9620/11
Paper 1
Chemistry · Winter 2025 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Oxford AQA
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.8 / 5
220
270 min
Amount of substance
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
220
Duration
270 min
Session difficulty
3.8 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
A significant portion of the marks across all three papers is allocated to Amount of Substance and quantitative physical chemistry.
Titration stoichiometry, ideal gas conversions, buffer equilibria, and time-of-flight mass calculations dominate the high-value questions.
In addition to mathematics, key marks are secured in organic mechanisms (such as the electrophilic addition of HBr to alkenes in Unit 2) and coordination chemistry representations in Unit 3.
Mastering the 3D drawing of transition metal isomers and the precise definition of terms like bidentate ligand provides a secure foundation for passing the papers.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Mathematical
Weight: 7100%Chemical Equations
Weight: 686%Reaction
Weight: 571%Experimental &
Weight: 457%Thermodynamics &
Weight: 343%Structural
Weight: 229%Chemis
Weight: 114%
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
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level A
Approx. 80% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 70% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 60% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 50% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 40% of maximum mark
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
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Match the expected response style for “Write” questions.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Draw” questions.
Apply knowledge to an unfamiliar context; concise, practical points score best.
Name or point to the specific feature asked for — avoid extra explanation.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
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
Amount of substance
29 marks this session
Transition metal chemistry
26 marks this session
Oxidation, reduction and redox equations
19 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Amount of substance
Transition metal chemistry
Alcohols (Organic chemistry)
Thermodynamics
Energetics (Physical chemistry)
Oxidation, reduction and redox equations
Amount of substance (Physical chemistry)
Periodicity
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Unit 1: Inorganic 1 and Physical 1: Unit 2: Organic 1 and Physical 1: Unit 3: Inorganic 2 and Physical 2:
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
Amount of substance
29 marks this session
Practise in RevuiTransition metal chemistry
26 marks this session
Practise in RevuiOxidation, reduction and redox equations
19 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
A significant portion of the marks across all three papers is allocated to Amount of Substance and quantitative physical chemistry.
- 2Message
Titration stoichiometry, ideal gas conversions, buffer equilibria, and time-of-flight mass calculations dominate the high-value questions.
- 3Message
In addition to mathematics, key marks are secured in organic mechanisms (such as the electrophilic addition of HBr to alkenes in Unit 2) and coordination chemistry representations in Unit 3.
- 4Message
Mastering the 3D drawing of transition metal isomers and the precise definition of terms like bidentate ligand provides a secure foundation for passing the papers.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
Winter 2025 2025
Chemistry
A significant portion of the marks across all three papers is allocated to Amount of Substance and quantitative physical chemistry. Titration stoichiometry, ideal gas conversions, buffer equilibria, and time-of-flight mass calculations dominate the high-value questions. In additi
A significant portion of the marks across all three papers is allocated to Amount of Substance and quantitative physical chemistry.
Titration stoichiometry, ideal gas conversions, buffer equilibria, and time-of-flight mass calculations dominate the high-value questions.
In addition to mathematics, key marks are secured in organic mechanisms (such as the electrophilic addition of HBr to alkenes in Unit 2) and coordination chemistry representations in Unit 3.
- Total marks
- 220
- Duration
- 270 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.8 / 5
Session analysis
A significant portion of the marks across all three papers is allocated to Amount of Substance and quantitative physical chemistry. Titration stoichiometry, ideal gas conversions, buffer equilibria, and time-of-flight mass calculations dominate the high-value questions. In addition to mathematics, key marks are secured in organic mechanisms (such as the electrophilic addition of HBr to alkenes in Unit 2) and coordination chemistry representations in Unit 3. Mastering the 3D drawing of transition metal isomers and the precise definition of terms like bidentate ligand provides a secure foundation for passing the papers.
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
Unit 1: Inorganic 1 and Physical 1: Unit 2: Organic 1 and Physical 1: Unit 3: Inorganic 2 and Physical 2:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
77% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
short answer / descriptive
61·28·29%
calculation
54·14·26%
equation / symbol drawing
48·20·23%
experimental design / analysis
32·12·15%
mechanism
5·2·2%
multiple choice / ticks
4·4·2%
graphing / plotting
4·2·2%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Difficulty trend
Compare difficulty across recent years.
Cumulative marks ladder
The line is your running mark total question by question; dashed lines are the estimated grade cut-offs. See which question the line crosses your target grade at, so you know how far you must answer cleanly and which questions decide a band.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Periodicity trend graphs
85%85%
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curves
80%80%
Spectroscopic organic analysis (Infrared matching)
75%75%
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.