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IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Paper 1 Drill Guide: Conditions, Diagrams, Elimination
Multiple choice tests the condition, not the conclusion
Paper 1 covers the whole chemistry course through multiple choice, from atomic structure and bonding through rates to organic chemistry and the environment. The traps sit in the conditions: the same reaction question turns on room temperature or heating, the same colour change turns on precipitate or solution. Read the stem for its condition words, remove options that fail the condition, then compare what survives.
How is IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Paper 1 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core): 40 four-option items, 40 marks (30%); Paper 3 (Theory, Core): Short-answer and structured, 80 marks (50%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core) | 40 four-option items, 40 marks | 30% | 45 min |
| Paper 3 (Theory, Core) | Short-answer and structured, 80 marks | 50% | 1 h 15 min |
IGCSE Chemistry Paper 1 drilling technique: 40 questions in 45 minutes is about 68 s each. Key facts: atomic number = protons, neutrons = mass number – protons; acids pH below 7, alkalis above 7; air is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core) | core content only | Equations go unbalanced, or state symbols are dropped. |
| Paper 3 (Theory, Core) | core content | Properties and uses are swapped, so colour is used to infer a use. |
What is each IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Paper 1 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core): core content only; Paper 3 (Theory, Core): core content
Drill order: by topic, then by year, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each topic, starting with the paper that allows least help (no calculator / closed book) | Exposes what is genuinely not understood |
| 2. By year | Whole papers to time, one or two a week | Trains pace, stamina and question selection |
| 3. Mark scheme | Go through the marking scheme question by question and log the scoring steps you missed | Most lost marks are written wrong, not thought wrong |
Should drilling go by topic first or by year?
By topic first, then whole papers by year, then the mark scheme. The first third of the time goes topic by topic (8-10 years of the same topic back to back), the middle switches to timed whole papers, and the last fortnight only redoes the recurring errors from your log.
A 12-week drilling timetable
| Week | Phase | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3 | By topic: foundation | Topic by topic, starting with the easiest marks, building habits and recall |
| Weeks 4-6 | By topic: core | 8-10 years of the same topic back to back, errors classified by topic |
| Weeks 7-8 | By topic: advanced and electives | Elective and higher-order topics, now under time pressure |
| Weeks 9-10 | By year: timed papers | One full paper a week, timed, no reference materials |
| Week 11 | Mark scheme work | Question by question against the marking scheme; list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Week 12 | Plug holes and simulate | Only the recurring errors from your log, then one full exam simulation |
Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: Weeks 1-3: topic-by-topic items, noting each stem condition and the equation involved. Weeks 4-6: particle diagrams and structural formulae, setting ionic and full equations of one reaction side by side. Weeks 7-9: three timed papers, logging time per item and the spread of error causes. Weeks 10-12: unseen years only, forcing two candidate answers within ten seconds of reading.
Use it properly: this is not a checklist to finish. Every week must keep time for redoing errors, or from week 9 you will be repeating the same batch.
Pacing
| Paper | Time | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core) | 45 min | about 68 s per question |
| Paper 3 (Theory, Core) | 1 h 15 min | about 9 min per question |
How should the time be split inside each IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Paper 1 paper?
Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core): about 68 s per question; Paper 3 (Theory, Core): about 9 min per question
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neutrons as protons | Neutrons = 11 | Neutrons = mass – protons = 12 | 12 |
| pH reversed | Acids above 7 | Acids below 7 | pH < 7 |
| Air proportions | Oxygen 78% | Nitrogen 78%, oxygen 21% | nitrogen 78% |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: the item number and topic; whether the loss was a missed condition, an unbalanced equation, a misread particle diagram, a confusion between property and use, or the clock; the repair, naming the calculation type or section to revisit. Three losses in one topic means a week of that topic.
How many years should you drill?
The paper structure and the weight of multiple choice have held for years, so five to eight years covers the topics; wording and emphasis in rates, organic chemistry and the environment have shifted, so older papers are practice only.
How many years of past papers is enough?
The paper structure and the weight of multiple choice have held for years, so five to eight years covers the topics; wording and emphasis in rates, organic chemistry and the environment have shifted, so older papers are practice only.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Paper 1 drilling guide: assessment structure, drill order, a 12-week timetable, pacing, common mark losses and the error-log method. For questions with answers, use the IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Paper 1 mock papers linked under Related.
By topic or by year first?
By topic. Eight to ten years of the same topic back to back is what exposes repeating errors; going straight to whole papers just repeats the same batch under time pressure.
How should the error log be written?
Do not copy out questions. Per error record four things: question reference, which step failed (concept, wording, calculation), what the mark scheme requires, and the correct action next time.
Do multiple-choice items need memorised equations?
Yes, but usable ones. Items test conservation and ratio through equations, so a remembered formula that will not balance still loses the mark.
All four options look right – how do I narrow?
Go back to the conditions. Check each option against the temperature, state, concentration or catalyst named in the stem.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry 0620 page | Confirm the paper marks and times |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-chemistry-0620-paper-2-mock-2027/ | IGCSE Chemistry Paper 2 drilling mock |
Related: practice area · IGCSE Chemistry Paper 2 drilling mock
Next step: find a tutor / register as a tutor
After drilling, the hard part is telling a conceptual error from a writing error. Tell us the year group, the school and your available times, and TutorZone will match you with a tutor who knows the HKEAA assessment requirements.
Demand for tutors in this subject is steady, and those who can explain the marking scheme and where marks are won are especially sought after. Register free; you pay only when a match succeeds.