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IGCSE Physics 0625 Paper 1 Drill Guide: Units and Pace
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IGCSE PHYSICS PAPER 1: MCQ SPEED AND UNITS
Paper 1 is multiple choice with short stems and many diagrams, and the marks turn almost entirely on units and ratios: options mix centimetres with metres, grams with kilograms, or invert a factor. Aim for under a minute a question, and write the formula before substituting instead of working mentally. This page is the drilling method only.
How is IGCSE Physics 0625 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 Physics Paper 1 drilling technique: 40 questions in 45 minutes is about 68 s each. Formulas: distance = speed x time, speed = distance / time, P = VI; reflection: angle of incidence = angle of reflection; heat flows hot to cold.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core) | core content only | Units are not converted first, and the option matches the wrong unit at the right magnitude. |
| Paper 3 (Theory, Core) | core content | The ratio is done mentally and inverted, landing exactly on another option. |
What is each IGCSE Physics 0625 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 one to four run topic by topic, opening each session with ten pure unit conversions before the section questions. Weeks five to eight switch to whole timed papers, first at full length then squeezed by five minutes. The final four weeks drill the error log and build one table of formula unit combinations to reread before the exam.
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 Physics 0625 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed/distance inverted | speed = time / distance | speed = distance / time | 20 m/s |
| Angles confused | Mixed up | angle of incidence = angle of reflection | equal |
| Power formula | P = V/I | P = V x I | 72 W |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: question and topic; cause (unit, magnitude, misreading, wrong formula); and the fixed move for next time. Grouping unit errors on one page shows which two units you confuse most.
How many years should you drill?
The 0625 multiple-choice paper has kept its shape, so ten years of past papers work: time the last five whole, split older ones by topic. Where an old paper uses retired units or wording, answer in current syllabus terms.
How many years of past papers is enough?
The 0625 multiple-choice paper has kept its shape, so ten years of past papers work: time the last five whole, split older ones by topic. Where an old paper uses retired units or wording, answer in current syllabus terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IGCSE Physics 0625 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 Physics 0625 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.
Is a calculator allowed?
Not on the multiple-choice paper, so simplify ratios fully and estimate the order of magnitude before checking options. Drill with the calculator away so the habit holds in the exam.
How should a diagram-heavy question be read?
Read the diagram first, note the known quantities beside it, then read the four options. Going straight to the options lets their numbers steer the reasoning.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 page | Confirm the paper marks and times |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-physics-0625-paper-2-mock-2027/ | IGCSE Physics Paper 2 drilling mock |
Original mock: IGCSE Physics 0625 Paper 1 mock paper with answers; more practice in the practice area.
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.
