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IGCSE Physics 0625 Paper 3: Explanations, Calculations and Graphs
Physics: cause and effect first, units after
Paper 3 is the Core theory paper, mostly short answers and structured questions, and three habits decide the marks: a because-therefore chain in explanations, formula plus unit in calculations, and area or gradient when the question shows a graph. The content is not deep, yet the same step is dropped every time.
How is IGCSE Physics 0625 Paper 3 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 3 (Theory, Core): Short-answer and structured, 80 marks (50%); Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core): 40 four-option items, 40 marks (30%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 3 (Theory, Core) | Short-answer and structured, 80 marks | 50% | 1 h 15 min |
| Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core) | 40 four-option items, 40 marks | 30% | 45 min |
IGCSE Physics Paper 3 drilling technique: explanation answers use because-so reasoning; calculations show formula, substitution and units; graph answers name the area or gradient; energy answers give conservation plus losses.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 3 (Theory, Core) | explanation + calculation + graphs | An explanation describes the phenomenon but never states the because-therefore chain, so a question asking to explain is marked as description. |
| Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core) | core content only | A calculation gives a bare answer with no formula, substitution or unit, and the method marks go. |
What is each IGCSE Physics 0625 Paper 3 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 3 (Theory, Core): explanation + calculation + graphs; Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core): core content only
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: forces and motion. Draw the force diagram, write the formula before substituting, add the unit last.
Weeks 4-6: heat and waves. Every explanation follows because-therefore and ends with something observable.
Weeks 7-9: electricity and magnetism. Mark current direction and voltage split before working out the equivalent resistance.
Weeks 10-12: whole papers to time at about nine minutes a question; redo only the broken chains and the missing units.
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 3 (Theory, Core) | 1 h 15 min | about 9 min per question |
| Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core) | 45 min | about 68 s per question |
How should the time be split inside each IGCSE Physics 0625 Paper 3 paper?
Paper 3 (Theory, Core): about 9 min per question; Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, Core): about 68 s per question
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance as gradient | Gradient | Area under a speed-time graph | area |
| Refraction direction | Away from normal | Towards the normal in glass | towards normal |
| Efficiency over 100% | Ignore losses | Mention heat or sound losses | 80% |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: the answer as written, the scheme key words (because, therefore, formula, unit, area, gradient), and whether the loss was the chain, the arithmetic or the graph reading. Missing chains deserve their own tally – they are treated as trivial and lost again.
How many years should you drill?
The current Paper 3 is Core content, and older papers use different syllabus codes and wording, so do not drill them wholesale. Three to five years of current papers set the shapes, then the official specimen covers newer content.
How many years of past papers is enough?
The current Paper 3 is Core content, and older papers use different syllabus codes and wording, so do not drill them wholesale. Three to five years of current papers set the shapes, then the official specimen covers newer content.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IGCSE Physics 0625 Paper 3 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 3 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.
How long should an explanation be?
Follow the marks: two marks take two steps, usually cause then effect; three marks add a condition or an example. A paragraph earns nothing extra; the scheme counts the points.
Area or gradient on a graph?
Multiply the two axis units: speed against time gives distance as the area, distance against time gives speed as the gradient. Decide from the units, not from the shape.
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 |
Related: practice area · IGCSE Physics 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.
