中文（繁體）
中文（简体）
English
IGCSE Physics 0625 Drill Guide: Papers 6, 4, 2 and 5, Pacing and a 12-Week Plan
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IGCSE PHYSICS 0625
Method only, no syllabus recital: Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical) tests readings, graphs and error analysis, and candidates rarely lose those marks because the physics is beyond them – they lose them because the reading is not taken to the right precision, units are missing, or the graph has no axis labels. The guide sequences twelve weeks of drilling (practical skills, then theory calculations, then multiple-choice exam technique, then the practical test) and gives the pacing, the usual mark losses and the error-log method for all four papers. For questions with answers, use the original mock papers linked below.
How is IGCSE Physics Paper 6 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): All compulsory, testing experimental skills (AO3) (20%); Paper 4 (Theory, Extended): 80 marks (50%); Paper 2 (Multiple Choice, Extended): 40 marks (30%); Paper 5 (Practical Test): 40 marks, alternative to Paper 6 (20%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical) | All compulsory, testing experimental skills (AO3) | 20% | 1 h 15 min |
| Paper 4 (Theory, Extended) | 80 marks | 50% | 1 h 15 min |
| Paper 2 (Multiple Choice, Extended) | 40 marks | 30% | 45 min |
| Paper 5 (Practical Test) | 40 marks, alternative to Paper 6 | 20% | 1 h 15 min |
IGCSE Physics Paper 6 drilling technique: always give units; read to the next division below the smallest one (for example 0.05 on a 0.1 cm^3 scale); repeat timing measurements three times and average; a graph needs a titled axes pair with units and a sensible scale, and the gradient needs its unit; in error questions separate random from systematic error and give a workable improvement (repeat, control variables, use a finer instrument).
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical) | readings, units, errors | Paper 6 loses the readings and the graph marks: a single value with no unit or significant figures, a reading taken at the smallest division instead of the next one below it, a graph with no title, axis labels or units, a scale that is not 1, 2, 5, and a gradient with no unit; error questions call a random error systematic and improve it with care rather than with repeats, control variables or a finer instrument |
| Paper 4 (Theory, Extended) | formulae, units, explanations | Paper 4 shows only the answer: no formula first, no substitution, no unit; explanation questions state the result without the mechanism (resistance rises, but not why – a longer wire means more collisions between electrons and the lattice); circuits and force diagrams are never drawn, only concluded |
| Paper 2 (Multiple Choice, Extended) | definitions and graph interpretation | Paper 2 is answered on keywords alone: distractors are never eliminated one by one, negation in “which statement is NOT correct” is missed, unit conversions go wrong (cm3 to m3, g to kg, mA to A are three powers of ten), and time is spent early so the last five questions are rushed |
| Paper 5 (Practical Test) | hands-on work, recording, safety | Paper 5 starts without checking the apparatus: no zero error recorded, only the average written down instead of the raw readings, a table with no headings or units, fewer than three repeats, and the time spent on setting up leaves none for the error and the improvement |
What is each IGCSE Physics Paper 6 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): readings, units, errors; Paper 4 (Theory, Extended): formulae, units, explanations; Paper 2 (Multiple Choice, Extended): definitions and graph interpretation; Paper 5 (Practical Test): hands-on work, recording, safety
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: Twelve weeks: weeks 1-3 are practical skills only (measurement and precision, axes and gradients, random versus systematic error) for twenty minutes a day until readings and units are automatic; weeks 4-6 move to Paper 4 calculations in blocks (mechanics, electricity, waves, thermal), always writing the formula before substituting; weeks 7-9 are Paper 2 sets of 40 questions in 45 minutes, with every error sorted into unit, question-reading or concept; weeks 10-11 rehearse the Paper 5 routine (check the apparatus, raw-reading table, three repeats, error and improvement); week 12 is timed whole papers and redoing the error log only – no new topics.
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 6 (Alternative to Practical) | 1 h 15 min | 15-18 min a question; readings and tables first |
| Paper 4 (Theory, Extended) | 1 h 15 min | do the calculations first and leave the explanations for the end |
| Paper 2 (Multiple Choice, Extended) | 45 min | about a minute a question; flag the uncertain ones |
| Paper 5 (Practical Test) | 1 h 15 min | write the plan first, then record data as you work |
How should the time be split inside each IGCSE Physics Paper 6 paper?
Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): 15-18 min a question; readings and tables first; Paper 4 (Theory, Extended): do the calculations first and leave the explanations for the end; Paper 2 (Multiple Choice, Extended): about a minute a question; flag the uncertain ones; Paper 5 (Practical Test): write the plan first, then record data as you work
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| No units | Writing 24 | Loses reading and calculation marks | Write 24.0 cm^3 |
| Wrong precision | Rounding 20.5 to 21 | Marks deducted | Read to the next division |
| Timing once only | One reading as the answer | Large random error | Repeat three times and average |
| Unlabelled graph | A line with no axis labels | Loses all the graph marks | Axes, units and a title |
The error log and the mark scheme
Four columns: question and paper reference, which step failed (reading, unit, formula, question reading, concept), what the mark scheme wants, and the correct action next time (for example “write the unit before the value”). Only a cell that fills three times earns a place in the last fortnight; for practical questions paste the original graph in and redraw it from scratch when you redo the question.
How many years should you drill?
Eight years minimum, ten is safer: practical-skill and graph questions have barely changed in a decade, and the highest repetition rate sits in the Paper 6 readings and error questions. The syllabus has been revised in recent years, so older papers are still usable but any question touching an added or removed topic has to be judged against the current version; five years is enough for the multiple-choice paper, whose stem length and distractor style only settled recently.
How many years of past papers is enough?
Eight years minimum, ten is safer: practical-skill and graph questions have barely changed in a decade, and the highest repetition rate sits in the Paper 6 readings and error questions. The syllabus has been revised in recent years, so older papers are still usable but any question touching an added or removed topic has to be judged against the current version; five years is enough for the multiple-choice paper, whose stem length and distractor style only settled recently.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IGCSE Physics Paper 6 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 Paper 6 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 I need to drill both Paper 6 and Paper 5?
Both papers assess one list of practical skills in different formats: one describes the experiment on paper, the other is performed by hand, and the exam centre decides which you sit. Drilling Paper 6 readings, graphs and error analysis therefore pays off in Paper 5 as well; drilling only Paper 5 leaves you unable to explain an error and an improvement in writing.
Does a low multiple-choice score mean the concepts are weak?
Usually not. Sort the errors into unit conversion, question reading and concept: if units dominate, drill cm3 to m3, g to kg and mA to A with their powers of ten and the score moves within two or three weeks; only if concepts dominate should you go back to the textbook for that topic.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 page | Confirm the paper marks, times and weightings |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-physics-0625-paper-4-mock-2027/ | IGCSE Physics Paper 4 drilling mock |
Related: IGCSE Physics Paper 6 drilling mock · Paper 4 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.
