How to answer 6-mark questions in GCSE Science

How they’re marked

• Level 3 (5 to 6 marks): a detailed, accurate answer that’s well organised and fully answers the question.
• Level 2 (3 to 4 marks): some detail, but with gaps or not fully linked together.
• Level 1 (1 to 2 marks): simple, separate points.
• The mark scheme lists “indicative content”: points a good answer could include. You don’t need every one.

Read the command word

• Describe: say what happens, step by step. No reasons needed.
• Explain: say why or how, using “because” and “so”.
• Compare: give similarities and differences, about both things in each point.
• Evaluate: give points for and against, then a judgement that follows from them.
• Plan or describe a method: steps in order, what you’d measure, and how you’d keep it a fair test.

A plan that works

• Underline the command word and what the question is about.
• Jot down four to six points in the margin before you write.
• Put them in a logical order: steps in sequence, causes before effects.
• Write in full sentences, using the scientific words (“diffusion”, not “goes across”).
• Check you’ve answered every part of the question.

Method questions

Many 6-markers ask you to describe a required practical. Learn each practical as a set of steps: the equipment, what you change, what you measure and how, what you keep the same, and how many times you repeat it. Safety points can count too.

Questions people ask

How many points do I need for a 6-mark question?

There’s no fixed number: it’s marked by level. Around five or six well-explained, linked points usually reaches the top level.

Should I write a 6-mark answer in bullet points?

Full sentences are safer, because the examiner looks for a well-organised, linked answer. Numbered steps are fine for a method.