9701 · Cambridge International A Level
9701/31
(Advanced Practical Skills)
Chemistry · June 2024 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Cambridge Assessment International Education
4.2 / 5
270
465 min
Organic Reaction Mechanisms & Syntheses
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
270
Duration
465 min
Session difficulty
4.2 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The May/June 2024 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701) suite represents a robust, highly discriminative set of assessments.
Overall, the papers carry a combined difficulty index of 4.2 out of 5.
Paper 11 (Multiple Choice) demanded extremely rapid stoichiometry and logical elimination, while Paper 21 and Paper 41 tested core theoretical understanding and mechanism precision.
Paper 31 and Paper 51 continued to place a heavy premium on numerical precision, experimental planning, and graphical analysis.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Maths and Numerical
Weight: 6100%Mechanistic and L
Weight: 467%Experimental
Weight: 350%Factual
Weight: 233%Recall & Understanding
Weight: 117%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Cambridge Principal Examiner Report — component performance and international standards
Level A*
Approx. 74% of maximum mark
Level A
Approx. 64% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 54% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 44% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 34% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 24% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Match the expected response style for “Deduce” questions.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Apply knowledge to an unfamiliar context; concise, practical points score best.
Match the expected response style for “Construct” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 20
Min per mark: 0.6
Min per mark: 0.5
Min per mark: 0
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Organic synthesis
40 marks this session
Chemistry of transition elements
35 marks this session
Electrochemistry
30 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Chemistry of transition elements
Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry (Physical chemistry (AS Level))
Organic synthesis
Chemistry of transition elements (Inorganic chemistry (A Level))
Reaction kinetics (Physical chemistry (A Level))
Organic synthesis (Organic chemistry (AS Level))
Electrochemistry
Arenes (Hydrocarbons)
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 11 (Multiple Choice):
Paper 21 (AS Level Structured):
Paper 31 (Advanced Practical Skills):
Paper 41 (A Level Structured):
Paper 51 (Planning, Analysis & Evaluation):
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Organic synthesis
40 marks this session
Practise in RevuiChemistry of transition elements
35 marks this session
Practise in RevuiElectrochemistry
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The May/June 2024 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701) suite represents a robust, highly discriminative set of assessments.
- 2Message
Overall, the papers carry a combined difficulty index of 4.2 out of 5.
- 3Message
Paper 11 (Multiple Choice) demanded extremely rapid stoichiometry and logical elimination, while Paper 21 and Paper 41 tested core theoretical understanding and mechanism precision.
- 4Message
Paper 31 and Paper 51 continued to place a heavy premium on numerical precision, experimental planning, and graphical analysis.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2024 2024
Chemistry
The May/June 2024 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701) suite represents a robust, highly discriminative set of assessments. Overall, the papers carry a combined difficulty index of 4.2 out of 5. Paper 11 (Multiple Choice) demanded extremely rapid stoichiometry an
The May/June 2024 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701) suite represents a robust, highly discriminative set of assessments.
Overall, the papers carry a combined difficulty index of 4.2 out of 5.
Paper 11 (Multiple Choice) demanded extremely rapid stoichiometry and logical elimination, while Paper 21 and Paper 41 tested core theoretical understanding and mechanism precision.
- Total marks
- 270
- Duration
- 465 min
- Session difficulty
- 4.2 / 5
Session analysis
The May/June 2024 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701) suite represents a robust, highly discriminative set of assessments. Overall, the papers carry a combined difficulty index of 4.2 out of 5. Paper 11 (Multiple Choice) demanded extremely rapid stoichiometry and logical elimination, while Paper 21 and Paper 41 tested core theoretical understanding and mechanism precision. Paper 31 and Paper 51 continued to place a heavy premium on numerical precision, experimental planning, and graphical analysis.
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 11 (Multiple Choice):
Paper 21 (AS Level Structured):
Paper 31 (Advanced Practical Skills):
Paper 41 (A Level Structured):
Paper 51 (Planning, Analysis & Evaluation):
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
70% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Paper 41)
100·9·37%
Paper 21)
60·6·22%
Paper 11)
40·40·15%
Paper 31)
40·3·15%
Paper 51)
30·2·11%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 1
2.13 m/minPaper 21
20.05 m/minPaper 311
0.05 m/minPaper 4
1.73 m/minTotal marks
692
Total time
190 min
Avg pace
3.64
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Entropy Change and Gibbs Free Energy
85%85%
Weak Acid pH and Buffer Action Calculations
80%80%
Overview & Difficulty Verdict
The May/June 2024 Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry (9701) suite represents a robust, highly discriminative set of assessments. Overall, the papers carry a combined difficulty index of 4.2 out of 5. Paper 11 (Multiple Choice) demanded extremely rapid stoichiometry and logical elimination, while Paper 21 and Paper 41 tested core theoretical understanding and mechanism precision. Paper 31 and Paper 51 continued to place a heavy premium on numerical precision, experimental planning, and graphical analysis.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Arrow Precision: In mechanisms such as electrophilic addition or electrophilic aromatic substitution, curly arrows must originate precisely from a double bond or a lone pair of electrons and terminate directly at the electron-deficient atom.
- State Symbols: Equations representing standard enthalpy of formation or thermal decomposition (such as of Group 2 carbonates) must include appropriate state symbols.
- Rounding Errors: In multi-step calculation tasks (like the partition coefficient and solubility product questions), rounding intermediate values prematurely often leads to out-of-range final answers.
- Practical Accuracy: In the titration sections of Paper 31, candidates must report all burette readings to the nearest 0.05 cm3 0.05\text{ cm}^3 0.05 cm3 and ensure concordant titres are within 0.10 cm3 0.10\text{ cm}^3 0.10 cm3 of each other.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 2h
- Total marks
- 40
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.