9640 · Oxford AQA International A Level
9640/11
Paper 1
Economics · 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Oxford AQA
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.5 / 5
340
450 min
The Balance of Payments and Government Policy Intervention
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
340
Duration
450 min
Session difficulty
3.5 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
Comprehensive analysis of the January 2023 Oxford AQA International Economics (9640) series, covering Units 1, 2, 3, and 4.
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.
Knowledge andAO2
Weight: 4100%Application oAO3
Weight: 375%Analysis of eAO4
Weight: 250%Evaluation Analysis
Weight: 125%
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
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level A*
Approx. 90% of maximum mark
Level A
Approx. 80% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 70% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 60% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 50% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 40% 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 “Define” questions.
Weigh arguments for and against with evidence; end with a supported judgement.
Match the expected response style for “Assess” questions.
Break into parts and explain how each contributes to the whole question focus.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
The balance of payments
38 marks this session
Merit and demerit goods
30 marks this session
Monetary policy
29 marks this session
The supply of labour to different labour markets
26 marks this session
Factors that affect economic development
26 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
The distribution of income and wealth within an economy (Poverty and inequality)
Trade (Globalisation and trade)
The balance of payments
Exchange rates (The balance of payments, exchange rates and financial markets)
Private goods, public goods and quasi-public goods
Merit and demerit goods
Monetary policy
Monopoly and monopoly power (Perfect competition, imperfectly competitive markets and monopoly)
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Unit 1: The Operation of Markets, Market Failure and the Role of Government: Unit 2: The National Economy in a Global Environment: Unit 3: The Economics of Business Behaviour and the Distribution of Income: Unit 4: Economic Development and the Global Economy:
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
The balance of payments
38 marks this session
Practise in RevuiMerit and demerit goods
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiMonetary policy
29 marks this session
Practise in RevuiThe supply of labour to different labour markets
26 marks this session
Practise in RevuiFactors that affect economic development
26 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
Comprehensive analysis of the January 2023 Oxford AQA International Economics (9640) series, covering Units 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2023 2023
Economics
Comprehensive analysis of the January 2023 Oxford AQA International Economics (9640) series, covering Units 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Comprehensive analysis of the January 2023 Oxford AQA International Economics (9640) series, covering Units 1, 2, 3, and 4.
- Total marks
- 340
- Duration
- 450 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.5 / 5
Session analysis
Comprehensive analysis of the January 2023 Oxford AQA International Economics (9640) series, covering Units 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
Unit 1: The Operation of Markets, Market Failure and the Role of Government: Unit 2: The National Economy in a Global Environment: Unit 3: The Economics of Business Behaviour and the Distribution of Income: Unit 4: Economic Development and the Global Economy:
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.
64% 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.
Long Essay
200·8·51%
Structured Analysis
90·10·23%
Multiple Choice
50·50·13%
Short Answer
50·19·13%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Oligopoly & Game Theory
90%90%
Negative Externalities & Pollution Taxes
85%85%
Market-based vs Interventionist Supply-side Policies
80%80%
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.