9620 · Oxford AQA International AS Level
9620/11
Paper 1
Chemistry · 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Oxford AQA
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.8 / 5
220
270 min
Amount of substance
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
220
Duration
270 min
Session difficulty
3.8 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
Physical and Inorganic chemistry remain the cornerstones of high tariff marks.
The most significant mark allocations are found in:
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.
Mathematical
Weight: 6100%Mechanism & Structure
Weight: 583%Arrow
Weight: 467%Experimental
Weight: 350%Theoretical Explanation
Weight: 233%
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. 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
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “Write” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Name” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Sketch” questions.
Apply knowledge to an unfamiliar context; concise, practical points score best.
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
Amount of substance
24 marks this session
Thermodynamics
22 marks this session
Periodicity
16 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
Amount of substance
Transition metal chemistry
Alcohols (Organic chemistry)
Thermodynamics
Energetics (Physical chemistry)
Oxidation, reduction and redox equations
Amount of substance (Physical chemistry)
Periodicity
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Unit 1: Inorganic 1 and Physical 1 (CH01): Unit 2: Organic 1 and Physical 1 (CH02): Unit 3: Inorganic 2 and Physical 2 (CH03):
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
Amount of substance
24 marks this session
Practise in RevuiThermodynamics
22 marks this session
Practise in RevuiPeriodicity
16 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
Physical and Inorganic chemistry remain the cornerstones of high tariff marks.
- 2Message
The most significant mark allocations are found in:
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2023 2023
Chemistry
Physical and Inorganic chemistry remain the cornerstones of high tariff marks. The most significant mark allocations are found in:
Physical and Inorganic chemistry remain the cornerstones of high tariff marks.
The most significant mark allocations are found in:
- Total marks
- 220
- Duration
- 270 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.8 / 5
Session analysis
Physical and Inorganic chemistry remain the cornerstones of high tariff marks. The most significant mark allocations are found in:
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
Unit 1: Inorganic 1 and Physical 1 (CH01): Unit 2: Organic 1 and Physical 1 (CH02): Unit 3: Inorganic 2 and Physical 2 (CH03):
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.
80% 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.
Short Answer & Definitions
88·48·40%
Calculations
64·18·29%
Mechanisms & Diagrams
36·12·16%
Chemical Equations
32·22·15%
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.
Alcohols: Industrial Synthesis and Fermentation
90%90%
Group 2, the alkaline earth metals
85%85%
Kinetics: Rate Equations and Arrhenius Equation
80%80%
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.