CHEMISTRY-YCH11 · Pearson Edexcel International A Level
CHEMISTRY-YCH11/21
Paper 2
Chemistry · 2024 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Pearson Edexcel
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
4.0 / 5
440
550 min
Organic Reaction Mechanisms and Synthesis
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
440
Duration
550 min
Session difficulty
4.0 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
In the physical chemistry units, high-scoring students secured marks by showcasing precise working in stoichiometry and thermodynamic calculations.
However, significant marks were lost in descriptive explanations:
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.
Practical Techniques
Weight: 7100%Mathematical & Calculation
Weight: 571%Organic
Weight: 457%Mechanism Periodicity
Weight: 343%Trends and Periods
Weight: 114%
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.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Match the expected response style for “Deduce” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Draw” questions.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
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
Organic Chemistry: Alcohols, Halogenoalkanes and Spectra
49 marks this session
Formulae, Equations and Amount of Substance
45 marks this session
Kinetics (Rates, Equilibria and Further Organic Chemistry)
40 marks this session
Transition Metals and their Chemistry
40 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
Formulae, Equations and Amount of Substance
Transition Metals and their Chemistry
Organic Chemistry: Alcohols, Halogenoalkanes and Spectra
Organic Chemistry: Carbonyls, Carboxylic Acids and Chirality
Organic Nitrogen Compounds: Amines, Amides, Amino Acids and Proteins
Organic Synthesis
Kinetics (Rates, Equilibria and Further Organic Chemistry)
Bonding and Structure
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
WCH11/01 Unit 1: Structure, Bonding and Introduction to Organic Chemistry: WCH12/01 Unit 2: Energetics, Group Chemistry, Halogenoalkanes and Alcohols: WCH13/01 Unit 3: Practical Skills in Chemistry I: WCH14/01 Unit 4: Rates, Equilibria and Further Organic Chemistry: WCH15/01 Unit 5: Transition Metals and Organic Nitrogen Chemistry: WCH16/01 Unit 6: Practical Skills in Chemistry II:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
- Believing that catalysts alter the enthalpy change of reaction rather than only providing an alternative pathway with lower activation energy.
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Organic Chemistry: Alcohols, Halogenoalkanes and Spectra
49 marks this session
Practise in RevuiFormulae, Equations and Amount of Substance
45 marks this session
Practise in RevuiKinetics (Rates, Equilibria and Further Organic Chemistry)
40 marks this session
Practise in RevuiTransition Metals and their Chemistry
40 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
In the physical chemistry units, high-scoring students secured marks by showcasing precise working in stoichiometry and thermodynamic calculations.
- 2Message
However, significant marks were lost in descriptive explanations:
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2024 2024
Chemistry
In the physical chemistry units, high-scoring students secured marks by showcasing precise working in stoichiometry and thermodynamic calculations. However, significant marks were lost in descriptive explanations:
In the physical chemistry units, high-scoring students secured marks by showcasing precise working in stoichiometry and thermodynamic calculations.
However, significant marks were lost in descriptive explanations:
- Total marks
- 440
- Duration
- 550 min
- Session difficulty
- 4.0 / 5
Session analysis
In the physical chemistry units, high-scoring students secured marks by showcasing precise working in stoichiometry and thermodynamic calculations. However, significant marks were lost in descriptive explanations:
Updated Jun 12, 2026
Paper breakdown
WCH11/01 Unit 1: Structure, Bonding and Introduction to Organic Chemistry: WCH12/01 Unit 2: Energetics, Group Chemistry, Halogenoalkanes and Alcohols: WCH13/01 Unit 3: Practical Skills in Chemistry I: WCH14/01 Unit 4: Rates, Equilibria and Further Organic Chemistry: WCH15/01 Unit 5: Transition Metals and Organic Nitrogen Chemistry: WCH16/01 Unit 6: Practical Skills in Chemistry II:
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.
77% 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 / Structured Questions
180·45·41%
Multi-step Calculations
100·18·23%
Multiple Choice Questions
(MCQ)
92·92·21%
Mechanism / Synthesis Pathway Questions
68·12·15%
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.
Entropy and Gibbs Free Energy Calculations
90%90%
Transition Metal Ligand Substitution Equilibria
85%85%
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.