Six-mark questions

Six-mark questions are extended open response questions. These require longer answers than the structured questions that have fewer marks. It is wise to plan your answer first by making some notes. This will help you to include all the key points.

To gain full marks, you need to:

support explanations using scientific knowledge and understanding
use appropriate scientific words
write clearly and link ideas in a logical way
maintain a sustained line of reasoning

Writing six-mark answers with Dr Alex Lathbridge

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How to write six-mark answers in your science GCSE exams.

Open Transcript

Six-mark questions often use these command words:

Describe means you should recall facts, events or processes accurately. You might need to give an account of what something looked like, or what happened.
Explain means you need to make something clear, or state the reasons for something happening.
Compare means you need to describe similarities and differences between things. If you are asked to compare X and Y, write down something about X and something about Y, and give a comparison. Do not just write about X only or Y only.
Evaluate means you must use information supplied, or your own knowledge, to consider the evidence for and against or to identify strengths and weaknesses. You must then complete your answer with a conclusion, stating which is better and why, for example.

Six-mark questions may be synoptic questions, which bring together ideas from two or more topics. For example, a question about fertilisers could include ideas about covalent substances, acids and alkalis, chemical calculations, and effects on the environment.

The answers shown here give marking points as bullet points. You do not usually need to include all of them to gain six marks, but you do need to write in sentences, linking them logically and clearly.

These questions have been written by Bitesize consultants as suggestions to the types of questions that may appear in an exam paper.

Sample question 1 - Foundation

Question

Describe the structure of an atom, including properties of its subatomic particles.

[6 marks]

Sample question 2 - Foundation

Question

Two elements in group 1 of the periodic table are lithium and sodium.

Very small pieces of lithium and sodium were reacted separately with water.

Describe the similarities and differences in what is seen and in the products of the reactions.

[6 marks]

Sample question 3 - Higher

Question

In the periodic table, the transition elements and group 1 elements are metals.

Some of the properties of two transition elements and two group 1 elements are shown in table 1.

Table 1

	Chromium	Iron	Sodium	Caesium
Melting point in °C	1857	1535	98	29
Formula of oxides	CrO, Cr₂O₃, CrO₂, CrO₃	FeO, Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄	Na₂O	Cs₂O

Melting point in °C
Chromium	1857
Iron	1535
Sodium	98
Caesium	29

Formula of oxides
Chromium	CrO, Cr₂O₃, CrO₂, CrO₃
Iron	FeO, Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄
Sodium	Na₂O
Caesium	Cs₂O

Use your own knowledge and the data in table 1 to compare the chemical and physical properties of transition elements and group 1 elements.

[6 marks]

Sample question 4 - Higher

Question

Group 1 of the periodic table contains the alkali metals lithium, sodium and potassium.

The alkali metals show a pattern in their reactivity with water.

This pattern is shown when small pieces of lithium, sodium and potassium are added separately to water.

Describe the reactions and explain the pattern in reactivity.

[6 marks]

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Sample exam questions - atomic structure and the periodic table - AQASix-mark questions