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GCE A-Level 2024 Exam Format
Understanding the A-Level Examination Format
If you are reading this, it means the time has come to prepare — quite seriously — for the Singapore–Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A-Level) examinations. The stress is palpable. To help take some load off your shoulders, we have made a ‘glance-over’ list that explains the GCE A-Level syllabus and exam format simply.
All information taken from SEAB website.
The following subjects are covered here:
General Paper H1
Students are to appear for two papers — Paper 1 and Paper 2 on the same day at different sittings.
Paper 1 (50 marks)
In Paper 1, you are expected to write a 500 to 800-word essay. You will get 12 questions pertaining to the topic from a cross-section of issues related to local and global interests/concerns. You must choose and write on just one topic.
The 12 questions in Paper 1 may be set from a cross-section of subjects such as:
- Economic, political and philosophical topics
- History, geographical, science and mathematical topics
- Literature, languages, art and craft
- General principles, current developments and applications
- Local and global concerns
It’s not necessary that all the above topics will feature in the 12 questions. However, students are expected to write a well-thought-out and comprehensive essay on any of the above topics.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Paper 2 (50 marks)
This paper consists of one or two comprehensions. Questions will be asked based on these passages. Vocabulary, inferences, summary writing and application of the English language will all be taken into consideration. Questions may be based on two different passages, answers to which may require comparative analysis. The length of the text, about 1200 words in all, will be marked by paragraph numbers in the left margin and line numbers in the right margin.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Project Work H1
About 4 to 5 students work together in a group on a project that will display their various skills and abilities. The groups have 28 weeks to complete the given project. Students are assessed both as members of the group and as individuals.
Paper 1a: Project Summary
Each team must provide a Project Summary of around 1200 words, explaining a real-world problem or opportunity they've found. The summary should cover the evaluation and analysis of the identified issue/opportunity, including proposed ideas and research findings. This group paper carries 30% of the total grade and will be assessed based on critical thinking, creative ideas, and information skills presented in the summary.
Paper 1b: Individual Reflection
Each student within the group needs to submit an individual written reflection of approximately 400 words. This reflection should encompass their personal analysis and evaluation of the group's idea, allowing them to share insights gained during the project completion. This individual section contributes 20% to the total grade, and students will be evaluated on their critical and inventive thinking skills.
Paper 2: Oral presentation
This is an oral presentation where each student in a group must present a part of the project to a target audience and get quizzed on it. Clarity of ideas and coherence of speech during the presentation is given importance. The group is scored as a team as well as on individual performance. This paper will be worth 50% of the overall grade. The group will be assessed based on the effectiveness of the presentation and the quality of the group response, while the individual will be graded based on fluency and clarity of their speech, awareness of the audience, and the individual contribution to the group response.
Mathematics H1
Section A (Pure Maths - 40 Marks)
This section has 5 questions of varying lengths and marks.
Section B (Probability and Statistics - 60 Marks)
This section will consist of about 6-8 questions.
Do note: There will be at least two 12-mark questions (with at least one in each section) which will have problems that will require the students to apply Maths concepts in real-world contexts. The students may have to use concepts and skills from more than one topic to solve these questions.
Mathematics H2
Section 1 (100 marks)
This section will be based on Pure Mathematics and it comprises of 10 to 12 questions, with two questions based on the application of Mathematics in real-world contexts. Both of these questions are worth 12 marks and students will have to pool in learned concepts and skills from various topics to solve them.
Duration: 3 hours
Section 2 (100 marks)
This paper will have two sections. Section A will consist of 4 to 5 questions based on Pure Mathematics like Algebra, Calculus, Discrete Mathematics, Matrices and Numerical Methods. This section will be worth 40 marks. Section B will consist of 6 to 8 questions based on the Probability and Statistics section of the syllabus. Students need to prepare to solve at least two questions based on real-world contexts. There will be at least two questions worth 12 marks each and will be based on the application of maths concepts in the real-world context.
Duration: 3 hours
Economics H1
Students are expected to understand fundamental economic concepts and are expected to use the tools and methods of analysis used by economists. They should be able to use these tools to explain and analyse economic issues. They are expected to read a variety of books to understand the changing economic activities and policies at the national and international levels. Here’s what the exam format looks like:
Paper 1 (80 marks)
This paper includes two compulsory case studies. Each case study, which carries 40 marks each (50 percent of the total marks), will have two to three pages of data presented in textual, numerical or graphical form. About 16 marks for each set of case study questions will be for data response questions, and about 24 marks will be for higher-order questions. Students must answer all the questions. The use of calculators is allowed.
Duration: 3 hours
Economics H2
H2 level of Economics has two papers. Students can use calculators in both papers. Following are the details:
Paper 1 (60 marks)
This will have two compulsory case studies. Each case study carries 30 marks. About 12 marks for each set of case study questions will be for data response questions, and about 18 marks will be for higher-order questions.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Paper 2 (75 marks)
This paper has a total of six essays. Students will answer any three essay questions, of which one must be from Section A, one from Section B and one from either Section A or B.
Section A: Three essay questions are set based on microeconomics. Candidates must answer at least one question from this section.
Section B will have three essay questions based on macroeconomics. Students must answer at least one question from this section.
All three questions in all three sections carry 25 marks each.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Physics H1
In all, there are two papers for Physics H1. Students must appear for all two. Knowledge of Mathematics including Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry, Vectors and Graphs is needed for this subject.
Paper 1 (30 marks)
This paper is in the format of multiple-choice questions with 4 options, worth 30 marks.
Duration: 1 hour
Paper 2 (80 marks)
This paper will consist of structured questions in two sections, answers for which are to be written in the question paper itself.
Section A (60 marks): This section contains a variable number of structured questions, including one or two data-based questions. The data-oriented question(s) will contribute to 15–20 marks.
Section B (20 marks): Within this section are two questions, each carrying a value of 20 marks. Students are required to respond to any one of these questions. The challenges posed by these questions necessitate the integration of ideas from various sections of the syllabus in crafting their answers.
Duration: 2 hours
Physics H2
In all, there are four papers for Physics H2. Students must appear for all four. Knowledge of Mathematics including Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry, Vectors and Graphs is needed for this subject.
Paper 1 (30 marks)
This paper is in the format of multiple-choice questions with 4 options, worth 30 marks.
Duration: 1 hour
Paper 2 (80 marks)
This will consist of structured questions. It will also include a couple of data-based questions. Students will need to integrate their knowledge and understanding from different areas of the syllabus to solve these. Answers are to be written in the Question Paper itself.
Duration: 2 hours
Paper 3 (80 marks)
This paper has two sections and will have longer structured questions requiring students to integrate knowledge and understanding from different areas of the syllabus. While Section A will be worth 60 marks, it will consist of structured questions. In Section B, students will have to answer one 20-mark question out of the two given.
Duration: 2 hours
Paper 4 (55 marks)
This is a practical exam, and students will be assessed based on planning, manipulation, measurement, and observation. Presentation of data and observations, analysis, conclusions and evaluation will be given importance.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Chemistry H1
In all, there are two papers for Chemistry H1. Students must appear for all two.
Paper 1 (30 marks)
This paper is in the format of multiple-choice questions with 4 options, worth 30 marks.
Duration: 1 hour
Paper 2 (80 marks)
This paper is split into two sections and the answers are to be written in the question paper itself. Section A comprises questions that evaluate a student’s higher-order thinking skills. In section B, students will have to choose one out of the two questions given and write a lengthy answer (worth 20 marks) putting to good use the knowledge they have gained studying Chemistry.
Duration: 2 hours
Chemistry H2
Students appearing for Chemistry must know how to handle, apply and evaluate data according to the questions asked. There are four papers in this subject. Let’s look at the exam format:
Paper 1 (30 marks)
This will have 30 multiple-choice questions with 4 options to choose from. As many as eight questions may have multiple levels of completion.
Duration: 1 hour
Paper 2 (75 marks)
The answers to this exam are to be written in the question paper itself. Structured questions will be asked, aimed at evaluating a student’s higher-order thinking skills. A student’s ability to integrate and correlate information from various topics will be tested.
Duration: 2 hours
Paper 3 (80 marks)
This paper is split into two sections. Section A, worth 60 marks, comprises 3 to 4 questions, the answers to which are to be given in free response format. Section B has just two questions, of which students are to answer just one, worth 20 marks. A student’s ability to integrate and correlate information from various topics will be put to the test.
Duration: 2 hours
Paper 4 (55 marks)
This is a practical exam, and students will be assessed based on planning, manipulation, measurement, and observation. Presentation of data and observations, analysis, conclusions and evaluation will be given importance.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Biology H1
This level has 2 papers with a total of 90 marks.
Paper 1 (30 marks)
This paper is in the format of multiple-choice questions with 4 options, worth 30 marks.
Duration: 1 hour
Paper 2 (60 marks)
This paper is split into two sections. Section A is worth 45 marks and comprises structured questions that evaluate a student’s higher-order thinking skills. It will also have at least one data-based/ comprehension-type question. In section B, students will have to choose one out of the two free-response questions (worth 15 marks). Students will be assessed on how well they put forth their scientific arguments.
Duration: 2 hours
Biology H2
H2 biology has four papers which also include a practical examination.
Paper 1 (30 marks)
This will have 30 multiple-choice questions with 4 options to choose from.
Duration: 1 hour
Paper 2 (100 marks)
This paper will have structured questions aimed at evaluating a student’s higher-order thinking skills. It will also include data-based or comprehension-type questions. A student’s ability to integrate and correlate information from various topics will be put to test.
Duration: 2 hours
Paper 3 (75 marks)
This paper will consist of long structured questions, including data-based or comprehension-type questions. It will also have one free-response question worth 25 marks. All questions will be based on higher-order skills of analysing and arriving at conclusions. Section A is worth 50 marks and Section B 25 marks. Students will have to answer questions by analysing data, performing calculations, justifying their decisions and conclusions based on information in the stimulus material. Students will have to answer one of the two free-response questions in Section B.
Duration: 2 hours
Paper 4 (55 marks)
This is a practical exam, and students will be assessed based on planning, manipulation, measurement and observation. Presentation of data and observations, analysis, conclusions and evaluation will be given importance. Paper 4 may also include data handling/interpretation questions that do not require apparatus.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
