CCEA GCE A Level Chemistry (467) Past Papers 2026

Basic Concepts in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Duration: 1h 30m

Further Physical and Inorganic Chemistry and Introduction to Organic Chemistry

Duration: 1h 30m

Basic Practical Chemistry — Practical Booklet A + Practical Booklet B (Theory)

Duration: 1h 15m × 2 (Booklet A in laboratory, Booklet B in examination hall)

Further Physical and Organic Chemistry

Duration: 2h

Analytical, Transition Metals, Electrochemistry and Organic Nitrogen Chemistry

Duration: 2h

Further Practical Chemistry — Practical Booklet A + Practical Booklet B (Theory)

Duration: 1h 15m × 2 (Booklet A in laboratory, Booklet B in examination hall)

Curly arrow mechanisms — precision of origin and direction

Flagged in every unit involving mechanisms across all three series (2023, 2024, 2025). The Chief Examiner explicitly states that curly arrows must start touching the bond or from the centre of a lone pair. In A2 1 (2023), the standard was described as 'poor' for nucleophilic addition and Friedel-Crafts acylation mechanisms. In AS 2 (2025), errors included 'incorrect connectivity, curly arrows not touching bonds, curly arrows going in the wrong direction and missing lone pairs or charges'.

AS 2, A2 1, A2 2

Practical procedures — redox titrations and electrochemical cell set-up

The A2 2 QWC question on carrying out a redox titration to determine iron(II) concentration was described as 'very poorly answered by most candidates' in 2025, with some candidates titrating against sodium hydroxide rather than potassium manganate(VII). The electrochemical cell set-up in A2 3B (2023) showed a common error of omitting the platinum electrode or drawing the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ half-cell as the reduction half-cell.

A2 2, A2 3

Intermolecular forces — omitting 'between the molecules'

This is the single most consistent recurring comment across all six written units and all three years. In A2 1 (2023), candidates 'scored four marks rather than six' because they failed to state that intermolecular forces acted between the molecules. In AS 1 (2025), improvement was noted — suggesting it is being corrected when teachers specifically advise it.

AS 1, AS 2, A2 1, A2 2

Electronic configurations of transition metals — order and notation

The 2024 and 2025 reports both note that electronic configurations must be written in order of principal quantum numbers (3d before 4s), in lower case, and with correct superscripts. In A2 2 (2025), many candidates 'struggled with the electronic configurations of some transition metal atoms and ions'. The outer electronic configuration of chromium (3d⁵4s¹ not 3d⁴4s²) was specifically flagged in 2024.

A2 2

Amino acid / zwitterion chemistry — explaining high melting points

The explanation of the high melting point of amino acids (due to zwitterion formation and ionic bonding between NH₃⁺ and COO⁻ groups) was described as 'very poorly answered' in both 2024 and 2025. The majority of candidates incorrectly attributed the high melting point to hydrogen bonding, which was not credited.

A2 2

Born-Haber cycle — stoichiometric factors and state symbols

In 2023, 'the most common error was the omission of ½ before H₂'. In 2025, 'the factor of 2 was not applied to the enthalpy of atomisation of sodium or the first ionisation energy of sodium' and 'state symbols were difficult to distinguish'. These errors cost candidates marks on a question that otherwise rewards well-prepared students.

A2 1

IUPAC nomenclature — systematic names for inorganic compounds

The systematic name for sodium nitrite (sodium nitrate(III)) was identified as very poorly known in both 2024 and 2025, with 'very few correct answers' in each series. This requires knowing the oxidation state naming convention for inorganic compounds, not just organic nomenclature.

A2 1, A2 2

E-Z isomerism — precise conditions required for restricted rotation

In AS 2 (2025), Part (a)(i) on E-Z isomerism 'was not well answered'. Candidates identified the C=C double bond but lost marks for insufficient precision — 'carbon double bond' or 'double bond' alone were not credited; 'carbon–carbon double bond' was required. The second mark required 'each carbon in the double bond had different groups/atoms attached' — omitting the word 'different' lost the mark.

AS 2