OCR GCSE Economics (J205/2017) Past Papers 2026

Introduction to Economics

Duration: 1h 30m

National and International Economics

Duration: 1h 30m

Interdependence and the roles of economic agents in markets

J205/01 June 2023 Section B overview flags that 'many candidates had a poor understanding of the concepts of interdependence, often confusing it with independence.' Multiple questions — Q21(d)(iii), Q22(d)(i) and Q23(d)(iii) — required candidates to explain how consumers, producers and government interact. Many could not progress beyond the basic observation that consumers buy from producers.

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Economic sustainability vs environmental sustainability

J205/01 June 2023 Q22(d)(iii) was based on economic sustainability of a business. Many candidates either did not attempt the question or confused economic sustainability with environmental sustainability — scoring zero or very low. The examiner note states that 'candidates need to be able to answer any question on any of these terms and to clearly differentiate between them.'

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Price elasticity of demand — distinguishing elastic from inelastic and applying consequences correctly

J205/01 June 2024 Section B overview notes that 'some candidates were confused between price elastic demand and price inelastic demand and therefore, the respective consequences when supply alters.' In Q21(d)(iii) there was 'considerable confusion between price elastic and price inelastic demand.' The same paper flags that 'price elasticity of demand' is among the specification topics that 'are more difficult for candidates than others.'

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Equilibrium price and quantity — explaining the concept not just naming it

J205/01 June 2023 Q22(b) on equilibrium proved difficult. Many produced 'muddled and confused responses', such as stating that equilibrium is 'where price and quantity are equal.' Only responses explaining the absence of pressure for price to change — no excess supply or demand — gained full marks.

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Balance of payments on current account — composition and distinguishing it from the government budget

J205/02 June 2023 Q5 MCQ saw a 'common error' of confusing 'government budget deficit and current account.' J205/02 June 2024 Q12 MCQ saw 'several candidates selected B or D demonstrating a confusion over the concept of balance of payments on current account.' These MCQ errors suggest a broader gap in understanding the distinction between fiscal and external balances.

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Distinguishing GDP from GDP per capita, and rates of change from absolute values

J205/02 June 2023 Q21(a) had a 'common misconception' of selecting 2014 (highest GDP growth rate) rather than 2019 (highest absolute GDP), 'because candidates can get confused between rates of change in an economic variable (over time) and the absolute values.' Q21(c) required analysis of differences between Japan and the UK in both GDP and GDP per capita — weaker responses could not distinguish the two or explain what changing population size implies.

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Progressive taxation — higher percentage of income, not just higher amount

J205/02 June 2024 Q22(d)(ii) had a specific misconception note: 'Most candidates appreciate that people on higher incomes are likely to pay more. However, they did not identify that the essential property of a progressive (income) tax is that it takes a higher percentage of income as people earn more.' Many also omitted the redistribution mechanism through government spending.

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Division of labour — splitting a process into distinct tasks, not just specialisation

J205/01 June 2024 Q22(a) noted that 'many candidates gave vague responses, which were often only given one mark for referring to the idea of specialisation but not relating this to the splitting up of a process into distinct tasks.' Full marks required explaining how the division of labour assigns specific stages of production to workers.

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