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Free IGCSE Biology practice

IGCSE Biology questions with answers

Free IGCSE Biology practice questions with full worked solutions and mark schemes, written by IGCSE tutors for Malaysian students in Year 7 to Year 11. Each question shows the answer, the method to get it right, the mark scheme and the common mistake to avoid.

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8 worked examples below. Covers cells, transport, enzymes, human biology and ecology.

Worked Biology questions

BiologyYear 7CellsEasy1 mark
1. The diagram shows an animal cell. Structure A controls the cell and holds genetic material. How many such control structures does a typical animal cell have?
ABC
Answer: 1
The method
Identify the nucleus, the part that controls the cell.
Worked solution
A is the nucleus, and a typical animal cell has one nucleus.
Mark scheme
1 mark for 1.
Common mistake
Confusing the nucleus with the smaller mitochondrion.
Exam tip
The nucleus is the large central structure that controls the cell.
BiologyYear 8PhotosynthesisMedium1 mark
2. Name the gas that plants take in for photosynthesis.
ABC
Answer: carbon dioxide
The method
Recall the raw materials of photosynthesis.
Worked solution
Plants take in carbon dioxide, which they combine with water using light energy.
Mark scheme
1 mark for carbon dioxide.
Common mistake
Saying oxygen, which is the product not the reactant.
Exam tip
Carbon dioxide goes in, oxygen comes out in photosynthesis.
BiologyYear 9Cell transportMedium2 marks
3. Define diffusion.
A (high)B (low)
Answer: movement high to low
The method
Think about which way particles spread and why.
Worked solution
Diffusion is the net movement of particles from a high concentration to a low concentration.
Mark scheme
1 mark for movement of particles, 1 mark for high to low concentration.
Common mistake
Forgetting to say high to low, or saying low to high.
Exam tip
Particles diffuse down a concentration gradient, high to low.
BiologyYear 10Cell structureMedium1 mark
4. The diagram shows a plant cell. Structure A is the tough outer layer that supports the cell. What is it?
ABC
  • ACell wallcorrect
  • BNucleus
  • CVacuole
  • DChloroplast
The method
The outer layer of a plant cell gives it support and shape.
Worked solution
Structure A is the cell wall, made of cellulose, which supports the plant cell.
Mark scheme
1 mark for cell wall.
Common mistake
Confusing the cell wall with the cell membrane.
Exam tip
Only plant cells have a cell wall outside the membrane.
BiologyYear 11EcologyMedium2 marks
5. The diagram shows a food chain. What would happen to the frogs if all the insects were removed?
GrassInsectFrogSnake
Answer: frogs decrease
The method
Follow the chain and see what the frogs feed on.
Worked solution
Frogs eat insects, so removing insects would reduce the frogs' food and their numbers would fall.
Mark scheme
1 mark for frogs decrease, 1 mark for loss of food source.
Common mistake
Saying frogs increase, ignoring the loss of their food.
Exam tip
Removing a food source reduces the animals that depend on it.
BiologyYear 9EnzymesHard2 marks
6. Explain why a very high temperature stops an enzyme working.
Answer: it denatures
The method
Think about what heat does to the enzyme shape.
Worked solution
High temperature denatures the enzyme, changing the shape of its active site so the substrate no longer fits.
Mark scheme
1 mark for denature, 1 mark for change of active site shape.
Common mistake
Saying the enzyme is killed, which is wrong as enzymes are not alive.
Exam tip
Enzymes denature, they are not killed. They are not living things.
BiologyYear 10Movement in and out of cellsHard2 marks
7. Define osmosis.
A (high)B (low)
Answer: water across a membrane
The method
Osmosis is a special case of diffusion involving water.
Worked solution
Osmosis is the movement of water from a dilute solution to a more concentrated one across a partially permeable membrane.
Mark scheme
1 mark for water movement, 1 mark for across a partially permeable membrane.
Common mistake
Describing the movement of solute rather than water.
Exam tip
Osmosis moves water. Diffusion can move any particle.
BiologyYear 11InheritanceHard2 marks
8. A gene has a dominant allele B and a recessive allele b. Which genotype shows the recessive feature?
  • Abbcorrect
  • BBB
  • CBb
  • DBbBb
The method
A recessive feature only appears when both alleles are recessive.
Worked solution
Only bb shows the recessive feature, as B would mask it.
Mark scheme
1 mark for bb.
Common mistake
Choosing Bb, where the dominant allele hides the recessive one.
Exam tip
Recessive features need two recessive alleles to appear.

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IGCSE Biology questions: FAQs

Are these IGCSE Biology questions free?

Yes. Every question on this page is free to read, with the full answer, worked solution and mark scheme shown. For unlimited practice with instant marking, you can try the live Studywise dashboard, also free, with no sign up.

Do the questions follow the Cambridge IGCSE syllabus?

Yes. The questions are written by IGCSE tutors and follow the Cambridge IGCSE Biology syllabus, covering cells, transport, enzymes, human biology and ecology.

Which year levels are covered?

The samples run from Year 7 to Year 11, so younger students can build foundations while Year 10 and 11 students focus on exam topics.

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