Cambridge IGCSE · Analysis & Prediction
2023 Cambridge IGCSE Science - Combined (0653) Past Paper: Analysis & Answers
The October/November 2023 Combined Science (0653) paper series presents a balanced assessment across Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The Core and Extended tracks successfully evaluate theoretical knowledge, mathematical application, and experimental design, with notable challenges in unit conversions, chemical analysis, and precise command word interpretation.
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Paper breakdown
Examiner insights
Official reportCommon pitfalls
- Confusing the location of fertilisation in humans, frequently stating the uterus instead of the oviducts.
- Omitting units in physics calculations, particularly when stating the speed of light or when calculating electrical resistance.
- Inability to rearrange physics formulas correctly, leading to arithmetic failures (e.g., density = mass/volume rearranged incorrectly).
- Applying too generic safety terms in Paper 62 planning tasks (e.g., stating 'human error' or 'be careful' instead of specific source-based limitations like difficulty judging the end of a fizzing reaction).
Misconceptions
- Believing that water vapour exits the stomata via evaporation, rather than realizing it evaporates from mesophyll cells and then exits via diffusion.
- Assuming that enzymes are made of starch rather than protein, a common distraction chosen in multiple-choice papers.
- Thinking that tap water is a pure chemical compound or mixture of elements, rather than a solution of dissolved solids.
Where marks are lost
- Failure to convert units (e.g., converting cm3 to m3 by dividing by 10^6 instead of multiplying, or converting minutes to hours incorrectly).
- Drawing sketchy or non-continuous lines in ray diagrams or biological drawings, which do not meet standard drafting criteria.
- Providing too generic answers to planning questions without specifying how variables are changed, measured, or controlled (e.g., stating 'control temperature' without describing the use of a water bath).
Estimated grade boundary
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
| Grade | Mark | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A* | 151/200 | 76% |
| A | 126/200 | 63% |
| B | 101/200 | 51% |
| C | 77/200 | 39% |
| D | 67/200 | 34% |
| E | 57/200 | 29% |
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