Answering 1-Mark MCQ Questions (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Economics): Revision Note

How do I answer an IGCSE Economics multiple-choice question?

• One-mark MCQs appear in Paper 1 only

• There are 40 MCQs

• You can see more information on the Paper 1: Multiple Choice page

Systematic steps to help you succeed in MCQ exams

1. Read the question stem carefully

• Focus on exactly what the question is asking

• Identify whether it is testing:

  • a definition

  • a numerical idea

  • a diagram

  • a cause-effect relationship

2. Underline key words in the stem

• Look for words such as:

  • increase / decrease

  • most likely / best explains

  • scarcity / opportunity cost / elasticity

• These help you avoid misreading the question

3. Cover the options and think of the answer first

• Try to answer from your own knowledge before looking at the choices

• This helps you avoid being misled by distractors

4. Eliminate obviously incorrect options

• Remove answers that:

  • contradict definitions

  • do not match the diagram

  • mix up micro and macro concepts

  • contain extreme words like “always” or “never”

• You should aim to narrow it down to two choices

5. Compare the remaining options logically

• Ask yourself which option:

  • directly fits the economic concept

  • follows the correct cause → effect chain

  • matches the data or numerical relationship

• The best answer is the one that is always true, not just sometimes true

6. Use diagrams where relevant (mentally)

• For demand and supply questions:

  • visualise the shift

  • think about the direction of price and quantity

• For elasticity questions:

  • imagine steep vs shallow curves

• You don’t need to draw diagrams on the paper - but visualising them helps

7. Check the units in numerical questions

• Percentage?

• Index number?

• Millions or billions?

• Make sure your mental calculation matches the scale given

8. Make a decision - and move on

• Do not spend too long on any one question

• You have approximately 1.5 minutes per question

• If you can't decide between two answers, choose the one that fits economic logic, not the one that sounds appealing