How to Get an A* in IGCSE Geography

Key Takeaways

Achieving an A* in IGCSE Geography requires more than just memorising facts. Here are the essential strategies that will set you apart from other candidates:

• Master case studies with specific details - Include precise dates, figures, and locations in your answers

• Understand command words - Know exactly what each question is asking for

• Practice past papers under timed conditions - This builds both knowledge and exam stamina

• Structure 7, 8 and 12-mark answers strategically - Balance points, evidence, and evaluation effectively

• Focus on exam board requirements - Tailor your revision to your specific syllabus

Understand What the Exam Expects

Know the Syllabus Inside Out

Your first step towards an A* is understanding exactly what your exam board expects. The major IGCSE Geography syllabi have specific structures and topic weightings you need to master.

Cambridge IGCSE Geography (0460/0976) - New Syllabus from 2025 (first exams 2027)

The syllabus is now clearly divided into Physical and Human Geography:

Paper 1: Physical Geography (1hr 45min, 36% of total marks)

• Changing river environments

• Changing coastal environments

• Changing ecosystems

• Tectonic hazards

• Climate change (new topic reflecting current global challenges)

Paper 2: Human Geography (1hr 45min, 36% of total marks)

• Changing populations

• Changing towns and cities

• Development

• Changing economies

• Resource provision

Paper 4: Geographical Investigations (1hr 30min, 28% of total marks)

• Replaces the old coursework component

• Tests geographical skills throughout

Key changes to note:

• Climate change is now a complete topic in the Cambridge (CIE) syllabus

• HICs, MICs and LICs have replaced MEDCs and LEDCs terminology

• “Detailed specific examples” replace traditional case studies

• Geographical skills are assessed throughout all papers rather than separately

Edexcel IGCSE Geography (4GE1) 

The syllabus (opens in a new tab) offers nine optional topics - you study five total (2 physical, 2 human, 1 global issue):

Paper 1: Physical Geography (1hr 10min, 70 marks)

• Section A: Choose 2 from 3 topics (25 marks each)

  • River environments

  • Coastal environments

  • Hazardous environments

• Section B: Fieldwork questions related to chosen topics (20 marks)

Paper 2: Human Geography (1hr 45min, 105 marks)

• Section A: Choose 2 from 3 topics (25 marks each)

  • Economic activity and energy

  • Rural environments

  • Urban environments

• Section B: Fieldwork questions related to chosen topic (20 marks) 

• Section C: Choose 1 global issue (35 marks)

  • Fragile environments and climate change

  • Globalisation and migration

  • Development and human welfare

Create a topic checklist and mark off areas as you master them. 

Learn Your exam board's command words

Command words vary significantly between exam boards, so understanding your specific requirements is crucial.

Cambridge CIE Command Words:

• Describe (2-4 marks): State what you observe using geographical terminology.

• Explain (4-6 marks): Give reasons why something happens, using connectives like "because" and "therefore."

• Evaluate (6-7 marks): Weigh up advantages/disadvantages and reach a balanced judgment.

• Assess (6-7 marks): Judge the extent or significance of something.

Edexcel Command Words:

• Describe (4-6 marks): State what you observe, often requiring more detail than CIE.

• Explain (6-8 marks): Give detailed reasons with clear geographical processes.

• Evaluate (8-12 marks): Comprehensive assessment requiring multiple viewpoints and sustained reasoning.

• Assess (8-12 marks): Judge significance with detailed analysis and clear conclusions.

Key Difference: Edexcel's longer questions require more sustained writing and deeper analysis, while CIE's questions are more concise but still require precision.

Master Your Exam Board's Approach to Examples

Cambridge CIE: Detailed Specific Examples

The new CIE specification requires "detailed specific examples" with precise facts, figures, and locations. 

Detailed specific examples include:

• Rivers - flooding and pollution

• Coasts - erosion and management

• Tropical rainforest

• Population change

• Migration

• Globalisation

• Tourism

Edexcel: Geographical understanding over named examples

Edexcel emphasizes understanding geographical concepts and processes rather than memorizing specific case studies. Focus on:

Conceptual understanding

• How physical processes create landforms

• Why human activities vary between places

• How places are interconnected through globalisation

• Why development levels differ globally

Flexible examples 

Rather than detailed case studies, use multiple smaller examples to illustrate points:

• "Cities like Lagos and Mumbai face rapid urbanisation challenges..."

• "Coastal areas from Bangladesh to the Netherlands require flood protection..."

• "Both Iceland (developed) and the Philippines (developing) experience volcanic activity..."

Process-focused approach

• Explain WHY things happen geographically

• Show HOW processes operate at different scales

• Demonstrate CONNECTIONS between human and physical geography

Perfect Your Exam Board's Technique

Cambridge CIE: Mastering 7-mark questions

CIE's 7-mark questions are the key to A* success. Use this structure:

The CIE 7-mark formula:

1. Brief introduction (1 line): Define key terms

2. Point 1 (2-3 lines): First argument with specific evidence

3. Point 2 (2-3 lines): Contrasting perspective with different evidence

4. Point 3 (2-3 lines): Additional factor or scale consideration

5. Balanced conclusion (1-2 lines): Weigh up evidence and make a judgment

Example response 

Explain the importance of coral reefs to a coastal area you have studied. (7 marks)

The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of northeast Australia, is important for many reasons. Located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, it is the largest coral reef system in the world. 

The reef is home to around 9,000 known marine species, so it helps biodiversity. This is important for the fishing industry, as many fish breed and live in the reef, providing jobs and food for local communities. The reef system acts as natural walls that absorb wave energy, protecting coastal towns from erosion and storm damage. 

The reef has cultural significance, as Indigenous Australian groups like the Yirrganydji and Gurang people have cared for it for thousands of years using their traditional ecological knowledge. The reef's diversity has helped scientists to find medicines to treat diseases like cancer and arthritis.

In addition, the reef supports tourism by attracting millions of visitors for diving and snorkelling, which contributes over AU$6 billion (about US$4 billion) to the Australian economy each year. The reef, through tourism, recreation, and fishing, supports over 64,000 jobs. 

Without the reef, Australia's coast would have less protection, which could potentially result in the loss of many jobs.

Edexcel: Mastering 8 and 12-mark questions

Edexcel's longer questions require sustained analysis and multiple perspectives.

The Edexcel 8-Mark structure:

1. Definition/context (2 lines): Set the geographical context

2. Factor 1 (3-4 lines): Detailed explanation with examples

3. Factor 2 (3-4 lines): Alternative factor with contrasting examples

4. Factor 3 (2-3 lines): Additional consideration

5. Conclusion (2 lines): Clear judgment on relative importance

The Edexcel 12-Mark structure:

1. Introduction (2-3 lines): Define terms and outline approach

2. Argument 1 (4-5 lines): Detailed analysis with multiple examples

3. Argument 2 (4-5 lines): Counter-argument with supporting evidence

4. Argument 3 (3-4 lines): Additional perspective or scale

5. Evaluation (3-4 lines): Weigh arguments and reach a reasoned conclusion

Timing Strategies by Exam Board

Cambridge CIE timing (1hr 45min papers)

• Paper 1 & 2: Approximately 1.4 minutes per mark

• 7-mark questions: 10 minutes (including 2 minutes planning)

• 4-mark questions: 6 minutes

• 2-mark questions: 3 minutes

Edexcel timing:

• Paper 1 (1hr 10min): Exactly 1 minute per mark

• Paper 2 (1hr 45min): Exactly 1 minute per mark

• 12-mark questions: 12-15 minutes (including 3 minutes planning)

• 8-mark questions: 8-10 minutes

• 4-mark questions: 4-5 minutes

Use Smart Revision Strategies

Active recall tailored to your exam board

For CIE students: Create ”detailed specific example” flashcards with:

• Front: Topic and location

• Back: Statistics, dates, impacts, responses, sustainability links

Test yourself weekly: "What are three specific impacts of the 2010 Haiti earthquake?"

For Edexcel students: Focus on process understanding cards:

• Front: Geographical process or concept

• Back: How it works, why it varies, where it occurs

Test yourself weekly: "Why do tropical storms lose strength over land?" or "How does globalisation create winners and losers?"

Target your exam board's marking priorities

CIE priorities:

• Specific facts, figures, dates, and locations

• Links to sustainability themes

• Global citizenship perspective

• Detailed specific examples over general knowledge

Edexcel priorities:

• Understanding geographical processes

• Explaining variations between places

• Connections between human and physical geography

• Analytical thinking over memorized facts

Exam board-specific practice techniques

CIE students:

• Practice writing detailed specific examples in 2 minutes

• Create sustainability connection webs for each topic

• Use past papers from 2020 onwards (reflecting current approach)

• Focus on precision and geographical accuracy

Edexcel students:

• Practice explaining processes without named examples

• Create concept maps showing geographical connections

• Use past papers from all recent years (less syllabus change)

• Focus on analytical depth and sustained reasoning

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours should I study for IGCSE Geography?

Study time varies by exam board due to different content loads:

CIE Students: 8-10 hours weekly 

• Regular term: 3-5 hours a week

• Exam period: 6-7 hours a week

Edexcel Students: 6-8 hours weekly (fewer but deeper topics)

• Regular term: 3-5 hours a week

• Exam period: 6-7 hours a week

How do I memorise the right type of examples?

CIE - Detailed Specific Examples: Use the SPEED method for each example:

• Setting: Precise location, date, scale

• People: Who were affected, how many, demographics

• Events: What happened, timeline

• Effects: Short/long-term impacts with figures

• Decisions: Management strategies with success rates

Edexcel - Conceptual understanding: Use the WISE method:

• What: What geographical process/pattern exists?

• Influence: What factors influence this?

• Scale: How does this vary by scale/location?

• Examples: Brief examples to illustrate (not detailed case studies)

How do I improve my longest answers?

CIE 7-mark questions:

• Plan for two minutes before writing

• Use three distinct points with specific evidence

• Always include a balanced conclusion

• Link back to the question in each paragraph

Edexcel 8 and 12-mark questions:

• Plan for two to three minutes 

• Develop arguments fully with detailed reasoning

• Show understanding of geographical connections

• Write a decisive conclusion that answers the question directly

Final Thoughts

Success in IGCSE Geography depends heavily on understanding your exam board's specific requirements. CIE students must master “detailed specific examples” and sustainability thinking, while Edexcel students need deep conceptual understanding and analytical skills.

Both exam boards reward geographical thinking over memorisation, but they test this in different ways. CIE wants precision and global awareness, while Edexcel seeks understanding and connection-making.

Your A* is achievable by focusing on your exam board's priorities, practicing their specific question types, and developing the particular skills they value most. Whether you're analyzing climate change impacts for CIE or explaining development processes for Edexcel, success comes from matching your preparation to your exam board's expectations.

Remember: there's no single "right" way to study IGCSE Geography - there's only the right way for YOUR exam board. Master that approach, and your A* is within reach.