The Multi-Choice Question (MCQ) paper is the most brutal part of the A/L Economics exam. You have 50 questions and limited time, meaning you have roughly 2 minutes per question.
Many students know the theory but still end up with scores in the 20s or 30s because they panic or run out of time. The difference between an ‘A’ and a ‘B’ often comes down to this paper.
Want to break the “40 Marks” barrier? Here is the strategy used by top-ranking students.
1. The “1-Minute Rule” (The Skip Method)
The biggest mistake students make is getting stuck on a hard question.
- The Trap: Spending 5 minutes calculating a complex National Income question (Question https://www.google.com/search?q=%2312) and then rushing through easy questions at the end.
- The Fix: If you can’t solve it in 1 minute, circle it and SKIP IT. Your goal is to see all 50 questions. Often, the questions at the end (40-50) are easier than the ones in the middle. Secure the easy marks first, then come back to the hard ones.
2. Watch Out for the “NOT” Trap
Examiners love to trick you with negative wording.
- The Trick: Questions like “Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Monopolistic Competition?”
- The Fix: When you read the question, underline the word NOT or EXCEPT with your pencil immediately. Your brain is wired to look for the “correct” statement. Underlining forces you to slow down and look for the “wrong” statement.
3. The Elimination Method (50/50 Rule)
Don’t just look for the right answer; look for the wrong ones.
- The Strategy: usually, out of the 5 options, 2 are completely ridiculous and clearly wrong. Cross them out physically on your question paper.
- The Result: Now you are guessing between 3 options instead of 5. This drastically increases your probability of getting it right, even if you aren’t 100% sure.
4. Master the “Calculation” Shortcuts
You don’t always need to do the full math.
- The Tip: In National Accounting or Elasticity questions, look at the units in the answers. If the question asks for a “Deficit,” and only two answers show a negative value, you can ignore the positive ones immediately. Learn to estimate before you calculate.
5. Practice “Themed” MCQ Sets
Don’t just do full papers 1-50.
- The Strategy: For one week, do only Microeconomics MCQs (Questions 1-10 usually). The next week, do only Macroeconomics.
- Why: This helps you identify exactly which section is dragging your score down.
🚀 Test Your Speed: Download MCQ Papers
We have separated the MCQ sections from past papers for focused practice.