IGCSE Geography / Exam technique
Explain and suggest: the 2, 3 and 4 mark questions
Edexcel International GCSE Geography (4GE1), chapter 12: Exam technique, specification point CW, P1. Free lesson.
Read the revision notes · IGCSE Geography past papers
Explain and suggest questions ask you to give a reason and show what follows from it. Match the number of linked ideas to the marks, and use a country that fits the question when one is required.
Build a chain of reasoning
A chain of reasoning starts with a point, which is your reason, then links on consequences. Each mark is for a link in the chain, not for adding an unrelated reason. Use words such as so and which means to show how one idea leads to the next. A point gives the reason and earns 1 mark. A development explains what follows from the point and earns another mark. A further development explains what follows next. Other useful linking words include because, therefore and leading to.
Match the answer to the marks
The question's wording tells you how many points and developments to write. A 2-mark answer and a 3-mark answer have different patterns, rather than the same answer with an extra sentence. Explain one, 2 marks: one point and one development. Explain one, 3 marks: one point developed twice. Keep both developments linked to the same reason. Explain two, 4 marks: two different points, each developed once.
Develop one reason for 2 or 3 marks
For 2 marks, state a reason and explain what follows. For 3 marks, add another consequence that follows from the first development. This makes one complete chain instead of a list of separate reasons. For a meander question, the point is that water on the inside bend is shallow and flows slowly. It has less energy, so it can no longer carry its load and drops it. For a flooding question, urbanisation covers soil with impermeable tarmac and concrete. Rainwater cannot infiltrate, meaning soak into the ground, so it runs over the surface into drains. It reaches the river quickly, which means…
Use two different points for 4 marks
When asked to explain two ways, give two distinct points and develop each one. If a question asks for a named country of a particular type, make sure your example fits that type. In Curitiba, Brazil, buses run in their own lanes. They are quicker than cars, and around 2000, 70 to 75% of commuters went by bus, so less fuel was burned. People in poorer areas can swap bags of rubbish for food and bus tickets. This means less rubbish is dumped and the streets are cleaner.
Choose the right country and avoid common errors
A named example from the wrong kind of country can limit your marks. The Human Development Index (HDI) scores a country on health, education and income. Also, do not give two separate reasons when the question asks for one, because the extra reason does not develop the first. The UAE has a very high HDI, so it is developed. Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are also developed. Developed countries have a very high HDI. Emerging countries have a high or medium HDI. Developing countries have a low HDI. For one way, develop one point twice. A second, separate reason earns nothing if the question…
Practise a 3-mark answer
Land values are highest in the city centre because it is easy to reach and businesses compete for limited sites there. The answer earns its marks by joining each consequence to the previous idea.