Edexcel GCSE Geography Paper 3 practice questions

What is on Paper 3?

• Paper 3 covers people and environment issues: making geographical decisions.
• It is a written paper of 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 64 marks including spelling, punctuation and grammar — 25% of the GCSE.
• Questions are a mix of multiple choice, short answer and longer extended responses.
• Always check the latest specification on your exam board's website, as details can change between exam years.

Paper 3 practice questions with answers

8 original questions across the 4 Paper 3 topics. Try each one before reading the answer.

1. Edexcel B papers and decision making

   1. Which Edexcel B component contains the decision-making question?

   • • Component 1
   • • Component 2
   • • Component 3
   • • Coursework

   Answer: Component 3

   The 12-mark decision question ends Component 3.

2. Edexcel B papers and decision making

   2. Fieldwork is assessed in:

   • • Component 1
   • • Component 2
   • • Component 3
   • • All three

   Answer: Component 2

   Geographical investigations sit inside the UK issues paper.

3. Ecosystems, rainforests and hot deserts

   3. Which is an abiotic component of an ecosystem?

   • • Fungi
   • • Rainfall
   • • Insects
   • • Trees

   Answer: Rainfall

   Abiotic means non-living — climate, soil, water, light.

4. Ecosystems, rainforests and hot deserts

   4. Explain what happens to a food web if a top predator is removed.

   Answer: Prey numbers rise, over-grazing plants, so producer numbers fall and the web becomes unbalanced

   Show a chain of consequences, not a single statement.

5. Resource management: food, water and energy

   5. Water stress occurs when:

   • • Rainfall is high
   • • Demand exceeds reliable supply
   • • Reservoirs are full
   • • Rivers flood

   Answer: Demand exceeds reliable supply

   Both supply and demand determine stress.

6. Resource management: food, water and energy

   6. Explain why the UK uses water transfer schemes.

   Answer: Rainfall surplus in the north and west can be moved to areas of high demand in the south and east

   Supply and demand are geographically mismatched.

7. Geographical skills: maps, graphs and data

   7. In a grid reference, which is read first?

   • • Northing
   • • Easting
   • • Altitude
   • • Bearing

   Answer: Easting

   Read along the corridor (easting) then up the stairs (northing).

8. Geographical skills: maps, graphs and data

   8. On a 1:50 000 map, 2 cm represents:

   • • 500 m
   • • 1 km
   • • 2 km
   • • 5 km

   Answer: 1 km

   1 cm = 500 m, so 2 cm = 1 km.

Where Paper 3 marks are usually lost

• Writing general answers without a named case study and specific facts or figures.
• Describing a landform without explaining the processes that formed it.
• Forgetting to quote data with units when describing a map, graph or table.
• Making a judgement in 'assess' or 'evaluate' questions without weighing up both sides.
• Losing spelling, punctuation and grammar marks on the longest answers.

How to pick up the extended-answer marks

• Underline the command word and the focus of the question before writing — most dropped marks come from answering a different question.
• Plan for one or two minutes: three or four points, each backed by evidence and explained.
• Keep linking back to the question in every paragraph, not just the conclusion.
• For 'evaluate' or 'how far do you agree' questions, weigh both sides and finish with a clear judgement.

Timing that works under pressure

• Check the marks per question and give each one time in proportion, keeping spare minutes for checking at the end.
• Bank the short questions first, then return to the longer answers with your remaining time.
• If a question stalls for more than two minutes, write down what you know and move on — partial marks still count.
• Leave five minutes to check spelling of key terms, units and whether any question part was skipped over a page break.

Revise each Paper 3 topic

• Edexcel B papers and decision making (72 questions)
• Ecosystems, rainforests and hot deserts (72 questions)
• Resource management: food, water and energy (72 questions)
• Geographical skills: maps, graphs and data (72 questions)

Edexcel Geography Paper 3 FAQs

What topics are on Edexcel GCSE Geography Paper 3?

Paper 3 assesses people and the biosphere, forests under threat, consuming energy resources, and a decision-making exercise.

How long is Edexcel GCSE Geography Paper 3?

It is a 1 hour 30 minutes written exam worth 64 marks including spelling, punctuation and grammar, which is 25% of the GCSE. Check your board's latest specification for any changes.

How should I revise for Geography Paper 3?

Practise answering questions rather than rereading notes. Short daily sets of five questions per topic, marked straight away, expose weak areas faster than a long passive revision session.