Edexcel GCSE PE Component 2 practice questions

What is on Component 2?

• Component 2 covers health and performance.
• It is a written paper of 1 hour 15 minutes, worth 70 marks — 24% 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.

Component 2 practice questions with answers

10 original questions across the 5 Component 2 topics. Try each one before reading the answer.

1. Edexcel Physical Education: papers and exam technique

   1. What should you always do when a question names a specific sport?

   • • Ignore the sport and answer generically
   • • Link your answer directly back to that named example
   • • Only mention a different sport you prefer
   • • Skip the question

   Answer: Link your answer directly back to that named example

   Applying theory to the specific named context shows understanding rather than generic recall.

2. Edexcel Physical Education: papers and exam technique

   2. What should you check carefully before interpreting a graph?

   Answer: The axis labels and units

   Misreading axes or units leads to an incorrect description of the data.

3. Health, fitness and wellbeing

   3. Which definition best describes 'health'?

   • • Ability to meet demands of the environment
   • • A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing
   • • The absence of injury only
   • • The ability to run fast

   Answer: A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing

   Health covers more than just physical condition.

4. Health, fitness and wellbeing

   4. Which is a social benefit of exercise?

   • • Reduced disease risk
   • • Improved friendships/teamwork
   • • Increased muscle mass
   • • Lower blood pressure

   Answer: Improved friendships/teamwork

   Social benefits relate to relationships and belonging, not physical changes.

5. Sports psychology

   5. A free throw in basketball is an example of which type of skill?

   • • Open skill
   • • Closed skill
   • • Reactive skill
   • • Externally paced skill

   Answer: Closed skill

   It is unaffected by opponents or environment and performed in a fixed way.

6. Sports psychology

   6. Returning a tennis serve is an example of which pacing?

   • • Self-paced
   • • Externally paced
   • • Fine paced
   • • Gross paced

   Answer: Externally paced

   The action is started by another performer's serve, not the receiver's own choice.

7. Socio-cultural influences and participation

   7. Which of these is a common barrier to participation in sport?

   • • Cost
   • • Enjoyment
   • • Fitness
   • • Skill level only

   Answer: Cost

   Cost of equipment, membership or travel can prevent people taking part.

8. Socio-cultural influences and participation

   8. Name one group whose participation is often affected by socio-economic factors.

   Answer: Lower-income groups / people from deprived areas

   Cost and access to facilities can be barriers for these groups.

9. Commercialisation, drugs in sport and data analysis

   9. What does the 'golden triangle' describe?

   • • The relationship between sport, sponsorship and media
   • • A type of sports formation
   • • A drug testing procedure
   • • A method of data analysis

   Answer: The relationship between sport, sponsorship and media

   These three elements are interdependent in commercialised sport.

10. Commercialisation, drugs in sport and data analysis

    10. Which is an advantage of commercialisation for performers?

    • • Higher wages
    • • Less media attention
    • • Reduced funding
    • • Fewer sponsorship deals

    Answer: Higher wages

    Increased money in sport often raises performer earnings.

Where Component 2 marks are usually lost

• Naming a bone, muscle or component of fitness without applying it to a sporting example.
• Describing a training method without linking it to the type of performer it suits.
• Misreading graphs and tables in data-analysis questions.
• Writing one-sided answers to extended questions that need analysis and evaluation.
• Confusing short-term and long-term effects of exercise.

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 Component 2 topic

• Edexcel Physical Education: papers and exam technique (56 questions)
• Health, fitness and wellbeing (68 questions)
• Sports psychology (82 questions)
• Socio-cultural influences and participation (82 questions)
• Commercialisation, drugs in sport and data analysis (68 questions)

Edexcel PE Component 2 FAQs

What topics are on Edexcel GCSE PE Component 2?

Component 2 assesses health, fitness and wellbeing, sport psychology, socio-cultural influences and data.

How long is Edexcel GCSE PE Component 2?

It is a 1 hour 15 minutes written exam worth 70 marks, which is 24% of the GCSE. Check your board's latest specification for any changes.

How should I revise for PE Component 2?

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.