Cambridge IGCSE History 0470 Paper 1: 4, 6 and 10 Mark Answers
Students can know the events of the Cold War or the First World War extremely well and still underperform in History 0470 Paper 1. The reason is usually not the number of dates they know. It is the difference between describing an event, explaining why it happened and judging how far one factor mattered.
Four marks: answer the precise question
Short recall parts reward focused factual knowledge. Read the command word, identify the period and give the facts the question asks for. If asked about features of an event, a paragraph of background narrative is usually inefficient.
Cambridge changed part of its Paper 1 marking approach for the 2024 series. Do not rely on a pre-2024 revision guide without checking the current published marking guidance.
Six marks: explain the causal chain
An explanation is more than a named reason. Suppose you are asked why an international organisation struggled to stop aggression: naming a weak sanction is one point, but explaining why it failed to change a country's incentives makes it an answer.
Aim for separate, developed reasons rather than repeating the same idea with different words. After each reason, ask yourself: how exactly did that cause the outcome in the question?
Ten marks: build a judgement, not two lists
For a 'How far do you agree?' or 'Who was more to blame?' question, present evidence supporting one interpretation and evidence against it. Explain both rather than assuming that including an opposing fact automatically counts as evaluation.
A good conclusion answers the question using criteria: which factor was more immediate, which created the conditions, and which mattered most? Your judgement should follow from your paragraphs, not appear as an unexplained preference.
Know your Core Content and Depth Study
History 0470 has different Core Content options and Depth Studies. You do not revise every option for your own examination. Use your school's choices to decide what to practise rather than trying to cover the entire syllabus.
For each Key Question, prepare a timeline, two or three causal mechanisms, evidence for competing interpretations and a possible judgement. That makes practice far more efficient than memorising an essay for every possible question.
Use the current marking guide
The EIE Paper 1 guide isolates the current 4-, 6- and 10-mark expectations and highlights two marking-rule changes introduced for 2024. Read those rules before practising, then compare your written answer to the relevant Cambridge mark scheme.
Your target is not a perfect model essay on the first attempt. It is a second answer that fixes exactly what the first attempt lacked: a causal explanation, evidence on the opposing side or a justified final judgement.
Continue revising with EIE
Read the syllabus-mapped material for the exact topic, then test your understanding. Use the linked practice resources where available and keep a short record of what you need to revisit.