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CIE · IGCSE · Information and Communication Technology

Free CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology
Practice Paper

8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real CIE IGCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.

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What the real CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology paper looks like

Paper 1 (Multiple Choice)
40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge.
Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended)
Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application.
Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical)
Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total.
Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Grading: Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Information and Communication Technology syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

Which protocol is used to assign IP addresses automatically to devices when they connect to a network?

  1. HTTP
  2. FTP
  3. DHCP
  4. SMTP
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — DHCP
Award 1 mark for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A is incorrect — HTTP is used for transferring web pages. B is incorrect — FTP is used for file transfer. D is incorrect — SMTP is used for sending emails.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

A university in Singapore uses a learning management system (LMS) to deliver online courses to students across Southeast Asia. Which of the following best describes a key advantage of using an LMS for distance learning?

  1. Students must attend classes at fixed times each day
  2. Course materials can be accessed at any time from any location with internet access
  3. Teachers cannot track student progress through the system
  4. All assessments must be completed using paper-based methods
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Course materials can be accessed at any time from any location with internet access
Award 1 mark for identifying that LMS allows flexible access to materials anytime and anywhere with internet connectivity. A is incorrect — LMS typically allows asynchronous learning, not fixed attendance. C is incorrect — LMS systems include progress tracking features. D is incorrect — LMS supports online assessments and submissions.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

Which of the following correctly describes the function of RAM in a computer system?

  1. It temporarily stores data and instructions currently being processed
  2. It controls the flow of data between the CPU and peripherals
  3. It converts analogue signals to digital signals
  4. It permanently stores the operating system files
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — It temporarily stores data and instructions currently being processed
Award 1 mark for identifying that RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile memory that temporarily holds data and instructions the CPU needs while processing. D is incorrect — permanent storage is provided by secondary storage devices such as hard drives. B is incorrect — this describes the function of a bus or controller. C is incorrect — this describes the function of an analogue-to-digital converter.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3

An agricultural cooperative in Brazil has developed a new crop management system. The system has been fully tested by the development team and is now being tested by a selected group of farmers who will use it in their daily work. Which type of testing is being described?

  1. Beta testing
  2. Acceptance testing
  3. Unit testing
  4. Alpha testing
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Beta testing
Award 1 mark for identifying beta testing as testing by external users in a real environment. D is incorrect — alpha testing is conducted in-house by the development team. B is incorrect — acceptance testing is formal testing against agreed criteria to determine if the client accepts the system. C is incorrect — unit testing tests individual modules in isolation.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3

A museum in Brazil has installed an interactive exhibit where visitors can explore ancient civilisations using virtual reality (VR) headsets. Which TWO hardware components are essential for the VR system to track the user's head movements?

  1. OMR scanner and OCR software
  2. Accelerometer and gyroscope sensors in the headset
  3. Barcode reader and magnetic stripe reader
  4. Dot matrix printer and thermal printer
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Accelerometer and gyroscope sensors in the headset
Award 1 mark for accelerometer and gyroscope — these sensors detect orientation and movement of the headset to update the display accordingly. C is incorrect — these are data capture devices for reading codes, not motion tracking. D is incorrect — these are output devices for printing. A is incorrect — these are used for reading marks and characters from documents.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3

A database manager needs to ensure that only dates between 01/01/2020 and 31/12/2025 can be entered into a spreadsheet column recording project start dates. Which feature should be used?

  1. Cell protection
  2. Formula auditing
  3. Conditional formatting
  4. Data validation
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — Data validation
Award 1 mark for identifying data validation, which restricts the type and range of data that can be entered into cells. C is incorrect because conditional formatting changes appearance but does not prevent invalid entries. A is incorrect because cell protection prevents editing but does not validate input values. B is incorrect because formula auditing traces formula errors but does not restrict data entry.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

Which of the following is a characteristic of solid-state storage devices?

  1. They contain moving parts to read and write data
  2. They use magnetic platters to store data
  3. They have no moving parts and use flash memory
  4. They require constant power to retain data
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — They have no moving parts and use flash memory
Award 1 mark for identifying that solid-state storage has no moving parts and uses flash memory. A is incorrect — this describes magnetic hard disk drives. B is incorrect — magnetic platters are used in HDDs, not solid-state devices. D is incorrect — solid-state storage is non-volatile and retains data without power.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the correct term for a single item of data stored in a database field?

  1. Record
  2. Table
  3. Value
  4. Key
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Value
Award 1 mark for identifying that a value is a single item of data stored in a field. A is incorrect — a record is a complete set of fields relating to one entity. B is incorrect — a table is a collection of related records. D is incorrect — a key is a field used to identify or link records.
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CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology FAQ

What does the CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology exam look like?
The CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1 (Multiple Choice): 40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each. 45 minutes. Tests breadth of knowledge. Paper 2 (Core) / Paper 4 (Extended): Structured written paper. 1 hour 30 minutes (Core) or 1 hour 45 minutes (Extended). Tests depth of understanding and application. Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical): Written paper assessing practical skills for candidates without lab access. 1 hour. Worth ~20% of the total. Total exam time: ~3 hours, depending on tier (Core vs Extended).
Can I download a free CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology past paper?
Real CIE past papers are published directly by CIE on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is CIE IGCSE Information and Communication Technology graded?
Grades: A* (highest) to G (lowest), with U (ungraded). Most universities require C or above. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.