Kramizo
Log inSign up free
Home › Edexcel GCSE Biology › Practice Paper
Edexcel · GCSE · Biology

Free Edexcel GCSE Biology
Practice Paper

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

Take a Mini Mock →

What the real Edexcel GCSE Biology paper looks like

Paper 1
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification.
Paper 2
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification.
Paper 3
Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions.
Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Grading: Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Biology syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

What are the complementary base pairs in DNA?

  1. A-C and T-G
  2. A-T and C-G
  3. A-G and T-C
  4. A-A and T-T
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — A-T and C-G
Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T). Cytosine (C) pairs with Guanine (G). They are held together by hydrogen bonds.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

What are the complementary base pairs in DNA?

  1. A-C and T-G
  2. A-T and C-G
  3. A-G and T-C
  4. A-A and T-T
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — A-T and C-G
Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T). Cytosine (C) pairs with Guanine (G). They are held together by hydrogen bonds.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the purpose of mitosis?

  1. To produce gametes
  2. To produce two identical cells for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction
  3. To halve the chromosome number
  4. To create variation
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — To produce two identical cells for growth, repair, and asexual reproduction
Mitosis produces genetically identical diploid cells. Used for growth (more cells), repair (replacing damaged cells), and asexual reproduction.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3

What is polydactyly?

  1. A recessive condition
  2. A dominant genetic condition causing extra fingers or toes
  3. A chromosomal disorder
  4. A communicable disease
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — A dominant genetic condition causing extra fingers or toes
Polydactyly is caused by a dominant allele. Only one copy (Dd or DD) is needed. It can be inherited from just one parent who has the condition.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3

What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis?

  1. They are the same
  2. Mitosis produces 2 identical diploid cells; meiosis produces 4 different haploid gametes
  3. Meiosis produces identical cells
  4. Mitosis produces gametes
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Mitosis produces 2 identical diploid cells; meiosis produces 4 different haploid gametes
Mitosis: growth/repair, 2 identical cells, diploid. Meiosis: gamete production, 4 genetically different cells, haploid (half the chromosomes).
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3

What is the magnification formula for a microscope?

  1. Image size × actual size
  2. Magnification = image size ÷ actual size
  3. Actual size ÷ image size
  4. Image size + actual size
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Magnification = image size ÷ actual size
M = I/A. If you know two values, rearrange to find the third. Commonly used with the triangle method.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

What is the function of the nucleus?

  1. Energy production
  2. Contains DNA and controls cell activities and protein synthesis
  3. Photosynthesis
  4. Cell protection
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Contains DNA and controls cell activities and protein synthesis
The nucleus contains chromosomes made of DNA. It controls the cell by determining which proteins are made.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

What is a recessive allele?

  1. An allele always expressed
  2. An allele only expressed when homozygous (two copies present, e.g. bb)
  3. A harmful allele
  4. A common allele
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — An allele only expressed when homozygous (two copies present, e.g. bb)
Recessive alleles are masked by dominant alleles in heterozygotes. Example: if B = brown eyes (dominant) and b = blue eyes (recessive), Bb shows brown eyes.
Build a 30-question timed mock →
Free · No signup · Instant marking

Edexcel GCSE Biology FAQ

What does the Edexcel GCSE Biology exam look like?
The Edexcel GCSE Biology exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification. Paper 2: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification. Paper 3: Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions. Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Can I download a free Edexcel GCSE Biology past paper?
Real Edexcel past papers are published directly by Edexcel 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 Edexcel GCSE Biology graded?
Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass. 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.