GCSE Geography
Revision Pack
Paper 2 – The Human Environment
2024 Exam Dates
Unit 1: Friday 17th May PM (1 hour 30 mins)
The Physical Environment
Unit 2: Wednesday 5th June AM (1 hour 30 mins)
The Human Environment
Unit 3: Friday 14th June AM (1 hour 30 mins)
Geographical Investigations: Fieldwork and UK Challenges
,GCSE Geography Paper 2 (The Human Environment) Revision Information
The Exam
• 1 ½ hours long
• Three sections:
• Changing Cities
• Global Development
• Resource Management
How to Prepare
• Use this booklet, work through every section on the revision list and use the following to make notes:
• Your class notes (exercise book / folder)
• Textbook (the one with the cow on the front)
• Use relevant websites to help develop your understanding:
• BBC Bitesize for Edexcel - https://www.bbc.com/education/examspecs/zsytxsg
• Other websites – Internet Geography, Cool Geography, Time for Geography
• Practise the questions in this booklet and use the mark schemes to check your answers
• Read through the example student answers and examiner comments to identify the level of detail
needed to get full marks and also the common mistakes which you should avoid
Top Revision Tips
For each item on the revision list:
✓ Look the answer up
✓ Make sure you understand it – try saying it out loud, practise explaining it to someone
✓ Make revision notes on it (don’t just copy from your book – summarise)
✓ Hide your notes and then test yourself (look – cover – say – write – check)
✓ Write yourself some practise questions / a quiz and use them to test yourself
✓ Try to answer the example exam questions and mark it with the mark scheme
✓ Go back over areas you can’t remember or are getting confused on
✓ Teach your friends or family (it’s proven that you learn more by teaching others and finding ways to
explain it clearly to them rather than just trying to remember it yourself)
✓ Test your friends
✓ If you’re good at learning song lyrics, why not turn your notes into a song/rap?
What type of questions to expect:
Changing Cities Global Development Resource Management
(total 30 marks) (total 30 marks + 4 SPaG) (total 30 marks)
1 mark 7 questions 5 questions 5 questions
2 marks 4 questions 3 questions 3 questions
3 marks 1 question 1 question 1 question
4 marks 1 question 2 questions 2 questions
8 marks 1 question 1 question 1 question
,Command Words and Exam Technique
The following command words will be use in your exam. Make sure you know what each one means and
how you should structure your answer in each case.
Short answer questions
In these questions it is very important that you look at the number of marks available and make the same
number (or more) points in your answer.
It is also important to read the question carefully to see whether you are required to give multiple factors or
reasons or whether the examiner is looking for you to develop one idea in detail.
1 mark questions
• Identify / state
• These are often multiple choice questions
• Maximum one sentence needed
• Often a one or two word answer will do
e.g. identify one characteristic of a CBD (1 mark)
• Define
• Say the meaning of a term
e.g. Define the term ‘non-renewable resource’ (1 mark)
2-4 mark questions
• Describe
• This could be describing the pattern on a graph or map, in which case sue the acronym TEA to help you –
Trend (what is the overall pattern?) – Examples (quote data to support) – Anomalies (is there anything that
doesn’t fit the overall pattern?).
• You could be asked to describe the characteristics of something – in this case say what it looks like (colour,
size, shape, features).
• You could be asked to describe the steps in a process – you should make sure you get the stages in the
correct order, and develop your points, but you do not need to explain or give reasons.
e.g. Describe the distribution of countries at extreme risk of water stress (3 marks)
• Explain
• Give reasons as to how or why something occurs. Many questions will ask you to explain ONE reason, but
the question will be worth more than one mark. For these questions it is important that you develop your
first point using phrases such as “this means that…” and “as a result…” to get the marks for development
points.
e.g. Explain one reason why counter-urbanisation takes place (2 marks)
• Suggest one
• Similar to an explain question, but usually involving a resource and requiring you to apply your geographical
understanding to an unfamiliar situation. Again, it is important that you develop your first point using
phrases such as “this means that…” and “as a result…” to get the marks for development points.
e.g. Suggest one reason why sustainable transport can improve quality of life in urban areas (3 marks)
, Command Words and Exam Technique
The following command words will be use in your exam. Make sure you know what each one means and
how you should structure your answer in each case.
8 mark questions
For these questions spend a minute planning your answer before you start – think about which key points
you want to make and what order you are going to write about them. You should make one main point per
paragraph, using the acronym PEEL to help structure each paragraph (Point – Example – Explain – Link).
• Assess
• You may be asked to assess the impacts of something or the factors that contribute to something. You
should include case study information to determine which are the most and least significant impacts or
factors.
• The most important factor/impact is … Point – Example – Explain – Link
• Another important factor/impact is … Point – Example – Explain – Link
• Of less significance is … Point – Example – Explain – Link
e.g. Assess the impact of deindustrialisation on a named UK city. (8 marks)
• Questions could also be worded as “assess the following statement…”. In this case you would need to look
at both sides of the argument proposed by the statement and back up your points with case study
information.
• On the one hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• On the other hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• In conclusion, I agree/disagree with the statement because …
e.g. Assess the following statement: ‘top-down strategies have been more successful in improving the quality of
life of people in a developing or emerging city’. (8 marks)
• Evaluate
• For these questions you need to refer to one or more of your case studies. You need to discuss the
positives/successes and negatives/failures.
• Your answer should be balanced but end with a detailed conclusion which gives your own opinion, along
with your reasons for having that opinion (justification).
• On the one hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• On the other hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• In conclusion, I think that … because …
e.g. Evaluate the strategies used to manage urban challenges in a named city in an emerging or developing
country. (8 marks)
Revision Pack
Paper 2 – The Human Environment
2024 Exam Dates
Unit 1: Friday 17th May PM (1 hour 30 mins)
The Physical Environment
Unit 2: Wednesday 5th June AM (1 hour 30 mins)
The Human Environment
Unit 3: Friday 14th June AM (1 hour 30 mins)
Geographical Investigations: Fieldwork and UK Challenges
,GCSE Geography Paper 2 (The Human Environment) Revision Information
The Exam
• 1 ½ hours long
• Three sections:
• Changing Cities
• Global Development
• Resource Management
How to Prepare
• Use this booklet, work through every section on the revision list and use the following to make notes:
• Your class notes (exercise book / folder)
• Textbook (the one with the cow on the front)
• Use relevant websites to help develop your understanding:
• BBC Bitesize for Edexcel - https://www.bbc.com/education/examspecs/zsytxsg
• Other websites – Internet Geography, Cool Geography, Time for Geography
• Practise the questions in this booklet and use the mark schemes to check your answers
• Read through the example student answers and examiner comments to identify the level of detail
needed to get full marks and also the common mistakes which you should avoid
Top Revision Tips
For each item on the revision list:
✓ Look the answer up
✓ Make sure you understand it – try saying it out loud, practise explaining it to someone
✓ Make revision notes on it (don’t just copy from your book – summarise)
✓ Hide your notes and then test yourself (look – cover – say – write – check)
✓ Write yourself some practise questions / a quiz and use them to test yourself
✓ Try to answer the example exam questions and mark it with the mark scheme
✓ Go back over areas you can’t remember or are getting confused on
✓ Teach your friends or family (it’s proven that you learn more by teaching others and finding ways to
explain it clearly to them rather than just trying to remember it yourself)
✓ Test your friends
✓ If you’re good at learning song lyrics, why not turn your notes into a song/rap?
What type of questions to expect:
Changing Cities Global Development Resource Management
(total 30 marks) (total 30 marks + 4 SPaG) (total 30 marks)
1 mark 7 questions 5 questions 5 questions
2 marks 4 questions 3 questions 3 questions
3 marks 1 question 1 question 1 question
4 marks 1 question 2 questions 2 questions
8 marks 1 question 1 question 1 question
,Command Words and Exam Technique
The following command words will be use in your exam. Make sure you know what each one means and
how you should structure your answer in each case.
Short answer questions
In these questions it is very important that you look at the number of marks available and make the same
number (or more) points in your answer.
It is also important to read the question carefully to see whether you are required to give multiple factors or
reasons or whether the examiner is looking for you to develop one idea in detail.
1 mark questions
• Identify / state
• These are often multiple choice questions
• Maximum one sentence needed
• Often a one or two word answer will do
e.g. identify one characteristic of a CBD (1 mark)
• Define
• Say the meaning of a term
e.g. Define the term ‘non-renewable resource’ (1 mark)
2-4 mark questions
• Describe
• This could be describing the pattern on a graph or map, in which case sue the acronym TEA to help you –
Trend (what is the overall pattern?) – Examples (quote data to support) – Anomalies (is there anything that
doesn’t fit the overall pattern?).
• You could be asked to describe the characteristics of something – in this case say what it looks like (colour,
size, shape, features).
• You could be asked to describe the steps in a process – you should make sure you get the stages in the
correct order, and develop your points, but you do not need to explain or give reasons.
e.g. Describe the distribution of countries at extreme risk of water stress (3 marks)
• Explain
• Give reasons as to how or why something occurs. Many questions will ask you to explain ONE reason, but
the question will be worth more than one mark. For these questions it is important that you develop your
first point using phrases such as “this means that…” and “as a result…” to get the marks for development
points.
e.g. Explain one reason why counter-urbanisation takes place (2 marks)
• Suggest one
• Similar to an explain question, but usually involving a resource and requiring you to apply your geographical
understanding to an unfamiliar situation. Again, it is important that you develop your first point using
phrases such as “this means that…” and “as a result…” to get the marks for development points.
e.g. Suggest one reason why sustainable transport can improve quality of life in urban areas (3 marks)
, Command Words and Exam Technique
The following command words will be use in your exam. Make sure you know what each one means and
how you should structure your answer in each case.
8 mark questions
For these questions spend a minute planning your answer before you start – think about which key points
you want to make and what order you are going to write about them. You should make one main point per
paragraph, using the acronym PEEL to help structure each paragraph (Point – Example – Explain – Link).
• Assess
• You may be asked to assess the impacts of something or the factors that contribute to something. You
should include case study information to determine which are the most and least significant impacts or
factors.
• The most important factor/impact is … Point – Example – Explain – Link
• Another important factor/impact is … Point – Example – Explain – Link
• Of less significance is … Point – Example – Explain – Link
e.g. Assess the impact of deindustrialisation on a named UK city. (8 marks)
• Questions could also be worded as “assess the following statement…”. In this case you would need to look
at both sides of the argument proposed by the statement and back up your points with case study
information.
• On the one hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• On the other hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• In conclusion, I agree/disagree with the statement because …
e.g. Assess the following statement: ‘top-down strategies have been more successful in improving the quality of
life of people in a developing or emerging city’. (8 marks)
• Evaluate
• For these questions you need to refer to one or more of your case studies. You need to discuss the
positives/successes and negatives/failures.
• Your answer should be balanced but end with a detailed conclusion which gives your own opinion, along
with your reasons for having that opinion (justification).
• On the one hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• On the other hand, Point – Example – Explain – Link
• In conclusion, I think that … because …
e.g. Evaluate the strategies used to manage urban challenges in a named city in an emerging or developing
country. (8 marks)
