How do I answer the a, b and c (AO1) questions in Eduqas RS?
How to answer the Eduqas a (2-mark), b (5-mark) and c (8-mark) AO1 questions, matching the answer to the command word and the marks, and using sources of wisdom and authority in the c question.
An exam-skills guide to the Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) a, b and c questions, covering the 2-mark definition, the 5-mark description or explanation, and the 8-mark extended explanation with sources of wisdom and authority, and how to match each answer to the marks.
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What this dot point is asking
Every section on every Eduqas Route A paper uses the same fixed a, b, c, d ladder. This page is a method, not new content: it shows how to answer the three AO1 questions, the a (2 marks), b (5 marks) and c (8 marks), so you pick up every available mark. The biggest single habit is matching your answer to the command word and the marks. The 15-mark d question has its own page.
The a, b, c ladder
The a question (2 marks)
The a question asks "what is meant by" a key term (omnipotent, Tawhid, sacrament, sanctity of life). Give a precise definition and a short development to secure both marks. For example, "incarnation is the belief that God became human in Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human." The first clause earns one mark; the development earns the second. A single word risks only one mark, and a long paragraph wastes time. Use the exact specialist term, not a vague paraphrase.
The b question (5 marks)
The b question asks you to describe or explain something (how Muslims perform Salah, Christian beliefs about heaven, what happens at a baptism). Give a developed account with several accurate, relevant points, around four or five. Keep it to knowledge (AO1): the b question does not need arguments or evaluation. Use specialist terms and, where natural, a source, though sources are only compulsory in the c question.
The c question (8 marks)
Two or three well-developed, well-supported points reach the top band; a long undeveloped list does not. This is where building a bank of references (see the sources dot point) pays off.
Try this
Q1. How many marks is the c (extended explanation) question worth, and what must it usually include? [a-style recall]
- Cue. 8 marks; it usually must refer to sources of wisdom and authority, which is compulsory for the top band.
Q2. Explain how the a question and the c question differ in what they reward. [b-style short explanation]
- Cue. The a question (2 marks) rewards a precise definition of a key term with a short development; the c question (8 marks) rewards an extended explanation with several developed points, each anchored in a named source of wisdom and authority.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas C120 2021 (style)2 marks[a] What is meant by Tawhid?Show worked answer →
This is the 2-mark (a) AO1 definition question, used here to model technique. Give a precise definition and a short development: "Tawhid is the oneness of Allah: the belief that there is only one God, with no partner or equal". The first clause earns one mark and the development secures the second. Do not write a paragraph; a bare one-word answer risks only one mark. Match the answer to the two marks on offer.
Eduqas C120 2022 (style)8 marks[c] Explain Christian beliefs about the resurrection. Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 8-mark (c) extended AO1 question, modelled here. The instruction to refer to sources is compulsory for the top band. Make developed points, each anchored in a named source: Christians believe Jesus rose bodily on the third day (the empty tomb and appearances, Luke 24), defeating death and proving he is the Son of God; Saint Paul says "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17), making it central; it gives believers hope of their own resurrection. Aim for thorough, accurate, developed knowledge with sources used correctly, not a long undeveloped list.
Eduqas C120 2023 (style)5 marks[b] Describe how Muslims perform Salah.Show worked answer →
This is the 5-mark (b) AO1 description question, modelled here. Give a developed account with several accurate points: Muslims pray five times a day facing the Qiblah (Makkah); they first perform wudu (ritual washing) to be clean; the prayer is made of rak'ahs, set units of standing and reciting from the Qur'an (al-Fatihah), bowing (ruku), prostration (sujud) and sitting; they often use a prayer mat. Around four or five accurate, relevant points reach full marks. Use specialist terms and keep to description (the b question does not need evaluation).
Related dot points
- How to plan and write the Eduqas 15-mark (d) evaluation question, with both-sides argument, sources and a justified conclusion, and how the SPaG marks are earned.
An exam-skills guide to the Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) 15-mark (d) evaluation question, covering the four bullet instructions, balanced argument, sources of wisdom and authority, the justified conclusion, and how the SPaG marks are awarded on Components 1 and 2.
- What counts as a source of wisdom and authority, how to build a bank of references for Christianity and Islam, and how to use them in the c and d questions for the top band.
An exam-skills guide to using sources of wisdom and authority in Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120), covering what counts as a source, building a bank of Christian and Islamic references, and the point-source-explain technique for the 8-mark c and 15-mark d questions.
- The nature of God as omnipotent, loving and just, the problem this raises, and the doctrine of the Trinity as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 2 answer on the Christian nature of God and the Trinity, covering omnipotence, love and justice, the problem this raises, and the doctrine of the Trinity as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
- The belief in Tawhid (the oneness of God), the nature and characteristics of Allah, the sin of shirk, and why Tawhid is central to Islam.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 3 answer on Tawhid and the nature of Allah, covering the oneness of God, the 99 names and characteristics of Allah, the sin of shirk, and why Tawhid is central to Islam, with the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies specification (C120, from 2016) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)