How to Revise for IGCSE Chemistry

IGCSE Chemistry can seem like a mountain of equations, concepts, and experiments to remember. With a mix of theory, practical knowledge, and application-based questions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t worry! With the right revision approach, you can tackle chemistry with confidence and perform at your best in the exam.

Here are my 10 top tactics to help you succeed in IGCSE chemistry:

1. Understand the Exam Format and Assessment Objectives

2. Master the Core Topics First

3. Use Flashcards for Key Definitions and Equations

4. Create Concept Maps for Linking Ideas

5. Practise Past Papers Under Timed Conditions

6. Perfect Your Chemical Calculations

7. Use Online Resources for Difficult Topics

8. Revise Practical Experiments and Techniques

9. Teach Someone Else to Reinforce Your Understanding

10. Stay Organised and Balanced

Tactic 1: Understand the exam format and assessment objectives 

Before diving into revision, ensure you know what the examiners are looking for. Download the syllabus for your exam board and highlight key assessment objectives. 

Understand the weight given to different types of questions—multiple choice, structured, and long-answer questions. This will help you tailor your revision effectively.

Tactic 2: Master the core topics first

Exam boards including CIE and Edexcel have core and extended/supplement content. If you’re aiming for a high grade, focus on mastering the core topics first before moving on to the extended material. 

Prioritise fundamental areas like atomic structure, bonding, chemical reactions, and calculations, as these form the foundation for more complex concepts.

Tactic 3: Use flashcards for key definitions and equations

Many questions require precise definitions, recall of key terms, and chemical equations. Make flashcards for terms like "electrolysis," "oxidation," and "exothermic reaction." Also, memorise key equations such as those for moles, concentration, and volume of gases. 

Regularly testing yourself with flashcards will help commit them to memory. Instead of creating them from scratch, you can save time by using pre-made flashcards available on platforms like Save My Exams, which already cover the essential definitions and equations needed for your exam. 

Save My Exams has ready-made flashcards for CIE IGCSE and Edexcel IGCSE.

Tactic 4: Create concept maps for linking ideas

Since Chemistry is a subject where topics are interconnected, using concept maps can help you visualise how everything fits together. 

For example, you can create a mind map showing the links between bonding and physical properties, or between reaction rates and equilibrium. This technique is particularly useful for long-answer questions where you need to apply knowledge across different areas of the syllabus, helping you see patterns and recall information more easily.

Tactic 5: Practise past papers under timed conditions

Knowing the content isn’t enough—you need to practise applying your knowledge in an exam setting. 

Past papers are the best way to familiarise yourself with question styles, refine your timing, and understand the phrasing of exam questions. Try completing full papers under timed conditions to simulate the real exam experience, and always check your answers against the mark scheme to see where you can improve. 

The more you practise, the more confident you’ll feel on exam day.

Tactic 6: Perfect your chemical calculations

Many students find chemical calculations one of the hardest parts of IGCSE Chemistry, but they make up a significant portion of the exam. 

To improve, break down calculations into clear steps and practise problems regularly to reinforce your understanding. Focus on topics like mole calculations, empirical formulas, titration calculations, and gas volume calculations, ensuring you not only memorise formulas but also understand how to apply them in different contexts. 

The more you practise, the easier these questions will become.

Tactic 7: Use online resources for difficult topics

Sometimes, reading textbooks alone isn’t enough to fully grasp a difficult topic, and that’s where online resources can be incredibly helpful. Websites like Save My Exams offer simplified explanations, while YouTube channels provide visual explanations that can make abstract concepts clearer. 

If you’re stuck on something like electrolysis or chemical tests, watching a step-by-step video can often make everything click much faster than reading notes alone.

Tactic 8: Don’t forget about practical experiments!

Although you won’t be performing practicals in your written exams, many questions will test your understanding of experimental techniques and results. 

Revise key experiments such as titrations, chromatography, electrolysis, and gas tests by watching videos, reading through past practical-based questions, and understanding common errors that could affect results. 

Make sure you can describe experimental setups, identify variables, and explain why certain steps are carried out—this knowledge is often worth valuable marks in the exam.

Tactic 9: Teach someone else 

One of the most effective ways to check if you truly understand a topic is to teach it to someone else. Try explaining difficult concepts, like ionic bonding or rates of reaction, to a friend, a family member, or even just yourself out loud. If you struggle to explain it clearly, that’s a sign you need to revisit that topic. 

Teaching forces you to break down ideas into simple steps and strengthens your ability to recall information under pressure, which is exactly what you need for the exam.

Tactic 10: Stay organised and balanced 

Cramming everything the night before your exam is not an effective strategy—it leads to stress and poor retention. 

Instead, create a realistic revision timetable that allows you to cover all topics thoroughly, leaving enough time for review and practice questions.

 Use a mix of revision techniques (flashcards, mind maps, past papers) to keep things engaging, and don’t forget to take breaks to avoid burnout. Staying organised and maintaining a balanced approach will help you stay calm and confident on exam day.

Improve Your Grades with Save My Exams

Save My Exams offers a variety of resources to help you succeed in IGCSE Chemistry, from practice papers and mark schemes to topic questions and flashcards. By using these tools, you can maximise your revision efforts and boost your chances of achieving top grades.

Start using Save My Exams to enhance your revision and feel confident going into your IGCSE Chemistry exams:

Explore IGCSE Chemistry Revision Resources

References

CIE IGCSE Chemistry specification

Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry specification