7404 AS Chemistry Grading Exemplification v1.0

2021 Grade exemplification
AS Chemistry (7404)
For use in Summer 2021 only
Introduction
In this document, you will find exemplification materials which have been designed to support you
in making valid and reliable grading judgements for your students. They have a wider purpose of
helping to standardise judgements.
The exemplification materials in conjunction with the grade descriptors are intended to support you
to make an holistic judgement for each student based on the evidence you have gathered.
Whilst the grade descriptors are generic, the exemplification materials in this document apply only
to AQA’s specification.
The exemplification materials

Where possible, the exemplification materials comprise authentic student work from previous
years. Exemplification may be provided in the form of whole scripts or collections of items which
have been assembled to provide a range of coverage. They are accompanied by commentaries
that identify characteristics of the grade descriptors in the students’ work. In this way, the
commentaries show how the grade descriptors might be used to make judgements about student
performance.
Where it has not been possible to include student work, we have provided performance
characteristics and written commentaries to indicate what student performance might look like.
As students this year will have experienced different levels of learning loss, it might be the case
that your students have not covered some of the content that is exemplified. Your judgements
must be based only on the content that has been taught.
The exemplification materials are not designed to cover all areas of the specification. Where an
area is not covered, you should apply the standard of performance from the exemplification that is
provided.
You should read the exemplification materials alongside the grade descriptors and JCQ’s guidance
on grading for teachers.
Copyright © 2021 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Using the exemplification materials
You should read the exemplification materials and the grade descriptors before commencing
grading in order to standardise your centre’s approach across the cohort. It might also be helpful to
refer to the materials again when reviewing your grading.
When comparing your students’ work with the exemplification materials, it is important to
remember that these qualifications are compensatory. This means students are allowed to
compensate for weaker performance on some questions, content or skills with stronger
performance on others. An overall grade represents the average level of performance across the
specification. Your task is to identify the grade which best fits the student’s work.
Please note that every effort has been made to remove information which might have the potential
to identify an individual student. However, if you see anything which you think might lead to the
identification of a student, please contact AQA immediately on 0800 197 7162 or eos@aqa.org.uk.
Grade A
JCQ grade descriptor
Grade Descriptor
To achieve grade A, candidates will be able to:
• demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of scientific
ideas, processes, techniques and procedures in the specification
• select information from the specification that is relevant to each question
• organise and concisely communicate information, using appropriate scientific
terminology
• carry out simple calculations with no guidance
• apply scientific knowledge, principles and concepts in familiar and new contexts
involving a few steps in the argument when handling qualitative data
• give explanations that are lucid and well-structured
• carry out most structured calculations involving several steps, yielding results that are
A usually error free and expressed to an appropriate precision
• use appropriate technical language and scientific terms in unfamiliar contexts
• demonstrate a firm grasp of the scientific reasons for using a range of practical
procedures mentioned in the specification
• predict the outcome of practical procedures in familiar contexts
• use accurate chemical equations and structures in a range of contexts
• select appropriate information and evidence (both quantitative and qualitative) to form
a judgement or to reach a conclusion
• analyse a broad variety of information and evidence, accurately selecting an appropriate
range of techniques drawn from theoretical and practical areas of the specification
• interpret and evaluate ideas, information and evidence using accurate explanations of
complex phenomena within the scope of the specification
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• use knowledge and understanding to discuss the behaviour of a system when its
parameters change
• develop and refine practical designs and procedures
• suggest and make observations and measurements with appropriate precision and
record these appropriately
• discuss a range of issues fluently with knowledge and understanding
Commentary
An A grade student will normally provide answers of varied standards. Some answers will be
perfect or almost perfect but some answers, especially on difficult topics, will be weaker and very
occasionally may be almost non-existent. This commentary aims to include most answers at the
middle of the grade A standard but, as with a real script, contains some answers that are high
grade A in standard and a few answers where a grade A student might have a low score.

Student responses
7404/1 2019
In Q 01.3, the student has selected appropriate information to reach a correct conclusion about the
type of bond and then given a clear explanation.
In Q 01.4, the student has demonstrated a good understanding of how to use a scientific idea
(bond pair repulsion theory) to predict shapes, but has made an error with the number of non-
bonding electron pairs in H2F+.
Overall, this is a grade A answer. Grade A is awarded for generally very good responses to
questions but it is not expected that answers are perfect.

7404/1 2019

The first three of these questions (Q 02.1, 02.2 and 02.3) test the students’ ability to demonstrate
detailed understanding of a technique in the AS specification – the operation of a TOF mass
spectrometer. Q 02.4 tests the ability to use quantitative data to carry out a structured calculation
involving several steps and to express the result to an appropriate precision.
At this stage in the relatively new specification, all students find this new topic difficult and marks
are often low. In this case the student has given inadequate answers to the first three questions
but has calculated a correct answer to Q 02.4 showing a well-structured response. The response
to Q 02.4 is a good grade A answer. Overall the response for Q 02 is worthy of grade B but will be
compensated by better answers in other questions; this variability is typical for a student in the
lower to middle part of the grade A range.

7404/1 2019
This question was marked using levels of response. Grade A students are expected to
demonstrate detailed knowledge, to organise and communicate information using appropriate
scientific terminology and to give explanations that are clear and lucid.
In this example the student satisfies all these conditions. The answer satisfies the mark
scheme completely, is at the top of Level 3 and worthy of a grade A.

7404/2 2019
This question is testing the ability of students to predict the outcome of practical procedures in
familiar contexts.
The student has made only one slip – an incorrect formula for sodium carbonate. An A grade
student would not normally be expected to make such a mistake, but the high quality of the other
answers is sufficient to classify this work on Q 01 as a good grade A standard.

7404/2 2019
This question is testing the ability of a student to demonstrate understanding of a scientific

technique (mechanisms) and to use appropriate technical language with accurate chemical
structures.
This electrophilic addition mechanism is one of the most difficult at AS level and will often
discriminate well between good and moderate candidates. In this case, the student has made one
slip – omission of a negative charge on the hydrogensulfate ion – but other charges and curly
arrows are in the correct position. The standard of this answer is a solid grade A.

7404/2 2019
This question is testing the ability of students to develop and refine a practical procedure and to
check for evidence that students have a grasp of the reasons for using a practical procedure from
the AS specification.
Students generally have difficulty in drawing diagrams of scientific apparatus. Diagrams are not
expected to be a work of art but a distillation apparatus should work. In this case, the diagram does
show a functional apparatus but it has not been labelled sufficiently, leading to the loss of one
mark. Nevertheless, this standard of work is typical of a mid-grade A student.

Grade C
To achieve grade C, candidates will be able to:
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of many of the scientific ideas, processes,
techniques and procedures in the specification
• select information from the specification that is relevant to most questions or tasks
• communicate information using appropriate scientific terminology
• carry out simple calculations with little guidance
• apply scientific knowledge, principles and concepts in familiar contexts that may involve
a small number of steps in the argument when handling qualitative data
• give explanations that are mostly complete but could be structured more clearly
• carry out accurately some of the stages in structured calculations involving several steps
and have some appreciation of the appropriate precision
• show some evidence of appropriate technical language and scientific terms in unfamiliar
contexts
• show some of the scientific reasons for using some of the practical procedures
mentioned in the specification
C • predict the outcome of some practical procedures in familiar contexts
• attempt chemical equations and structures in a range of contexts
• select information and evidence (both quantitative and qualitative) to form judgements
and conclusions that may not reflect the complete range of evidence available
• analyse evidence and information from familiar contexts with partial accuracy, selecting
appropriate techniques drawn from theoretical and practical areas of the specification
• interpret and evaluate ideas information and evidence using largely accurate
explanations involving simple phenomena
• use knowledge and understanding to suggest the behaviour of a simple system when its
parameters change
• use knowledge and understanding of the specification in a limited way to develop and
refine practical designs and procedures considering only one or two factors
• suggest and make observations and measurements with sufficient precision and record
these with only minor error
• discuss a limited range of scientific issues using arguments that may be incomplete or
unbalanced or that lack fluency
Commentary
The items shown below illustrate that a grade C is rarely obtained by a uniform level of response to
questions. It is very common to find that answers from a grade C student typically vary from grade
B to grade D, and occasionally from grade A to grade E.

Student responses
7404/1 2019
In Q 01.3, the student has selected appropriate information to reach a correct conclusion about
the type of bond but the context is unfamiliar so the student has not been able to state correctly
the origin of the electron pair in the bond.
In Q 01.4, the student has demonstrated some understanding of how to use a scientific idea (bond
pair repulsion theory) to predict the shape and name of the [SbF6]– ion but has not deduced
correctly the number of electron pairs round fluorine in the H2F+ ion.
This partial success suggests a grade C for this question.

7404/1 2019

7404/1 2019
The first three of these questions (Q 02.1, 02.2 and 02.3) test the student’s ability to demonstrate a
spectrometer. Q 02.4 tests the ability to use quantitative data to carry out a structured calculation
involving several steps and to express the result to an appropriate precision.
At this stage in the relatively new specification, many students find this new topic difficult and
marks are often low. In this case, in Q 02.1, the student has demonstrated detailed and accurate
knowledge and communicated a concise, lucid explanation of the process. This and the answer to
Q 02.3 are at grade A.
In Q02.4, the student has only been able to complete one step in the calculation. This answer is of
grade E standard.
The overall standard of answer to this question is grade C – a balance between grade A for the
first part and grade E for the last.

This question was marked using levels of response. The question tests the ability to select
information, to organise it and to provide explanations that are lucid and well structured.
The student has considered aspects of all three stages in the answer but none of the stages is
sufficiently detailed and the response is lacking in technical language. There is no mention of
similar shielding and also no mention of s and p orbitals. The answer is at the low end of Level
2 and is therefore grade C or D in standard.

7404/2 2019
familiar contexts.
At grade C it is normal for students to be able to make predictions about many of the procedures.
mentioned in the specification. This student has predicted correctly how to distinguish a
carboxylic acid but may be confused about which of the other skeletal formulae represents an
aldehyde because the observations with Tollens’ reagent are the wrong way round.
Nevertheless, there is enough good chemistry here to merit a C grade.

7404/2 2019

structures.
Grade C students can usually make some progress when drawing correct mechanisms. Compared
to grade A candidates, some curly arrows are likely to be less precise and charges may be
misplaced or missing.
This mechanism is one of the most difficult at AS level. This student has named the type of
mechanism and drawn some reasonable curly arrows but the key structure of the attacking
reagent, sulfuric acid, is not shown. The mechanism therefore is not sufficient to gain any marks
except for the structure of the intermediate carbocation. Overall the response does not quite reach
the standard for a grade C and so represents grade D.

7404/2 2019
show a distillation apparatus but it it would not work because the condenser appears to be sealed
at the end. Diagrams should be cross sections and have a clear path for gases to flow through.
The thermometer, although ignored in the mark scheme, is incorrectly drawn and placed. The
water flow through the condenser has not been labelled.
The standard of this answer is grade D, approaching C.

Grade E
To achieve grade E, candidates will be able to:
• demonstrate some knowledge and understanding of the scientific ideas, processes,
techniques and procedures in the specification
• select information from the specification that is relevant to a few questions
• communicate information, using some appropriate scientific terminology occasionally
• carry out simple structured calculations
• apply scientific knowledge, principles and concepts in familiar contexts when handling
qualitative data
• provide some limited explanations of material in the specification
• carry out, correctly, some initial steps in calculations
• use a limited range of technical language and scientific terms in unfamiliar contexts
• demonstrate some limited appreciation of the scientific reasons for using some practical
procedures mentioned in the specification
• predict the outcome of some simple practical procedures mentioned in the specification
E • write simple chemical equations
• use evidence from familiar contexts to form limited judgements and conclusions that
may not reflect the complete range of information and evidence available
• provide an incomplete analysis of evidence and information that contains several errors
and uses only a limited range of techniques drawn from theoretical and practical areas of
the specification
• give simple interpretations and evaluations of ideas, information and evidence, but these
interpretations and evaluations may contain errors or misunderstandings
• use knowledge and understanding to offer tentative or unsupported predictions for the
behaviour of a very simple system when its parameters change
• suggest the development and refinement of practical designs and procedures that are
limited in extent and that demonstrate a limited familiarity with practical parts of the
specification
• discuss issues using limited, unsupported, or general arguments
Commentary
A characteristic of Grade E scripts is their very varied response to questions. Occasionally answers
are lucid and some calculations are performed correctly. There is usually evidence of an
understanding of Chemistry above that of GCSE but there are usually gaps in knowledge and
multi-step calculations and arguments are seldom complete. Grade E students often are unable to
use their knowledge and understanding to explain practical procedures.

Student responses
7404/1 2019
In Q 01.3, the student has been unable to select appropriate information to reach a correct
conclusion about the type of bond and the explanation is consequently incorrect.
In Q 01.4, the student has demonstrated some understanding of how to use a scientific idea (bond
pair repulsion theory) to predict shapes but cannot recall the names.
This demonstrates limited ability, above GCSE level, typical of grade E.

7404/1 2019
The first three of these questions (Q 02.1, 02.2 and 02.3) test the student’s ability to demonstrate a
spectrometer.
This question on a new topic in the specification proved to be unfamiliar to many students. This
student has demonstrated some partial knowledge of electrospray ionisation but is unable to recall
that ions are formed by protonation and has used an incorrect state symbol in Q 02.3.

7404/1 2019
Q 02.4 tests the ability to use quantitative data to carry out a structured calculation involving
several steps. The student has carried out some initial steps but could not continue to give a
correct answer.
The response to Q 02.4, together with the limited responses to Q 02.1 to 02.3, suggest a typical
grade E standard for the overall response to Q 02.

7404/1 2019
This question was marked using levels of response. This student has provided some limited
explanation of the variation in first ionisation energies but the analysis of evidence is incomplete.
Only one of three stages in the answer is covered because the effect, on ionisation energy, of
electrons in s and p orbitals is not mentioned. This incomplete answer is of grade E standard.

7404/2 2019
familiar contexts.
At grade E it is normal for students to be able to make predictions about some simple procedures.
This student starts at a disadvantage because the writing under the structures shows the lack of an
ability to distinguish between the skeletal structures of aldehydes and ketones. The reagent to
distinguish the carboxylic acid in Q 01.1 is incorrect. There is some recognition of a correct test
reagent in Q 01.2 so this indicates that grade E standard has just been reached.

7404/2 2019

structures.
Grade E students are usually unable to draw correct mechanisms. Typically, curly arrows and
charges are missing or misplaced. Also, grade E students are usually limited to familiar contexts
when applying scientific concepts.
This mechanism is one of the most difficult at AS level. This student has been able to give only a
correct intermediate structure and this limited success is typical at grade E.

7404/2 2019
show that the student has some idea about how to conduct a distillation but the condenser has no
water jacket and the crucial water flow is not labelled. This is a grade E response.

7404 AS Chemistry Grading Exemplification v1.0

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2021 Grade exemplification

The exemplification materials

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JCQ grade descriptor

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This question is testing the ability of a student to demonstrate understanding of a scientific

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This partial success suggests a grade C for this question.

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This question is testing the ability of a student to demonstrate understanding of a scientific

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The standard of this answer is grade D, approaching C.

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This demonstrates limited ability, above GCSE level, typical of grade E.

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This question is testing the ability of a student to demonstrate understanding of a scientific

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