100+ Free IGCSE Sociology Practice Questions
Pass your Cambridge IGCSE Sociology (0495) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.
Feminist sociologists explain why women appear less often in official crime statistics by pointing to:
Explore More Cambridge IGCSE
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
Key Facts: IGCSE Sociology Exam
A*-G
Grading scale
Cambridge International
2 papers
Both 1 hour 45 minutes
Cambridge 0495 syllabus 2025-2027
6 topics
Theory, Culture, Family, Education, Inequality, Power
Cambridge 0495 syllabus
100
Free practice questions here
OpenExamPrep
Cambridge IGCSE 0495 Sociology runs on the 2025-2027 syllabus. All candidates take Papers 1 and 2 (1 hour 45 minutes each). Paper 1 covers Theory and methods + Culture, identity and socialisation; Paper 2 covers Social inequality, Power and authority, Family, and Education. Research methods underpin every topic and grades A*-G are awarded.
Sample IGCSE Sociology Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your IGCSE Sociology exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which sociological approach favours quantitative methods, large samples and the search for causal laws?
2Data collected first-hand by the researcher for their own study is best described as:
3A questionnaire that asks respondents to choose from a fixed list of answers uses:
4Which interview type uses a fixed list of identical questions in the same order for every respondent?
5Covert participant observation means the researcher:
6Which ethical principle requires participants to understand what the research involves before agreeing to take part?
7A study is described as having high reliability when:
8A sampling method in which every member of the sampling frame has an equal chance of being chosen is called:
9Which sampling method divides the population into groups (e.g. by age or gender) and selects randomly from each group in proportion to its size?
10Snowball sampling is particularly useful when studying:
About the IGCSE Sociology Exam
Cambridge IGCSE Sociology (0495) is an international upper-secondary qualification taken by Year 10-11 students worldwide. The course introduces sociological theories, research methods, and substantive topics including culture and identity, social inequality, power and authority, family, and education. Candidates are assessed through two written papers featuring short-answer, source-based and extended-response questions, with grades reported on the A*-G scale.
Questions
100 scored questions
Time Limit
Paper 1: 1 hr 45 min; Paper 2: 1 hr 45 min
Passing Score
Grade C or above commonly accepted as a higher-tier pass; full grade range A*-G
Exam Fee
£60-£140 per subject (school-set entry fee, varies by centre) (Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE))
IGCSE Sociology Exam Content Outline
Theory and methods
Positivist vs interpretivist approaches, primary and secondary data, quantitative and qualitative methods, questionnaires, interviews, observation, content analysis, sampling techniques, pilot studies, ethics, reliability, validity and triangulation
Culture, identity and socialisation
Definition of culture (norms, values, roles, status), subcultures and counter-cultures, cultural diversity, ethnocentrism, nature vs nurture (feral children), primary and secondary socialisation, agents of socialisation, gender socialisation, ethnic and class identity
Family
Murdock's four functions and Parsons' two functions, family types (nuclear, extended, single-parent, reconstituted, same-sex, beanpole), divorce and cohabitation trends, functionalist/Marxist/feminist/New Right perspectives, conjugal roles, dual burden, childhood as a social construction
Education
Functions of education (Durkheim, Parsons), functionalist Davis & Moore, Marxist Bowles & Gintis and Althusser, hidden curriculum, school types, factors affecting class/gender/ethnic achievement (material deprivation, cultural capital, labelling, self-fulfilling prophecy), Willis counter-school subcultures
Social inequality
Stratification systems (caste, feudal, class, slavery), Marxist/Weberian/functionalist theories of class, absolute vs relative poverty, cycle of deprivation, underclass debate, social mobility, gender, ethnic, age and disability inequality, the MacPherson Report
Power and authority
Weber's traditional, charismatic and legal-rational authority, democracy vs dictatorship, political parties, pressure groups, voting behaviour, the welfare state, theories of crime and deviance (functionalist, strain, subcultural, Marxist, labelling, feminist), moral panics and media representation of crime
How to Pass the IGCSE Sociology Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Grade C or above commonly accepted as a higher-tier pass; full grade range A*-G
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: Paper 1: 1 hr 45 min; Paper 2: 1 hr 45 min
- Exam fee: £60-£140 per subject (school-set entry fee, varies by centre)
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
IGCSE Sociology Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Cambridge IGCSE Sociology (0495) assessed?
All candidates take two written papers. Paper 1 (1 hour 45 minutes) covers Theory and methods plus Culture, identity and socialisation. Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes) covers Social inequality, Power and authority, Family, and Education. Both papers mix short-answer, source-based and extended-response questions.
What grading scale does IGCSE Sociology 0495 use?
Cambridge IGCSE 0495 reports results on the A*-G scale. A* is the highest grade and G is the minimum pass. A grade C is commonly accepted by schools and sixth-form colleges as a higher-tier pass for further study.
Is the 2026 IGCSE Sociology syllabus different from previous years?
The current 0495 syllabus covers the 2025-2027 examination series, so the same specification applies to the 2026 sitting. Past papers from 2023-2024 used a similar structure and remain useful, though some sample questions and command words were refreshed.
How important are research methods in IGCSE Sociology?
Research methods underpin every topic in the 0495 syllabus. Candidates are expected to evaluate the strengths and limitations of methods such as questionnaires, interviews, observation and official statistics, and to discuss issues such as reliability, validity, sampling and research ethics.