AQA A-Level Economics · 25-mark guide
AQA Economics 25-mark essay: structure, levels and a Level 4 to Level 5 rewrite
An AQA A-Level Economics 25-mark question is marked on five levels, and on Papers 1 and 2 it is the only question type whose levels reward evaluation. There are five per series (two each on Papers 1 and 2, one on Paper 3), worth 125 of 240 marks. Level 5 (21–25) needs supported evaluation throughout and a final conclusion.
Checked against AQA’s 7136 specification and the June 2024 Paper 1 mark scheme — October 2026
Where the 25-markers appear
| Paper | Where | 25-markers |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (micro) | Last part of your Section A data response, and the second part of your Section B essay | 2 |
| Paper 2 (macro) | Same pattern as Paper 1 | 2 |
| Paper 3 (synoptic) | Last part of the Section B investigation | 1 |
Papers 1 and 2 are each 2 hours for 80 marks, about 1.5 minutes a mark, so roughly 35–40 minutes for a 25-marker. That is our arithmetic, not an AQA rule.
The five levels, in plain words
The 9- and 15-mark questions on Papers 1 and 2 reward knowledge, application and analysis. The 25-marker adds evaluation, and the levels mostly separate on how well that evaluation is supported.
Our plain-English summary of AQA’s level structure, not AQA’s wording.
A 25-mark structure that works
- Define and frame (2–3 lines). Define the key terms in the question and say what the answer will turn on.
- Two or three analysis chains. Each one is a complete cause-and-effect chain applied to the context, using the extract’s data where there is any. A diagram is often the clearest way to show one.
- Evaluate each chain as you go. After each chain, one or two sentences on how far it holds: what it depends on, how big the effect is likely to be, short run against long run. This is what “throughout” means.
- A conclusion that decides. Answer the question directly, say what your judgement depends on most, and make sure it follows from what you wrote above.
Worked example: the same evaluation at Level 4 and Level 5
Our practice question: Evaluate whether raising the national minimum wage is the best way to reduce poverty in the UK. [25]
However, raising the minimum wage could cause unemployment, because firms may not be able to afford the higher wage. Also, not everyone in poverty is in work. On the other hand, it would raise the incomes of the lowest paid.
In conclusion, raising the minimum wage is a good way to reduce poverty but it has some disadvantages, so it should be combined with other policies.
What holds it back: the points are relevant and each is half-supported, so it reaches Level 4. But the conclusion just lists both sides and adds a safe “combine policies”. It never answers “the best way”.
The unemployment risk depends on how far the new minimum sits above the market wage and on how much power employers have. Where a few large employers dominate a local labour market, a higher minimum can raise pay without cutting jobs, so the risk is smallest exactly where low pay is most entrenched.
But the bigger limit is who it reaches. Many households in poverty have no one in work, such as some pensioners and families where an adult is too ill to work, and a minimum wage cannot help them at all. So it is the best tool for in-work poverty but not for poverty overall: for households without earnings, benefits and the State Pension do more. Whether it is the best single policy therefore depends on what share of the poor are in work, and the answer differs across groups.
The one change: the conclusion answers “the best way” with a qualified judgement (best for whom, and what it depends on), built from the analysis instead of tacked on after it.
Levels shown are our own illustrative reading of the ladder above. The question and answers are written by Markaroo for practice; they are not from an AQA paper.
Where 25-mark marks are lost
- Saving all the evaluation for the end. The top level asks for supported evaluation throughout. Evaluate each chain where you make it.
- “It depends” with nothing after it. Say what it depends on and which way that pushes your answer.
- Ignoring the extract in Section A. The top level expects good use of data. Quote a figure and say what it shows.
- Analysis chains that stop halfway. “Prices rise, so demand falls” is a link, not a chain. Carry it through to the effect the question is about.
- A conclusion that sits on the fence. “Combine policies” is not a judgement unless you say which one matters most and why.
25-mark questions
How many 25-mark questions are there in AQA A-Level Economics?
Five per exam series: two on Paper 1, two on Paper 2 and one on Paper 3. Together they are worth 125 of the 240 marks.
How long should I spend on an AQA Economics 25-marker?
Papers 1 and 2 give you 2 hours for 80 marks, about 1.5 minutes a mark, so roughly 35 to 40 minutes for each 25-marker, including planning.
What do you need for Level 5 in a 25-mark economics essay?
Well-focused analysis with clear chains of reasoning, good use of the context and any data, and supported evaluation throughout the answer and in a final conclusion. Evaluation that is only at the end, or not backed by argument, usually caps the answer lower.
Do the 9- and 15-mark questions need evaluation?
On Papers 1 and 2, the 9- and 15-mark level descriptors reward knowledge, application and analysis, not evaluation. The 25-mark levels are the ones that reward evaluation, so spend your judgement there.
Can Markaroo mark my AQA Economics essays?
Yes. Each answer is marked against AQA’s levels for its question type, with a mark, the reason for it and the one change that moves it up, and you can attempt past papers in the app. The free plan includes 2 written answers marked free.