Edexcel A-Level Business · 20-mark guide
How to answer Edexcel Business 20-mark questions: Level 3 vs Level 4
Edexcel A-Level Business 20-mark questions are marked on four levels, and the top level (15–20) needs a balanced, supported judgement in the context of the business. There are six per exam series, two on each paper, worth 120 of the 300 marks. On Papers 1 and 2 they usually ask you to evaluate two options and recommend one.
Checked against Pearson’s 9BS0 specification and the 2017–2024 question papers and June 2024 mark schemes — October 2026
Where the 20-markers appear
| Paper | Each section runs | 20-markers |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 4, 4, 10, 12, 20 | 2 |
| Paper 2 | 4, 4, 10, 12, 20 | 2 |
| Paper 3 | 8, 10, 12, 20 | 2 |
Each paper has two 50-mark sections, and the 20-marker is the last question in each. Every paper is 2 hours for 100 marks, about 1.2 minutes a mark, so roughly 24 minutes per 20-marker (our arithmetic, not a Pearson rule). Paper 3 is set on a context published in advance: see our Paper 3 pre-release guide.
The four levels, in plain words
Our plain-English summary of Pearson’s level structure, not Pearson’s wording. The same four levels are used for the 20-markers on all three papers.
The jump from Level 3 to Level 4 is mostly about the judgement. At Level 3 the evidence is there and the other side is mentioned. At Level 4 the two sides are actually weighed against each other, using the case, and the conclusion follows from that weighing.
A structure for “evaluate two options”
- Option A, developed. One or two complete chains: what it does for the business, using the case data, and the main risk.
- Option B, developed. The same depth, so the comparison is fair.
- Compare them directly. Put the two side by side on the thing the question asks about (profit, market share, survival): which delivers more, sooner, with less risk?
- Recommend, with a condition. Choose one, say why it beats the other for this business, and say what would change your mind.
Worked example: the same answer re-marked
Question: Evaluate these two options and recommend which one Hollow Oak should choose to increase its profit. [20]
Overall, I would recommend Option 1. Drive-throughs are growing in popularity and would let Hollow Oak reach new customers, which would increase revenue and profit. Option 2 is risky because the supermarket has a lot of power and could demand low prices. However, Option 1 uses all of the £1.2m, so it is also risky.
Why Level 3: both options are discussed and a recommendation is made, with some awareness of risk on each side. But the risks are listed, not weighed, and the closing “also risky” undercuts the recommendation instead of resolving it.
I would recommend Option 1. Its risk is mainly whether each site draws enough cars, and Hollow Oak can test that one site at a time and stop if the first underperforms. Option 2’s risk sits with a single supermarket that controls the listing and the price, and with a 6% margin there is little room to absorb a price squeeze once £700k is sunk into a roasting line. So Option 1 is the safer route to higher profit, provided Hollow Oak opens the first drive-through before committing the full £1.2m. If the supermarket offered a long-term contract at a fixed price, Option 2 would become the stronger choice.
The one change: the two risks are compared using the case (the 6% margin, the one buyer, the chance to phase sites), so the recommendation follows from the weighing and says what would change it.
Levels shown are our own illustrative reading of the ladder above, for the recommendation only. Hollow Oak and its figures are invented for practice; this is not a Pearson question.
Where 20-mark marks are lost
- Uneven options. Two paragraphs on Option A and two lines on Option B is not a balanced evaluation.
- Listing risks instead of weighing them. “Both are risky” is a description. Say which risk is bigger for this business, and why.
- Ignoring the case data. Margins, costs and market figures are there to be used. The top level expects evidence throughout.
- A recommendation with no condition. Saying what it depends on, or what would change your mind, is what makes a judgement supported.
- Running out of time. The 20-marker is the last question in each section. Leave about 24 minutes for it.
20-mark questions
How many 20-mark questions are there in Edexcel A-Level Business?
Six per exam series: two on each of the three papers, one at the end of each section. Together they are worth 120 of the 300 marks.
What do you need for Level 4 on an Edexcel Business 20-marker?
Well-developed chains of reasoning, evidence from the case used throughout, and a balanced judgement that weighs the competing arguments for this particular business and is supported, often by saying what the decision depends on.
How long should I spend on a 20-mark question?
Each paper gives you 2 hours for 100 marks, about 1.2 minutes a mark, so roughly 24 minutes per 20-marker.
Do Edexcel Business 20-markers always ask about two options?
Not always, but on Papers 1 and 2 most past 20-mark questions have asked you to evaluate two options and recommend one. Others ask you to evaluate a single decision or issue. The levels are the same either way.
Can Markaroo mark my Edexcel Business 20-markers?
Yes. Each answer is marked against Edexcel’s levels, 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.