O-Level Combined Science (Chemistry) Paper 5 Practical Guide 2026

Study guide20 Mar 2026, 00:00 ZUpdated 17 Jul 2026

TL;DR
Combined Science (Chemistry) Paper 5 is 1 h 30 min, 30 marks, 15 percent of the 5086 or 5088 grade.
Start with five skills: burette readings, concordant titres, QA observation wording, rates tables, and ACE improvement statements. Paper 5 uses a narrower chemistry scope than pure 6092 Paper 3 and gives less time.
Burette technique is the single biggest differentiator: readings recorded to 0.05 cm3 and close titres chosen according to the paper's instructions. SEAB's 2026 practical-technique guidance gives two titres within 0.20 cm3 as an example for an experiment with a good endpoint.

Looking for pure-science scope instead? Use the O-Level Chemistry 6092 Paper 3 practical guide. Looking for structured subject support? See our O-Level Chemistry tuition programme.

This guide and the programme page

This article covers the chemistry practical content and technique for Paper 5. For session schedules, venue information, and enrolment, use the O-Level Science (Chemistry) practical programme page.

Not sure whether to take 5086 or 5088? See

Sources

Add Eclat Institute as a Preferred Source on Google.

Search intent	Route	Keep this distinction
`combined science chemistry practical`	Stay on this guide for Paper 5 format and component switching.	Paper 5 is 1 h 30 min and covers two sciences.
`qa table o level` from a Combined Science context	Combined Science Chemistry QA and titration guide	Use the Chemistry Practical Notes printed in Paper 5.
`qa table` for pure Chemistry 6092	O-Level Chemistry QA table toolkit	Pure Chemistry uses Paper 3 and the broader 6092 route.
`titration table o level`	Combined Science Chemistry QA and titration guide	Practise table layout inside Paper 5 timing.

Item	Detail
Paper	Paper 5 (Practical)
Duration	1 h 30 min
Marks	30 marks
Weighting	15 percent of combined-science grade
Reference material	Chemistry Practical Notes (QA tables) printed inside the paper; no other notes; approved calculators permitted
Applies to	5086 Science (Physics, Chemistry) and 5088 Science (Chemistry, Biology)

	Combined Science Paper 5	Pure Chemistry Paper 3 (6092)
Duration	1 h 30 min	1 h 50 min
Marks	30	40
Weighting	15 percent	20 percent
Experiment families	Core combined-science chemistry scope	Full seven-family 6092 scope
QA reference material	Provided inside Paper 5	Provided inside Paper 3

Strand	What Paper 5 examiners want to see
MMO	Follow instructions precisely. Record observations with correct colour and quantity descriptions. Measure to instrument resolution.
PDO	Tables with column headers and units. Burette readings recorded to 0.05 cm³. Concordant results clearly identified. Graphs with labelled axes, units, and best-fit line.
ACE	Justify conclusions from data. Identify one limitation with real impact on the result. Suggest one realistic, specific improvement.
Modification or extension	Suggest a realistic change to concentration, volume, reagent sequence, or measured variable, then explain what the change would show.

Weeks before exam	Focus
12-10	Burette technique and titration precision; first rough + concordant run
9-7	QA cation and anion tests; chromatography and Rf calculation
6-4	Rates of reaction setups; first full Paper 5 simulation (timed)
3-1	Mock Paper 5 under exam conditions; ACE and modification tasks; script review

O-Level Combined Science (Chemistry) Paper 5 Practical Guide 2026

This guide and the programme page

Sources

Combined Science Paper 5 route map

1 | Paper 5 format for Combined Science (Chemistry)

How Paper 5 differs from pure Chemistry Paper 3

2 | Core chemistry apparatus and techniques for Paper 5

Titration

Qualitative analysis (QA)

Rates of reaction

Separation techniques

3 | The skill strands in plain English

4 | Top mark losses in the chemistry practical component

5 | Practice QA question

6 | Preparation timeline

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