Official answer keys explained

Many exam bodies publish answer keys after the exam. Knowing how they work helps you use them properly, both after your own exam and when practising with past papers.

Provisional and final keys

Commonly, a body first releases a provisional key and invites candidates to raise objections within a set window, sometimes for a fee. After reviewing the objections it publishes a final key, and results are calculated from that. Some questions may be dropped or given more than one correct answer. Each body sets its own process, so check its notice for the details.

When you practise with past papers, use the final key wherever it’s available.

Estimating your score

To estimate a score from a key, apply the marking scheme exactly: marks for correct answers, deductions for wrong ones if there’s negative marking, and nothing for unattempted questions. Take the scheme from that year’s notification, because schemes change.