Cambridge O Level Commerce (7100): syllabus, papers and marking
Paper 1 scored instantly. Paper 2 answers are marked by the knowledge–application–analysis split (33 / 29 / 38 per cent of the marks), so a student sees which scenario answers never used the stimulus.
Syllabus for examination in 2026, 2027 and 2028 · June and November series · grades A*–E
Commerce 7100: where the marks go
O Level Commerce 7100 has two papers. Paper 1 is 40 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour, some with charts or simple calculations. Paper 2 is a 2-hour, 80-mark written paper of compulsory structured questions based on commercial scenarios, with stimulus material. Across the qualification, 33 per cent of the marks are for knowledge, 29 for application and 38 for analysis and evaluation, and on Paper 2 almost half the marks are for analysis and evaluation.
So the marks that separate grades on Commerce are the “why” and “which” marks: why a trader would choose one option, and which suits the scenario. We set original scenario-based papers across the six topics and mark each answer for knowledge, application and analysis separately, so a student sees which one was missing. Paper 1 is scored automatically; the written-paper rubric is still being built.
Paper structure and what we mark
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 — Multiple Choice | 1 h | 40 | 30% | 40 compulsory multiple-choice questions, some with charts and simple calculations |
| Paper 2 — Written | 2 h | 80 | 70% | Compulsory structured questions on commercial scenarios with stimulus material |
Syllabus outline
- Commerce and production (trade and commerce, production)
- Commercial operations (commercial enterprises, outsourcing, retailing, wholesaling, trading documents, communication)
- Globalisation of trade (international trade, global supply chain management)
- Logistics in commerce (transport, warehousing)
- Aids to trade that support commerce (advertising, banking, insurance, sources of finance and commercial performance)
- Sustainability and ethics (sustainability, ethics, consumer protection)
How each paper is marked here
- Paper 1 is scored automatically and each wrong answer is mapped back to the syllabus topic it tests, so weak areas are visible without waiting for Paper 2.
- Paper 2 answers are tagged knowledge, application or analysis and evaluation, and the script report shows how many marks were lost in each.
- Calculation parts are marked for method and result, with own-figure credit applied after an early slip.
Where Commerce 7100 candidates lose marks
- A generic answer to a scenario question — Paper 2 questions are set in a stated business. A textbook list of the advantages of road transport scores for knowledge but misses the application mark, which needs the goods, distance or customer in the scenario.
- An advantage with no consequence — Writing “it is cheaper” is a point. The analysis mark is for the next step: cheaper for whom, and what that lets the trader do. Answers that stop after the point lose the largest block of Paper 2 marks.
- Judgement questions without a conclusion — When asked which option is best or whether a trader should act, listing both sides and ending is incomplete. A reasoned choice, based on the scenario, is what is credited.
- Similar documents and terms confused — The syllabus names the documents of home trade and of international trade separately: an invoice is not a statement of account, and a bill of lading is not a certificate of origin. Muddled terms lose knowledge marks that are otherwise easy.
- Slips in the simple calculations — The calculations are basic arithmetic, percentages and simple ratios. Marks go on showing the working and using the figures from the stimulus, not on difficulty.
Sample papers, mark schemes and marked reports for 7100
See a real handwritten script marked by eight examiners at admitportfolio.com/examiners.
Questions teachers ask
- How does Commerce differ from Business Studies?
- Commerce covers the movement of goods and services from producer to consumer, including trade, transport, banking, insurance and advertising. Business covers how organisations are managed and run. They are separate syllabuses.
- Are calculations difficult?
- No. The syllabus limits them to basic arithmetic, percentages and simple ratios.
- Is the syllabus changing?
- The 7100 syllabus runs for examination in 2026, 2027 and 2028 with the structure described above.
- Is this official Cambridge marking?
- No. Cambridge International Education marks the real exam. This is examiner-style marking of mocks and homework for 7100. Only you see the marking, and you decide what reaches the student.
- Do you reproduce past-paper questions?
- No. Every 7100 paper here is original and written to the syllabus for examination in 2026, 2027 and 2028, in the same structure as the real papers shown above.
- Which papers are marked?
- None yet are marked question by question; Paper 1 are scored instantly. Practical exams sat at the centre are not marked here.
- How is the next paper chosen?
- From the marks a student lost: the concepts behind them are ranked by marks dropped, and the new paper weights those topics. It is the same syllabus and structure, with new questions.
- When are the exams?
- June and November series. Grades A*–E.
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