General Paper (GP) Essay Questions 2026 and Thematic Strategies - GP Tuition

GP Essay Questions (2026) and Thematic Strategies

Looking for the 2025 A Levels Essay Questions? It’s over here!

Practicing prelim questions is an effective strategy to prevent us from stumbling over our actual A Level questions in the exam because it familiarises us with the relevant issues/debates under a specific Theme.

Below are questions from this year’s prelim papers, including the 17 schools*. I have organised them into Themes for our easy reference. I have also added my own insights for each Theme to provide important tips on what we have to take note of if we want to provide critical and quality responses for questions under that Theme. I separated ‘Standard’ questions from ‘Others’ that are more niche or unconventional. I also marked out questions that are more difficult because of various modifiers.

The major Themes to focus on are: Arts, Science & Tech, Individuals & Values, Politics, Media, Environment, General. These themes have been selected based on their frequency in the A Levels. Themes not included here are those that are not common for A Levels (e.g. Education, Sports, Crime, Poverty, Family, Economics)

So below are nearly 160 questions that I have compiled for the year of 2025, all for your easy reference 🙂 If you need more questions, please check out the three-year compilation (2017, 2018, 2019) or 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. I have also included some general questions for those of you who prefer to attempt general questions. However, I must quickly add that in these years of the new syllabus, even schools are converging on what the right themes are. Every school had at least 6-8 questions from these themes, and very few from the general ones. This is an important signal that we should definitely be working on these for content. A detailed explanation of all these 7 Themes are also found here, and it is also something I will discuss extensively in my CONTENT CRASH COURSE (which always happens for 2 rounds from Jul-Aug and Sep-Oct)

*17 schools: ACJC, ASRJC, CJC, DHS, EJC, HCI, JPJC, MI, NJC, NYJC, RI, RVHS, SAJC, TJC, TMJC, VJC, YIJC

Overall Stats (2025 Prelims) | This year’s distribution is actually very similar to the A Levels (past 11 years):

Indv & Values: 29 | A Levels: 23
Arts: 22 | A Levels: 21
Politics: 26 | A Levels: 20
Sci & Tech: 21 | A Levels: 16
Media: 17 | A Levels: 14
Environment: 17 | A Levels: 10

Video Summary

(for visual and auditory learners, or as a quick overview to grasp the key insights)

Overview (Tips for Effective Revision)

Prepare content knowledge in a Thematic way to ensure maximum effectiveness during the A Levels where our content knowledge would likely be applicable
Choose at least 3 Themes to specialise in. Recommended to avoid Themes that are not in these 6 because they do not come up that frequently in the exam
- The new syllabus having 8 instead of 12 questions to choose from = our content knowledge needs to be even more comprehensive and specialised to have a good chance of even having 1 question that we can confidently answer in the A Levels!
Look at questions to familiarise with what common issues come up for that Theme
Identify existing gaps in content knowledge and fill in those gaps (come for the crash course for an easy way to quickly address those gaps)
Use questions for practice; come up with detailed essay plans (20 mins per question) and quickly cover as many questions as possible to increase exposure to the different ways a Theme can be tested

Standard questions are predictable core issues that are a ‘must-know’ when specialising in that theme. These represent 80-90% of all possible questions from this theme. I have analysed 3000+ questions over the years to derive these common issues (quite sure I am the only teacher who is crazy enough to do this haha), so that you can easily spot trends for the theme. Again, you must join the crash course if you would like to find out more about standard questions. My crash course answers all the standard questions, which means my students can always answer around 90% of any question that comes out for a theme they are specialising in. If you would like that too, please do not hesitate to join!

Standard questions marked with ‘difficult’ are usually because they are similar to standard questions but have other specific requirements that make them challenging to address (e.g. around 70% similarity). These require Tweaking – an advanced skill where we adapt our existing content knowledge to easily apply to new questions, greatly amplifying our content knowledge. Again, if you want to learn that, you must try the crash course 🙂

The remaining questions in the section of ‘Lowkey Cooked’ are usually impossibly difficult :(((, and I will explain why that is the case (questions are marked as “LC”)—usually because they are cross-Theme (in a non-predictable or non-synergistic way) or are simply too different from anything we have seen before.

To find out more about the essential arguments to answer any standard question, check out our 8 Lessons Content Crash Course that offers 150+ arguments and 350+ examples for Essay to cover all these standard questions! The CC also includes another 200+ examples for Singapore AQ. In just 8 lessons, you will easily master all the content knowledge required and feel very confident for the A Levels 🙂 Lessons are all online and recordings are also available even if you can’t make it! Click here to find out more and sign up

1. Arts/Heritage

Arts (Standard)

‘The arts are essential for an individual’s well-being.’ Discuss.
Do the arts really bring about meaningful social change in our society?
How far do the arts influence the way individuals think?
The arts have become more accessible but less meaningful today.’ How far do you agree?
Assess the view that arts do not matter in societies driven by science and technology.
How far do you agree that museums are more important than ever in your society?
“Books provide little use but entertainment today” to what extent is this true?
Assess the view that fiction exists only to entertain.
‘When everyone is an artist, nothing is art.’ Discuss.
Examine the claim that social media has ruined the arts.
Evaluate the claim that artificial intelligence is a threat to human creativity.
To what extent has technology increased our appreciation of the arts?
Assess the view that it is difficult for artists today to earn a living wage from their work.
To what extent has technology increased our appreciation of the arts?
In times of crisis, can investment in the arts be justified?
‘Without the government’s support, the arts will disappear.’ Is this true in your society?
Does local food still play an important role in shaping cultural identity in your society?
Is nostalgia merely appealing but serves no useful purpose?
Assess the claim that traditional beliefs are nothing more than mere superstitions in today’s world.

Arts (Others) [Lowkey Cooked!]

‘We should invest more in sports rather than the arts.’ How true is this of your society? | Cross-Theme: General – Sports
Do the arts truly reflect the diversity of your society?| Cross-theme: General – Diversity
‘A city without soul.’ How true is this of your society?

Insight (Arts):

This year’s prelim questions have a lot from the arts, which is great because it aligns with A Level trends! It seems that schools have finally caught on (remember Arts is the MOST frequent Theme that comes out for the A Levels – 23 in 11 years)

When we look at Arts, one of the key question lies in its Value – whether or not the arts has value and can serve a certain function (think of it like useful vs useless/problematic). This exists at the core of Arts questions but are often phrased in different ways. We need to ensure that we do not just regurgitate the content we are familiar with. Instead, we should address the key terms (e.g. essential for well-being, bring about change, influence thinking, is meaningful, matter for societies).

Another related focus is Value for more specific or varied art forms like films, literature, television adaptation, we would need to have concrete examples for these even if the arguments are similar to the more general idea of ‘the Arts’. Do note that the various forms of the arts include: films, music, literature, painting/sculpture/exhibition, theatre, comics, architecture. Out of these, usually films, literature, and music are the most common and can exist as the sole focus of a question. This year, the specific art forms are: fiction (a combination of content from films and literature), books, museum (i.e. paintings, sculptures and exhibits)

This year’s big trend is what has been building momentum steadily: questions that look at the impact of technology on art. These could include social media, programmes and software, or even AI. Questions like that ask us to consider whether the change brought about is something positive. It requires knowledge of the specific technology being discussed, and of course examples need to reflect that too.

Some questions related to this theme also come from heritage/tradition which revolves around the idea of value (specific questions may examine types of heritage, e.g. food, nostalgia for a past zeitgeist, traditional beliefs). Tradition is a little broader but still belongs to Arts because art is usually the conduit we use to preserve traditions.

Difficult Questions (Others):

LC1 is a novel question, and it requires close knowledge in sports infrastructure, events, and training programmes
LC2 requires an intimate understanding of the different ideas of diversity in SG
LC3 is quite conceptual and needs a thorough interpretation of what exactly ‘soul’ refers to. We judge whether a city has soul based on the presence of the arts and heritage there — elements that make a place feel vibrant and come alive

Pros-Cons of this Theme:

Highly common in the A Levels [RANK 2/6]
Less popular with students = Easier to differentiate yourself and score well
Questions are often very standard. Just by knowing arguments about value of art can already answer many of the questions below (can refer to the sample essay I have shared on the value of films) | Tip: Take the stand that art has value! It is much easier to argue and shows that we are cultured 🙂
Honestly, no cons!

2. Indv & Values

I came up with this Theme, so you wouldn’t find this anywhere else! This is a very easy-to-master Theme, and also something very commonly tested (rank 1 in the A Levels, and also in this year’s questions)!

Indv Values (Standard)

‘People care too much about material success.’ How far is this true of your society?
Consider the view that suffering has no value.
Is the promise of a better life in your society an illusion for the majority?
How far is risk-taking essential for success in your society?
To what extent does your society need broader definitions of success?
It’s getting harder to live a simple life today.’ To what extent is this true of your society?
‘Money solves all problems.’ Is this true in your society?
To what extent has consumerism improved people’s quality of life?
‘People can only be truly happy if they are free to make their own choices.’ How far do you agree?
‘Society has become more self-centred in the modern age.’ Do you agree?
Assess the view that greed is an inevitable feature of modern society.
‘There is no point in being charitable.’ How far do you agree?
First world nation with third world citizens. Is this an accurate assessment of your society?
‘Taking risks matters more than playing it safe in the modern world.’ Discuss.
How far do you agree that conforming with social norms is more beneficial than challenging them?
Should diversity always be valued in your society?
Should what leaders do in their private lives matter to the public?
Consider the view that strong leaders do more harm than good.
‘We should always forgive those who wrong us.’ Is this good advice?
Have we become used to ignoring what matters?
Is forgiveness the best way to deal with injustice?
Consider the view that protests do more harm than good.
Assess the view that not enough is being done to hold the powerful accountable for their actions.
How far do you agree that change in your society should be driven by its people rather than its government?
To what extent are human rights sufficiently valued in today’s world?

Indv Values (Others) [Lowkey Cooked!]

To what extent should young people in your society be the only ones responsible for shaping their own future? | Cross-theme: Politics
‘Profit rather than social responsibility should be the main concern of corporations.’ Do you agree? | Cross-theme: Env
Can there ever be too much optimism?
‘Education is the most important solution to social injustice.’ Evaluate this view. | Cross-theme: Edu

Indv Values are questions that are more philosophical in considering the importance of different values in an individual’s life (e.g. Success/Adversity, Happiness, Competitiveness vs Selflessness, Freedom/Originality/Conformity, Integrity, Empathy/Care for others). We can do very well when we realise how these questions are repetitive. You will see many similar questions below that essentially ask about the same thing. The strategy lies in how we are able to tweak our content knowledge to handle different phrasings (a common strategy across Themes that you will notice I keep emphasising and are also teaching in my crash course and weekly lessons!).

For Success, questions prompt us to ponder what defines success and whether our societies are emphasising traits related to success (e.g. suffering and resilience, risk-taking, chasing after wealth). Notably, 2026 also has many questions interested in the feasibility of success (e.g. is a better life an illusion, do we need broader definitions). Happiness questions are similar in considering what contributes to happiness (e.g. money, consumerism, freedom) and whether it is possible (e.g. getting harder to live a simple life)

Then, we move on to some specific values embodied by individuals. Selflessness is often a big umbrella of many ideas, and they all consider its importance (e.g. being less self-centered, less greedy, more charitable, empathy for others which is associated with enlightened citizens). Non-conformity questions are interested in whether there is value in being daring to challenge norms or try something different (e.g. taking risks over playing safe, challenging norms, valuing diversity which is a deviation from the norm). You will notice there are significant similarities across these topics because they all relate to values found in an individual’s life and also ideas about what the societal environment is like for individuals; this makes it easier because knowing one issue helps with arguments for another. Note: these values may also be embodied by countries/organisations and these can also be used for examples unless the question’s focus only relates to individuals.

The structure of the essay response becomes fairly straightforward where we analyse the pros-cons of these values, or discuss whether society offers a favourable environment for some of these values.

This year’s big winner (as always the case in both Prelims and A Levels by A FAR MILE) is definitely on Social movements and Activism to consider its value and importance. There are so many, so let us list them for easy reference (e.g. forgive wrongdoings/injustice or seek accountability, caring about the world around us or ignoring what matters, protests, driving change, valuing human rights). Activism is categorised here because individuals are drivers of activism and they use activism to manage power dynamics with governments. Also, activism synergises beautifully with the other values being mentioned above (like success, selflessness, or non-conformity). Furthermore, it also aligns with major Themes like Media, Politics and Arts because all of these have questions looking at how individuals fight for change in society and let their voice be heard by others and by the government. You will also see questions interested in the role of the people vs the role of the government when it comes to change, but we will discuss this more in the Politics section because it overlaps with democracy.

Activism has always been an incredibly popular question type. In 2022, I predicted this and it did come out and recurred again in 2023, and yet again in 2024 and 2025! It is consecutive and clearly a Cambridge favourite. This issue is extremely important in the world and relates to so many different issues as well, hence it is not a surprise that it recurs. 2026 may still find ways to focus on the same issue, but with a different question framing. Main trend = discuss the Value/Effectiveness of Activism.

Difficult Questions:

LC1 is odd because it is looking at the role of the government vs people when it comes to creating a better life (not a usual area of discussion).
LC2 requires us to think about Env too, but includes areas Indv is interested in responsibility towards marginalised groups and human rights
LC3 is difficult because it is too broad and requires a very detailed interpretation of what optimism is, as well as where it manifests in the world. The broadness of the scope easily demands the discussion to expand into Politics, Sci, and Media.
LC4 is actually less of Indv, and more of Edu. It is related to activism but it shifts the conversation to formal education in schools, not just education outside of school from advocacy efforts

Pros-Cons of this Theme:

Highly common in the A Levels [RANK 1/6]. Most students don’t know this because schools don’t typically look at this, but the stats do not lie!
Less popular with students = Easier to differentiate yourself and score well
Questions have a lot of overlaps, making it easy to adapt arguments we know for many questions in this theme
Have a lot of synergies with other Themes also because of how general it is
Honestly, no cons! You should definitely change your mind about this Theme if you have always avoided it

3. Politics

Politics (Standard)

Global challenges can only be solved through global cooperation. How far do you agree?
Given the competition for technological dominance, how realistic is international cooperation?
Examine the claim that peace is still attainable today.
“The strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.” (Thucydides) Is this the case in global affairs?
How realistic is it for countries to cooperate on global problems?
To what extent can the use of military action be justified when countries are increasingly reliant on each other?
Are international organisations still relevant today?
‘Only smaller states find international organisations relevant today.’ Discuss.
How far do international organisations remain crucial amid global instability?
“There are no heroes in politics today, only villains.” Discuss.
Nations should place greater emphasis on global rather than national issues. Do you agree?
‘Countries should always welcome migrants.’ How far do you agree?
“The fear of migrants is exaggerated.” Comment.
‘Migration is the solution to demographic challenges.’ Discuss.
Examine the claim that immigration today brings more problems than ever.
‘Migrants should be welcomed only if they can contribute economically.’ How far do you agree?
‘No government should prioritise economic growth at the expense of social welfare.’ How far do you agree?
To what extent should personal freedom be sacrificed for the greater good?
Assess the view that privacy is no longer a realistic expectation.
The right to privacy should not be sacrificed for national security.” Comment.
In the digital age, protection of personal privacy is desirable but not realistic. Discuss.
‘We expect too much from governments. Do you agree?
How far do you agree that change in your society should be driven by its people rather than its government?

Politics (Others) [Lowkey Cooked!]

To what extent should the state be responsible for helping citizens with financial struggles?
To what extent should young people in your society be the only ones responsible for shaping their own future?
To what extent are human rights sufficiently valued in today’s world? | Cross-theme: Indv

Politics is an incredibly popular theme both in the A Levels and in the 2026 Prelims. The two main branches of Politics questions look at International Relations (External) and Governance (Internal). International Relations is a big winner this year, look at how many questions relate to this! Prelims always love IR questions btw. IR includes looking at International Cooperation and Diplomacy and considering whether they work (e.g. solve global challenges, exist with tech competition or global instability, attain peace, work for smaller and weaker countries, be a viable alternative to military action). These two concepts of IC and Diplomacy are linked because countries work together to try and resolve conflicts in a peaceful way, rather than resort to military conflicts. Notably, some questions also more specifically focus on only international organisations.

The beauty of IR questions is that they are all really similar, and the examples are major case studies that are easy to remember and provide significant credibility when used in an essay. But do take note not to mention cliche examples like WWII stuff, and instead think about recent and even ongoing conflicts (e.g. Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, South China Sea dispute)

This year’s new appearance is something on Migration! This is interesting because it was popular when I was a student around a decade ago, and then it disappeared in the last few years but is now here again. I think it aligns very nicely with the recent trends and discourse around the world. The questions are invariably interested in whether there is value (e.g. should we welcome migrants, is the fear exaggerated, solution to demographic challenges, brings problems, contribute economically vs humanitarian obligation)

As usual, some questions would come from Restriction of Rights. These questions consider whether it is justified for governments to violate certain human rights and implement intrusive policies (e.g. sacrifice personal freedoms, sacrifice privacy). Notably, privacy seems popular this year.

Difficult Questions:

LC1 is too niche, going into poverty (which is a topic that has not been appearing for a long time)
LC2 is difficult because it requires knowledge from Indv
LC3 is actually a fun question that is not difficult, but it requires significant tweaking to consider the different ways in which we value and ignore human rights (e.g. on social media, policies affecting groups, international relations, activism, rights of workers and actions of companies)

Pros-Cons of this Theme:

Highly common in the A Levels [RANK 3/6]
Less popular with students = Easier to differentiate yourself and score well
Questions are often very standard. Mastering this theme requires just two main areas of knowing about external international relations between countries and the internal governance within a country | Tip: Start realising that countries and governments may not always be so altruistic, and your essays will sound much more nuanced and matured!
Examples are easy because an issue happening to a country is a major one, which means that the same issue can be framed in many different ways to suit different questions
It may be intimidating to try this Theme at the start because there are some technical terms and concepts needed. However, these are recurring ideas across different questions and provide significant value once we are exposed to them!
Declining focus in the recent A Levels, not as many as in the previous syllabus it seems (but even then this is still on par with, if not superior to Sci Tech, Media)

4. Sci & Tech

Sci Tech (Standard)

Evaluate the view that modern technology can no longer be effectively controlled.
Has drone technology truly made our world better?
Technological advancements have made people more fearful about the future!’ How far do you agree?
To what extent is the pursuit of continuous technological advancement a desirable goal?
The greatest dangers posed by technology are those that we cannot see. Discuss.
To what extent is society justified in fearing developments in artificial intelligence?
To what extent should human judgement guide decision-making when reliable data is available?
To what extent should governments regulate artificial intelligence?
‘In an age of rapid technological advancement, we have pushed the boundaries too far.’ Do you agree?
Are we steering recent advances in science and technology in the wrong direction?
To what extent should governments regulate the development of emerging technologies?
In today’s world, should there be any restrictions on access to military technology?
To what extent should scientific research be guided by ethical concerns?
‘Scientific development is driven by a desire to help people.’ How far is this true today?
Assess the view that innovation is best driven by private companies rather than governments.

Sci Tech (Others) [Lowkey Cooked!]

In a world that is rapidly changing, how far can companies afford to be loyal to their employees? | Cross-theme: Indv, Env
‘The desire for convenience is changing society for the worse.’ To what extent is this true? | Cross-theme: Env
In the digital age, protection of personal privacy is desirable but not realistic. Discuss. | Cross-theme: Politics
The possession of nuclear weapons cannot be justified.’ Discuss. | Cross-theme: Politics
Is preparing young people for the future more important than teaching them about the past? | Cross-theme: General – Edu
Examine the claim that modern technology has made crime prevention harder and not easier. | Cross-theme: General – Crime

The first main issue lies with Impact. However, given that Sci & Tech questions often have complex modifiers that add niche requirements to the question, we would need to tweak our arguments to address these different ideas of impact. We need to pay attention to the specific impacts the question chooses to focus on (e.g. out of control, making our world better, fearful about the future, desirable outcomes, new dangers).

It becomes important to really interpret these terms and consider how to address them instead of merely regurgitating pros-cons. Notably, 2023 and 2024 A Level questions from this area look at really niche types of tech (rather than give us the freedom to discuss any type we like): space exploration, waste disposal. Prelim questions for ST are often easier than what actually comes out.

The next big group looks at Artificial Intelligence (AI) and this year we see interesting focuses including: the impacts of AI (a more specific version of the above area I mentioned), the need for regulation, the implications of a data-driven world

This year’s new trend is a greater focus on the specific group of Newer technologies and recent advancements. While it includes AI, such questions are broader than AI alone. And these questions are concerned with whether we are headed in the right direction, i.e. are we careful enough and should we be regulating more?

As evident, Regulation and ethics is a key pillar just like impacts. Such questions overlap heavily with ethics because ethics is the foremost rationale behind wanting to regulate. This particular issue is always popular—a timeless concern in this Theme.

Note the difference between scientific research and technology. Remember that scientific research refers to the knowledge, theoretical and academic aspects whereas technology refers to the applied and practical uses. For instance, social media is a technology but it is not related to scientific research. It is important to clearly note whether the question engages with Science or Technology, and to use the suitable examples.

Difficult Questions:

Sci Tech often has many difficult questions because they are cross-theme, which means we need knowledge from many other areas. Students who only singularly focus on Sci Tech would very likely struggle with these more challenging questions
LC1 and LC2 both cross into Environment but LC1 in particular also needs us to think about social responsibility. LC1 has elements of considering AI’s disruption on work, but the scope goes beyond that
LC3 and LC4 need us to think about Politics. LC3 needs specific knowledge on privacy matters and policies on privacy (a little similar to P6). LC4 is closer to P2 on international relations
LC5 is a question that represents the current trends of Edu questions that we are seeing in the A Levels, i.e. what should Edu focus on to help students adapt to the changing world? D6 relates to Crime which by itself is not an important focus because it has very few questions.

Pros-Cons of this Theme:

Highly common in the A Levels [RANK 4/6]
Students are usually exposed to ideas of tech in schools and in their lives, making this quite relatable (can tap into prior knowledge)
More popular with students = Harder to differentiate yourself and score well (this is usually the most attempted question in every year!)
Questions are not standard, there are many variations that make it difficult to answer without proper question analysis | Exception: Questions about impact are quite standard, just need to adapt arguments and examples to ATQ (but importantly, these are only standard in Prelims and not so much in the A Levels)
Examples are difficult – need to be updated (since Sci & Tech is constantly and rapidly advancing) + must avoid cliché examples that many students like using

5. Media

Media (Standard)

Have we become used to ignoring what matters?
‘We communicate more but understand one another less.’ Is this a fair assessment of today’s world?
‘Despite greater access to information today, people’s understanding of current issues has not improved.’ Discuss.
To what extent should the media shape public opinion rather than reflect it?
‘Banning youths from using social media brings more harm than good.’ Evaluate.
‘Governments are not doing enough to protect young people from online harms.’ To what extent do you agree?
Evaluate the claim that the state should not regulate the media during times of crisis.
Should your society do more to protect the young from the effects of social media?
Given the need to safeguard national interests, to what extent should social media platforms in your society be regulated?
‘The dominance of global entertainment platforms has made local media irrelevant.’ Discuss.
Social media has changed the way leaders exercise power today. How far is this true?
‘The media today undermines good governance.’ Comment.
Evaluate the claim that it is difficult to trust those in power today.

Media (Others) [Lowkey Cooked!]

Examine the claim that social media has ruined the arts. | Cross-theme: Arts
‘Society has become more self-centred in the modern age.’ Do you agree? | Cross-theme: Indv
‘Profit rather than social responsibility should be the main concern of corporations.’ Do you agree? | Cross-theme: Indv, Env
How far does the media distort public perceptions of crime? | Cross:theme: General – Crime

Social media is a clear focus of the current trend of questions. Just like Sci Tech, the first major area of concern lies in looking at Impacts. The latest trends and also from what we see this year, Impact of Social Media or Media is relatively prominent (e.g. take action on what matters, communicate and understand each other, understand current issues). This year’s questions for this focus are broader because they don’t limit us to just the ‘internet’ or ‘digital media’.

There are, however, difficult questions for this. Not in 2026 but just an FYI if you look back to some of the previous years – those on loneliness and online relationships are much harder to write about because it is difficult to find convincing examples. Students will usually default to statistics which are not as good as case studies. But for such topics, it is very difficult to find suitable case studies to discuss. For instance, looking at relationships we should examine the case study of online dating apps instead of finding some random statistic. Or, for loneliness, we should look at global reports or at particular countries with high loneliness rates (e.g. Philippines) instead of giving numbers. Essentially, such questions are much harder due to the limited examples available and I usually encourage students to avoid such questions.

Censorship and Regulation are very popular this year because of the policy changes around the world, and the tons of formal political discussions we have seen. Traditionally, this topic simply looks at the pros-cons of censorship / freedom of speech. Now, it has a more specific focus on the use of social media by more impressionable young people. This is a question that is definitely worth preparing for, given that it is unprecedented in the A Levels thus far.

Another big area would be Political Media. This is a popular topic in the A Levels too. The questions here specifically look at how media affects politics (e.g. change the way leaders exercise their power, undermines good governance, leads to obfuscation or transparency which then relates to people’s trust in leaders). Previously, the A Level question looked at the impact of modern technology on governance (which is broader than just media). This question is easier and is one we should definitely prepare for, given how these two areas intersect greatly in today’s world.

Difficult Questions:

LC1 requires a lot more knowledge from Arts
LC2 is also much more I3 and Media only features as one idea
LC3 is too broad because apart from public relations and image, we need to understand impacts relating to human rights and sustainability
LC4 is of course overly niche l since it relates to only crime

Pros-Cons of this Theme:

Overlaps with many other Themes
Students are usually exposed to ideas of media in schools and in their lives, making this quite relatable (can tap into prior knowledge)
More popular with students = Harder to differentiate yourself and score well
Relatively less common than other major Themes, inconsistent (some years it does not appear) [RANK 5]

6. Environment

Env (Standard)

The poor suffer the most from the consequences of environmental damage.’ Discuss.
‘Profit rather than social responsibility should be the main concern of corporations.’ Do you agree?
‘Human beings will never live sustainably.’ Evaluate this view.
To what extent do you agree that efforts to address climate change are doomed to fail?
How far do you agree that environmental protection is more of a political problem than a scientific one?
Individuals can do nothing meaningful to solve environmental problems. Discuss.
‘As long as individuals are environmentally conscious, the planet can be saved.’ Discuss.
To what extent are individual lifestyle changes the most effective solution to environmental problems?
‘Profit rather than social responsibility should be the main concern of corporations.’ Do you agree?
‘Without government intervention, society has no hope of solving the climate crisis.’ Is this true of your society?
Is it possible to protect the environment when modern lifestyles prioritise personal comfort?
“‘The development of cities inevitably damages the environment.’ Is this true of your society?
‘The desire for convenience is changing society for the worse.’ To what extent is this true?
Assess the view that modern environmental challenges are a result of innovation rather than neglect.
To what extent is a future without fossil fuels realistic?
How far is it acceptable for a government to fully exploit energy resources when the interests of other countries are at stake?

Env (Others) [Lowkey Cooked!]

‘The environmental costs of sports competitions today can no longer be ignored.’ Discuss. | Cross-theme: General – Sports

Unfortunately, Environment questions have been increasingly unpopular. We hardly see them appear at the A Levels (10 times in 11 years, compared to the more popular themes appearing around 20+ times). This trend is reflected in every year’s prelims, including in 2026. Many students still treat this as their primary Theme that they are working on, which I would actually discourage. The inconsistency makes it unreliable and not worth the effort.

The first main focus of Environment questions looks at the Severity of the Problem (e.g. the poor suffer the most, social responsibility needs to be prioritised over profits). The next one that is common looks at Evaluating Solutions and considering whether they are effective or feasible (e.g. will never live sustainably, efforts are doomed to fail).

Such questions about solutions are quite easy to address because there are many overlaps. Have a huge pool of examples for various environmental solutions: activism, policy and legislation, corporate initiatives, education, individual change in behaviour, reducing consumerism, international cooperation etc. Then, think of various arguments that explain why they would be effective or ineffective. Of course, link your arguments to the specific claim in the question!

This year’s very popular questions look at the factors that contribute to sustainable solutions. Specifically, we also look at the various Stakeholders (e.g. individual action, individual attitudes, corporations, government intervention) to consider their role and impact. Other issues are Tensions, the forces at play that continue to worsen climate change (e.g. materialism and comfort, urbanisation, desire for convenience).

Difficult Questions:

LC1 requires specific knowledge from Sports and sporting events. It is in fact more of a Sports question, in the sense that students who would do better at this question are those who are familiar with Sports

Pros-Cons of this Theme:

Students are usually exposed to ideas of environment in schools and in their lives, making this quite relatable (can tap into prior knowledge)
Questions have a lot of overlaps, making it easy to adapt arguments we know for many questions in this theme
Decently popular with students = Harder to differentiate yourself and score well
Relatively less common than other major Themes—least popular and behind by a huge mile, inconsistent (some years it does not appear) [RANK 6]

7. General

FAQ: Why are these not considered major Themes?

Answer: They do not come out frequently enough, both in the A Levels and Prelims. So if you thought this is a Theme, you would need to quickly pivot now to pick from the above instead! These are just backup questions that you can learn, but they do not count as a Theme. Remember, you must choose 3 out of 6 Themes from above to get a good chance at having at least 1 out of 8 questions you can answer in the exams. Again, if you are feeling lost and overwhelmed, please just sign up for the crash course so that I can guide you. In just 8 lessons, you can easily progress through mastering these themes. Many of my students have successfully done it before you, and so can you 🙂

Sports

Note: Sports is becoming quite viable. It is increasingly popular in the prelims and in the A Levels, but still below Env for now, so it will only be a subset of ‘General’, rather than its own category. Key focuses: Sporting events, Commercialisation/Funding, Athletes, Public reception

To what extent has the commercialisation of sport undermined its values?
‘Attending live sporting events has lost its appeal in the digital age.’ Discuss.
‘There is a lack of appreciation for the value of sport.’ How far is this true in your society?
Assess the view that sport has suffered due to commercialisation?
Evaluate the claim that sports bring out the worst in people.
‘We should invest more in sports rather than the arts.’ How true is this of your society? | Cross-theme: Arts
How far are sporting pursuits given adequate support and recognition in your society?
Consider the view that sporting events do little to strengthen social cohesion in your society.

History/Humanities

Is preparing young people for the future more important than teaching them about the past? | Cross-theme: Sci

Equality/Diversity

‘Traditional gender roles in parenting are becoming less relevant.’ How true is this of your society?
How effective has the government been in promoting social cohesion in your society?
Do the arts truly reflect the diversity of your society? | Cross-theme: Arts

Education

‘Education gives us the map to progress.’ How far is this true of education in your society?
Is preparing young people for the future more important than teaching them about the past? | Cross-theme: Sci
‘Education is the most important solution to social injustice.’ Evaluate this view. | Cross-theme: Indv

Crime

How far does the media distort public perceptions of crime? | Cross-theme: Media

Insight/Strategy:

General questions for this year come from a few key areas: Sports, History/Humanities, Equality, Tourism, City Living, Education. We should remember that these General questions are not individual Themes on their own because they are not as popular for A Levels. These General questions should be viewed more as a backup Theme rather than a main Theme that we are preparing for.

These ones that I have selected have some synergistic overlaps with the main themes above (those that do not overlap have been excluded, e.g. family, business, religion, health)

Sports: Overlaps with Individuals & Values, Politics
History/Humanities: Overlaps with Politics, Arts (arguments)
Equality/Diversity: Overlaps with Arts, Media, Individuals & Values, Politics
Education: Overlaps with Arts, Media (these are alternative ways to gain knowledge), Individuals & Values (success)

Out of these, Sports is actually the most promising. I have been tracking A Level trends; it is the most popular out of all these general issues (in this year’s prelims as well). If you really want to pick one, you may consider Sports especially since the examples here can very likely apply to other Indv Values questions too!

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It’s 4 more weeks before the A Levels! The last lap can be nerve-wrecking but it can also be game-changing! I have seen many students make tremendous and miraculous improvements in the final lap.

Join us in our crash course for a last lap booster in just a couple of hours, reach out on WhatsApp or Telegram over here! All lessons are also recorded for easy access, Our crash course offers 150+ arguments and 350+ examples!

That being said, good luck for the upcoming exams. Take care of yourself, please ensure not to burn out in this period!!

Another useful resource to check out is the most recent 2025 A Levels Questions Analysis here 🙂

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