Free GCSE biology practice for Year 11, nine months out from the May/June 2027 exams. Every question below comes from GradeNinja's own bank - 2,074 Biology questions across 30 topics.
Biology carries more pure recall than the other two sciences, which makes it the best possible fit for spaced retrieval practice. The content is not hard; there is simply a lot of it, and it fades fast if you meet each topic once.
The required practicals are worth targeting early. They come up reliably, they are finite, and most people leave them until they are panicking in April.
Our Biology questions follow the AQA specification. If your school uses a different board most of the content still overlaps, but check your own spec.
Answer before you open the explanation. The moment of not-quite-knowing is the part that does the work, and skipping to the answer skips the learning.
Anything you get wrong, come back to tomorrow rather than immediately. Getting it right straight after seeing the answer proves nothing.
Real questions from GradeNinja's own bank, with the answer and the explanation the app gives. Tap to reveal.
Genotype is the genetic makeup; phenotype is the observable characteristic
Genotype is the set of alleles an organism carries (e.g. Bb). Phenotype is the physical or observable expression of those alleles (e.g. brown hair).
Filtering the blood through a partially permeable membrane against dialysis fluid
In dialysis, blood flows through a machine containing a partially permeable membrane. Dialysis fluid on the other side has the correct concentrations of useful substances. Urea and excess ions diffuse from the blood into the fluid down concentration gradients, but useful substances like glucose are retained.
Against a concentration gradient, using energy from respiration
Active transport moves substances from low to high concentration (against the gradient) using ATP from respiration. It requires carrier proteins in the membrane. An example is mineral ion uptake by root hair cells.
25%
Both parents are Ff (carriers). Using a Punnett square: FF, Ff, Ff, ff. Only ff gives cystic fibrosis. That is 1 out of 4 possible combinations = 25% probability. The other 75% are either normal (FF) or carriers (Ff).
Capillaries: walls only one cell thick to allow exchange of substances with tissues
Capillary walls are one endothelial cell thick — ideal for diffusion of oxygen, glucose, and CO₂ between blood and tissues. Veins have valves (not arteries). Arteries have thick muscular/elastic walls. Blood pressure is highest in arteries, lowest in veins.
Pancreas
Amylase is produced by salivary glands (in the mouth) and the pancreas. Pancreatic amylase is secreted into the small intestine to continue starch digestion. The stomach produces protease (pepsin) and hydrochloric acid.
Number in first sample × number in second sample ÷ number of recaptured marked individuals
The Lincoln index formula is: estimated population = (number in first sample × number in second sample) ÷ number of recaptured marked individuals. This assumes no births, deaths, immigration or emigration between samples.
To reduce the likelihood of growth of pathogens that could harm humans at body temperature
Incubating below 37°C in school conditions discourages the growth of pathogens that thrive at human body temperature, reducing risk to students handling the cultures.
44,980 questions across 28 GCSE subjects, XP, boss battles and friend challenges. No card needed.
Start revising free →Short, frequent sessions of active recall beat long sessions of re-reading. Test yourself, check, and revisit anything you got wrong a day or two later rather than immediately.
AQA. Content overlaps heavily between boards, so they are still useful on another spec, but check your own specification for anything board-specific.
GCSEs are sat across May and June, so for the current Year 11 that means May/June 2027. Exact paper dates come from the exam boards and your school.
2,074 in Biology alone, and 44,980 across 28 GCSE subjects. Signing up is free.