What the examiners said about IAL M1 (WME01) — and exactly what to do about it
We read every Pearson Edexcel examiner report for WME01 from June 2024 to June 2025, mapped each question to a topic, and turned the comments into a checklist of the mistakes that cost the most marks.
Summaries are in our own words with links to the originals. Predictions are informed guesses, not a guarantee.
Ranked for January 2027
What to focus on for January 2027
IAL units are sat in January, June and October. The October 2026 series is next; the ranking below is for your next sitting, whichever it is. Ranked by how often each area appeared, how many marks it carried and how weakly it was answered.
Informed prediction, not a guarantee: any topic on the specification can be examined.
Ordered by how often and how widely they were reported. The first 5 are free in full; Pro unlocks the fix and a worked example for every other one.
#1Too many significant figures after using g = 9.8
What examiners saw: Stated in the general comments: answers must be to 2 or 3 s.f. once g = 9.8 is used; more accurate answers (and fractions) are penalised.
Fix: After using g = 9.8, round final answers to 2 or 3 s.f. Exact multiples of g are usually fine.
Worked example (our own): A stone is dropped from rest and falls for 2.5 s. Taking g = 9.8 m s⁻², find the distance fallen.
Loses marks
s = ½ × 9.8 × 2.5² = 30.625 m
Earns the marks
s = ut + ½at² = 0 + ½ × 9.8 × 2.5²
s = 30.625…
s = 31 m (or 30.6 m)
Why: g = 9.8 is only given to 2 significant figures, so an answer to 5 significant figures claims accuracy you do not have. Give 2 or 3 s.f.
What examiners saw: Conservation of momentum equations with every velocity positive, zero velocities attached to the wrong mass, and impulse equations with inconsistent signs.
Fix: Choose a positive direction, sign every velocity, and state the direction of the answer.
Worked example (our own): P (2 kg) moving at 5 m s⁻¹ collides with Q (3 kg) moving at 2 m s⁻¹ towards P. After the collision P moves at 1 m s⁻¹ in the opposite direction. Find Q's velocity.
Loses marks
2(5) + 3(2) = 2(1) + 3v ⇒ v = 4.67
Earns the marks
Take P's original direction as positive
2(5) + 3(−2) = 2(−1) + 3v
4 = −2 + 3v ⇒ v = 2 m s⁻¹ in P's original direction
Why: Choose a positive direction and give every velocity a sign. State the direction in the answer.
#3Moments: say where you take moments; use a point that removes an unknown
What examiners saw: Examiners ask candidates to state the point; those who pick an awkward point need extra equations and make more errors.
Fix: Take moments about the point where an unknown force acts (often a support that is about to lose contact).
Worked example (our own): A uniform rod AB of length 4 m and mass 10 kg rests horizontally on supports at A and at C, where CB = 1 m. Find the reaction at C (g = 9.8).
Loses marks
Moments about A: R_C × 1 = 10g × 2 ⇒ R_C = 196 N
Earns the marks
AC = 4 − 1 = 3 m; the weight acts at the midpoint, 2 m from A
Moments about A: R_C × 3 = 10g × 2
R_C = 20g/3 = 65 N (2 s.f.)
Why: Distances in a moments equation are measured from the pivot you chose. Say which point you take moments about and mark every distance on the diagram.
#4Vectors: speed versus velocity, i and j swapped, bearings
What examiners saw: Answers are left as a vector when a speed or magnitude is asked for, i and j are swapped, bearings are misread, and answers are given as column vectors when i, j form is required.
Fix: Speed = magnitude. Draw the vector and measure bearings clockwise from north. Give answers in the form asked.
Worked example (our own): A particle has velocity (3i − 4j) m s⁻¹, where i is east and j is north. Find its speed and the bearing of its direction of motion.
Loses marks
Speed = 3i − 4j
Bearing = tan⁻¹(4/3) = 053°
Earns the marks
Speed = |3i − 4j| = √(3² + 4²) = 5 m s⁻¹
It moves 3 east for every 4 south: angle below east = tan⁻¹(4/3) = 53.1°
Bearing = 90° + 53.1° = 143°
Why: Speed is a magnitude (a number). For bearings, draw the vector and measure clockwise from north.
#6Connected particles: one equation per particle, acceleration in the direction of motion
What examiners saw: Tensions from different parts of the question are mixed up, the whole-system equation is rarely used well, and the acceleration is put in the wrong direction.
Pro: the fix and a worked example (wrong vs right method) for this mistake are in Pro. See plans
What examiners saw: When a particle lands below its starting point, the displacement is taken as positive and the equation has no solution or the wrong one.
Pro: the fix and a worked example (wrong vs right method) for this mistake are in Pro. See plans
How often each topic appeared, and for how many marks
Every question in the papers we read, matched to a topic. Columns marked * count questions (q) because the marks could not be verified from the mark scheme. Hover or tap a cell to see the questions.
Confidence: high for the series shown — every question was read and mapped by hand. "Series" = how many of the 4 series examined the topic.
Paper by paper
Every paper we analysed, question by question
Topics are ours (matched from each report's question-by-question comments). We don't reproduce the questions: open the official paper from our past-paper page.
A one-page PDF of the ten most common mark-losing mistakes and how to avoid them. Print it and stick it inside your revision folder.
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Sources
Where this comes from
We read the examiner report for every series from June 2024 to June 2025 in full and matched each question to a topic; marks come from the published mark schemes where the per-question totals could be checked against the paper total. Mechanics 1 mark schemes could not be split into per-question totals reliably, so the M1 trend table counts questions, not marks.
What do examiners say students get wrong in IAL M1 (WME01)?
The most repeated points are: Too many significant figures after using g = 9.8; Momentum; Moments. Each one on this page has the fix and, where free, a worked example showing the wrong and right method.
Which IAL M1 (WME01) topics come up most?
In the material we analysed, the biggest areas were Vectors in mechanics, Connected particles and pulleys, Friction, planes and statics.
Is this a prediction of the January 2027 paper?
No one outside the exam board knows what will be on the next paper. The "focus" list is an informed prediction from how often topics appeared and how weakly they were answered; it is not a guarantee, so revise the whole specification.
Where does this information come from?
We read 4 Pearson Edexcel examiner reports (June 2024, October 2024, January 2025, June 2025) in full, summarised them in our own words and linked each point to the original.
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