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What ESAT students get wrong
The topics candidates most often get wrong, the questions that take them longest, and how each module compares, from the practice answers of every student who practises with us.
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Totals across all students only: nobody is named, and every figure describes a large enough group that no one student can be picked out.
From the answers of at least 20 students to more than 11,300 ESAT practice questions, 63% were answered right. Updated 19 October 2026.
Module averages
| Module | Answered right | Time per question | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 49% | 1 min 50 s | at least 20 |
| Chemistry | 67% | 1 min 25 s | at least 20 |
| Mathematics 1 | 70% | 1 min 35 s | at least 20 |
| Mathematics 2 | 61% | 1 min 45 s | at least 20 |
| Physics | 60% | 1 min 30 s | at least 20 |
Answers in Mathematics 1 are right most often, 70% of the time; answers in Biology least often, 49%.
Most missed topics and slowest questions, by module
Biology
| Topic | Answered right |
|---|---|
| Human physiology | 61% |
In Biology, Human physiology is the most missed topic: 61% of answers to it were right.
| Section | Time per question |
|---|---|
| Respiration | 2 min 00 s |
In Biology, questions on Respiration take longest: 2 min 00 s each on average.
Chemistry
| Topic | Answered right |
|---|---|
| Energetics | 62% |
| Rates of reaction | 71% |
| Atomic structure | 89% |
In Chemistry, Energetics is the most missed topic: 62% of answers to it were right.
| Section | Time per question |
|---|---|
| Energy changes from specific heat capacity | 2 min 00 s |
| Atomic structure | 20 s |
In Chemistry, questions on Energy changes from specific heat capacity take longest: 2 min 00 s each on average.
Mathematics 1
| Topic | Answered right |
|---|---|
| Geometry | 61% |
| Units and compound measures | 62% |
| Probability | 66% |
| Ratio and proportion | 67% |
| Number | 69% |
In Mathematics 1, Geometry is the most missed topic: 61% of answers to it were right.
| Section | Time per question |
|---|---|
| Geometry | 2 min 35 s |
| Geometry | 1 min 55 s |
| Probability | 1 min 55 s |
| Number | 1 min 50 s |
| Units and compound measures | 1 min 45 s |
In Mathematics 1, questions on Geometry take longest: 2 min 35 s each on average.
Mathematics 2
| Topic | Answered right |
|---|---|
| Integration | 42% |
| Trigonometry | 50% |
| Exponentials and logarithms | 54% |
| Algebra and functions | 62% |
| Graphs and transformations | 68% |
In Mathematics 2, Integration is the most missed topic: 42% of answers to it were right.
| Section | Time per question |
|---|---|
| Integration | 2 min 40 s |
| Trigonometry | 2 min 00 s |
| Algebra and functions | 1 min 45 s |
| Sketching graphs of common functions | 1 min 45 s |
| Algebra and functions | 1 min 40 s |
In Mathematics 2, questions on Integration take longest: 2 min 40 s each on average.
Physics
| Topic | Answered right |
|---|---|
| Matter | 50% |
| Magnetism and electromagnetism | 53% |
| Waves | 56% |
| Radioactivity | 58% |
| Thermal physics | 60% |
In Physics, Matter is the most missed topic: 50% of answers to it were right.
| Section | Time per question |
|---|---|
| Electricity | 1 min 45 s |
| Radioactivity | 1 min 35 s |
| Magnetism and electromagnetism | 1 min 25 s |
| Waves | 1 min 25 s |
| Waves | 1 min 25 s |
In Physics, questions on Electricity take longest: 1 min 45 s each on average.
How these figures are made
- Every figure describes at least 20 students. A topic or section with fewer is left out, and so is its count.
- Each student counts once in a figure, however many questions they answered, so no one student can tip it.
- A figure changes only once at least 20 more students have answered in it, so two versions of the page never differ by one person.
- Nobody is named, and nothing here can be traced back to an account. Our own test accounts are left out.
Practise the topics on this page
Every topic here has free questions with full worked solutions in our ESAT practice papers, and a free practice account keeps your own results by topic, so you can see whether you share the common weak spots.