Nat 5 modern studies past papers and practice questions
Where the official papers and marking instructions are, how to use them so they actually help, and two full source questions built on real Scottish figures.
By Graeme · Published 29 October 2026 · 6 min read
Last updated · Figures checked
Quick answer · Nat 5 Modern Studies past papers
5years of papers, 2022 to 2026
Every National 5 Modern Studies paper and its marking instructions from 2022 to 2026 are on this page to download, one tap each. Some 2022 and 2023 papers are modified versions.
- Exam
- 80 marks, 2 hours and 20 minutes
- Source questions
- 3 in each paper, 10 marks each
- Download here
- Paper and marking instructions, every year
- Practice on this page
- 2 full source questions using real data
Checked 29 October 2026Source Qualifications Scotland
On this page
Every Nat 5 Modern Studies past paper from 2022 to 2026 is below, with its marking instructions, one tap to download. Then there's how to use them so they actually help, and two full 10 mark source questions I've built from real Scottish data.
Modern studies nat 5 past papers: download them here
Each question paper comes with its marking instructions, which show exactly how every question is marked. Do the paper first, then mark it yourself against the instructions.
Qualifications Scotland took over from SQA on 1 February 2026, which is why the newest papers carry the new name. The same papers are on the official National 5 Modern Studies past papers page too.
Some 2022 and 2023 papers are labelled modified. They were changed because of Covid, so they may be shorter than the paper you will sit. Use them for single questions rather than a full timed run.
The specimen paper, which shows the current layout with its own marking instructions, is on the National 5 Modern Studies course page.
How to get the most from a past paper
- Do at least one full paper on time. It is 80 marks in 2 hours and 20 minutes, so just under two minutes a mark. Pace matters as much as knowledge.
- Mark it with the marking instructions, honestly. Check you described when asked to describe and explained when asked to explain. That is where most marks go.
- Do the source questions more than once. They are 30 of the 80 marks and the skill is the same every year, even though the topic changes.
- Keep a list of examples. Every time a question asks for recent examples, add one to your list. Swap old figures for new ones from this site.
- Read the course report. The 2025 report found many pupils struggled to describe how MSPs and MPs represent their constituents in Parliament, and wrote about their local work instead. Little things like that are worth knowing before the exam.
Question types and marks
National 5 Modern Studies
The five question types
| The question starts | Marks | What the marking rules say |
|---|---|---|
| Describe, in detail | 4 or 6 | Up to 3 marks for any one description. A list of short points gets 2 marks at most. |
| Explain, in detail | 6 or 8 | Up to 4 marks for any one explanation. Give no more reasons than the question asks for. |
| Options: make and justify a decision | 10 | Say why you rejected the other option, or the most you can get is 8. |
| Support and oppose a view | 10 | Use evidence for and against. One side only gets 6 at most. |
| What conclusions can be drawn | 10 | Four conclusions for full marks, each backed by evidence from the sources. |
Each section has knowledge questions worth 4, 6 and either 6 or 8 marks, then one 10 mark source question. In the 2025 paper the three source questions were one of each kind: an options question, a support and oppose question, and a conclusions question. The National 5 modern studies guide has model answers for the describe and explain questions.
Practice knowledge questions with real data
Written by me in the National 5 style, not taken from a paper. Each one has evidence on this site you can use as your recent example.
- Describe, in detail, two ways MSPs can represent their constituents in the Scottish Parliament. (4 marks) Evidence: committee jobs and votes on the MSP directory.
- Explain, in detail, why some people in Scotland are more likely to be in poverty than others. (6 marks) Evidence: causes of poverty.
- Describe, in detail, two ways poverty can affect children's health or education. (4 marks) Evidence: the effects sections of the causes of poverty guide.
- Explain, in detail, two reasons why crime is higher in some parts of Scotland than others. (6 marks) Evidence: the council by council figures in the shoplifting piece.
Practice source question: conclusions
Source 1
Who is in poverty in Scotland, 2022 to 2025
| Group | In relative poverty after housing costs |
|---|---|
| All people | 17% |
| Children | 21% |
| Working age adults | 18% |
| Pensioners | 13% |
Source 2
Chance of being in poverty, by work in the family
| Family | In poverty |
|---|---|
| Everyone is in full time work | 5% |
| At least one adult works full time | 11% |
| Only part time work | 27% |
| No one works (all under 60) | 43% |
Source 3
Chance of being in poverty, by type of home
| Home | In poverty |
|---|---|
| Social renters | 34% |
| Private renters | 31% |
| Own outright | 12% |
| Own with a mortgage | 8% |
Question (10 marks)
Using Sources 1, 2 and 3, what conclusions can be drawn about poverty in Scotland?
You should reach a conclusion about each of the following:
the age group most likely to be in poverty; the link between hours of work and poverty; whether having a job always protects against poverty; the link between type of home and poverty.
Your conclusions must be supported by evidence from the sources. You should link information within and between the sources. Your answer must be based on all three sources.
What a strong answer does
- Uses each bullet as a heading and gives a clear conclusion first.
- Backs every conclusion with two pieces of evidence, for example the children figure in Source 1 compared with the other groups.
- Links sources for the job question: Source 2 shows full time work protects best, while the note under Source 1 shows most children in poverty still have a working parent.
- Uses evaluative words such as much higher, the majority and over three times as likely.
Practice source question: support and oppose
Source 1
Shoplifting recorded by the police in Scotland
| Year | Crimes recorded |
|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 30,688 |
| 2020/21 | 20,557 |
| 2021/22 | 22,913 |
| 2022/23 | 28,619 |
| 2023/24 | 38,674 |
| 2024/25 | 44,730 |
| 2025/26 | 53,369 |
Source 2
Shoplifting per 1,000 people
| Year | Scotland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 7.02 | 7.37 |
| 2024/25 | 8.06 | 8.71 |
| 2025/26 | 9.63 | 8.2 |
Source 3
Change in shoplifting since 2019/20, selected councils
| Council area | 2019/20 | 2025/26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angus | 273 | 756 | up 177% |
| City of Edinburgh | 3,969 | 10,595 | up 167% |
| Dundee City | 1,410 | 3,174 | up 125% |
| Glasgow City | 4,573 | 9,722 | up 113% |
| Shetland Islands | 48 | 6 | down 88% |
| Aberdeenshire | 799 | 712 | down 11% |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 672 | 626 | down 7% |
Question (10 marks)
Using Sources 1, 2 and 3, give reasons to support and oppose the view of Jamie Reid.
“Shoplifting has gone up in every part of Scotland, and Scotland has always had a bigger shoplifting problem than England and Wales.” View of Jamie Reid
In your answer you must give evidence from the sources that supports Jamie Reid's view and evidence from the sources that opposes it. Your answer must be based on all three sources.
What a strong answer does
- Support: the national total in Source 1, and the biggest council rises in Source 3, linked together.
- Oppose: the councils in Source 3 where shoplifting fell, and the years in Source 2 when England and Wales had the higher rate. The word always is the weak spot in this view.
- Explains each point instead of copying numbers: say what the figures show about the view.
Jamie Reid is made up, but every number is real. For the full story behind these figures, read shoplifting in Scotland.
Get the official papers
Every National 5 Modern Studies paper and marking instruction from 2022 to 2026, free from Qualifications Scotland.
Open the past papers page
