: AQA past-paper questions pack

Work, worklessness and life chances

Past-paper questions pack

Name
Class
Date set
Date due
Score	/ 252

Questions are numbered; the mark schemes (the answer key) follow on separate pages so the question pages can be handed out alone. www.alevelsociologytutor.com

AQA AQA AS and A-level Sociology past-paper questions since 2016 · 24 parts · mark schemes follow the questions · www.alevelsociologytutor.com · Questions and mark schemes © AQA

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

1 0
Outline and explain two reasons why women are less likely to be in full-time employment
than men.
[10 marks]

2. June 2025 · AS Paper 2 · Q20 · 6 marks · AO1=6

2 0
Outline three possible effects of retirement on individuals.
[6 marks]

3. June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

1 0
Outline and explain two reasons why rates of unemployment vary between social groups.
[10 marks]

4. June 2024 · AS Paper 2 · Q21 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

2 1
Outline and explain two reasons why the experience of unemployment may be more
significant for working-class individuals compared to middle-class individuals.
[10 marks]

5. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

1 0
Outline and explain two ways that changes in technology at work may affect people’s
life chances.
[10 marks]

6. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3

1 1
Read Item G below and answer the question that follows.
Item G
The state provides various educational opportunities. It also supports businesses to
benefit the economy.
The state has responded to worklessness in the UK.
Applying material from Item G, analyse two ways that the state has responded to
worklessness in the UK.
[10 marks]

7. June 2023 · AS Paper 2 · Q21 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

2 1
Outline and explain two reasons why people with disabilities may not be able to access
work opportunities.
[10 marks]

8. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3

1 1
Read Item G below and answer the question that follows.
Item G
Advances in technology have led to changes in the labour process. The way workers
are managed has also changed.
Changes in the organisation of the labour process may affect people’s satisfaction with
their work.
Applying material from Item G, analyse two ways in which changes in the organisation of
the labour process may affect people’s satisfaction with their work.
[10 marks]

9. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q22 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6

2 2
Read Item D below and answer the question that follows.
Item D
For most adults, work is an important source of status and identity. It also has a major
effect on the free time people have and on the money that they have to spend.
However, postmodernists argue that work is becoming less significant. They argue
that consumption is a more important source of identity. Moreover, work itself is
changing, for example there are more part time and temporary work arrangements, so
making it less central to people’s lives.
Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the significance of work for
people’s lives and life chances.
[20 marks]

10. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

1 0
Outline and explain two ways in which poverty amongst women may be caused by their
experience of work.
[10 marks]

11. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3

1 1
Read Item G below and answer the question that follows.
Item G
Globalisation has led to an increase in international migration because of easier access
to transport. It has also changed the way corporations operate, contributing to greater
profits.
Globalisation has had effects on employment in the UK.
Applying material from Item G, analyse two ways in which globalisation has affected
employment in the UK.
[10 marks]

12. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q12 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6

1 2
Read Item H below and answer the question that follows.
Item H
Worklessness affects retired people and those unable to work as well as unemployed
people. People without work are more likely to be disadvantaged than those in work.
They are excluded from some aspects of social life and their life chances are
diminished. There are others who do not work because they have sufficient wealth.
However, some sociologists argue that work is now less important as a source of
identity and that worklessness has become less significant.
Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of
the effects of worklessness on people’s lives and life chances.
[20 marks]

13. November 2020 · AS Paper 2 · Q20 · 6 marks · AO1=6

2 0
Outline three causes of job satisfaction.
[6 marks]

14. November 2020 · AS Paper 2 · Q21 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

2 1
Outline and explain two ways in which globalisation has affected the extent of poverty in
the UK today.
[10 marks]

15. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

1 0
Outline and explain two ways in which worklessness may be caused by structural
inequalities between different social classes.
[10 marks]

16. June 2019 · AS Paper 2 · Q21 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

2 1
Outline and explain two ways in which technological change can affect job satisfaction.
[10 marks]

17. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

1 0
Outline and explain two ways in which globalisation may have increased levels of poverty
in the United Kingdom.
[10 marks]

18. June 2018 · AS Paper 2 · Q19 · 2 marks · AO2=2

1 9
Using one example, briefly explain how an individual’s sense of identity may be affected
by losing their job.
[2 marks]

19. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q11 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3

1 1
Read Item G below and answer the question that follows.
Item G
Worklessness can include both unemployment and underemployment. There are a
variety of reasons why people become workless. The nature of worklessness may
depend on an individual’s social position.
Worklessness can affect people’s life chances in both positive and negative ways.
Applying material from Item G, analyse two ways in which worklessness may affect
people’s life chances.
[10 marks]

20. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q18 · 2 marks · AO1=2

1 8
Define the term ‘globalisation’.
[2 marks]

21. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q20 · 6 marks · AO1=6

2 0
Outline three reasons why some individuals of working age may be economically
inactive.
[6 marks]

22. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q22 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6

2 2
Read Item D below and answer the question that follows.
Item D
Marxists argue that alienation at work is inevitable in capitalist society. They argue
that technology is used to de-skill workers and make work repetitive and dull.
Technology enables managers to control workers more effectively.
Other sociologists are more optimistic about the nature of work. They argue that
technology can free workers from monotonous work and can increase workers’
skills and independence.
Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that alienation at
work is inevitable in capitalist society.
[20 marks]

23. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q22 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6

2 2
Read Item D below and answer the question that follows.
Item D
For some people, worklessness has a significant negative effect on their lives and
life chances. The unemployed may struggle to make ends meet, and being out of
work may also affect self-esteem.
However, there are some social groups that may choose not to work, or may not
need to work. For these groups, worklessness can be a positive experience.
Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the
significance of worklessness for people’s lives and life chances.
[20 marks]

24. Specimen set 1 · Paper 2 · Q10 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2

1 0
Outline and explain two reasons why members of certain minority ethnic groups may
be more likely to be unemployed than others.
[10 marks]

Mark schemes

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q10

2. June 2025 · AS Paper 2 · Q20

3. June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q10

4. June 2024 · AS Paper 2 · Q21

5. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q10

6. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q11

7. June 2023 · AS Paper 2 · Q21

8. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q11

9. June 2022 · AS Paper 2 · Q22

10. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q10

11. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q11

12. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q12

13. November 2020 · AS Paper 2 · Q20

14. November 2020 · AS Paper 2 · Q21

15. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q10

16. June 2019 · AS Paper 2 · Q21

17. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q10

18. June 2018 · AS Paper 2 · Q19

19. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q11

20. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q18

21. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q20

22. June 2017 · AS Paper 2 · Q22

23. June 2016 · AS Paper 2 · Q22

24. Specimen set 1 · Paper 2 · Q10