State the levels of classification used in the binomial system, from the broadest group to the most specific, and describe what the two words in a binomial name represent.
Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).
Model answer (4 marks)
Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
The first word is the genus, the second word is the species.
The first word is the genus, the second word is the species.
Examiner tips
- Use the exact order of the seven levels; include at least four to show depth.
- Mention that the binomial is two words, capitalising the genus and lower‑case species.
- Show the relationship: genus + species gives the unique scientific name.
Common mistakes
- Listing the levels in the wrong order (e.g. species before genus).
- Omitting the genus or species in the description of the binomial.
- Capitalising the species name or not recognising the binomial as two words.
Mark scheme (4 marks)
- Names at least two correct levels of classification in the correct order (e.g. kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species)
- Names at least four correct levels of classification in the correct order
- The first word of the binomial name represents the genus
- The second word of the binomial name represents the species
Key terms in this question
binomial system · classification
Related
- All WJEC GCSE Biology (Wales) revision notes →
- How to answer a "State and Describe" question →
- Decode the mark scheme abbreviations →