OxfordAQA IGCSE Accounting: Correcting errors and the effect of errors on profit (9215) – Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs – examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers from your board or school.

These questions are aligned to the OxfordAQA International GCSE Accounting (9215) specification, version 1.2, for exams from May/June 2026 onwards. They cover the last two content points of section 3.2, Verification of accounting records: correcting errors in double entry records using the general journal and the suspense account, and the effect of errors on profit. All amounts are in dollars. Explanations are in the study guide and revision notes. The wider topic has a study guide and practice set. Other links: course hub, checklist and diagnostics.

Questions

1. Identify the error type in each situation. (i) A gas bill was debited to the electricity account. (ii) A cash purchase of goods was not entered in any account. (iii) A credit sale was debited to the sales account and credited to the customer. [3]

2. A receipt of 275 from the customer Dara Ferris was credited to the account of Dara Farris by mistake. Prepare the journal entry to correct the error, with a narrative. [3]

3. Office equipment costing 1,850 was paid for by bank and debited to the purchases account. (a) Prepare the journal entry to correct the error. [2] (b) State the effect on profit of making the correction. [2]

4. A cheque for 520 received from the customer Ines Bellamy was debited to her account and credited to the bank account. (a) Prepare the correcting journal. [3] (b) Explain why the amount in the journal is not 520. [1] (c) State the effect on profit. [1]

5. The trial balance of Yarrow Cycles has debit totals of 94,370 and credit totals of 95,120. The difference was entered in a suspense account. Two errors were later found. First, a payment of 480 to the supplier Lowe Supplies was credited to bank but not debited to Lowe Supplies. Second, the insurance account was undercast by 270 on the debit side. (a) State the balance on the suspense account and whether it is a debit or credit. [2] (b) Prepare journal entries to correct the two errors. [4] (c) Show the suspense account after the corrections. [2] (d) State the effect of the corrections on profit. [2]

6. A credit purchase of 1,360 from Tarnbeck Traders was credited to the supplier’s account correctly but debited to the purchases account as 1,630. (a) State whether the trial balance will reveal the error. [1] (b) Prepare the journal using the suspense account. [2] (c) State the effect on profit of correcting the error. [1]

7. The rent paid account was overcast by 600 and the commission received account was also overcast by 600. (a) Explain why the trial balance still agrees. [1] (b) Prepare the correcting journal. [2] (c) Explain the effect of the two errors on profit. [2]

8. A credit sale of 2,350 to Pelham Foods was recorded as 2,530 in both the sales account and the customer’s account. (a) Name the error. [1] (b) Prepare the correcting journal. [2] (c) State the effect on profit of making the correction. [1]

9. Goods worth 410 were returned by the customer Corvin Ltd, but the return was never recorded. (a) Prepare the correcting journal. [2] (b) State the effect on profit. [1] (c) Explain why the trial balance did not reveal the error. [1]

10. Hallam Gardens calculated a profit for the year of 27,350. The following errors were then found. (i) A greenhouse costing 2,200 was paid by bank and debited to the repairs account. (ii) The wages account was overcast by 500. (iii) A credit sale of 1,150 was debited to the sales account and credited to the customer’s account. (iv) A telephone payment of 260 was debited to the insurance account. (v) Bank charges of 85 were not entered in the books. Draw up a statement of corrected profit for the year. [8]

11. The profit for the year of Ingram Stationers was first calculated as 36,200. The trial balance did not agree and the difference went into a suspense account. Later checks uncovered these errors. (1) Office furniture costing 1,480 was paid by bank. Bank was credited correctly, but the furniture account was debited with 1,840. (2) A cheque for 890 from the customer Vaughn was debited to bank but not credited to Vaughn. (3) The discount allowed account was undercast by 420. (4) An extension to the warehouse costing 3,600 was debited to the repairs and maintenance account. (a) Calculate the balance that was entered in the suspense account, stating whether it was a debit or credit. [2] (b) Prepare journal entries to correct errors (1), (2) and (3). [3] (c) Show the suspense account after the corrections. [2] (d) Prepare the journal entry to correct error (4). [2] (e) Draw up a statement of corrected profit for the year. [3]

12. A trader says: “The trial balance agreed, so our profit for the year of 31,000 must be correct.” Evaluate this statement. [4]

Answers

1. (i) Commission, because both are expense accounts [1]. (ii) Omission [1]. (iii) Complete reversal [1]. [3] Examiner insight: Use the named types from the specification. Vague descriptions such as “wrong posting” give the marker little to credit.

2. Debit Dara Farris 275 [1]; credit Dara Ferris 275 [1]; narrative such as “being correction of receipt credited to the wrong customer” [1]. [3] Examiner insight: The account wrongly credited is the one you debit. Ask which customer’s balance is now too low.

3. (a) Debit office equipment 1,850 [1]; credit purchases 1,850 [1]. (b) Purchases (an expense) falls by 1,850 [1], so profit increases by 1,850 [1]. [4] Examiner insight: A statement that profit changes needs a direction and an amount. “Profit is affected” gives the reader nothing to credit.

4. (a) Debit bank 1,040 [1]; credit Ines Bellamy 1,040 [1]; narrative [1]. (b) The wrong entry must be cancelled (520) and the right entry made (520), so the swing on each account is double [1]. (c) No effect on profit, because neither account is an income or expense account [1]. [5] Examiner insight: Show how 1,040 arises from 520 plus 520, so the reasoning is visible.

5. (a) Credits exceed debits by 95,120 - 94,370 = 750 [1]; a debit balance [1]. (b) Debit Lowe Supplies 480; credit suspense 480 [1] [1]. Debit insurance 270; credit suspense 270 [1] [1]. (c) Suspense account: debit side has opening balance 750 [1]; credit side has 480 and 270, so the account totals 750 each side and closes to nil [1]. (d) Insurance expense increases by 270, so profit falls by 270 [1]. The correction to Lowe Supplies is between the supplier and suspense, so there is no effect on profit [1]. [10] Examiner insight: Check that your journal amounts net to the opening suspense balance. If not, an error has been missed.

6. (a) Yes, because debits (1,630) now exceed credits (1,360) [1]. (b) Debit suspense 270 [1]; credit purchases 270 [1]. (c) Purchases is reduced, so profit increases by 270 [1]. [4] Examiner insight: Work out which side is too high first. A debit that is too big is corrected by a credit.

7. (a) The rent debit and the commission credit are each wrong by the same amount, so total debits and credits are both too high by 600 and remain equal [1]. (b) Debit commission received 600 [1]; credit rent paid 600 [1]. (c) Rent is an expense that is too high, so profit is understated by 600 [1]. Commission received is income that is too high, so profit is overstated by 600 [1]. Overall profit is the same, which means no net change on correction. [5] Examiner insight: “No effect” alone is a thin answer. Explain the two opposite effects.

8. (a) Error of original entry [1]. (b) Debit sales 180 [1]; credit Pelham Foods 180 [1]. (c) Sales fall by 180, so profit falls by 180 [1]. [4] Examiner insight: The journal uses the difference (2,530 - 2,350), not either full amount.

9. (a) Debit sales returns 410 [1]; credit Corvin Ltd 410 [1]. (b) Profit falls by 410, because sales returns is deducted from sales [1]. (c) Both the debit and the credit were left out, so debits and credits remain equal [1]. [4] Examiner insight: Link your explanation to equal totals of debits and credits.

10.

Item	Working	Profit
Profit as first calculated		27,350 [1]
(i) Principle: repairs credited	expense falls	+2,200 [1]
(ii) Addition: wages credited	expense falls	+500 [1]
(iii) Complete reversal: sales credited 2,300	income rises	+2,300 [1]
(iv) Commission: insurance and telephone are both expenses	no change	0 [1]
(v) Omission: bank charges debited	expense rises	-85 [1]
Net adjustment	2,200 + 500 + 2,300 - 85	+4,915 [1]
Corrected profit for the year		32,265 [1]

[8] Examiner insight: List every error, including the one with no effect, and give a reason for each.

11. (a) Debits exceed by (1) 360 and (2) 890 = 1,250; credits exceed by (3) 420 [1]. Net debits exceed by 830, so the suspense balance was a credit of 830 [1]. (b) (1) Debit suspense 360; credit furniture 360. (2) Debit suspense 890; credit Vaughn 890. (3) Debit discount allowed 420; credit suspense 420 [1] [1] [1]. (c) Credit side: opening balance 830 and 420 from (3), totalling 1,250 [1]. Debit side: 360 and 890, totalling 1,250 [1]. (d) Debit warehouse (non-current asset) 3,600 [1]; credit repairs and maintenance 3,600 [1]. (e) Profit as first calculated 36,200; deduct 420 for the extra discount allowed [1]; add 3,600 because repairs falls [1]; corrected profit 39,380 [1]. Errors (1) and (2) have no effect on profit. [12] Examiner insight: The suspense account in (c) checks (a) and (b): if it does not close to nil, go back to the working.

12. A balanced trial balance shows only that total debits equal total credits [1]. Several errors do not disturb that equality, including omission, commission, complete reversal, compensating, original entry and principle [1]. Some of these change profit; for example a van costing 5,000 debited to motor expenses would understate profit by 5,000 even though the trial balance agrees [1]. Therefore profit may be wrong, and the statement is not valid [1]. [4] Examiner insight: Give a specific example with a figure rather than a general claim that errors might exist.

Where marks are usually lost

• Writing the journal with the debit and credit the wrong way round, particularly with complete reversal.
• Forgetting to double the figure in a complete reversal.
• Using suspense when the trial balance agreed, or failing to use it when it did not.
• Putting the opening suspense balance on the wrong side.
• Stating the effect on profit without saying whether it rises or falls and by how much.
• Reversing the effect of an expense error: an expense that is too high means profit was too low.
• Counting a correction as a profit change when neither account is an income or expense account.
• Omitting the narrative or the error name when the question asks for it.

Next steps

• Review with the revision notes and the study guide.
• See the course hub and the checklist.
• Take the free diagnostics.
• Book a free trial class.

Frequently asked questions

Where do students usually lose marks on correcting errors questions in OxfordAQA 9215? Common losses are writing the journal with the debit and credit the wrong way round, using suspense when the trial balance agreed or failing to use it when it did not, and putting the opening suspense balance on the wrong side.

How should I state the effect of an error on profit? Say whether profit rises or falls and by how much. Remember that an expense that was too high means profit was too low, and that a correction touching neither an income nor an expense account does not change profit.

Do I need to include a narrative in a correcting journal entry? Include a narrative, and the name of the error type, whenever the question asks for them. Omitting either one loses marks.

How should I set out a statement of corrected profit? List every error, including any that has no effect on profit, and give a reason for each adjustment. Start from the profit as first calculated and show a plus or minus on each line.

Official syllabus

OxfordAQA International GCSE Accounting (9215) specification, version 1.2, for International GCSE exams May/June 2026 onwards, published by OxfordAQA. See section 3.2, Verification of accounting records.