Real-world economics, worked properly
The IB and Cambridge exams reward applying theory to real events — not name-dropping them. Here are four worked examples the way I teach them: the situation, the economics, both sides of the evaluation, and what it means for your exam.
The worked examples
Indirect tax
The UK "Sugar Tax" — when a tax changed the product, not just the price
In 2018 the UK introduced the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, taxing sugary drinks — with a higher band above 8g of sugar per 100ml.
Open the full case
Indirect tax
India's GST 2.0 — simplifying a tax to build one national market
India's Goods and Services Tax launched in 2017 to replace a tangle of central and state taxes.
Open the full case
Negative production externality
Sweden's Carbon Tax — proof that growth can decouple from emissions
Sweden introduced a carbon tax in 1991 and has steadily raised it to one of the highest carbon prices in the world (well above US$100 per tonne).
Open the full case
Price ceiling
Rent Control — a price ceiling, and what it does over time
Rent control caps rents below the market level — and its effects sharpen over time.
Open the full case
Guides & worked papers
Exam technique
How to answer a 25-mark economics essay
The standard structure of a top-band essay, step by step.
Open the guide
Quantitative · HL
HL Paper 3 — working a tax problem step by step
A worked indirect-tax problem the way it should be set out — every step, every unit.
Open the guide
Coursework
The IA and the Extended Essay — the components students fear most
Two of the most mark-heavy parts of IB Economics aren't exam papers at all — they're written coursework.
Open the guide
This is a taste of the full bank
These four are part of a larger set of carefully chosen real-world examples — each picked to stretch across several syllabus areas, with built-in evaluation and the deployment phrases that turn a fact into marks. I share the complete bank with my students. Book a free class and let's talk about how it fits your exam.
Questions before booking?
Tell me a bit about your goals and I'll get back to you.