Paper 1 · Law of Contract & Agency · 10 min read
RES Section B, Paper 1: How to Work a Case Study
Must-know for the exam
- Each paper has Section B: 20 MCQs on 1 or 2 case studies at 2 marks each, 40 of 100 marks (CEA, updated 2 Jun 2026).
- The pass mark is 60 per paper; each Section B question scores 2 or 0, with no part credit for statements.
- Pass check: with 42 in Section A you need 9 of 20 Section B questions (18 marks) to reach 60.
- Read the 20 stems first, then list the parties and who acts for whom, then draw a dated timeline of every figure.
- Judge each statement (i)–(iv) alone before reading the options; one false statement removes every option containing it.
- In a "Since X, therefore Y" statement test both halves: X is often true and Y does not follow.
- A counter-offer destroys the original offer, and an oral land contract is unenforceable, not void (Civil Law Act s 6(d)).
- A tenancy of 7 years or less, renewal options included, binds a buyer if the tenant is in occupation (LTA s 46(1)(h)).
- Ratification adopts the whole transaction, and the principal's death ends the agent's authority at once.
On this page · 6 sections
Section B decides many RES papers. It is 40 of the 100 marks, every question is worth 2 marks, and the questions hang off a long scenario with several parties, dates and figures. The law tested is the same law as Section A. What changes is the reading: you must find the one fact that decides each statement and ignore the rest. This lesson teaches the method, then works three Paper 1 cases (agency, tenancy, contract formation) the way you should work them in the hall.
How Section B is built and marked
| Part | Questions | Marks each | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section A | 60 standalone MCQs | 1 | 60 |
| Section B | 20 MCQs on 1 or 2 case studies | 2 | 40 |
| Whole paper | 80 questions in 2 h 30 min | 100 (pass mark 60) |
Each Section B question is still a single-answer MCQ: you choose one option and score 2 or 0. There is no part credit for getting three of four statements right. So one Section B question is worth exactly two Section A questions, and the arithmetic of a pass changes with it.
- Worked pass check. You score 42 of 60 in Section A. You need 60 − 42 = 18 more marks, which is 9 of the 20 Section B questions.
- The other way round. Score 14 of 20 in Section B (28 marks) and you need only 32 of 60 in Section A.
- Time. 150 minutes for 80 questions. A workable split (our suggestion, not a CEA rule) is about 60 minutes for Section A, 10 minutes to read the case, and 70 to 80 minutes for the 20 Section B questions, about 3.5 minutes each.
Most case-study questions are multi-statement items: four statements (i)–(iv) and options such as "(i) and (iii) only". Some can be answered from the law alone; most turn on one or more facts in the case, and a few chain on an earlier answer. Read the case well once, but do not hunt through it for a question the law already answers.
How to read a scenario in four passes
| Pass | What you do | What you write on the scenario |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Skim the questions | Read the 20 stems only, not the statements | Circle the topics they ask about: agency, lease, contract, mortgage, co-ownership |
| 2. Parties | Name every person and firm, and who acts for whom | A short cast list: "S = seller, A = S's salesperson (agency X), B = buyer, unrepresented" |
| 3. Timeline and figures | Every date, period, price, rent and percentage | A dated line: offer → acceptance → exercise → completion; underline each figure once |
| 4. Per question | Find the one fact the statement turns on | Tick or cross beside each statement before you look at the options |
- Strip the colour. Names, nationalities, jobs and feelings are there to make the case read like real life. Keep a fact only if a rule turns on it: citizenship (ABSD, eligibility), age (capacity, CPF), dates (limitation, MOP, SSD), who signed what (writing, authority).
- Watch the complications. Cases typically add several: a counter-offer, an unsigned document, a lease labelled "licence", an agent acting beyond instructions. Each usually feeds at least one question.
- Pick the operative figure. When a case gives a price, a valuation and an offer, decide which the rule uses before you calculate. Stamp duty uses the higher of price and market value; loans and CPF use the lower of price and valuation.
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Quick self-check · 5 questions
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Say your answer out loud, then tap to check it.
How are Sections A and B of an RES paper marked?Show answer
Section A: 60 MCQs × 1 mark = 60. Section B: 20 MCQs × 2 marks = 40, on 1 or 2 case studies. The paper is 80 questions in 2 h 30 min, with a pass mark of 60.
You score 42 of 60 in Section A. How many Section B questions must you answer correctly to pass?Show answer
9. You need 60 − 42 = 18 more marks, and each Section B question is worth 2 marks, so 18 ÷ 2 = 9 questions.
Is there part credit in Section B for getting three of four statements right?Show answer
No. Each question is a single-answer MCQ that scores 2 or 0. That is why you judge every statement on its own before looking at the options.
What are the four reading passes the lesson recommends for a long Section B scenario?Show answer
1. Skim the question stems. 2. List the parties and who acts for whom. 3. Mark the timeline and every figure. 4. For each question, find the one fact the statement turns on.
A sale of land agreed orally, never evidenced in signed writing: is the contract void or unenforceable?Show answer
Unenforceable, not void (Civil Law Act s 6(d)). The contract exists, but no action can be brought on it unless it is evidenced in writing and signed.
Common questions
- How many marks is Section B in the RES exam?
- 40 of the 100 marks on each paper: 20 multiple-choice questions on one or two case studies, 2 marks each. Section A has 60 one-mark questions. The pass mark is 60 per paper. Source: CEA, Prepare for the RES examination, updated 2 Jun 2026.
- Is there partial credit in RES Section B?
- No. Each Section B question is a single-answer multiple-choice question, so you score 2 marks for the right option or 0. Getting three of four statements right but choosing the wrong combination scores nothing, which is why you should judge every statement before looking at the options.
- How should I manage time in RES Section B?
- Both papers run 2 hours 30 minutes for 80 questions. A workable split is about 60 minutes for Section A, 10 minutes to read the case once with the questions in mind, and 70 to 80 minutes for the 20 Section B questions. This is a study suggestion, not a CEA rule.
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