Free A Level Law Paper 4 Notes: Law of Tort (9084)

Paper 4 is the second of the two A2 Level papers, and it’s the one where students often mix up which duty, which defence, and which remedy applies to which tort. Law of Tort rewards precise structure more than any other paper. Here’s exactly what Paper 4 covers, what solid notes should include, and where to get the free past papers to practise with.

What Paper 4 (Law of Tort) Actually Covers

Paper 4 is one of the two A2 Level papers in the Cambridge 9084 syllabus (alongside Paper 3, Law of Contract), worth 75 marks over 1 hour 30 minutes. Section A asks you to choose one of two scenario-based questions worth 25 marks, and Section B asks you to choose two of three essay questions worth 50 marks. At full A Level, Papers 1–4 each carry 25% of the qualification – so Paper 4 alone is a quarter of your final grade.

The syllabus groups Paper 4 around three key areas: negligence, land-related torts, and torts affecting a person, together with the defences and remedies that apply across all of them.

Key Topics You Need Solid Notes On

• Negligence – duty of care, breach of duty (the standard of the reasonable person), causation (factual and legal), and remoteness of damage.
• Occupiers’ liability – the duty owed to visitors and non-visitors, and how it differs from ordinary negligence.
• Nuisance and other land-related torts – private nuisance, and the strict liability principle from Rylands v Fletcher.
• Torts affecting the person – trespass to the person and defamation.
• Defences and remedies – contributory negligence, consent, and how damages are assessed and awarded.

What a Good Set of Free Paper 4 Notes Should Include

Tort essays reward students who can distinguish similar-sounding torts and apply the right test to the right scenario, not just recite definitions. Strong Paper 4 notes need a running list of leading cases organised by tort (negligence, occupiers’ liability, nuisance, torts to the person), so you can see at a glance which case established which test. For general note-taking strategy and a broader study library, see The Complete A Level Law Notes PDF for Exam Preparation and Essential A Level Law Resources Every Student Needs – both work well alongside the paper-specific notes here.

Free Paper 4 Past Papers – Download Now

Tort scenario questions only get easier with practice against real questions. Our resource hub has the actual LAW 9084/42 and 9084/43 papers (Law of Tort) available as a free download, with mark schemes included:

→ Download Free Paper 4 Past Papers & Mark Schemes

The same hub also has every AS and A2 past paper for Papers 1–4, so it’s worth bookmarking for the rest of your revision.

About Sir Owais Mirchawala’s A Level Law Classes

Sir Owais Mirchawala is a Cambridge-trained A Level Law teacher with years of ACCA & ICAEW qualifications behind him. His A2 Level classes are built specifically around Papers 3 and 4, with a case-based technique – rather than generic legal theory. Read more on the About page or explore the A2 Level Law course in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take Paper 4 without having done AS Level Law?

Cambridge structures the syllabus so Paper 4 builds on the legal method learned at AS, but the tort content itself is new – it isn’t a continuation of Papers 1 or 2’s topics directly. Most students find it approachable as long as they’re comfortable applying law to scenarios.

Is Tort Law harder than Contract Law?

Neither is inherently harder – Tort tends to have more distinct sub-topics (negligence, occupiers’ liability, nuisance, torts to the person) while Contract has fewer topics with more depth. Most students find one clicks faster than the other, so practise both early to see which suits you.

Is there an O Level Law syllabus for Tort?

No – Cambridge only offers Law at AS and A Level under syllabus code 9084. There is no O Level or IGCSE Law syllabus, so Tort Law only appears at the A2 stage of the AS & A Level qualification. If you searched for “O Level Law notes,” the AS & A Level 9084 syllabus is the correct starting point.

Final Thought

Free Paper 4 notes are most useful when they’re organised by tort, not by case name – that mirrors exactly what the essay questions ask you to do. Build your notes tort by tort, then test yourself against the free past papers above.

If you’d like to find out more, feel free to get in touch.