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Subjects · Leaving Cert Geography

Leaving Cert Geography: Coasts

How often Coasts comes up on the Geography papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 10 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

OL Asked on 10 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Geography course. These come from the 2016–2026 papers, so read them as a guide.

Coasts, Higher Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Coasts.

(a)Wave erosion where air is compressed in cracks and blasts the rock apart?
  1. Abrasion
  2. Hydraulic action
  3. Attrition
(b)Zig-zag movement of sand and shingle along a beach?
  1. Saltation
  2. Backwash
  3. Longshore drift
(c)Feature formed when a cave is eroded right through a headland?
  1. An arch
  2. A blowhole
  3. A stack
Show the answers

(a) Hydraulic action

(b) Longshore drift

(c) An arch

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Coasts.

Higher Level

Asked on 10 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026SQ3, Q2B, Q3B
2025Q1C, Q2B, Q3A
2024SQ1, SQ4, Q1B, Q2B
2023SQ3, Q1C, Q2B
2022Q2A, Q2B, Q3C
2021Q1B, Q2A, Q2C
2019SQ1, SQ2, SQ4, Q1B, Q2C
2018Q1B, Q2C
2017SQ3, Q1C, Q3B
2016SQ3, SQ5, Q2B

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Coasts questions

Coasts, 2 marks

Ridge of large pebbles thrown to the back of a beach by storm waves?

  1. A sand dune
  2. A bay bar
  3. A storm beach
Show the answer

A storm beach

Only the most powerful storm waves can lift big pebbles that high, so the ridge sits above the normal high-tide line.

Coasts, 2 marks

Ridge of sand that grows right across the mouth of a bay, trapping a lagoon behind it?

  1. A sea stack
  2. A bay bar
  3. A tombolo
Show the answer

A bay bar

Longshore drift carries sand across the bay mouth until it links two headlands, cutting off the water behind.

Coasts, 3 marks

Coast where bands of hard and soft rock meet the sea at right angles?

  1. A discordant coast
  2. A concordant coast
  3. A drowned coast
Show the answer

A discordant coast

The soft bands are worn back into bays while the hard bands stand out as headlands, giving an indented coastline.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 10 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026SQ3, Q1B, Q2A, Q3C
2025SQ3, Q1B, Q2C, Q3A
2024SQ4, Q1C, Q2B
2023SQ4, Q2A, Q3B, Q3C
2022SQ2, SQ3, Q1B, Q2B
2021SQ2, SQ4, Q2B, Q3A, Q3C
2019Q1B, Q2B, Q3A
2018SQ3, SQ5, Q2B, Q3C
2017SQ2, Q2B, Q3C
2016SQ5, SQ8, Q1B, Q1C

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Coasts questions

Coasts, 2 marks

Coastal landform made where waves erode a crack right through a headland?

  1. A sea stack
  2. A spit
  3. A sea arch
Show the answer

A sea arch

Waves widen a cave on each side of the headland until the two meet and an opening is left. When the roof falls in, a stack remains.

Coasts, 3 marks

Ridge of sand joined to the land at one end and ending in open water?

  1. A cliff
  2. A spit
  3. A tombolo
Show the answer

A spit

Longshore drift carries sand along the coast and drops it where the coastline turns, so the ridge grows out into the open water.

Coasts, 2 marks

Steep rock face cut back by wave erosion along a coast?

  1. A cliff
  2. A beach
  3. A sand dune
Show the answer

A cliff

Waves undercut the base of the rock face into a notch until the overhang falls, so the cliff retreats and leaves a wave-cut platform.

Other Geography topics

All of Leaving Cert Geography