A3.2.4 (HL)—Clades
A clade contains a common ancestor and all descendants, identified through shared derived traits, molecular evidence, nodes, and cladogram structure.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Objective
- A3.2.4
- Level
- HL
Exam analysis
Chance of appearing7%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceNovember 2025
Most common paperPaper3
Typical marks1
Common command terms
- Define
- Label
- Identify
- State
- Explain
- Outline
Scoring notes
- Common mistake
- Selecting a partial branch group as a clade even though it excludes descendants.
Recent exam appearances
November 2025Paper1A ["HL"] · TZ122[ 1 ]A3.2.4 (HL)—Clades
May 2025Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ37(c)[ 1 ]A3.2.4 (HL)—Clades
May 2022Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ217[ 1 ]A3.2.4 (HL)—Clades
May 2017Paper3 ["HL"] · TZ19(b)[ 1 ]A3.2.4 (HL)—Clades
May 2016Paper2 ["HL"] · TZ04(a)[ 3 ]A3.2.4 (HL)—Clades
Practice this objective
Coverage 2014–2025 · Updated 15 Jul 2026
Concept essentials
- A clade includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants.
- Nodes represent common ancestors or divergence points.
- Shared derived traits help identify clades.
- Molecular and homologous anatomical evidence can support clade membership.
- The closest relatives share the most recent common ancestor.