Test Taking Strategies
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Effective Test Taking Strategies: Specific English Test Strategies
There are some specific strategies that are very important to taking an English test successfully. These strategies are concerned with how you approach the language, how you use the language, and how certain tests are usually constructed. Below you will find some of the most important of these specific skills.
- Do not translate from your mother tongue!!!
Probably the most common mistake. Remember that your abilities in your first language are much more advanced than your English - even if you are Proficiency level. The fine points learned from growing up in a given language are very different from those in English. Keep to what you know in English and don't translate. Your results will immediately improve.
- Don't block when listening
If you don't understand a spoken dialogue on a listening section of an exam, do not worry about it. Blocking is rather common because when you don't understand something spoken your mind tends to get involved in an inner dialogue; What did he say? I didn't understand that word! etc. This inner dialogue causes you to concentrate on what is going on your mind, and you miss out on what is happening in the conversation. Be very careful. It is important to train yourself to stay relaxed in this situation (easer said than done!). Most tests repeat the listening at least twice and the information itself is often repeated in a number of different ways. Trust the creators of the test to give you ample opportunity to answer correctly.
- Limit yourself to what you know
Students will often get stuck when trying to find one particular word that they can't remember. If you can't remember the word, use a similar word or another word altogether. Remember the test is about the ability to use English - not about telling the truth!
- Look for time signifiers when having to conjugate
The most important thing to identify first in any sentence is the time word or phrase - this tells us when something happens and the conjugation will be based on this fact. This is very important because it helps you limit possibilities. It is much easier to conjugate if you know the tense should be in the past because of a time expression than if you look at a verb and think about all the different possibilities! This is another commonly overlooked strategy that people don't use when they feel under pressure taking an English test.
- Throw out the ridiculous answers in a multiple choice question
Many tests (TOEFL, CAE, First Certificate, Proficiency) often include one or two completely ridiculous possibilities in any multiple choice question. Find these first and get rid if them. This will usually leave you with a choice between two. Your odds will have already increased to 50%!
- Use the rest of the test as an information and vocabulary resource
I stated this on the first page, but I would like to repeat this point. By looking at other exercises focusing on different points, you will often find the answer or information needed that can help you make a decision about a different exercise.
- Don't try to be too funny or clever
Often students try to be funny or clever to relieve the tension. Humor is a very subtle thing and something that might seem funny to you in your own language might sound very strange in English. While a certain amount of humor is fine, trying to be too funny can distract you - and other students if you are taking an oral examination in pairs!
Specific Strategies for Specific Exercises
Taking a Multiple Choice Reading Comprehension Exam
Taking a Listening Gap Fill Exam
Taking a Vocabulary Cloze Test
Test Taking Strategies >Page 1, 2
Further Test Taking Help from About.com Guides
Free TOEFL Study
A step by step guide to taking taking the TOEFL exploiting free TOEFL resources on the Net, from your About.com guide to English as a 2nd Language
TOEFL Resources
Internet resource guide to TOEFL resources, from your About.com guide to English as a 2nd Language.
Cambridge/British Exams
Internet resource guide to Cambridge/British Exams resources, from your About.com guide to English as a 2nd Language.
