Common mistakes to avoid in English exam

Mistakes are common, particularly while preparing for an exam. Even some of the most prepared people tend to make some mistakes. The preparation for an English test can be both hard and exhausting. The test also takes a comparatively longer time, with a module for reading and writing. To make sure you are prepared at your best, here are the most common English mistakes that test-takers make, which costs them valuable points. This post will introduce you to some common errors that could have been avoided if noted earlier. This shall significantly boost your marks and give you a better chance of achieving the top grades.

Misreading the question paper

One of the most frequent mistakes in English examinations is that the students tend not to read the question paper properly. In a hurry to answer the question, students don’t make effective use of those first minutes of reading time. Their brain easily tricks them in the exam hall’s high-pressure setting, leading them to write a completely different response.

Attempting easy questions in the eleventh hour

Don’t leave out the easy questions. It may seem sensible to try to answer the difficult questions first, leaving the easy ones to finish at the end, but this isn’t always a good idea. In the eleventh hour, do the questions you think can be answered quickly. So, go through the exam paper to find the easier ones and later tackle the trickier ones. Get as many marks as you can on the questions you find simple, convenient, and straightforward.

Spelling mistakes and poor language

It’s essential to check your spellings before submitting the English exam. The most common errors in English include grammar, and it is one of the easiest to avoid by merely reviewing. If you’re unsure of the spelling of a particular word, avoid using it, or find a synonym instead. One of the most frequent mistakes in English examinations is the wrong usage of words that are homophones. Bad grammar accompanies spelling errors. For practice, you could read more, and write the words down while reading it, to build your vocabulary. To succeed with a great score in English, you need to practice using a dictionary.

Time management

One of the most common issues in time management is on the part of test-takers. Completing the test within a specific period can be severe, so time management skills are critical when taking any examination, including an English exam. You wouldn’t want to spend much time answering one question and manage with little time left on the remaining questions. Noticing and reviewing with practice about the approximate time required on every problem is a crucial habit that lets you keep a track of time. That way, you can answer any item to the best of your capability. You could even think of a plan. Another common error in English exams is taking too long on the first few questions and not having enough time for the rest of the questions. Spending more than the time needed on a given section leaves you struggling to complete the paper.

Blank answers

Here’s a quick tip: Don’t leave blank, any of the questions. This can incredibly boost your score. If you’re unsure of the answer, it’s better to write anything, rather than nothing in case there is no negative marking. Even if you make a guess, there is a higher chance you’ll get some marks. By actually trying, you are not going to miss out on anything. And you never know, your wild guess in case of a non-negative option multiple-choice might even end up boosting your score.

Lack of focus

Focus is critical, particularly in the English exam. When taking the test, you should give your undivided attention to it. Although being one of the most commonly made errors, it is easily avoidable. If you do need to repeat sentences to yourself, before you respond, make sure you understand everything that is communicated to you. Concentrate on giving the right answer. Don’t memorize your questions and answers as you prepare for the exam.

Improper planning of the order

Keep in mind that specific quality points, technical terms, and keywords are always needed in the answers which help you evaluate your solutions. For this, it is still better to spend a minute before you write the final answer in jotting those points that you’d certainly like to focus on. This will help you to present a comprehensive solution, allowing the content of your answer to be constant. Your response will also answer to the query correctly while being within the specified word limit.

Some Key Takeaways:

A proper examination technique can create a huge difference. By staying calm and careful, you can avoid the above-mentioned errors in your English exam. Besides these, a neat handwriting, highlighting keywords using technical terms, sequential reply presentation and its sub-parts also help you boost your score in case of a pen-paper based descriptive test.

At Online Tutoring Services, we have an experienced set of Online English tutors to guide you with a customized test- prep strategy focusing on your strong and weak areas. We assure you that you won’t regret your decision of choosing us.