11+ exam technique: time, checking and staying calm

Pacing

• Sections are timed, so do not spend too long on one question.
• If a question takes much longer than the others, put a mark by it, move on and return if there is time.
• In practice, notice which kinds of question take the longest.

Multiple-choice questions

• Read the question and think of an answer before looking at the options.
• Cross out options that cannot be right, then choose from those left.
• Check how your test treats wrong answers. Most multiple-choice tests do not take marks away for them, but each route sets its own rules.

Reading and maths

• Underline key words and numbers in a question.
• In word problems, write down what you are finding.
• For maths, estimate first so you can tell whether an answer is sensible.
• For English, go back to the passage to find the evidence for your answer.

Checking

• Use spare time to re-read the questions you were unsure about.
• Check that you answered in the right place on the answer sheet.
• Do not change an answer unless you can say why it was wrong.

Keep practice calm

Short, regular sessions beat long ones. Read the explanation after every answer, then retry the questions that went wrong a few days later. Practice scores are not admissions scores, so use them to find what to practise next.