exam week essay

Essay Exams

What this handout is about.

At some time in your undergraduate career, you’re going to have to write an essay exam. This thought can inspire a fair amount of fear: we struggle enough with essays when they aren’t timed events based on unknown questions. The goal of this handout is to give you some easy and effective strategies that will help you take control of the situation and do your best.

Why do instructors give essay exams?

Essay exams are a useful tool for finding out if you can sort through a large body of information, figure out what is important, and explain why it is important. Essay exams challenge you to come up with key course ideas and put them in your own words and to use the interpretive or analytical skills you’ve practiced in the course. Instructors want to see whether:

• You understand concepts that provide the basis for the course
• You can use those concepts to interpret specific materials
• You can make connections, see relationships, draw comparisons and contrasts
• You can synthesize diverse information in support of an original assertion
• You can justify your own evaluations based on appropriate criteria
• You can argue your own opinions with convincing evidence
• You can think critically and analytically about a subject

What essay questions require

Exam questions can reach pretty far into the course materials, so you cannot hope to do well on them if you do not keep up with the readings and assignments from the beginning of the course. The most successful essay exam takers are prepared for anything reasonable, and they probably have some intelligent guesses about the content of the exam before they take it. How can you be a prepared exam taker? Try some of the following suggestions during the semester:

• Do the reading as the syllabus dictates; keeping up with the reading while the related concepts are being discussed in class saves you double the effort later.
• Go to lectures (and put away your phone, the newspaper, and that crossword puzzle!).
• Take careful notes that you’ll understand months later. If this is not your strong suit or the conventions for a particular discipline are different from what you are used to, ask your TA or the Learning Center for advice.
• Participate in your discussion sections; this will help you absorb the material better so you don’t have to study as hard.
• Organize small study groups with classmates to explore and review course materials throughout the semester. Others will catch things you might miss even when paying attention. This is not cheating. As long as what you write on the essay is your own work, formulating ideas and sharing notes is okay. In fact, it is a big part of the learning process.
• As an exam approaches, find out what you can about the form it will take. This will help you forecast the questions that will be on the exam, and prepare for them.

These suggestions will save you lots of time and misery later. Remember that you can’t cram weeks of information into a single day or night of study. So why put yourself in that position?

Now let’s focus on studying for the exam. You’ll notice the following suggestions are all based on organizing your study materials into manageable chunks of related material. If you have a plan of attack, you’ll feel more confident and your answers will be more clear. Here are some tips: 

• Don’t just memorize aimlessly; clarify the important issues of the course and use these issues to focus your understanding of specific facts and particular readings.
• Try to organize and prioritize the information into a thematic pattern. Look at what you’ve studied and find a way to put things into related groups. Find the fundamental ideas that have been emphasized throughout the course and organize your notes into broad categories. Think about how different categories relate to each other.
• Find out what you don’t know, but need to know, by making up test questions and trying to answer them. Studying in groups helps as well.

Taking the exam

Read the exam carefully.

• If you are given the entire exam at once and can determine your approach on your own, read the entire exam before you get started.
• Look at how many points each part earns you, and find hints for how long your answers should be.
• Figure out how much time you have and how best to use it. Write down the actual clock time that you expect to take in each section, and stick to it. This will help you avoid spending all your time on only one section. One strategy is to divide the available time according to percentage worth of the question. You don’t want to spend half of your time on something that is only worth one tenth of the total points.
• As you read, make tentative choices of the questions you will answer (if you have a choice). Don’t just answer the first essay question you encounter. Instead, read through all of the options. Jot down really brief ideas for each question before deciding.
• Remember that the easiest-looking question is not always as easy as it looks. Focus your attention on questions for which you can explain your answer most thoroughly, rather than settle on questions where you know the answer but can’t say why.

Analyze the questions

• Decide what you are being asked to do. If you skim the question to find the main “topic” and then rush to grasp any related ideas you can recall, you may become flustered, lose concentration, and even go blank. Try looking closely at what the question is directing you to do, and try to understand the sort of writing that will be required.
• Focus on what you do know about the question, not on what you don’t.
• Look at the active verbs in the assignment—they tell you what you should be doing. We’ve included some of these below, with some suggestions on what they might mean. (For help with this sort of detective work, see the Writing Center handout titled Reading Assignments.)

Information words, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject. Information words may include:

• define—give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning.
• explain why/how—give reasons why or examples of how something happened.
• illustrate—give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject.
• summarize—briefly cover the important ideas you learned about the subject.
• trace—outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form.
• research—gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you’ve found.

Relation words ask you to demonstrate how things are connected. Relation words may include:

• compare—show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different).
• contrast—show how two or more things are dissimilar.
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation.
• cause—show how one event or series of events made something else happen.
• relate—show or describe the connections between things.

Interpretation words ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Don’t see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation. Interpretation words may include:

• prove, justify—give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth.
• evaluate, respond, assess—state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons (you may want to compare your subject to something else).
• support—give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe).
• synthesize—put two or more things together that haven’t been put together before; don’t just summarize one and then the other, and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together (as opposed to compare and contrast—see above).
• analyze—look closely at the components of something to figure out how it works, what it might mean, or why it is important.
• argue—take a side and defend it (with proof) against the other side.

Plan your answers

Think about your time again. How much planning time you should take depends on how much time you have for each question and how many points each question is worth. Here are some general guidelines: 

• For short-answer definitions and identifications, just take a few seconds. Skip over any you don’t recognize fairly quickly, and come back to them when another question jogs your memory.
• For answers that require a paragraph or two, jot down several important ideas or specific examples that help to focus your thoughts.
• For longer answers, you will need to develop a much more definite strategy of organization. You only have time for one draft, so allow a reasonable amount of time—as much as a quarter of the time you’ve allotted for the question—for making notes, determining a thesis, and developing an outline.
• For questions with several parts (different requests or directions, a sequence of questions), make a list of the parts so that you do not miss or minimize one part. One way to be sure you answer them all is to number them in the question and in your outline.
• You may have to try two or three outlines or clusters before you hit on a workable plan. But be realistic—you want a plan you can develop within the limited time allotted for your answer. Your outline will have to be selective—not everything you know, but what you know that you can state clearly and keep to the point in the time available.

Again, focus on what you do know about the question, not on what you don’t.

Writing your answers

As with planning, your strategy for writing depends on the length of your answer:

• For short identifications and definitions, it is usually best to start with a general identifying statement and then move on to describe specific applications or explanations. Two sentences will almost always suffice, but make sure they are complete sentences. Find out whether the instructor wants definition alone, or definition and significance. Why is the identification term or object important?
• For longer answers, begin by stating your forecasting statement or thesis clearly and explicitly. Strive for focus, simplicity, and clarity. In stating your point and developing your answers, you may want to use important course vocabulary words from the question. For example, if the question is, “How does wisteria function as a representation of memory in Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom?” you may want to use the words wisteria, representation, memory, and Faulkner) in your thesis statement and answer. Use these important words or concepts throughout the answer.
• If you have devised a promising outline for your answer, then you will be able to forecast your overall plan and its subpoints in your opening sentence. Forecasting impresses readers and has the very practical advantage of making your answer easier to read. Also, if you don’t finish writing, it tells your reader what you would have said if you had finished (and may get you partial points).
• You might want to use briefer paragraphs than you ordinarily do and signal clear relations between paragraphs with transition phrases or sentences.
• As you move ahead with the writing, you may think of new subpoints or ideas to include in the essay. Stop briefly to make a note of these on your original outline. If they are most appropriately inserted in a section you’ve already written, write them neatly in the margin, at the top of the page, or on the last page, with arrows or marks to alert the reader to where they fit in your answer. Be as neat and clear as possible.
• Don’t pad your answer with irrelevancies and repetitions just to fill up space. Within the time available, write a comprehensive, specific answer.
• Watch the clock carefully to ensure that you do not spend too much time on one answer. You must be realistic about the time constraints of an essay exam. If you write one dazzling answer on an exam with three equally-weighted required questions, you earn only 33 points—not enough to pass at most colleges. This may seem unfair, but keep in mind that instructors plan exams to be reasonably comprehensive. They want you to write about the course materials in two or three or more ways, not just one way. Hint: if you finish a half-hour essay in 10 minutes, you may need to develop some of your ideas more fully.
• If you run out of time when you are writing an answer, jot down the remaining main ideas from your outline, just to show that you know the material and with more time could have continued your exposition.
• Double-space to leave room for additions, and strike through errors or changes with one straight line (avoid erasing or scribbling over). Keep things as clean as possible. You never know what will earn you partial credit.
• Write legibly and proofread. Remember that your instructor will likely be reading a large pile of exams. The more difficult they are to read, the more exasperated the instructor might become. Your instructor also cannot give you credit for what they cannot understand. A few minutes of careful proofreading can improve your grade.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind in writing essay exams is that you have a limited amount of time and space in which to get across the knowledge you have acquired and your ability to use it. Essay exams are not the place to be subtle or vague. It’s okay to have an obvious structure, even the five-paragraph essay format you may have been taught in high school. Introduce your main idea, have several paragraphs of support—each with a single point defended by specific examples, and conclude with a restatement of your main point and its significance.

Some physiological tips

Just think—we expect athletes to practice constantly and use everything in their abilities and situations in order to achieve success. Yet, somehow many students are convinced that one day’s worth of studying, no sleep, and some well-placed compliments (“Gee, Dr. So-and-so, I really enjoyed your last lecture”) are good preparation for a test. Essay exams are like any other testing situation in life: you’ll do best if you are prepared for what is expected of you, have practiced doing it before, and have arrived in the best shape to do it. You may not want to believe this, but it’s true: a good night’s sleep and a relaxed mind and body can do as much or more for you as any last-minute cram session. Colleges abound with tales of woe about students who slept through exams because they stayed up all night, wrote an essay on the wrong topic, forgot everything they studied, or freaked out in the exam and hyperventilated. If you are rested, breathing normally, and have brought along some healthy, energy-boosting snacks that you can eat or drink quietly, you are in a much better position to do a good job on the test. You aren’t going to write a good essay on something you figured out at 4 a.m. that morning. If you prepare yourself well throughout the semester, you don’t risk your whole grade on an overloaded, undernourished brain.

If for some reason you get yourself into this situation, take a minute every once in a while during the test to breathe deeply, stretch, and clear your brain. You need to be especially aware of the likelihood of errors, so check your essays thoroughly before you hand them in to make sure they answer the right questions and don’t have big oversights or mistakes (like saying “Hitler” when you really mean “Churchill”).

If you tend to go blank during exams, try studying in the same classroom in which the test will be given. Some research suggests that people attach ideas to their surroundings, so it might jog your memory to see the same things you were looking at while you studied.

Try good luck charms. Bring in something you associate with success or the support of your loved ones, and use it as a psychological boost.

Take all of the time you’ve been allotted. Reread, rework, and rethink your answers if you have extra time at the end, rather than giving up and handing the exam in the minute you’ve written your last sentence. Use every advantage you are given.

Remember that instructors do not want to see you trip up—they want to see you do well. With this in mind, try to relax and just do the best you can. The more you panic, the more mistakes you are liable to make. Put the test in perspective: will you die from a poor performance? Will you lose all of your friends? Will your entire future be destroyed? Remember: it’s just a test.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Axelrod, Rise B., and Charles R. Cooper. 2016. The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing , 11th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Fowler, Ramsay H., and Jane E. Aaron. 2016. The Little, Brown Handbook , 13th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Gefvert, Constance J. 1988. The Confident Writer: A Norton Handbook , 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Kirszner, Laurie G. 1988. Writing: A College Rhetoric , 2nd ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Woodman, Leonara, and Thomas P. Adler. 1988. The Writer’s Choices , 2nd ed. Northbrook, Illinois: Scott Foresman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Tackle Exam Questions

Learn more about how to tackle different kinds of exams and exam questions.

We cover the following topics on exam preparation on this page:

• Quantitative Questions
• Multiple Choice Questions
• Essay Questions

First, Let’s Think About De-Coding Different Types of Exam Questions

It’s helpful to understand the kinds of question that are asked on a exam, because the response you need to come up with depends on the type of question. Knowing about different types of exam questions can help you activate appropriate strategies for formulating answers and reduce exam-taking anxiety.

Exam questions generally fall into one of three categories: 1

“Green Light”

• Go right ahead!
• These are factual questions, and the answers are straight-forward. You either know the answer or you don’t; it’s right there in your head or it’s not.
• Some green light questions can be very difficult, and your ability to recall details is often tested with this typeof question.
• Study for this type of question by using recitation, making flash cards, quizzing yourself or a study partner, etc.
• If you don’t know the answer to a green light question right away, circle it and move on; often the answer will pop into your head later on during the exam.

“Yellow Light”

• These questions are more detailed than green light questions, but are based on the same idea: you either know the answer or you don’t.
• Often you’ll have to put multiple or “green light” details together.
• Similar strategies work for yellow and green questions, but with yellow light questions you’ll need to recall many ideas, concepts, formulas, etc., just to answer one question.

• These questions ask you to make inferences or apply your knowledge to new situations, which is sometimes called “critical thinking”.
• You need to know the material being covered to answer these questions at the “green light” level, but the exam question is not asking you to simply regurgitate it. You will need to take what you know and use it in ways you have not yet used it.
• This type of question sometimes flummoxes students, because they are surprised to they are being asked a question that wasn’t exactly covered in class. Remember that with red light questions you are not supposed to already know the answer. You have to come up with the answer yourself, it is not already in your head. (You will need to know the basic information, though, to be able to answer this type of question.)
• Red light questions are asked more frequently in college than in high school.
• To study for red light questions, make diagrams or concept maps that link ideas or topics from the course together. Think about how what you’re learning relates to what you’ve learned in other classes. Sit down with friends or classmates and talk about how one might use information from the class in a job setting.

See this link for a pdf of  Decoding exam questions.

How to Tackle: Problem-Solving and Quantitative Questions

Study for problem-based exams by practicing (new!) problems

As you work on the problems, remember:

• DO let yourself be stuck.* (yes, we mean that!)
• DON’T sneak a peak at the answer if you get stuck. (keep trying!)
• Check your answer only after you’ve put something–anything–down. Think partial credit, which is better than no credit if you freeze when you get stuck on hard problems on the test.

* You need to get your “stuck” muscles stronger so you know what to do on tests when you feel stuck.

Watch: LSC’s Mike Chen Shares “The Key to Problem-Solving Tests”

Taking problem-based exams

1. Understand the problem: Determine what you are supposed to find, what you need to find it, and what the unknown is (and if there is extra information). Consider whether drawing a sketch will help. Also – note each part of the question. Not answering each part is an easy way to lose points.

2. Determine a way to solve the problem: Write down all that is given or known. Draw a sketch when appropriate to show relations. Write down all relevant formulas.

3. Carry out the procedure you have devised: For numerical problems, try and estimate an answer first. This will help you to check your work later. Neat, careful work keeps you from making mistakes, and allows you to find them when you do make them (show your units!!). Additionally, when the instructor can see your work clearly, he or she may give you partial credit for what you do know, even if your ultimate answer is incorrect.

4. Check your Answers: This requires the same quality of thought originally used to solve the problem. Is your answer what you thought it would be in your original estimate? Is it a quantity that makes sense? Is your answer in the correct units? If your answer does not seem reasonable, rework the problem.

How to Tackle: Multiple Choice Questions

1. Read the stem: First, read the stem and make sure you understand what it is getting at. Look out for double negatives or other twists in wording before you consider the answer.

2. Try to come up with the correct answer: Before you look at the answer choices, try to come up with the correct answer. This will help you to rule out choices that are similar to the correct answer. Now read and consider each option carefully.

3. Look for clues in the stem: Look for clues in the stem that suggest the correct answer or rule out any choices. For example, if the stem indicates that the answer is plural you can rule out any answers that are singular. The basic rule is: the correct answer must make sense grammatically with the stem. Options which fail this exam can be ruled out.

4. Cross off any options you know are incorrect: As you rule out options cross them off with your pencil. This will help you focus on the remaining choices and eliminates the chance of returning to an item and selecting an option you had already eliminated.

5. Come back to items you were unsure of: Put a mark next to any questions you are unsure of. If you complete the entire exam with time to spare, review these questions – you will often get clues (or even answers) from other questions.

Take a look at some additional information on difficult “ Multiple Choice Tests ” (opens a PDF).

How to Tackle: Essay Questions

The best way to  prepare  for essay tests is to practice writing essays.

• Anticipate questions : Make outlines of possible essay topics using your course materials so you know you’ve got a good grasp of what might be on the test. Then recreate your outlines from memory (unless it’s an open-notes test).
• Practice writing  at least one full essay; be mindful of the time you spend practicing and think about how much time you will have during the exam. It is also important to think about  how  you are organizing the information you are including in your essay — for example, if you are asked to compare and contrast two theories as they relate to an issue, you might want to define each of them, describe the issue, and then compare and contrast them.
• If your exam is closed book,  memorize key events, facts, and names  that you will need to support your argument. If it is open-notes, then make sure you develop good outlines.

When you are  taking  essay tests:

• Manage your time  well. As with all exams, if there are multiple essay questions, be sure to look at them all at the beginning (taking note of the points each is worth), and prioritize the order you answer the questions.
• Read the directions  carefully. Ask yourself honestly: are you answering the  actual  question on the test, or the question you  want  to be on the test?  (tip: instructors know when you aren’t really answering the exact question, so make sure you are addressing the actual question and don’t just write random information that is unrelated to the question.)
• Before you write the essay,  decide on your argument  and  quickly list your supporting evidence  (it is ok to do a brain dump of all the important information that you want to include so that you have it handy when you begin writing).
• Make a quick outline  of what you are going to write to organize your thoughts and arguments.
• Write! And, make your point right away – you don’t want to get to the end of a timed essay test with your amazing argument still unmade!
• If you have time, go back and quickly  proof-read  your essay for errors.

You might want to take a look at some “ Words to Watch for in an Essay ” (opens a PDF).

References:

1 Taffy E. Raphael, Teaching Question Answer Relationships, Revisited, The Reading Teacher, Vol. 39, No. 6 (Feb., 1986), pp. 516-522.

Ellis, D. (1998). Becoming a Master Student. Houghton Mifflin: Boston

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Prepare for an Essay Exam

Last Updated: April 20, 2023

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. This article has been viewed 137,181 times.

The dreaded essay exam. Whether you like it or not, at some point in your life you are certain to encounter an exam composed entirely of essays. In the days leading up to the exam you may feel anxious or downright sick to your stomach. Fortunately, with a little bit of preparation and practice, you can turn any pre-exam jitters into a feeling of confidence, which will allow you to successfully tackle any essay exam.

Participating in Class

• Actively participate. It’s important to find a participation method that works for you, whether that’s asking thought-provoking questions or commenting on the reading. Active participation just means involving yourself in some way, so even if you don’t feel comfortable speaking at length in front of your peers, try to ask a question every now and then.
• Free yourself from distractions. Put away your cell phone or tablet and concentrate on listening and taking good notes. Now is not the time to work on homework for another class or to catch up with friends on Facebook.

• Always have a notebook on hand. It is helpful to use one notebook per subject or course, so that you don’t confuse yourself when looking back.
• Be sure to date your notes so that you can quickly reference or find the subject material covered on the exam.
• If you struggle with taking notes, ask the instructor if you can record the lecture. You can then go back and listen to the recording and either take notes at your own pace or review any parts of the lecture, which will be relevant for the exam.

• Take notes on what you’ve read and have questions ready for class.
• Follow the schedule for reading assignments. Typically readings are broken out in a way that is both manageable and topical. If, however, you find yourself unable to keep up with the readings, speak with your instructor about a schedule that suits your particular needs. For example, if readings are assigned for every other day of class, you may need to break it out such that you are reading a portion every day.

Reviewing the Material

• In addition to having one notebook per course, it may be helpful to also have an individual course binder or folder, which contains all course materials.
• Take your organization to the next level by categorizing according to exams. Don’t throw away previous notes or materials from past exams. They may come in handy for midterm or final exams. Instead, organize the materials as if they were chapters, with chapter one being the first exam and so forth and so on.

• Limit phone calls and any other distractions such as texting. It might help to turn your phone and other devices to silent mode while you’re studying.
• The TV should always be off while you’re preparing for an exam.
• If you want to listen to music, be sure it’s something that is relaxing or peaceful. Also, keep the music at a low level. Otherwise, music can easily become a distraction.

• Get into the habit of reviewing class materials after each course. This will help to ease anxiety leading up to the exam, as you won’t have as much to review and will be able to clear up any questions that arise, prior to the big day.
• Cramming doesn’t work. Multiple studies have shown that spacing out learning was more effective than cramming. [2] X Research source What’s more, cramming only increases the feeling of desperation which leads to panic, and then to test anxiety.

• Creating an outline will also come in handy when drafting essay responses, so give yourself some practice and start with your class materials.

Practicing Ahead of Time

• Don’t wait until the night before to outline answers. As you’re studying and organizing your class materials, come up with potential questions along the way. You can then go back and review and revise as necessary.
• Some instructors do specify a word count for essays. Don’t focus on counting words though. Write what you can and look for opportunities to flesh out your answers without being overly wordy.

• Identify - typically short and direct answers will do.
• Explain - requires a more detailed answer.
• Compare - look for connections.
• Argue - address this from your own perspective.

• This is a good opportunity to proofread your work and to look for any grammatical errors as well.
• Have a friend, parent or peer look over your essay as well. It is often helpful to have a fresh set of eyes review your work and provide feedback.

Community Q&A

• For open-notes or open-book tests, study thoroughly anyway. This will prepare you for other exams or tests where you're not allowed to use notes, and will allow for you to complete the test faster and easier because you won't need to search for everything in the book or your notes. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Be positive. If you are negative and believe you will not do well, chances are that you will perform the way you expect to. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Practice writing. Be sure you can write fairly well in other situations so that you can express your ideas clearly. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/essay-exams/
• ↑ http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140917-the-worst-way-to-learn

About this article

If you’re worried about an upcoming essay exam, start reviewing your class notes by topic. One helpful way to prepare for your essay exam is to create a potential outline for each theme. For example, if you’re studying Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, you might come up with an essay outline about the themes of the play. Once you have a few of these outlines, do practice essays at home under timed conditions, using old exams or questions you can see from your outline. Additionally, make it easier to prepare for future exams by attending all classes, doing the assigned readings and taking clear notes. Keep reading for more tips, including how to understand what the essay questions are asking of you. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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What is a well written answer to an essay question?

Well Focused

Be sure to answer the question completely, that is, answer all parts of the question. Avoid "padding." A lot of rambling and ranting is a sure sign that the writer doesn't really know what the right answer is and hopes that somehow, something in that overgrown jungle of words was the correct answer.

Well Organized

Don't write in a haphazard "think-as-you-go" manner. Do some planning and be sure that what you write has a clearly marked introduction which both states the point(s) you are going to make and also, if possible, how you are going to proceed. In addition, the essay should have a clearly indicated conclusion which summarizes the material covered and emphasizes your thesis or main point.

Well Supported

Do not just assert something is true, prove it. What facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point? In many cases, the difference between an A and a B as a grade is due to the effective use of supporting evidence.

Well Packaged

People who do not use conventions of language are thought of by their readers as less competent and less educated. If you need help with these or other writing skills, come to the Writing Lab

How do you write an effective essay exam?

• Read through all the questions carefully.
• Budget your time and decide which question(s) you will answer first.
• Underline the key word(s) which tell you what to do for each question.
• Choose an organizational pattern appropriate for each key word and plan your answers on scratch paper or in the margins.
• Write your answers as quickly and as legibly as you can; do not take the time to recopy.
• Begin each answer with one or two sentence thesis which summarizes your answer. If possible, phrase the statement so that it rephrases the question's essential terms into a statement (which therefore directly answers the essay question).
• Support your thesis with specific references to the material you have studied.
• Proofread your answer and correct errors in spelling and mechanics.

Specific organizational patterns and "key words"

Most essay questions will have one or more "key words" that indicate which organizational pattern you should use in your answer. The six most common organizational patterns for essay exams are definition, analysis, cause and effect, comparison/contrast, process analysis, and thesis-support.

Typical questions

• "Define X."
• "What is an X?"
• "Choose N terms from the following list and define them."

Q: "What is a fanzine?"

A: A fanzine is a magazine written, mimeographed, and distributed by and for science fiction or comic strip enthusiasts.

Avoid constructions such as "An encounter group is where ..." and "General semantics is when ... ."

• State the term to be defined.
• State the class of objects or concepts to which the term belongs.
• Differentiate the term from other members of the class by listing the term's distinguishing characteristics.

Tools you can use

• Details which describe the term
• Examples and incidents
• Comparisons to familiar terms
• Negation to state what the term is not
• Classification (i.e., break it down into parts)
• Examination of origins or causes
• Examination of results, effects, or uses

Analysis involves breaking something down into its components and discovering the parts that make up the whole.

• "Analyze X."
• "What are the components of X?"
• "What are the five different kinds of X?"
• "Discuss the different types of X."

Q: "Discuss the different services a junior college offers a community."

A: Thesis: A junior college offers the community at least three main types of educational services: vocational education for young people, continuing education for older people, and personal development for all individuals.

Outline for supporting details and examples. For example, if you were answering the example question, an outline might include:

• Vocational education
• Continuing education
• Personal development

Write the essay, describing each part or component and making transitions between each of your descriptions. Some useful transition words include:

• first, second, third, etc.
• in addition

Conclude the essay by emphasizing how each part you have described makes up the whole you have been asked to analyze.

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect involves tracing probable or known effects of a certain cause or examining one or more effects and discussing the reasonable or known cause(s).

Typical questions:

• "What are the causes of X?"
• "What led to X?"
• "Why did X occur?"
• "Why does X happen?"
• "What would be the effects of X?"

Q: "Define recession and discuss the probable effects a recession would have on today's society."

A: Thesis: A recession, which is a nationwide lull in business activity, would be detrimental to society in the following ways: it would .......A......., it would .......B......., and it would .......C....... .

The rest of the answer would explain, in some detail, the three effects: A, B, and C.

Useful transition words:

• consequently
• for this reason
• as a result

Comparison-Contrast

• "How does X differ from Y?"
• "Compare X and Y."
• "What are the advantages and disadvantages of X and Y?"

Q: "Which would you rather own—a compact car or a full-sized car?"

A: Thesis: I would own a compact car rather than a full-sized car for the following reasons: .......A......., .......B......., .......C......., and .......D....... .

Two patterns of development:

• Full-sized car

Disadvantages

• Compact car

Useful transition words

• on the other hand
• unlike A, B ...
• in the same way
• while both A and B are ..., only B ..
• nevertheless
• on the contrary
• while A is ..., B is ...
• "Describe how X is accomplished."
• "List the steps involved in X."
• "Explain what happened in X."
• "What is the procedure involved in X?"

Process (sometimes called process analysis)

This involves giving directions or telling the reader how to do something. It may involve discussing some complex procedure as a series of discrete steps. The organization is almost always chronological.

Q: "According to Richard Bolles' What Color Is Your Parachute?, what is the best procedure for finding a job?"

A: In What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard Bolles lists seven steps that all job-hunters should follow: .....A....., .....B....., .....C....., .....D....., .....E....., .....F....., and .....G..... .

The remainder of the answer should discuss each of these seven steps in some detail.

• following this
• after, afterwards, after this
• subsequently
• simultaneously, concurrently

Thesis and Support

• "Discuss X."
• "A noted authority has said X. Do you agree or disagree?"
• "Defend or refute X."
• "Do you think that X is valid? Defend your position."

Thesis and support involves stating a clearly worded opinion or interpretation and then defending it with all the data, examples, facts, and so on that you can draw from the material you have studied.

Q: "Despite criticism, television is useful because it aids in the socializing process of our children."

A: Television hinders rather than helps in the socializing process of our children because .......A......., .......B......., and .......C....... .

The rest of the answer is devoted to developing arguments A, B, and C.

• it follows that

A. Which of the following two answers is the better one? Why?

Question: Discuss the contribution of William Morris to book design, using as an example his edition of the works of Chaucer.

a. William Morris's Chaucer was his masterpiece. It shows his interest in the Middle Ages. The type is based on medieval manuscript writing, and the decoration around the edges of the pages is like that used in medieval books. The large initial letters are typical of medieval design. Those letters were printed from woodcuts, which was the medieval way of printing. The illustrations were by Burn-Jones, one of the best artists in England at the time. Morris was able to get the most competent people to help him because he was so famous as a poet and a designer (the Morris chair) and wallpaper and other decorative items for the home. He designed the furnishings for his own home, which was widely admired among the sort of people he associated with. In this way he started the arts and crafts movement.

b. Morris's contribution to book design was to approach the problem as an artist or fine craftsman, rather than a mere printer who reproduced texts. He wanted to raise the standards of printing, which had fallen to a low point, by showing that truly beautiful books could be produced. His Chaucer was designed as a unified work of art or high craft. Since Chaucer lived in the Middle Ages, Morris decided to design a new type based on medieval script and to imitate the format of a medieval manuscript. This involved elaborate letters and large initials at the beginnings of verses, as well as wide borders of intertwined vines with leaves, fruit, and flowers in strong colors. The effect was so unusual that the book caused great excitement and inspired other printers to design beautiful rather than purely utilitarian books.

From James M. McCrimmon, Writing with a Purpose , 7th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980), pp. 261-263.

B. How would you plan the structure of the answers to these essay exam questions?

1. Was the X Act a continuation of earlier government policies or did it represent a departure from prior philosophies?

2. What seems to be the source of aggression in human beings? What can be done to lower the level of aggression in our society?

3. Choose one character from Novel X and, with specific references to the work, show how he or she functions as an "existential hero."

4. Define briefly the systems approach to business management. Illustrate how this differs from the traditional approach.

5. What is the cosmological argument? Does it prove that God exists?

6. Civil War historian Andy Bellum once wrote, "Blahblahblah blahed a blahblah, but of course if blahblah blahblahblahed the blah, then blahblahs are not blah but blahblah." To what extent and in what ways is the statement true? How is it false?

For more information on writing exam essays for the GED, please visit our Engagement area and go to the Community Writing and Education Station (CWEST) resources.

Preparing for Final Exams

• Homework Tips
• Learning Styles & Skills
• Study Methods
• Time Management
• Private School
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• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Final exams are stressful for many students--and it's no wonder. Finals are designed to allow students to demonstrate how much information they have retained from an entire semester.

When it comes to preparing for finals, every subject is a little bit different, so you should specialize your study skills for each particular exam.

A General Strategy for Preparing for Finals

Studies show that certain methods are important when it comes to memorization.

• If you're studying for a topic that involves a lot of new terms and concepts, you must prepare for a test with a reusable practice test . Fill in the practice sheet and repeat until you get all the answers right.
• Believe it or not, students have reported that lots of points are lost because they get careless on bubble sheets! Review these common and very costly bubble sheet errors that can wreck your test performance. If you misalign by a single space, you can get every answer wrong!
• Review common instruction words that teachers use. Know the difference between contrast , analyze , and compare , for example. You may think these the same thing when it comes to writing your answer essay, but there are very specific expectations for each word.
• If finals week means lots of back-to-back exams for you, you should prepare yourself mentally and physically for the many consecutive hours you can spend writing. Don't make your essay answer too short because your hand is getting tired!
• Fill in the blank exams require special preparation. You start by reading over your class notes to underline new terms, important dates, noteworthy phrases, and the names of key people.
• If part of your final involves constructing a long essay outside of the classroom, you should become very familiar with all the behavior that constitutes plagiarism . You might be surprised to find out how easy it is to plagiarize. And plagiarism normally results in an immediate fail!

Preparing for Finals in English and Literature Classes

Literature professors are most likely to test you with long and short essay questions. First rule when preparing for a literature exam: read the material again!

Be prepared to compare two or more stories that you've read. Also, know the traits of every character.

Before going into any essay test session, you should review basic punctuation rules.

Preparing for Exams in Foreign Language Classes

If you're mainly concerned about memorizing a list of new words when learning a foreign language, you can use this color-coding method to memorize vocabulary words.

If you're preparing for a final exam in Spanish, you can review a list of common mistakes students make when composing Spanish essays. You may also need to insert Spanish symbols as you create your final essay.

Practice early and practice a lot to ace a Spanish test! That's the advice from readers.

Sometimes it's necessary to cram for a foreign language final. If you need to learn a lot of French in a little bit of time, try some practice techniques offered by our Guide to French Language.

Preparing for Science Finals

Many science teachers like to use multiple choice questions to test students. To prepare for this type of test, you should look closely at the concepts behind themes to make sure you are prepared for "all of the above" and "none of the above" answers. Look at any lists of components or traits.

When taking a chemistry final , be sure to "mind dump" every memorized equation at the start.

Join a study group and seek study advice from other students.

Use common sense when you prepare for test day. Eat right and get enough sleep!

Preparing for a Psychology Final

If your psychology teacher offers a test review, it is important to take smart and sensible notes. You can use your review notes to create a practice exam.

When preparing for a psychology test, it's particularly important to review psychological theories you've covered in class and apply them to real-life examples when you can.

Preparing for Math Finals

For many students, math finals are the most intimidating of all! Some of the best advice for preparing for math exams comes from our readers. Work slowly and review each problem at least ten times--that's the kind of wisdom readers share.

Review these problem-solving strategies to know how and when to use certain procedures.

It's critical to memorize the basic rules that are necessary for working on many problems:

• divisibility rules
• order of operations
• negative and positive rules
• geometry formulas

Final Exams in History

History exams will involve memorizing dates as well as memorizing new history terms for your exam. Be sure to brush up on techniques for preparing for a short answer test.

Many teachers in the social sciences prefer to use essay exam questions. To prepare for an essay exam, you should read over your notes and textbook chapters to search for hidden themes,

Your history final may involve writing a long history paper. Make sure your essay fits the assignment and is formatted correctly.

Our Guide to Ancient History provides excellent advice for last minute study tips for history class.

Finding a Study Partner

It is very helpful for many students to study with a good partner. Find a serious student and find a good study space to exchange practice questions and compare notes.

A great study partner will understand some methods or problems that you don't. You will be able to explain some problems with your partner in return. It's a trade-off.

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• 5 Tips for Studying for Final Exams in College
• How to Study for Fill in the Blank Tests
• How to Change Your Habits and Improve Your Grades
• 5 Final Exam Tips for College Students
• Great Solutions for 5 Bad Study Habits
• Study for an Exam in 2 to 4 Days
• Top 10 Healthy Homework Habits
• How to Study for a Multiple Choice Exam
• How to Study the Night Before a Test
• How Do I Study for the California Bar Attorneys' Exam?
• 8 Tips to Prepare for Your Comprehensive Examination
• How to Study History Terms
• How to Prepare for an Exam Two Months Away
• 3 Steps to Ace Your Next Test
• How to Prepare for Admissions Tests

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to study for a test: 17 expert tips.

Other High School

Do you have a big exam coming up, but you're not sure how to prepare for it? Are you looking to improve your grades or keep them strong but don't know the best way to do this? We're here to help! In this guide, we've compiled the 17 best tips for how to study for a test. No matter what grade you're in or what subject you're studying, these tips will give you ways to study faster and more effectively. If you're tired of studying for hours only to forget everything when it comes time to take a test, follow these tips so you can be well prepared for any exam you take.

How to Study for a Test: General Tips

The four tips below are useful for any test or class you're preparing for. Learn the best way to study for a test from these tips and be prepared for any future exams you take.

#1: Stick to a Study Schedule

If you're having trouble studying regularly, creating a study schedule can be a huge help. Doing something regularly helps your mind get used to it. If you set aside a time to regularly study and stick to it, it'll eventually become a habit that's (usually) easy to stick to. Getting into a fixed habit of studying will help you improve your concentration and mental stamina over time. And, just like any other training, your ability to study will improve with time and effort.

Take an honest look at your schedule (this includes schoolwork, extracurriculars, work, etc.) and decide how often you can study without making your schedule too packed. Aim for at least an hour twice a week. Next, decide when you want to study, such as Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 7-8pm, and stick to your schedule . In the beginning, you may need to tweak your schedule, but you'll eventually find the study rhythm that works best for you. The important thing is that you commit to it and study during the same times each week as often as possible.

#2: Start Studying Early and Study for Shorter Periods

Some people can cram for several hours the night before the test and still get a good grade. However, this is rarer than you may hope. Most people need to see information several times, over a period of time, for them to really commit it to memory. This means that, instead of doing a single long study session, break your studying into smaller sessions over a longer period of time. Five one-hour study sessions over a week will be less stressful and more effective than a single five-hour cram session. It may take a bit of time for you to learn how long and how often you need to study for a class, but once you do you'll be able to remember the information you need and reduce some of the stress that comes from schoolwork, tests, and studying.

#3: Remove Distractions

When you're studying, especially if it's for a subject you don't enjoy, it can be extremely tempting to take "quick breaks" from your work. There are untold distractions all around us that try to lure our concentration away from the task at hand. However, giving in to temptation can be an awful time suck. A quick glance at your phone can easily turn into an hour of wasting time on the internet, and that won't help you get the score you're looking for. In order to avoid distractions, remove distractions completely from your study space.

Eat a meal or a snack before you begin studying so you're not tempted to rummage through the fridge as a distraction. Silence your phone and keep it in an entirely different room. If you're studying on a computer, turn your WIFI off if it's not essential to have. Make a firm rule that you can't get up to check on whatever has you distracted until your allotted study time is up.

#4: Reward Yourself When You Hit a Milestone

To make studying a little more fun, give yourself a small reward whenever you hit a study milestone. For example, you might get to eat a piece of candy for every 25 flashcards you test yourself on, or get to spend 10 minutes on your phone for every hour you spend studying. You can also give yourself larger rewards for longer-term goals, such as going out to ice cream after a week of good study habits. Studying effectively isn't always easy, and by giving yourself rewards, you'll keep yourself motivated.

Our pets are not the only ones who deserve rewards.

Tips for Learning and Remembering Information

While the default method of studying is reading through class notes, this is actually one of the least effective ways of learning and remembering information. In this section we cover four much more useful methods. You'll notice they all involve active learning, where you're actively reworking the material, rather than just passively reading through notes. Active studying has been shown to be a much more effective way to understand and retain information, and it's what we recommend for any test you're preparing for.

#5: Rewrite the Material in Your Own Words

It can be easy to get lost in a textbook and look back over a page, only to realize you don't remember anything about what you just read. Fortunately, there's a way to avoid this.

For any class that requires lots of reading, be sure to stop periodically as you read. Pause at the end of a paragraph/page/chapter (how much you can read at once and still remember clearly will likely depend on the material you're reading) and—without looking!—think about what the text just stated. Re-summarize it in your own words, and write down bullet points if that helps. Now, glance back over the material and make sure you summarized the information accurately and included all the important details. Take note of whatever you missed, then pick up your reading where you left off.

Whether you choose to summarize the text aloud or write down notes, re-wording the text is a very effective study tool. By rephrasing the text in your own words, you're ensuring you're actually remembering the information and absorbing its meaning, rather than just moving your eyes across a page without taking in what you're reading.

#6: Make Flashcards

Flashcards are a popular study tool for good reason! They're easy to make, easy to carry around, easy to pull out for a quick study session, and they're a more effective way of studying than just reading through pages of notes. Making your own flashcards is especially effective because you'll remember more information just through the act of writing it down on the cards. For any subjects in which you must remember connections between terms and information, such as formulas, vocabulary, equations, or historical dates, flashcards are the way to go. We recommend using the Waterfall Method when you study with flashcards since it's the fastest way to learn all the material on the cards.

#7: Teach the Material to Someone Else

Teaching someone else is a great way to organize the information you've been studying and check your grasp of it. It also often shows you that you know more of the material than you think! Find a study-buddy, or a friend/relative/pet or even just a figurine or stuffed animal and explain the material to them as if they're hearing about it for the first time. Whether the person you're teaching is real or not, teaching material aloud requires you to re-frame the information in new ways and think more carefully about how all the elements fit together. The act of running through the material in this new way also helps you more easily lock it in your mind.

#8: Make Your Own Study Guides

Even if your teacher provides you with study guides, we highly recommend making your own study materials. Just making the materials will help the information sink into your mind, and when you make your own study guides, you can customize them to the way you learn best, whether that's flashcards, images, charts etc. For example, if you're studying for a biology test, you can draw your own cell and label the components, make a Krebs cycle diagram, map out a food chain, etc. If you're a visual learner (or just enjoy adding images to your study materials), include pictures and diagrams.

Sometimes making your own charts and diagrams will mean recreating the ones in your textbook from memory, and sometimes it will mean putting different pieces of information together yourself. Whatever the diagram type and whatever the class, writing your information down and making pictures out of it will be a great way to help you remember the material.

How to Study for a History Test

History tests are notorious for the amount of facts and dates you need to know. Make it easier to retain the information by using these two tips.

#9: Know Causes and Effects

It's easy and tempting to simply review long lists of dates of important events, but this likely won't be enough for you to do well on a history test, especially if it has any writing involved. Instead of only learning the important dates of, say, WWI, focus on learning the factors that led to the war and what its lasting impacts on the world were. By understanding the cause and effects of major events, you'll be able to link them to the larger themes you're learning in history class. Also, having more context about an event can often make it easier to remember little details and dates that go along with it.

#10: Make Your Own Timelines

Sometimes you need to know a lot of dates for a history test. In these cases, don't think passively reading your notes is enough. Unless you have an amazing memory, it'll take you a long time for all those dates to sink into your head if you only read through a list of them. Instead, make your own timeline.

Make your first timeline very neat, with all the information you need to know organized in a way that makes sense to you (this will typically be chronologically, but you may also choose to organize it by theme). Make this timeline as clear and helpful as you can, using different colors, highlighting important information, drawing arrows to connecting information, etc. Then, after you've studied enough to feel you have a solid grasp of the dates, rewrite your timeline from memory. This one doesn't have to be neat and organized, but include as much information as you remember. Continue this pattern of studying and writing timelines from memory until you have all the information memorized.

Know which direction events occur in to prepare for history tests.

How to Study for a Math Test

Math tests can be particularly intimating to many students, but if you're well-prepared for them, they're often straightforward.

#11: Redo Homework Problems

More than most tests, math tests usually are quite similar to the homework problems you've been doing. This means your homework contains dozens of practice problems you can work through. Try to review practice problems from every topic you'll be tested on, and focus especially on problems that you struggled with. Remember, don't just review how you solved the problem the first time. Instead, rewrite the problem, hide your notes, and solve it from scratch. Check your answer when you're finished. That'll ensure you're committing the information to memory and actually have a solid grasp of the concepts.

#12: Make a Formula Sheet

You're likely using a lot of formulas in your math class, and it can be hard remembering what they are and when to use them. Throughout the year, as you learn a new important formula, add it to a formula sheet you've created. For each formula, write out the formula, include any notes about when to use it, and include a sample problem that uses the formula. When your next math test rolls around, you'll have a useful guide to the key information you've been learning.

How to Study for an English Test

Whether your English test involves writing or not, here are two tips to follow as you prepare for it.

#13: Take Notes as You Read

When you're assigned reading for English class, it can be tempting to get through the material as quickly as possible and then move on to something else. However, this is not a good way to retain information, and come test day, you may be struggling to remember a lot of what you read. Highlighting important passages is also too passive a way to study. The way to really retain the information you read is to take notes. This takes more time and effort, but it'll help you commit the information to memory. Plus, when it comes time to study, you'll have a handy study guide ready and won't have to frantically flip through the book to try to remember what you read. The more effort you put into your notes, the more helpful they'll be. Consider organizing them by theme, character, or however else makes sense to you.

#14: Create Sample Essay Outlines

If the test you're taking requires you to write an essay, one of the best ways to be prepared is to develop essay outlines as you study. First, think about potential essay prompts your teacher might choose you to write about. Consider major themes, characters, plots, literary comparisons, etc., you discussed in class, and write down potential essay prompts. Just doing this will get you thinking critically about the material and help you be more prepared for the test.

Next, write outlines for the prompts you came up with (or, if you came up with a lot of prompts, choose the most likely to outline). These outlines don't need to contain much information, just your thesis and a few key points for each body paragraph. Even if your teacher chooses a different prompt than what you came up with, just thinking about what to write about and how you'll organize your thoughts will help you be more prepared for the test.

Fancy pen and ink not required to write essay outlines.

What to Do the Night Before the Test

Unfortunately, the night before a test is when many students make study choices that actually hurt their chances of getting a good grade. These three tips will help you do some final review in a way that helps you be at the top of your game the next day.

#15: Get Enough Sleep

One of the absolute best ways to prepare for a test-any test-is to be well-rested when you sit down to take it. Staying up all night cramming information isn't an effective way of studying, and being tired the next day can seriously impact your test-taking skills. Aim to get a solid eight hours of sleep the night before the test so that you can wake up refreshed and at the top of your test-taking game.

#16: Review Major Concepts

It can be tempting to try to go through all your notes the night before a test to review as much information as possible, but this will likely only leave you stressed to and overwhelmed by the information you're trying to remember. If you've been regularly reviewing information throughout the class, you shouldn't need much more than a quick review of major ideas, and perhaps a few smaller details you have difficulty remembering. Even if you've gotten behind on studying and are trying to review a lot of information, resist the information to cram and focus on only a few major topics. By keeping your final night review manageable, you have a better chance of committing that information to memory, and you'll avoid lack of sleep from late night cramming.

#17: Study Right Before You Go to Sleep

Studies have shown that if you review material right before you go to sleep, you have better memory recall the next day. (This is also true if you study the information right when you wake up.) This doesn't mean you should cram all night long (remember tip #15), but if there are a few key pieces of information you especially want to review or are having trouble committing to memory, review them right before you go to bed. Sweet dreams!

Summary: The Best Way to Study for a Test

If you're not sure how to study for a test effectively, you might end up wasting hours of time only to find that you've barely learned anything at all. Overall, the best way to study for a test, whether you want to know how to study for a math test or how to study for a history test, is to study regularly and practice active learning. Cramming information and trying to remember things just by looking over notes will rarely get you the score you want. Even though the tips we suggest do take time and effort on your part, they'll be worth it when you get the score you're working towards.

What's Next?

Want tips specifically on how to study for AP exams? We've outlined the f ive steps you need to follow to ace your AP classes.

Taking the SAT and need study tips? Our guide has every study tip you should follow to reach your SAT goal score.

Or are you taking the ACT instead? We've got you covered! Read our guide to learn four different ways to study for the ACT so you can choose the study plan that's best for you.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., how to study for a test: 10 steps to ace your next test.

We promise your teacher isn’t out to get you. As unpleasant as taking a test can often be, it actually does more than just show your teacher what you know: it can actually help you learn.

Studies have shown that students who are tested regularly actually learn more content and retain it longer than students who have not been tested. Great news for final exams.  Frequent testing has even been shown to help decrease test anxiety.

Not sure how to study for a test? Follow these study tips to make your best grade!

1. Get informed

• textbook chapters and topics the test will cover
• test format

2. Think like your teacher

Your homeworks assignments, quizzes, handouts, daily notes , and classwork are all indicators of what your teacher thinks is important about the information and what might appear on the test.

3. Make your own study aids

When it comes to learning, practice tests work BETTER than simply highlighting or re-reading your notes. So, turn your notes into flashcards or use a flashcard app for memorizing Spanish vocab. Ask your friends to quiz you or write your own practice test.

4. Practice for the inevitable

Outline essays ahead of time. For math tests, do plenty of practice problems similar to ones that you KNOW will appear. Make a list of questions that you think might show up on the test (and then make sure you can answer them!).

Free SAT Practice Tests & Events

Evaluate and improve your SAT score.

5. Study every day

If you have a test in a week, studying a little each day will help you identify tough concepts or weak areas in your knowledge in advance. Can't figure out factoring? Log on to Homework Help and get your questions answered.

6. Cut out the distractions

Distractions make it difficult to pay attention to what you’re doing, which in turn makes it harder to commit facts to memory. Give yourself a leg up by turning off the notifications on your phone, temporarily blocking your favorite websites, or sticking to instrumental music while you study (so you’re not tempted to sing along!). Taking a break every 45 minutes or so will also help you stay focused.

7. Divide big concepts from smaller details

If you're studying a big topic—like the Civil War for history  or cellular processes for biology —try breaking the material you need to study into chunks. Study one battle at a time or one chapter section at a time—and then quiz yourself. Ask yourself questions about what you’ve just studied, and even write your answers down.

8. Don’t neglect the “easy” stuff

Even if you’ve been acing a certain subject or concept all year and think the test will be a breeze, you should still give it a review before the big day. You don’t want to lose points for careless errors or forget to memorize a key geometry formula.

9. Don’t skip school

Missing classes automatically puts you at a disadvantage. Make sure you go to class (especially during the week leading up to the test) and attend any review sessions your teacher holds. Did you have to miss an important class? You can always ask your teacher or one of our tutors  for help catching up.

10. Review the day of the test

Before you take the test, give yourself time for a quick review. Shuffle through those flashcards a couple of times or re-read your chapter outline. This will ensure the material is fresh in your mind.

Still stuck on how to study for a test?

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How to Pass Any Exam in a Week: 15 Tips [2024 Updated]

Do you know the most important skill for every student?

Here it is: How to pass exams.

• 🔎 Find out what your test will be like
• 📃 Develop a memory for test
• 🏫 Don’t stick to one study place
• 📚 Organize your study place
• 📵 Get distractions away
• 📅 Divide studying into sessions
• ☑ Set a goal
• 👯 Group up with your friends
• ✅ Test yourself
• 🥊 Beat your test anxiety
• ♟ Develop the test strategy
• 🤓 Learn from professionals
• ❓ Work differently with different questions
• 🗃 Use flashcards
• 😤 Relax and don’t worry after the test

We all know that the vast majority of successful students get to the top by applying some simple but effective study strategies.

And here’s the key:

Getting ready for your exam efficiently comes from learning how to study smarter, not harder. Trust us. You’ll become more aware of this fact as the years go on and you advance in your education.

As time passes, more and more of your classes will only get tougher, and you’ll end up always having to burn the midnight oil if you haven’t developed the proper study habits.

Here are the top 15 study tips from researchers and scientists that will tell you how to pass any exam with flying colors.

First things first. How do you start your preparation for exam?

1. 🔎 Find out what your test will be like

What’s the bottom line?

Start your test preparation by first learning about the test format (multiple choice, listening, essay, etc.) so the individual tasks won’t get you down. Don’t hesitate to ask your teacher.

Here are the most popular types of test:

• Multiple choice – choose one or more right answers from a list of options

Example: Cambridge Asvsessment General English Test

• True or false – determine if the statement is true

Example: True/False Algebra Questions With Answers

• Matching – connect two parts of a sentence, an object with an action, an object with a subject, and more

Example: IELTS Matching – Listening Exercise

• Fill-in-the-blank – choose or write the correct word or phrase for the blank space

Example: Can you name the Harry Potter Quotes ?

• Essay writing – choose a topic and write a paper

Example: 100 IELTS Essay Questions

Although your teacher may not straight away tell you what material you will need for the exam, he or she will definitely give you a list of the relevant topics to review.

If you have the chance, look through the tests from previous years – usually, they are similar in structure and content.

2. 📃 Develop a memory for test

Here is the deal:

It’s nearly impossible to develop memory in a short period, but you can improve your skill at remembering by correcting thoughts and habits. Improvement does not depend on how much you use your memory but how you use it.

So, what you should do?

Develop your memory for the test by making a habit out of paying close attention to the material you wish to remember. Make sure you have a clear image of the face, name, date, or facts you are learning. Make them meaningful by associating them with any material you already know.

Getting a good amount of sleep and eating proper meals are also essential factors for successful memorizing.

While learning, try to obtain as many different kinds of impressions as possible. Do whatever works for you. Some people memorize pictures better, while others memorize sounds better.

Putting together impressions from all the sense organs makes remembering easier as we rely on both sight and hearing.

Try to visualize the information. Draw a diagram or graphic and take notes to get a clear vision of the material.

With a good memory, you will never doubt how to pass any exam, right?

Want to learn even more? Just watch this video:

Try to spend half of your study session just reading. For the next half, actively do something with what you have learned: write new notes, try to find connections, or solve problems.

Study more than what’s just enough to pass your exam. It’s worth it—experiments have proven that 50 percent more studying results in 50 percent more retention. Apart from your regular study resources, look for free essays on the topic, too. They usually contain useful information and unique findings obtained from extensive research.

In fact, in a week’s time, it was found that people who spent more time studying memorized six times more than those who barely covered the material.

Aren’t these great finals week tips?

3. 🏫 Don’t stick to one study place

Here’s an important trick you might not know:

By changing your environment, you force your brain to recollect the same information in different places. That means that your brain will see that material as more useful and worth keeping.

To maximize your performance, take into consideration the context of your testing environment while studying. It’ll be easier to recall the information during the exam if you learned it in a similar environment.

That’s why many students prefer preparing for a test in a classroom or library. Moreover, you may learn better with a friend or as part of a team. This increases your chances of getting a high score.

4. 📚 Organize your study place

Dispose of any clutter you have on your table. Make sure that the light is right, your chair is cozy, and you have enough fresh air.

Before getting started, find what works for you and make your study space as comfortable as possible. For example, some people work better in complete silence, while others prefer having some background music.

Also, your choice of furniture is a factor. If you have an uncomfortable chair, learning to pass an exam becomes challenging. Choose a better option and improve your concentration.

The majority of study methods demand someplace specific to perform them whether it’s taking notes or making flashcards. That’s why it’s great to have a large desk and a whiteboard to organize everything to be most effective.

5. 📵 Get distractions away

If you really want to study effectively, here is the kicker:

Put aside all of your social networks, mobile apps , and computer games during your study sessions. If you can’t resist the urge to check notifications or reply to messages, search for an app that will block all sources of distractions for a certain period.

There are some extensions and mobile apps that may help.

For example, StayFocusd and WasteNoTime allow you to block particular websites or set limitations on them. You can spend 30 minutes on Facebook, but then it will be locked for the next 2 hours.

Go ahead and devote all your attention to the test!

6. 📅 Divide studying into sessions

Going to try and learn everything in one night by reading your study materials over and over again?

Contrary to popular belief, cramming doesn’t work.

In fact, it can cause more harm than help. It’s better to plan everything ahead of time and spread out your study periods for at least one week before the exam. In this way, you will have enough time to develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

For better long-term retention of knowledge, be sure to take regular breaks. Take time to go outside and enjoy nature or to do something that you enjoy.

Divide your studying into sessions of just 20 to 30 minutes, and focus on a single topic during each session. Always try to think of multiple ways to use the same information—that’s one of the most effective study skills.

It’s also important to understand what tasks will lead you to your goal fast and well. That’s why you should make a to-do list including all the topics, exercises, papers, and materials needed.

To develop a weekly schedule, why not try using specific software:

• Remember the Milk

7. ☑ Set a goal

Set a realistic goal and determine the amount of time you are going to spend studying. Write down all of the steps in a planner.

Each time you plan your study session, set a goal to understand the material thoroughly enough that you could explain it clearly to anyone.

If you can set a goal, why can’t you pass an exam?

8. 👯‍♀️ Group up with your friends

One of the best ways to study effectively is to cooperate with your friends. Group study is the perfect opportunity to compare class notes and discuss any especially complicated concepts you think will be given in the test.

Group study for the test can be effective if all group members are disciplined and results-oriented. Moreover, you need to meet frequently enough to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Some group members may share some tips to pass the exam easier, that you didn’t know yet.

Making up questions for each other and meeting to compare answers is an excellent idea, as well as giving each other timed quizzes to become familiar with working under pressure.

Make sure each member contributes to the group work by having a conversation on this topic on the very first day.

9. ✅ Test yourself

For individual studying, try a study card technique, like flash cards, or download an app to make a quiz of your own.

Use information from the notes you have taken while studying so that the material on the cards is clear to you.

To use flash cards to their highest potential, keep these tips in mind:

Make flashcards with basic definitions and concepts, mix them up, and pick out two to three cards to begin with. After learning the material from these cards, choose one more and go on.

When you have six cards, start dropping one of the original ones and continue until you have learned all of them. Repeat two to three times a day for 15 to 20 minutes, and you are ready to go.

Consider making physical copies of your flashcards so you can carry them around and use at any time.

And now to the test part!

10. 🥊 Beat your test anxiety

Wondering how to beat your test anxiety? Here you go:

On the day before the exam, you probably will be feeling sick and anxious, maybe even enough to make you want to run away or murder someone.

Relax—you are not the only one who has a fear of tests. Researchers have examined this question to supply you with ways to get calm enough to recollect the correct answer during test time.

Here’s one of the more surprising tips:

Don’t drink coffee or tea before your test, as caffeine just adds to the stress. As a result, you will probably be too pumped up to focus well on the task at hand.

Try to eat light or stay away from food altogether before the test. This makes sure that your most oxygen-rich blood goes straight to your brain and not your digestive system. It’s better take a walk to get the blood moving than to eat a huge meal.

Find a comfortable outfit that won’t distract you. Also, make sure you have all the pencils, pens, and erasers you will need so you won’t feel nervous over their absence.

Most importantly, be confident about your performance and don’t worry if you feel nervous: you have already done everything you could to get ready.

Don’t let yourself be distracted by other students who seem to be writing non-stop. Concentrate on your own tasks instead, focusing only on how to pass your examination.

Don’t be afraid to take a pause if you need to—just close your eyes and relax with some breathing exercises.

And now let’s look at some tips to pass a test.

11.♟ Develop the test strategy

There are few main strategies for taking an examination .

Here’s the deal:

Scan the whole test first to get an idea of what concepts you will need. And as a bonus, you may find that the answers to some questions are actually given within other questions.

As you’re scanning, divide the whole test into sections for time management. Try to figure out which parts will take the most or least time, and organize your time accordingly.

Never try to save time by skipping the instructions, as they sometimes contain hints.

Besides, not reading the task instructions can lead to you wasting your time—what if the instructions say “answer one of the following questions” and you waste your time by answering all of them?

Remember that there are two main ways you can approach your test: either by completing your test section by section or by giving answers to the questions you know first and then coming back to the ones you are not certain of. By tackling your test in the second way, you will have more time to recall necessary information.

Always review your answers before you turn in your test to make sure you haven’t forgotten any skipped questions.

However, while looking through your work, don’t second-guess yourself too much—correct the answer only if the mistake is obvious.

And now it is time to use these tips!

12. 🤓 Learn from professionals

Whether it’s your entrance exams or final tests, you don’t have to develop new learning methods.

Let professionals do that.

Every time you feel lost and can’t find the starting point, turn to one of the following books. At least one of them, for sure, can help.

• Dominic O’Brien – How to Develop a Perfect Memory

Dominic O’Brien’s pdf book is the most searchable material on developing your memory. Learn to memorize numbers, directions, speeches, and many other details you may need on examinations.

• Mike Evans – How to Pass Your Exams: Proven Techniques for Any Exam That Will Guarantee

Don’t want to study hard for exams? Then, order this book. In his guide, Mike Evans explains the simple techniques of passing tests. You’ll learn how to get distinctions in all subjects without overworking and stressing yourself out.

• Peter Max Winkler – How to Pass IELTS Writing: 5 Steps to Write For IELTS

Many of our readers are here, because they’re preparing for IELTS. If you’re one of them, then learn to pass the written part of examination with this book.

Another way to get innovative ideas on learning, procrastinating, time management, and so on is to subscribe to thematic blogs.

Blog writers, although sometimes they don’t hold a psychology or teaching degree, know how to conduct research. This skill and the ability to ask the right questions help them develop detailed tutorials for many significant issues.

• Stanford The College Puzzle is a must for your reading list. Its author, Michael Kirst, is the current President of the California State Board of Education, and he has a lot of tutorials to share with students.
• Succeed in IELTS – listening, writing, and reading tips to pass IELTS successfully. Know if your culture is significant during exams, learn to handle the wordiness of examination texts, and practice the perfect essay structure.
• Mind Shift – a detailed blog on school and college education. To ace exams, you need to study effectively. Mind Shift makes it possible with its statistics and case explanations for better learning.

IvyPanda – we produce a lot of guides to support your studies and self-learning. Check out our blog to find more tips!

13. ❓ Work differently with different questions

You might still be wondering how to take exam successfully. Get the answers for many different test types below:

How to pass a multiple choice exam: While reading the question, try to answer it first without looking at the given answers.

Next, read all of them, dismiss the wrong ones, and examine the distractors (statements that are true but don’t quite answer the question). In the end, you will have one variant—the correct one—left.

How to pass a matching exam: Start from the easy matches so you will have fewer options when it comes to harder ones.

Don’t forget to work both left to right and right to left; that is to say, don’t just look at the definition and try to find an appropriate word, but also look at the words and match them to definitions in your head.

When you have the last few pairs left, don’t just match them randomly to avoid unnecessary mistakes.

How to pass a fill in the blank exam: Try looking around the test questions for hints, like spelling and vocabulary words.

And last but not least — how to pass an essay exam: First read the instructions carefully to make sure you know what exactly is required. If you are unsure of any details, ask for clarification from the teacher (if possible).

Get to the point from the minute you start writing.

Don’t waste time on style; it’s better to focus your time and effort on supporting each point of your essay with examples and details.

When you are done, reread the text to make sure you answered the specific question.

If, unfortunately, you run out of time before you finish the essay, go ahead and list the points you were going to make in outline style, as you may get some points for them.

14. 🗃 Use flashcards

How to pass exams without studying too much? Turn studying into a game!

You can write flashcards by hand or use a mobile app for this purpose. Any theory test becomes easy if you spend 15 minutes every day on flashcard review.

Flashcards are an easy way to learn medical terms, foreign words, and programming. The method combines the benefits of regular review and mnemonics techniques that both lead to top grades.

Here’s a couple of apps you can use for better exam results:

15. 😤 Relax and don’t worry after the test

We know, it sounds impossible. Especially when you face final exams in a high school, IELTS, or other significant tests.

But worrying will not change your grade, but it can negatively affect your next one. Instead, put your focus right away on the next exam.

After you get your test back, look through it to find the questions you missed. If the teacher reviews the test in class, get ready to ask questions.

If you disagree with your exam grade, respectfully approach your teacher to get it explained. Remember that what you can learn from your mistakes is often more important than the grade itself.

Now you know how to pass any exam successfully. Go ahead and try these tips out!

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• How to Do Your Absolute Best in Exams: the Definitive Guide Written by an Exam Ace

People who like exams are few and far between.

You should also read…

• 25 Tips for Ultimate Student Productivity
• The Incisive Guide to Choosing the Right University for You

They’re a necessary part of life, but they put us under immense pressure and can sometimes feel as though they’re designed to catch us out, or make us feel stupid. Because of this, many students crumble in an exam environment because nerves get the better of them. But exams don’t have to be scary, or fill you with dread. With the pressure of so many exams and so much material to learn and recite, you may feel you lack control of the situation at times; but follow these tips and you’ll soon find that there’s plenty you can do to grasp the bull by the horns and increase your chances of exam success.

In the run-up to the exam

To do well in an exam, you need to lay the best possible foundations for success. In the months and weeks leading up to the exam , boost your exam performance by doing the following.

Revise, learn new things and revise some more

You know what they say: “To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail”. No matter how well you think you know a subject, never rest on your laurels. Revision is a vital part of exam success, no matter how tedious it may seem, and even if you think you know a subject inside out , you can still enhance your chances of exam success by using ‘revision’ time to cover new, related ground. This will enable you to impress in the exam by dropping in extra facts and insights that other students in your class may not have covered. We’ve already covered effective revision techniques for the sciences and the humanities in separate articles, so have a read of those before you start revising.

Sit some practice papers

Get hold of some practice papers and sit them under exam conditions, giving them to a teacher to mark afterwards. You’ll probably have some mock exams organised by your school anyway, but extra practice never hurts. This will help you become accustomed to the format the exams will take, allowing you to get the hang of timings and enabling you to start to predict the styles of questions you can expect in the real thing. By studying the patterns of which questions appear again and again, you may even be able to predict what questions you’re likely to get on the day (be careful with this, though, and don’t plan your revision based entirely on it; exam-setters are wise to students doing this, and may throw a curveball by not including a particular question or topic, or adding a new style of question). What’s more, sitting practice papers will also expose any gaps there may be in your knowledge, so that you can focus more of your revision time on these areas.

Study the mark scheme and syllabus

Find out exactly what the examiners are looking for by having a thorough read of the mark scheme for each of your subjects and noting what sorts of things are awarded extra points (and whether points are deducted for anything). Looking at the syllabus should also give you an indication of the full range of topics you may be questioned on, so that nothing comes as a surprise when you turn over the question paper. At this stage, if you spot an area that you think needs work, ask a teacher for advice.

Immediately before the exam

If you followed the above tips, by the time you reach the 12 to 24 hours before your exam, you should be feeling confident with your level of knowledge, as well as how to deploy that knowledge effectively. Your focus now switches to physical and mental preparation for the exam itself.

Get a good night’s sleep

Never ‘pull an all-nighter’ the night before an exam. Sleep plays a vital role in converting knowledge from short-term to long-term memory, meaning that the things you’ve learned start to sink in while you’re sleeping. What’s more, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep so that you don’t have to contend with flagging concentration levels and lethargy in the exam room.

Eat brain food

If you’re in a morning exam slot, ensure you have a good breakfast before you set off. Porridge is a good thing to have as it releases its energy slowly, keeping you going throughout the morning and stopping hunger pangs from distracting you during your exam. If you’re in an afternoon exam slot, have a good lunch beforehand – ideally one containing proteins, such as eggs or fish. Don’t rely on the stimulants and sugars found in drinks such as coffee or Red Bull to get you through; their effects quickly wear off, and won’t last long enough to see you through the whole exam.

Read up on the exam rules and regulations

To avoid unnecessary extra stress on the day, it’s a good idea to be completely au fait with what’s allowed and what isn’t. For example, if you want to take a bottle of water into the exam room with you, you’ll almost certainly have to remove the label. Now’s the time to ensure that you have regulation equipment where necessary – for example, if you’re sitting a maths exam, check what kinds of calculator are permitted and for which papers.

Adjust your mindset

Don’t approach your exam with a negative mindset . There’s nothing worse than telling yourself “I’m going to fail”, “this is going to be awful” or “I’m not ready for this”. Thoughts like these can become self-fulfilling prophecy, so instead, try to fill your mind with positive thoughts. You’d be amazed at the power of positive thinking in an exam situation, and you’ll find that it increases your confidence and makes you better able to tackle the questions, no matter how difficult they may be. Tell yourself “I can do this”, and see the exam as an intellectual challenge and an opportunity to show off how much you’ve learned during your years at school, sixth form or university.

Last-minute revision

Have a last-minute skim through your subject crib sheets just before you go into the exam, so that the topics are fresh in your mind and you’re in the frame of mind for tackling this particular subject.

In the exam

The moment has arrived, and now it’s your chance to shine. Keep a level head and read on for some indispensable tips for effective exam technique.

Read every question thoroughly

Before you begin the exam, read the whole question paper very carefully, and then read it again. It’s vital that you understand exactly what’s being asked of you before you make your final selection of questions to answer. Choose the questions you think you can score the most points in, and remember that these may not necessarily be the ones that appear to be on the topics you know most about.

Plan what order you’ll tackle the questions in

Don’t waste lots of time on planning what order to tackle the questions in; a quick mental note to yourself will suffice as you’re reading through the question paper. Circle the questions you plan to answer. Tackle the easiest questions first, as this will mean that you’re quickly able to score points early on, ensuring you have a base level of marks before you start dealing with the trickier questions, which may take longer to complete.

Write an essay plan

Essays can quickly become unstructured in the pressure of an exam environment, when your inclination may be to ‘brain dump’ by writing down as much as you know or can remember about the topic. Beware of doing this; use your time effectively by only including relevant material, as concisely as possible. To help you do this, make a very quick essay plan before you start, outlining a rough structure and areas you want to cover. Don’t forget to include an introduction and a conclusion that pulls everything together.

Answer the question

Questions may be worded slightly differently to how you might expect, which may lead to an initial panic when you think you don’t know what you should be writing about. You’ll almost certainly find that once you read through it again, you have the knowledge to be able to tackle it effectively. Don’t make the mistake many students make, though:  answering the question you want to answer, rather than the one being asked. No matter how brilliant your essay, you’ll get little credit if it’s answering a different question. Don’t forget to note instructions such as “analyse” or “compare and contrast” and ensure you do as instructed.

Deploy quotes from other people and sources where you can

Without relying solely on the words of other people, you’ll impress in an exam if you can quote what others say about a particular topic and quote from original source material. This means that your answer, rather than being vague, will be sharp and well-informed, showing the examiner that you’re very familiar with the literature involved and comfortable using it to back up your arguments.

Don’t include more examples than you need to

You may be able to rattle off half a dozen examples to illustrate a particular point, but you don’t need to include all of them. One or two examples briefly cited will be enough to support your point, without wasting valuable time.

Don’t just regurgitate facts

Examiners see the same facts repeated all the time, so if you really want to impress, you’ll need to do more than just regurgitate. Show that you’re in command of the facts by deploying them intelligently, using them to illustrate your points and offering pertinent insights.

If you get stuck…

…try tackling a different question and then go back to the one you were stuck on. Focusing on something else for a bit should help clear your mental block and leave you with fresh inspiration for the problem question.

Closely monitor time

Plan how much time you’ll spend on each question according to how many marks are available for each question, and ensure you stick rigidly to these allocated times. If you don’t, you risk running out of time, and marks may sometimes be deducted for incomplete answers. Conversely, it’s not a good idea to leave the exam room early. If you find you have time left over, use it to read through your answers and possibly add extra paragraphs if additional points occur to you. If you’ve finished way before everyone else, there may be a reason for that – so study the questions and your answers carefully to ensure you’ve not missed anything important, and ensure you’ve answered the required number of questions.

Allow time for reading over your answers at the end

It’s best to allow time within each allotted question time for reading over your answer to check it makes sense, and to correct any ‘typos’ you may inadvertently have made.

After the exam

Phew – it’s over! Let’s end with a few final tips on what happens next.

Don’t look back

However tempting it is, don’t try to do a post-mortem of your exam performance. You can’t change what you wrote now, and stressing over what you should or shouldn’t have written isn’t going to do you any favours. Don’t, whatever you do, look back over your notes for that paper. It will only fill you with insecurity and doubt, possibly hampering your performance in other exams that you may have looming. Put your notes for that topic away in a drawer, without opening them, and forget about them.

Relax and re-focus

The chances are that you’ll have a run of exams rather than just one, so after each exam, factor in a bit of relaxation time and then turn your focus to the next subject.

If it went really badly…

We’re our own worst critic, so the chances are that the exam went a lot better than you thought it did. But if, on results day , your suspicions are confirmed, all is not lost:  you can always retake a paper as a last resort. And if you feel that the mark you’ve ended up with is bafflingly lower than you feel it should have been, you can also pay a small admin fee to have the paper remarked (which may push the marks up high enough to gain you a higher grade – but beware that it might also push your marks down). The secret of exam success lies primarily in diligent preparation, effective exam technique and a positive mental attitude. We hope you’ve found these tips useful; if you have any you think should be on this list, feel free to let us know in the comments section below. Good luck!

Exam Prep: Writing Essays

English language exams typically have a writing section, and many of those require test-takers to write an essay in a timed environment. If your students are preparing for such an exam, here are some practices they can employ to better prepare themselves for the writing section.

Budget Time

Your students need to know how much time they have for the writing section (or if there are multiple parts to the writing section, how long they have to write a single essay).  The duration is dependent upon the specific exam, as it varies from one to the next.  Furthermore, some exams give students time to read a prompt and think of a response, and then a separate portion of time to actually write.  As a teacher, you can help students find out these restrictions well before they need to take the test.

It’s often a good idea to set aside some time at the beginning to plan out they major points of their essay.  Spending roughly 10% of the allotted time at the start is a good rule of thumb, although some students could benefit from a little more time while others hardly need any time at all to do this.  During this time, students can write some notes off to the side – or on a separate sheet of paper, if allowed – the major points they want to discuss and the order they want to approach them.  For some students, this will look like and orderly outline, while other students will be more comfortable with a few scribbled notes.  Once students have set aside the top-level stuff, they can focus on the details as they start to actually write.

For some students, it’s tricky to juggle topics and themes, supporting points, grammar, and spelling all at once when under the pressure of limited time.  Separating their focus in this way can help.

In a similar fashion, it might be good to set aside a couple minutes at the end to review their essay.  Whether or not they planned for such time, if they finished with any time to spare, they should review before relaxing.  Students should check spelling and grammar, and perhaps even reconsider word choices.  Keep reading for more on these techniques.

Know the Purpose

The purpose of the essay will vary from one exam to the next, and most exams will be consistent with the type of essays they expect (meaning you should be able to know the purpose ahead of time).  Many exams are fairly broad, with prompts allowing students to pick from a wide range of topics within a category, but other exams are more specific.

For example, some writing sections direct students to write a persuasive essay.  In this case, students should probably using mostly positive points about whatever stance they take (including using more positive vocabulary).

Other exams present one stance and prompt the students to either support or oppose that stance.  For these more argumentative essays, students can acknowledge both sides of the argument (and probably use a good measure of comparative language) and might want to use vocabulary that has a more logical feel.

An essay can turn out very different depending upon the purpose, so students should prepare for the specific style expected for their upcoming exam.

Watch for Common Errors

There are a handful of errors that English learners tend to make.  (For that matter, there are plenty that even native speakers tend to make).  These include mixing up there and their ; its and it’s , effect and affect , etc.  You can look up lists of common mistakes, and students may even already be aware of mistakes they tend to make.  Often, we know the difference when we think about it, but we might make the wrong choice when writing in a hurry.

Students probably shouldn’t be thinking too hard about these typical errors in the middle of writing, but they are things the test-takers can easily check if they have time at the end of the section.

Use Varied Vocabulary

For many exams, graders are more likely to award a higher score when the essay features a greater breadth of vocab words.

As students write, they’ll probably use what comes easiest to them, which is probably best for the true content of the essay.  But if they have time at the end, they can read through their essay and replace certain words with synonyms.  Take a look at our post Never Say ‘Good’ or our project Synonyms Based on Emotions for some example sets of words to consider.

Apply Transition Words

Strong essays connect ideas together, and the language reinforces the structure.  An essay can go from good to great by applying connecting words in different ways.

To go from one point to another, or from a higher-level idea to a supporting one, essay writers can use words and phrases like:

for example

in contrast

nevertheless

consequently

in addition

in conclusion

There are others you can use as well.  Which types of transition words you use depends on the purpose of the essay.  Write down a list of ones that would probably be useful for the particular exam your students are preparing for and have students memorize them and practice using them so that they can add them as needed to their essays.

Write Complex Sentences

Not every sentence needs to be a complex one, but a handful should be (or more, for students that are comfortable using them more frequently).  Complex Sentences are great for tying multiple ideas together in a single thought, which is often valuable in essays.  Once again, it’s beneficial for students to have a firm grasp on connecting words.

Hopefully, your students are already familiar with complex sentences by the time you start preparing them for the exam.  But now would be a good time to guide them in more practice with complex sentences so that they grow more comfortable with using them on a regular basis.

Check out some of our essay prompts:

• This vs. That
• A Better School Experience
• Modern Technology

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For Love of the Semicolon

Semicolons are not commonly used, but they’re my favorite punctuation mark. Hear me out. They’re rather versatile in connecting two aspects of a single idea. They reflect natural speech, and they also add variety to the transitions and sentence structure in your writing.

Is It Okay to Break Grammar Rules?

People break grammar rules all the time. Is that okay? Which rules can we break? In what situations is it okay to break rules? Are there rules to breaking rules? Here’s a look at which rules you can break in casual writing.

The Shape of Writing

The shape of paragraphs can be an indicator of the style of a piece of writing. Taking these shapes into consideration when writing or editing can help improve the final draft.

How to Get Students to Accidentally Write Essays

Very few students enjoy writing essays.  For most, it’s a rather daunting task.  Often it’s the composition that throws students off, so cast that aside at first and simply get them to tell you what they think without a pen and paper.

YLE Prep: Fill-In-The-Blanks

You can prepare for fill-in-the-blank sections of exams like the Cambridge Assessment: Young Learners English tests by combining the two techniques of recalling small, common words and writing down answers before looking at answer choices.

Top-Down vs Bottom-Up Processing

We generally teach the structure of a grammar point, and the usage follows. That works well enough for receptive skills, but for productive skills, it feels backward. Maybe we should try the reverse approach.

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How to write an essay? | B2 First (FCE)

The essay is a compulsory task to be completed in Part 1 of the writing section in the Cambridge B2 First (FCE) that is written to convince someone of something or to simply inform the reader about a particular topic.

There is no single, method of successful writing essay. However, this article will outline how to write an excellent essay   in the B2 First (FCE) exam by putting into practice some simple, but invaluable, tips.

You will learn how to write an essay, an example of essay structure , guidance , sample topics , model answers , useful tips , frequently asked questions and useful phrases and expressions.

B2 First (FCE) Essay: Structure example

An essay can be organised in different ways, but it is useful to write one idea in one paragraph and add a short introduction and conclusion .

writing a professional essay

FCE, CAE, CPE

Practice, write & improve, b2 first (fce) essay: how to write an essay (guide).

It is always an essay written for your teacher, and the start of the question wording is always the same:

In your English class you have been talking about [topic]. Now, your English teacher has asked you to write an essay. Write your essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

We will use the example question below in our writing essay  advice:

In your English class, you have been talking about society. Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree?

Write about: 1. Taxes 2. Opportunity 3. …………………… (your own idea)

Step 1: Briefly analyse your task…

Before you start writing your essay at B2 First exam you need to ask three questions:

What is the topic of the essay?

If you look at our example task you will notice that we are going to write about society .

In your English class, you have been talking about society . Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

Knowing this, you can quickly prepare in your head all the words that you associate with this topic or even write them down.

What exactly do I have to include in my essay?

As you can see there are three points included in the task there are two that are already given in our example

Write about: 1. Taxes 2. Opportunity 3. …………………… ( your own idea) <= you have to come up with this one yourself 

The first point is taxes , the second is opportunity , and the third one is something you must come up with yourself!

We decided that the third point we would comment on would be economics

Who is going to read my essay?

In the FCE essay, it’s always your English teacher.  It means that you need to write with respect because she is a person with authority, therefore essay has to be written in a formal style.

What is formal style?

Formal language is professional and serious rather than relaxed and friendly and is used especially in official situations. It is usually reserved for essays and academic settings, while informal writing is used for more casual settings, like friendly text messages and creative writing.

Below are listed the biggest differences between formal and informal writing styles:

Contractions

It is advised to avoid contractions (shortened versions of words) in formal language, but they’re acceptable in informal language.

Unfortunately, the team could not replicate the results. (Formal)

Unfortunately, the team couldn’t replicate the results. (Informal)

Colloquial Phrases/Slang

Formal language is also marked by an absence of colloquial phrases and slang (words or phrases that are common only in everyday speech), but are typically used in informal language.

Everyone was disappointed . (Formal)

Everyone was bummed . (Informal)

First-Person Pronouns

Generally, first-person pronouns (like I and we ) are avoided when writing with formal language . However, it’s accepted (and expected) in informal language.

The students were asked to fill out the questionnaire. (Formal) We asked the students to fill out the questionnaire. (Informal)

Phrasal Verbs

When using formal language in your B2 writing, it is also recommended to replace phrasal verbs (proper verbs that are followed by one or more prepositions and act as a single verb).

It was something the protestors could endure . (Formal) It was something the protestors could put up with . (Informal)

Vocabulary Choice

Formal language tends to use longer, more complex vocabulary. Sometimes it is not recommended to use this type of vocabulary with informal language (depending on what you’re writing) because it can confuse or distract your audience.

They needed assistance while recovering from the outcomes of the hurricane. (Formal) They needed help while recovering from the effects of the hurricane. (Informal)

Step 2: Write an introduction

The purpose of the introduction is simply to tell the reader what the essay is about.

You can start your essay by referring to the question that was asked “ University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree? ” and writing it in your own words . It is also worth mentioning the three points you are going to describe.

Introduction : There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy. 

You can use phrases such as:

This essay will discuss … This essay will focus on … In order to discuss …, I will analyse …

Step 3: Main body paragraphs… 

Main body paragraphs are the most important part of your essay so they should be the longest and one paragraph should comment on one point. See below:

Write about: 1. Taxes – the first paragraph should comment on “ taxes”  2. Opportunity – the second paragraph should comment on “ opportunity “ 3. …………………… (your own idea) – the third paragraph should comment on “economy”

In addition, every paragraph should start with a topic sentence, which is like an introduction to the paragraph and it tells the reader what exactly the paragraph is going to discuss.

Also, a good idea is to include different linking words/expressions to make sure that your ideas are well connected and in a logical order.

What is a topic sentence?

A topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph (which is also the most important )

A topic sentence essentially tells readers about the rest of the paragraph . If the topic sentence says “ Cats are very good pets for several reasons” , then every sentence after that needs to describe that subject.

For example:

Cats are very good pets for several reasons . (<=topic sentence / every sentence after it describes that subject =>) They are naturally good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.

What are the linking words/expressions?

These are words and expressions that help the text flow logically . These words act as signposts, helping the reader easily move from one idea to the next and see connections between sentences or paragraphs.

Linking words is especially useful when you want to indicate that you are going to explain something, provide an example use a time sequence, or present a contrasting point of view.

Between paragraphs:

To begin with, I would like to put forward […] The first possible action is, to improve physical education …[…] A second option would be. …  competitive attitudes that […]

Within a paragraph:

[…] which activity is better than the others. Another reason for not financing sports […]

You can see a model answer below:

First paragraph comment on  “Taxes” Paragraph 1: Firstly , a majority of people believe that a significant part of taxes should go to education. Opponents might say if someone can afford university, then he/she should pay for it. However , people with higher education have better wages and therefore pay higher income tax after graduation .

Second paragraph comment on “Opportunity ” Paragraph 2: Secondly, making university free for all, creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds . Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation , it makes the playing field more level.

Third paragraph comment on “….…… (your own idea)” : economy Paragraph 3: In addition , having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. Namely , the more highly educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently , more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.

                  – topic sentence

                    – linking words/expressions

                    – interesting/topical vocabulary

Remember, you don’t have to tell the truth! The examiners won’t know, so if you don’t have experience or an opinion you can make something up!

Step 4: Conclusion 

The conclusion comes at the end of your essay, it summarizes the main idea of the essay.  You need to write a clear, justified conclusion. You can’t just say, ‘I agree’, or ‘I disagree.’ Think of it like this: you need to convince the examiner that your conclusion is correct.

In conclusion, a university should be free for everyone. It makes economic sense and ultimately benefits all members of society.

                  – linking words/expressions

Make sure your paragraphs are connected to your conclusion!

See Full Essay

There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.

Firstly, a majority of people believe that a significant part of taxes should go to education. Opponents might say if someone can afford university, then he/she should pay for it. However, people with higher education have better wages and therefore pay higher income tax after graduation.

Secondly, making university free for all, creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation, it makes the playing field more level.

In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. Namely, the more highly educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.

Get Your (FCE) Essay Checked!

B2 first (fce)  essay: example essays, fce essay sample 1.

In your English class you have been talking about the environment. Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.

Every country in the world has problems with pollution and damage to the environment. Do you think these problems can be solved?

Write about: 1. transport 2. rivers and seas 3. ………………………… (your own idea)

Student’s FCE Essay Answer:

DEVELOPMENT VS ENVIRONMENT

If we surf the web looking for pollution and environmental catastrophes, we will find out that every country in the world suffers them. This is a natural consequence of the struggle between development and environment.

If a country decided to live isolated from the rest of the world, living on what it can naturally grow and produce, it surely wouldn’t be highly polluted. But we all want exotic food and technological items from all over the world, so we have to pay the price.

Investing on electrical transport would benefit the environment a lot. Even more if this electricity came from a natural source of energy like wind, rivers and solar boards. It’s difficult to achieve this because petrol companies will fight against these actions.

We also have to take care of our rivers and seas. We all have heard about factories throwing highly toxic substances to rivers, without minimizing their poisoning effects. A really strict law should be applied to fine these factories and make them change their policy.

But what about ourselves? We also can do a lot! If, when possible, we bought larger packs of food, we would be producing less rubbish. And this is only an example!

FCE Essay Sample 2

In your English class you have been talking about the fashion industry. Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

Some people say the fashion industry has a bad effect on people’s lives. Do you agree?

Write about: 1. whether people’s appearance is important 2. the price of clothes 3. …………………… (your own idea)

The society we live today is characterised by technology in constant development, fast speed processes, information travelling and getting to people at a blink of an eye and a complex web of social networking. In this context, the fashion industry is becoming increasingly important and having a more and more paramount role in our lives.

On one hand, the fashion industry is undeniably a source of profit and income. It hires millions of people all over the world and generates millions of dollars every year. Furthermore, such profitable business is also believed to be able to spread and make known the culture of a people, encouraging and enhancing a better understanding of each other.

Nevertheless, for those who are neither impressed nor motivated by numbers and figures, the fashion industry is seen as one which segregates people, isolating those who not fit their laws and commands. It is stated that people place too much importance on appearance and the material, world, sadly true, and the fashion industry just spurs on such situation. Moreover, not only are the costs of fashion item unrealistically high, it is thought to be a money better spent on more pressing issues, such as poverty and hunger.

I do believe that the fashion industry, as it is today, has a harmful effect, because it values a minority of people in detriment to the majority. However, it has such a wide reach that, it put into a good use, it can save lives.

B2 First (FCE) Essay: Example topics

Fce example topic 1.

Your teacher has asked you to write your response to the following statement taken from a recent newspaper article:

Is it true that we help the environment when we plant a tree?

Write about:

• clear the air
•  ………….( your own idea)

FCE Example topic 2

Nowadays children are suffering from obesity, that was once considered to be meant for adults only. What are its causes and what solutions can be offered?

• busy lifestyle
• ………………(your own idea)

FCE Example topic 3

Is it better to be the oldest or the youngest in a family?

• role of older sibling

More than Practice Tests

B2 first (fce)  essay: tips.

• Make sure you know how to comment on all the points that are asked
• Invent information if you don’t have any ideas
• Divide the essay into paragraphs – put one answer in one paragraph
• Use advanced vocabulary when you can and formal language
• The final paragraph is the best place to express your opinion clearly.
• Revise your essay to correct mistakes.

B2 First (FCE) Essay: FAQ

How long should a b2 essay be.

You need to answer the question with between 140-190 words. 

If an answer is too long, you may get a lower score.   If you write 200 words, it’s not a problem. However, if you write 300 words, it’s a problem.

Should you do a plan?

Yes! You must make a plan to organise your essay writing . On the day of the exam, you will be stressed and feel pressure. A plan is your way of organising you text and your thoughts.

What happens if I write more than 190 words?

Nothing… Well, almost nothing. In the past for every 5 words extra, they took away a point, however, now they do not. It is not good to go over 190 words because of time, but you can. I wouldn´t write more than 200 words because they will probably lower the mark they give you for content. They will determine some of it to be unnecessary.

What counts as a complex language in the exam?

You MUST use complex language at B2 level . You must use attention-grabbing vocabulary and a variety of grammar structures. The passive voice, relative clauses, modal verbs, conditionals, reported speech and inversions all count as COMPLEX grammar forms and you must use them. Otherwise, you can address academic experts and pay someone to write your paper if you need help to write an essay for you.

B2 First (FCE) Essay: Useful Phrases & Expressions

Introduction.

The trend nowadays is towards …. Over the past ten years or so the media have frequently carried reports of …. Recent research indicates that …. Hardly a week goes by without another report of ……….. appearing in the media. This raises the issue of whether …… Although most people would generally agree that ………… few would deny that ….

Stating your opinion

As I see it, It seems to me that ………… I would also say that …. I am convinced that …………… I am inclined to believe that ……………… There is no doubt in my mind that ……………… One of the drawbacks of ……. is ………. However, one of the benefits is that ………… Changing topic As regards the causes for this, ………….. Concerning the causes for this, ……… As for the causes, ………..

Presenting arguments

One justification is often given for ……….. is that…………….. Advocates/Proponents would claim that ……………… Those who object to …………….. often argue that ………………. Another objection is that …… However, it should not be forgotten that ………….. ……….. are opposed to ……………. on the grounds that …………….. From the point of view of …………….. According to ………………..

Describing causes

One factor which has led to ………… is ………….. One of the factors which has brought this about is ……… The problem often stems from ……………….. The situation has been exacerbated by ……………. ………….. has only made the situation worse. One consequence of ……………. is …………….

Proposing steps and measures

As regards the most appropriate response to this situation, one suggestion would be to ……… The first step to be taken would be to …….. To alleviate the situation people should ……….. In addition they ought to …………… To begin to tackle this situation society/individuals/the government need/s to This can only be dealt with if ………… To overcome this problem, ………….. Were the government to ……………, the situation would doubtless improve. Individuals can do a great deal to ………… The burden of responsiblity lies in the hands of …….. It is vitally important that ……… Legislation should be introduced to control …………….. It would be a grave error if we ……………..

All in all it seems to me that ……….. The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that ………………….. All things considered, …………. On balance, I tend to believe that ………… The world would surely be a better place to live in if ………….. If people stopped ….ing, we would have/ we could look forward to a …………… The prospects for the future will be bleak/grim unless ……………….

Would you pass B2 First (FCE)?

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Praxis Core Writing

Course: praxis core writing   >   unit 1, argumentative essay | quick guide.

• Source-based essay | Quick guide
• Revision in context | Quick guide
• Within-sentence punctuation | Quick guide
• Subordination and coordination | Quick guide
• Independent and dependent Clauses | Video lesson
• Parallel structure | Quick guide
• Modifier placement | Quick guide
• Shifts in verb tense | Quick guide
• Pronoun clarity | Quick guide
• Pronoun agreement | Quick guide
• Subject-verb agreement | Quick guide
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• Adjective/adverb confusion | Quick guide
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• Apostrophe use | Quick guide
• Research skills | Quick guide

Argumentative essay (30 minutes)

• states or clearly implies the writer’s position or thesis
• organizes and develops ideas logically, making insightful connections between them
• clearly explains key ideas, supporting them with well-chosen reasons, examples, or details
• displays effective sentence variety
• clearly displays facility in the use of language
• is generally free from errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
• organizes and develops ideas clearly, making connections between them
• explains key ideas, supporting them with relevant reasons, examples, or details
• displays some sentence variety
• displays facility in the use of language
• states or implies the writer’s position or thesis
• shows control in the organization and development of ideas
• explains some key ideas, supporting them with adequate reasons, examples, or details
• displays adequate use of language
• shows control of grammar, usage, and mechanics, but may display errors
• limited in stating or implying a position or thesis
• limited control in the organization and development of ideas
• inadequate reasons, examples, or details to explain key ideas
• an accumulation of errors in the use of language
• an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
• no clear position or thesis
• weak organization or very little development
• few or no relevant reasons, examples, or details
• frequent serious errors in the use of language
• frequent serious errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
• contains serious and persistent writing errors or
• is incoherent or
• is undeveloped or
• is off-topic

How should I build a thesis?

• (Choice A)   Kids should find role models that are worthier than celebrities because celebrities may be famous for reasons that aren't admirable. A Kids should find role models that are worthier than celebrities because celebrities may be famous for reasons that aren't admirable.
• (Choice B)   Because they profit from the admiration of youths, celebrities have a moral responsibility for the reactions their behaviors provoke in fans. B Because they profit from the admiration of youths, celebrities have a moral responsibility for the reactions their behaviors provoke in fans.
• (Choice C)   Celebrities may have more imitators than most people, but they hold no more responsibility over the example they set than the average person. C Celebrities may have more imitators than most people, but they hold no more responsibility over the example they set than the average person.
• (Choice D)   Notoriety is not always a choice, and some celebrities may not want to be role models. D Notoriety is not always a choice, and some celebrities may not want to be role models.
• (Choice E)   Parents have a moral responsibility to serve as immediate role models for their children. E Parents have a moral responsibility to serve as immediate role models for their children.

How should I support my thesis?

• (Choice A)   As basketball star Charles Barkley stated in a famous advertising campaign for Nike, he was paid to dominate on the basketball court, not to raise your kids. A As basketball star Charles Barkley stated in a famous advertising campaign for Nike, he was paid to dominate on the basketball court, not to raise your kids.
• (Choice B)   Many celebrities do consider themselves responsible for setting a good example and create non-profit organizations through which they can benefit youths. B Many celebrities do consider themselves responsible for setting a good example and create non-profit organizations through which they can benefit youths.
• (Choice C)   Many celebrities, like Kylie Jenner with her billion-dollar cosmetics company, profit directly from being imitated by fans who purchase sponsored products. C Many celebrities, like Kylie Jenner with her billion-dollar cosmetics company, profit directly from being imitated by fans who purchase sponsored products.
• (Choice D)   My ten-year-old nephew may love Drake's music, but his behaviors are more similar to those of the adults he interacts with on a daily basis, like his parents and teachers. D My ten-year-old nephew may love Drake's music, but his behaviors are more similar to those of the adults he interacts with on a daily basis, like his parents and teachers.
• (Choice E)   It's very common for young people to wear fashions similar to those of their favorite celebrities. E It's very common for young people to wear fashions similar to those of their favorite celebrities.

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There's a reason Stormy Daniels' cross-examination was so aggressive

The cross-examination this week of Stormy Daniels at the New York criminal trial of Donald Trump has been called “ aggressive ,” and “ heated .” 

Which it was. But that’s what cross-examination is. Cross-examination doesn’t always have to be aggressive and heated. But sometimes it is. And sometimes it needs to be.

The Supreme Court has long said that the constitutional right of confrontation is a “bedrock procedural guarantee.”

The Supreme Court has long said that the constitutional right of confrontation is a “ bedrock  procedural guarantee” governing how witnesses give testimony in criminal trials: “It commands, not that evidence be reliable, but that reliability be assessed in a particular manner: by testing in the crucible of cross-examination.” Note the justices’ use of the word “crucible” here, a word that can mean literally a container heated to tremendous temperatures in order to melt metal.

Sometimes the cross-examiner doesn’t need to get overly combative. For example, Trump’s defense didn’t need to get contentious with Gary Farro, the former private banker for Michael Cohen and a critical witness for the prosecution. Or Hope Hicks . Or Rhona Graf.

Stormy Daniels, on the other hand, was always going to be a tough cross-examination. 

Daniels is an adult film star who has made conflicting public statements in the past about whether or not she had sex with Trump (although it seems very likely that she did). Daniels also starred in the “Make America Horny Again” tour to profit from having sex with Trump, and admits she hates the former president.

On cross-examination, against a hostile witness, the attorney is permitted to use leading questions. This means the attorney is basically testifying for the witness, and then asking the witness to confirm their statement. Most of the time, the answer to a leading question is “yes” or “no.” But not all yes/no questions are leading questions.

For example, an attorney might ask: “You were going to make lots of money and negotiate a book contract from your story of sex with the president, correct?”

If the witness answers “yes,” then the lawyer basically testified for the witness, and the witness has confirmed that testimony is correct. 

Leading questions are considered so devastatingly effective, that they are generally only permitted when the witness is hostile. Daniels was a witness adverse to the defense, so cross-examination is permitted.

An effective cross-examination requires both a lot of preparation and a lot of improvisation. You can’t write a two-person script when the other person is unwilling to read their lines.

You can’t write a two-person script when the other person is unwilling to read their lines.

And it turns out that Daniels is a very specific type of witness on cross-examination: someone who will not concede a single point. This kind of witness refuses to answer questions "yes" or "no" because they know that’s what the lawyer wants. And that’s exactly what she did. I don’t think Daniels answered a simple “yes” or “no” to more than a handful of Trump attorney Susan Necheles’ questions.

When a witness fights this hard on every question, a few things can happen. 

First, the witness can totally throw off the cross-examining attorney. This is especially true if the attorney has rigidly scripted out an inflexible cross. But at the same time, the jury can see the witness’ refusal to concede any points as being evasive, and therefore not credible. Both things can be true at the same time. 

Some legal experts and court watchers saw Daniels as holding her own against mean-spirited questions from the defense. Maybe she did. But a witness is supposed to answer the questions asked. Daniels, for the most part, did not answer the questions asked. By that measure, she was not a terrific witness. How the jury perceived her testimony, and by extension her credibility, remains to be seen.

Danny Cevallos is an MSNBC legal analyst who practices in the areas of personal injury, wrongful conviction and criminal defense in Pennsylvania, New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands at the law firms of Cevallos & Wong in Pennsylvania and Edelman & Edelman  in New York, where he is of counsel.  

Trump trial turns to sex, bank accounts and power: Highlights from the third week of testimony

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The alleged sexual encounter at the center of Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial got a graphic airing in court in the last week as porn actor Stormy Daniels shared her account before a rapt jury.

Daniels’ testimony about her time with Trump was by far the most awaited moment of the trial, which enters its fourth week of witnesses as prosecutors come close to wrapping up their historic case.

But it wasn’t all salaciousness. Manhattan jurors saw documentary evidence meant to directly tie Trump to the hush money payments that were sent to Daniels in what prosecutors say was an effort to buy her silence in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election.

A look at what happened over the last week:

The (im)balance of power

The jury heard for 7½ hours from Daniels, who testified in vivid detail about a 2006 sexual encounter she says she had with Trump, which he has denied.

Though she’s shared details before, one striking aspect of her testimony centered on her perception of an “imbalance of power” in the Lake Tahoe hotel suite where Daniels said she and Trump had sex.

With a bodyguard positioned outside the suite, she described Trump as “bigger and blocking the way.” When the sex was over, she added, “It was really hard to get my shoes on; my hands were shaking so hard.”

World & Nation

Here is what Stormy Daniels testified happened between her and Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s attorneys unsuccessfully pushed for a mistrial during the testimony of porn actor Stormy Daniels.

May 7, 2024

Daniels made clear under questioning that she was not physically or verbally threatened to have sex and that she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.

But defense lawyers were unnerved enough by her characterizations of the encounter that they moved for a mistrial, telling Judge Juan M. Merchan that her testimony was inflammatory and differed in important ways from what she’d previously said. Her statements — she said she felt “lightheaded” and “blacked out” while with Trump — amounted to a “dog whistle” for rape, Trump attorney Todd Blanche said.

“The issue is she has testified today about consent, about danger. That’s not the point of this case,” Blanche told the judge.

Merchan denied the mistrial request but conceded that the testimony included “some things that were better left unsaid.” The judge also rejected a separate request to permit Trump to respond publicly to Daniels’ testimony in spite of a gag order barring him from incendiary out-of-court comments about witnesses.

Heated cross-examination

Given the salacious nature of Daniels’ testimony, and the volume of objections from defense lawyers as she spoke, it was hardly surprising that she faced a combative cross-examination in what was easily the most heated back-and-forth of the trial so far.

The Trump team painted Daniels as an untrustworthy witness as it picked apart her personal life and profession.

Judge directs Michael Cohen to keep quiet about Trump ahead of his testimony

The third week of testimony in Donald Trump’s hush money trial is drawing to a close. Michael Cohen is expected to take the witness stand next week.

May 10, 2024

There were questions about her past claims that she lived in a haunted house and about her participation in a 2018 strip club tour called “Making America Horny Again.” (For the record, Daniels said, she “hated” that tagline.) There were suggestions, too, that she stands to profit handsomely by continuing to share her account even as the defense branded it pure fiction.

“You have made all of this up, right?” Trump lawyer Susan Necheles asked.

“No,” Daniels said.

In several particularly biting exchanges, Necheles invoked Daniels’ porn actor and director profession to cast doubt on her credibility, telling her at one point, “You have a lot of experience in making phony stories about sex appear to be real, right?”

“Wow,” Daniels said. “That’s not how I would put it. The sex in the films, it’s very much real. Just like what happened to me in that room.”

A ‘contemptuous’ defendant

Trump’s out-of-court comments related to the jury and witnesses have earned him monetary fines and rebukes from a judge.

But his demeanor inside the courtroom this past week led to a separate scolding directed at his attorneys.

At one point, Merchan summoned defense lawyers for a quiet discussion at the bench, where he told them that he had observed Trump reacting in improper ways during Daniels’ testimony.

“I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly and he is shaking his head visually, and that’s contemptuous. It has the potential to intimidate the witness, and the jury can see that,” Merchan said, according to a transcript of the proceedings.

“I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don’t want to embarrass him,” he added.

Apart from that exchange, Trump drew a separate $1,000 fine for comments about the case made during an interview last month and was warned in the most direct manner yet about the possibility of jail time for further violations of Merchan’s gag order.

The ‘DJT’ account

Jurors also learned about the financial transactions at the center of the case and saw payment checks bearing Trump’s signature.

Prosecutors worked to tie Trump directly to the hush money payments to Daniels. They elicited testimony that most of the checks used to reimburse Michael Cohen, Trump’s then-lawyer and fixer, for the payments to Daniels were drawn from Trump’s personal account — which went by his initials, “DJT.”

Deborah Tarasoff, a Trump Organization accounts payable supervisor, said that once Trump became president, checks written from his personal account had to first be delivered, via FedEx, “to the White House for him to sign.”

The checks would then return with Trump’s Sharpie signature. “I’d pull them apart, mail out the check and file the backup,” she said, meaning putting the invoice into the Trump Organization’s filing system.

Still, she and another witness, Jeffrey McConney, a former Trump Organization controller, acknowledged not getting direct instructions from Trump himself about the ins-and-outs of the payments.

Tarasoff, for instance, conceded that she did not interact much with Trump over the years and had no reason to believe that he was hiding anything or that there was anything improper about the checks.

With friends like these

Jurors got a glimpse at the high-rolling social life Trump enjoyed before becoming president, full of celebrity wattage and bold-faced names.

A redacted contact list that Trump’s assistant at his company sent to another Trump aide, representing people he spoke to frequently or might want to, included former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, tennis player Serena Williams, casino mogul Steve Wynn, “The Apprentice” producer Mark Burnett, “Saturday Night Live” mastermind Lorne Michaels and NFL legends Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

Their contact details were redacted, but the information nonetheless offered a window into the celebrity universe inhabited by Trump.

Tucker writes for the Associated Press.

More to Read

Commentary: Being a porn star doesn’t make Stormy Daniels a liar. Trump’s lawyer should have known that

Trump attorney and Stormy Daniels trade barbs over alleged 2006 sexual encounter

May 9, 2024

Litman: Did Stormy Daniels’ testimony help or hurt the case against Trump? It’s complicated

May 8, 2024

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CBSE results 2024: Class 10th, 12th results next week? Here's how to check at cbse.gov.in

C BSE result 2024: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in an official statement on its website revealed that the results of Class 10 and 12 will be declared on the same day. Another important disclosure was that the results would be released after May 20. The board is yet to confirm the exact date and time for the Class 10 and 12 results.

This year, the CBSE conducted these exams between February and April. The Class 10 board exams commenced on February 15 and concluded on March 13. The board administered Class 12 exams between February 15 and April 2. These exams were held in single shifts spanning two to three-hours depending on the subject. The exam time was between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm or 1:30 pm with respect to the length of exam.

Also read: CBSE Class 10, 12 results 2024: Here is how to verify marks, apply for re-evaluation if not satisfied with your results

“No overall division/distinction/aggregate will be awarded as per sub-section 40.1 (iii) of Chapter -7 of the Examination Bye-Laws," CBSE's official statement read. Thus, no overall division, distinction, or aggregate for Class 10 and 12 students will be released this year, according to the examination bye-laws.

As many as 39 lakh students await their result this year which will be available on the board's official website after it is announced Students can check their scorecards at the links given below:

cbse.nic.in

cbse.gov.in

cbseresults.nic.in

results.cbse.nic.in

digilocker.gov.in

results.gov.in

Also read: CBSE issues curriculum for Classes 10, 12 for academic year 2024-25; Here's how to download syllabus

Steps to check cbse results online.

• Visit the official website of CBSE at cbseresults.nic.in or results.cbse.nic.in
• Click on the link for CBSE Board Result 2024 on the home page.
• Log in using the requisite credentials-roll number or registration number.
• Click on submit.
• CBSE Class 10 or Class 12 results will be displayed on the screen.
• Download the result and take a printout for future reference.

Furthermore, the DigiLocker application and website (digilocker.gov.in) also offers the facility to access CBSE scores. Results can also be retreived by using SMS facility.

School roll number, admit card ID and the board exam roll number are among the essential credentials required to check Class 12 results include.

Also read: CBSE result 2024: Will the grades be declared this week? Details on where and when to check, direct link included

Students who are not content with their results have the option to apply for mark verification at cbseresults.nic.in. This can be done from the fourth to the eighth day following the announcement of the results by the CBSE Board, according to the official notice. Consequently, the period for applying for mark verification will span five days.

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Trump on Trial

Stormy daniels, unfiltered, takes the stand.

The porn star at the center of Donald Trump’s criminal trial testified, at times in graphic detail, about the sexual encounter she said she had with Trump in 2006.

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By Jesse McKinley

The woman who walked into Donald Trump’s Manhattan courtroom today was a sharp departure from many of the week’s earlier witnesses, who testified on such procedural topics as ledgers, invoices and common accounting practices.

This witness, Stormy Daniels, a former porn star, instead offered a vivid, unsavory and sometimes uneven account of something that has made her far more famous than her adult film career: a 2006 sexual encounter she said she had with Trump that lies at the heart of the criminal case he faces in Manhattan.

Daniels, dressed in all black, wearing glasses and her long blonde hair pulled back, was a complicated and imperfect witness, who was scolded by the judge, Juan Merchan, for wandering off topic.

Prosecutors, too, seemed sometimes frustrated by both the quicksilver pace of her answers — she is a fast talker, with little filter — and the consistent objections by the defense, many of which Merchan upheld. He appeared to want to avoid graphic testimony, meandering answers and leading questions.

Still, Daniels, 45, gave the jury — and assembled members of the press and public — a lurid portrait of her interactions with Trump, who she said invited her to a Lake Tahoe hotel suite and suggested she might appear on the “Apprentice.” Then, after she went to the bathroom, she found him in his boxers and T-shirt and posed on the bed, waiting, she said.

“The room spun in slow motion,” Daniels said on the stand, adding, “I thought, ‘Oh, my God, what did I misread to get here?’”

Daniels said the sexual encounter that followed was consensual but traumatizing, describing herself as bewildered and shaking afterward. She hadn’t said no, she recalled, “because I didn’t say anything at all.”

A payment of $130,000 to Daniels forms the backbone of the case brought by the Manhattan district attorney: Prosecutors contend that Trump falsified 34 business records to cover up a reimbursement to his onetime lawyer, Michael Cohen, who paid off Daniels to keep her story to herself shortly before the 2016 election.

Cohen — a felon — is expected to testify later this month and is also considered a problematic witness. He has been repeatedly denigrated during the trial, now in its fourth week.

Trump has denied the sexual encounter with Daniels, and the charges.

A portrait of Trump emerges

Despite the scuff marks on Daniels and Cohen, the portrait being painted of Trump is unflattering: a man obsessed with his own image, and fond of much younger women, including Daniels, who is 33 years his junior. (She said she told him in the hotel suite in Lake Tahoe, when she was 27 and he was 60, that he was “pompous” and “arrogant.”)

After they met in Tahoe, Trump called Daniels repeatedly, she testified, and said he wanted to see her again. He called her “Honeybunch” and said she reminded him of his daughter, presumably Ivanka. (“She’s smart and blonde and beautiful and people underestimate her as well,” Daniels recalled Trump said.)

Shedding more light on Trump’s psyche, an earlier witness, Sally Franklin, an employee with Penguin Random House, read a series of statements from Trump’s own books, including ones expressing his attitude toward revenge.

“For many years, I have said that if someone screws you, screw them back,” Trump wrote, adding, “Like it says in the Bible, an eye for an eye.” Another book passage suggested “all the women on ‘The Apprentice’ flirted with me.”

‘Better left unsaid’

It wasn’t an easy day for Merchan, who seemed bothered by Daniels’s tendency for tangents. His voice grew sharp at several moments, and he called a series of sidebars after defense objections. After lunch, Merchan — after denying a request for a mistrial — said he believed Daniels, as a witness, “was a little difficult to control.”

“There were some things that would have been better left unsaid,” the judge said, adding “I was surprised that there were not more objections” by the defense.

In moving for a mistrial, Todd Blanche, a defense attorney, complained that the prosecution had elicited a series of negative stories about Trump that had little bearing on the case.

“There’s no way to un-ring the bell,” Blanche said, saying that Daniels’s testimony that Trump didn’t wear a condom during their encounter, for instance, was deeply prejudicial.

“This has nothing to do with this case,” he added, saying the intention was “pure embarrassment” to the former president, and “to inflame this jury.”

During cross-examination, which will continue on Thursday when court resumes, another defense lawyer, Susan Necheles, was blistering in her questioning from the jump. She tried to get Daniels to admit a lie when she said she hadn’t rehearsed her testimony but had participated in a mock cross-examination with prosecutors.

Necheles soon got even more direct, asking Daniels if she hated Trump.

Daniels didn’t pause. “Yes,” she said.

Necheles continued: “And you want him to go to jail?”

Daniels parried: “I want him to be held accountable.”

Necheles suggested that Daniels was only motivated by desire for financial gain in recounting her story of what happened in Lake Tahoe. “That story has made you a lot of money, right?” she said.

“It has also cost me a lot of money,” Daniels shot back.

The jury’s opinion of this sensational testimony is impossible to know; they were mostly expressionless, even during its most salacious portions. Trump himself seemed glum and bothered by Daniels’s testimony, but only to a point: During some of the most combative moments, he sat — as he often does — with his eyes closed.

As for Daniels, she seemed unfazed talking about sex, though her voice did quiver when she sought to explain why she had pursued a hush-money deal, saying she wasn’t after money and wanted the story of her experience with Trump to be made public.

But in her sharp-elbowed cross-examination, Necheles pushed back, suggesting that negotiations before Election Day 2016 — and the eventual $130,000 deal with Cohen, which buried the story — suggested that Daniels had other motivations.

And finally, as the clock ticked down on an extraordinary day, Daniels offered a concession of sorts, saying she wanted to “get the story out.”

“And,” she added, “make some money.”

Here’s the team we have reporting on the trial . During the proceedings, we’ll be sending you updates more frequently, including breaking news alerts and our weekly analysis on Thursdays.

Your questions

We’re asking readers what they’d like to know about the Trump cases: the charges, the procedure, the important players or anything else. You can send us your question by filling out this form.

If Trump is sleeping in court, why does the judge allow it? Isn’t sleeping in court disrespectful and showing disdain? — John Krerowicz, Kenosha, Wis.

Jesse: There is no rule against sleeping in the courtroom, though the optics of a defendant snoozing during testimony may be bad. For his part, Trump has denied slumbering, saying instead that he’s simply resting his “beautiful blue eyes” and listening “intensely.” The judge has not said anything about it thus far, though time will tell if the jury has an opinion.

What else to watch

We’re keeping our eyes on a new dispute simmering in the classified documents case involving allegations by Trump’s lawyers that prosecutors failed to preserve the integrity of the boxes of documents at the heart of the case. Judge Aileen Cannon has not yet decided how she plans to handle the accusations.

After hearing arguments on April 25 about Trump’s claim of immunity in the Jan. 6 case, the Supreme Court could issue a ruling in late June or early July.

Where does each criminal case stand?

Trump is at the center of at least four separate criminal investigations, at both the state and federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers. Here is where each case stands .

Jesse McKinley is a Times reporter covering upstate New York, courts and politics. More about Jesse McKinley

• International

Stormy Daniels wraps up testimony in Trump hush money trial

By CNN's Kara Scannell, Lauren Del Valle and Jeremy Herb in the courthouse

Stormy Daniels is back on the stand. Here’s how the cross-examination started off

From CNN's Christina Zdanowicz

Stormy Daniels returned to the stand Thursday after more than 3.5 hours of testimony on Tuesday. Donald Trump’s attorney Susan Necheles resumed her cross-examination, starting with the non-disclosure agreement Daniels signed.

Here are the highlights:

She wanted her story out: Daniels said that she didn’t want money from Trump, she said – she just wanted her story out there. "I was asking to sell my story to publications to get the truth out," Daniels says. This testimony reiterates what she said on the stand Tuesday.

Other news outlets wanted the story: Necheles asked Daniels if she remembered talking to Slate magazine about the affair. Daniels said she talked to a reporter about the non-disclosure agreement with Cohen, just as a backup to the NDA. "Numerous people wanted to publish the story," Daniels said with a small laugh. Necheles pressed, asking if other outlets were willing to pay her money for her story. Daniels said, “No”

The paper trail: Daniels maintains she took the nondisclosure agreement "to get my story protected by a paper trail so my family wouldn't get hurt when the story came out." The cross-examination heated up when Necheles asked if publishing her story in Slate, instead of signing an NDA, would also have produced a paper trail. "With a target on my back and my family's," Daniels replied.

She didn’t yell at her attorney: Daniels said she "never yelled at Keith Davidson on the phone," referring to a call between her former lawyer and Michael Cohen in April 2018. On the call, Davidson gave Cohen a heads up about the public claims that Daniels' then-publicist Gina Rodriguez's boyfriend was going to make to the press. Daniels said the transcript noted that Rodriguez’s boyfriend was going to tell the story, not that she was.

Defense says Daniels "celebrated on Twitter" and pushed merchandise when Trump was indicted

"When Trump was indicted in this case, you celebrated on Twitter by repeatedly tweeting and pushing merchandise you were selling in your store right?" defense attorney Susan Necheles asks Stormy Daniels.

"I tweeted about him being indicted, yes. People asked how they could support me so I tweeted the link to my store," Daniels said.

Necheles is now showing the tweets in question to the jury, including one that had the link to Daniels' store.

"That was you shilling your merchandise, right?" Necheles asks.

"That is me doing my job," Daniels responds.

Attorneys discussing another tweet from Daniels

Trump attorney Susan Necheles wants to introduce another tweet where Stormy Daniels is responding to someone else's tweet.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked to approach the bench. The objection was sustained.

Trump again was chatting with attorney Todd Blanche.

"You're putting words in my mouth": Daniels and Necheles go back and forth about tweet

Donald Trump's attorney Susan Necheles asks Stormy Daniels if she said she'd be instrumental in putting Trump in jail.

"Show me where I said I’d be instrumental in putting President Trump in jail," Daniels responds.

The defense references a tweet from Daniels where she wrote: "Exactly! Making me the best person to flush the orange turd down."

"Pretty sure this is hyperbole, if somebody is going to call me a toilet ... I can say I’m going to flush somebody," Daniels says of the tweet.

Pushing her about the tweet, Necheles says, "You don't want to admit you meant President Trump."

"Oh I absolutely meant — uh — Mr. Trump," Daniels says as she took a pause and didn't say "President" Trump.

Daniels to Trump attorney: "You're trying to trick me"

The back-and-forth between Trump attorney Susan Necheles and Stormy Daniels continues.

As one point in the exchange while being questioned about the $100,000 Daniels made from a documentary with NBC, Daniels says, "You're trying to trick me into saying something that's not entirely true."

Analysis: The cross-examination is drifting and could backfire for defense, CNN legal expert says

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Reminding the jury that Stormy Daniels is a stripper is not the best strategy for the defense, CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said.

"The cross-examination is now officially meandering, right? They're directionless in contrast to Tuesday where it was very direct," Honig said. "Now we're into this weeds of why the agreement, what her motivation was, she made money," he noted.

Honig said that the defense instead should used the last 45 minutes of cross-examination to focus on how Daniels financially profited off this story, but right now what the defense is doing is ineffective.

Trump attorney highlights documentary as another way she says Daniels benefits from sharing her story

Trump attorney Susan Necheles has been pushing Stormy Daniels through a series of questions about the monetary arrangement for a documentary she made with NBC.

Necheles asks about the $100,000 Daniels received from the documentary, to which Daniels replies: "A lot of it was footage that I had to reimburse cameraman for."

They didn't have to "get me to cooperate," Daniels says of the filmmakers, "I started filming myself."

Necheles also asks Daniels whether she had an "affair" with one of the documentary producers. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger objects, but Judge Juan Merchan overrules, allowing her to answer.

Daniels says she was separated from her husband and did begin dating one of the cameramen on the film. She says he stopped filming once they began dating.

Necheles asks Daniels whether she's holding viewing parties at bars for the documentary and selling tickets.

"So it’s another way you're making money off the documentary and the story?" Necheles asks.

Daniels says she hasn't made any profit, that it's covering her travel and other expenses.

Necheles presses Daniels on why she appeared on "The Surreal Life" reality show

Trump attorney Susan Necheles is asking Stormy Daniels about her appearance on reality show "The Surreal Life."

Necheles asked her to confirm that the story she wanted to share was that she "supposedly" had sex with Donald Trump.

"It was the full story about my life and what I went through because of this," Daniels answers.

Trump has eyes closed for much of this testimony

Donald Trump has been leaning back in his chair, closing his eyes for much of the testimony so far.

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