English Exam Drill Pack 5 - Learning English
>> Saturday, February 12, 2011
Nobody Likes Exams
Nobody says that they "like" exams. English and other foreign language exams actually do serve useful purposes for both the teacher and the learners. They're required by the administration and "system" too. Live with them and try to avoid these seven common mistakes EFL learners make when taking exams.
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Here are the Seven Mistakes EFL Learners Make When Taking Exams
o Leaving Questions Blank
Many exams are based on the number of correct answers. Leaving an answer blank simply guarantees that it will be scored as "incorrect". It's much better to write in an intelligent "guess" than leave a blank. For this you might still receive partial credit for your answer.
o Trying to Cheat
Nothing grates an EFL teacher's nerves more than futile learner attempts at cheating on exams. Experienced teachers have often seen and uncovered more ways to cheat than many learners will ever know. Why risk the deduction - or zero for the entire exam?
o Not Asking Questions
During some exam environments, learners are allowed to ask procedural or non-content-related questions of the teacher or examiner. At any rate, if in doubt, ask. The worst case scenario is that the proctor will state the question cannot be answered. o Not Reading Exam Instructions
Instructions and directions are placed into exams to help you thinking as to what is expected of you in answering a particular section or bank of questions. These do you absolutely no good whatsoever if you don't read them. In the event you don't understand the directions, then raise your hand and ask for clarification.
o Failing to Bring Necessary Supplies
If I had a buck for every time a learner asked me for a pencil, pen, eraser, "white out", etc. during an exam, I'd be writing this from my yacht in Tahiti. You know you'll need these things to take an exam, why not be prepared with at least couple of pens, pencils and an eraser?
o Not Being Mentally and Physically Prepared
You should be relaxed and well-rested, have eaten recently (solid food, not junk), physically and mentally prepared for taking an exam. At the risk of offending dentists and parents worldwide, let me say that you can and should eat some candy or sweets at or near the start of the exam.
o Relying on "hearsay" Answers and Explanations
A few raucous learners might blurt out answers and responses to questions or problems before or during an exam. Don't trust it. This just might be a low-level tactic to elicit attention or help. It won't work. What you hear the vast majority of the time, in my experience, is wrong. Don't fall into this trap.
Avoid These Seven Common Mistakes
Nobody may "like" exams. Exams serve useful purposes for both the teacher and the learners, so we're both stuck with them. Learners, however, should find that their exam scores will generally improve if they try to avoid these seven common mistakes EFL learners make when taking exams.
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