HOW TO GET MORE MARKS

Tips for students
Be brief. Avoid irrelevant long answers.
ALWAYS write numbers with the appropriate symbol: for example, $ 5, 8pm, 75 kg, 2 hours and 30 minutes.
One answer per line. Don’t write 2 or 3!!!
Read the whole text and underline key words/details on text (tel no, email, address)
Don’t underline the form!
 
Check your spelling.
Follow instructions: tick if paper says “tick”, cross if it says “cross”, etc. Tick, cross, circle, underline, delete, and capital letters (block letters) MUST be so!
If asked to write the name and address in capital letters (block letters) write ONLY the name and address in block letters….NOT the whole form!
 
This is a tick (√ ) and this is a dash ( _ ). Use the correct symbol!
Be accurate (exact/precise) when you fill in the form! If form asks for “initial” write ONLY 1 letter, for “initials” write 2 or more.
The order of an address is: number, street, town/city, postcode/zip code, county/state, country.
Use the lines provided for your answers. They are enough! No need to write more.
If a word or a phrase is required DON’T write a whole sentence. You waste valuable time.
In the summary - Don’t write more than the number of words the paper asks for: the examiner stops reading when the words exceed the amount given. So you have written for nothing!
Read the questions first to get an idea of what the text contains and to predict the answers.
Contractions (isn’t, it’s, she’s) count as 2 words.
Don’t  use “&”. Use “and” instead.
Practise, practise, practise! You need to make sure you can use the time given - 90 minutes for core, 120 minutes for extended - to complete the whole paper  on time manage time effectively.
 Reading (Papers 1 and 2)

keep your answers short
decide quickly on what type of question is being asked. Is it a ‘when’ question? Or ‘where’, or ‘how’? Getting this right from the start, should make it easier for you to find the information/answer.
Be careful not to offer an inference when the answer is actually stated in the text.
Copying the correct phrase from an article is allowed – but it also acceptable to use some of your own words to communicate the answer.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question, you can attempt a guess by choosing what you think is a relevant section from the article.
Try to make sure that your answer includes all of the required information. Adding two or three words can often make sure of this. Is the answer you have given complete?
• Be clear on how many answers (or points) are required.
 Don’t look for the answer in the question!
• Where a map, or a chart, or a diagram is included in the article, it is likely that the answer to one of the questions will be found there.
EXERCISE 1 & 2 (Answering the questions)
Read the introduction to the text. Look at the titles,  illustrations and headings, and understand what it is about. (Do not read the text yet)
Read the first question and underline the key word.
In a continuous passage, the answers come chronologically.
In a passage with headed paragraphs, you will have to refer to relevant paragraphs.
Skim read the text. (ignore difficult vocabulary)
Answer should be brief, NO complete sentences are required.
Exercise 3
SO, READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY.