Tips for each section

Here are some tips to use in the exam (and before):

There are many tricks and tips available on the internet. Here I just want to give you some solid advice for the exam, some is very generic, some is very specific.

General advice:

• Set up a routine of study (it can be once or twice a week or everyday). Try to study in sessions of 40 minutes.
• Practice! Practice the exam, read, study grammar. These are the key elements of success.
• Do exam examples, see past papers. Some of the content is quite common and a grammar point will often be repeated (from examples online, books and past papers).
• Keep your eye on your spelling… You will lose marks for bad spelling, missing the “s” for the third person or missing the “to/in” preposition.

Specific advice:

• Leave yourself 10 or 15 minutes at the end to review your answers and check spelling.
• Do not necessarily do them in order. When you start the exam you will be fresh: do a hard section first! I recommend a reading.
• Leave the multiple choice / defined answers until the end! You can do part 1 or 3 quicker than other parts.
• A suggested order: part 5, 2, 6, 4, 7, 3, 1 (I chose this order because the easier parts are at the end and I mix dense reading with Use of English sections)
• or, another suggested order is: 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6, 7, 1

Of course, the best possible advice is have is this. Practice, practice, practice and use a teacher. Contact us if you don’t have one.