How to ace a multiple-choice exam

Multiple-choice tests are a common part of school, college and university exams. Instead of asking the candidate to come up with an answer themselves, the exam tests whether the candidate can pick the correct answer out of 3 or 4 options which will include wrong answers.

Here are some tips for maximising your chances of success during multiple-choice exams.

Before the exam

Work out how much time you have per question. You will be told in advance how much time you have and how many questions there will be. Work out exactly how much time you have per question. 

Let’s say you have 1 hour and there are 50 questions. That gives you 1 minute and 20 seconds to answer each question. 

During the exam 

Read the question and the answer options carefully. Make sure you fully understand what the question is asking. Don’t fall into the trap of assuming you know the answer before you have read the entire question. 

Determine which answers you can cross out immediately. There may be some options that you know straight away are incorrect. This will help you narrow your choices down. 

Don’t leave it blank. If you are genuinely unsure make an educated guess. One of the answers must be correct. 

Don’t spend too much time on one question. Remember, there are other questions that need to be answered and you can’t afford to lose too much time. You can always leave it and return to it at the end. 

Don’t be fooled by “All of the above” options. Make sure you are absolutely certain all of the options are correct. 

Don’t look for patterns in the answers. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t picked option A for a few questions or if you have selected option C 4 times in a row. 

Check for mistakes. Once you have finished answering the questions double-check your answer sheet for any mistakes. Make sure you have selected an answer for every question, you have only selected one answer and that you have clearly indicated what your chosen answer is (especially if you have changed this).