Test Taking Strategies

Test-Taking Strategies

Open Ended

What test-taking strategies do you already know and use?

Dropdown

Read the questions

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​

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Answer the easiest questions

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Answering questions

Answer the questions with your own words first before you look at the multiple choice options. Test creators will intentionally throw in "distractor" answers. Read the question. Answer the question using your own words. Compare your answer choices to the multiple-choice options. If you don't see an answer choice that matches up with your answer then go back and reread a portion of the text to look for different evidence.

Dropdown

Eliminate obviously

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answers.

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Use the highlighter tool to highlight

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Multiple Choice Questions

Read the questions before reading the passage

Highlight key phrases in the questions and find and highlight the same ones in the passages. Highlight any parts of the passages that would be helpful answering the questions.

Multiple-Choice Questions

• Read the question carefully. Look for “gotcha” words like “not” or “except,” and ensure you know exactly what’s being asked.

• Consider all the answer choices before making your final choices -- think carefully about "all of the above" answer choice.

• Flag it and come back later.

• Choose the one that seems best (it is better to pick something than to leave a question blank) and move on so you can finish the whole test.

Multiple-Choice Questions

• Read the question in DCBA order. This way you can see all of your options.

Reorder

Reorder the following.

• A. Read this question last.

• B. Read this question third.

• C. Read this question second.

• D. Read this question first.

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

​Pay attention to word choice in Questions

There are words used that can act as a clue and direct students to a specific section of text where they could find the answer. Or there might be a specific word used that could help students eliminate an answer choice.

Word Choice

•  The question is telling you where to go in the text to find the answer. You should return to this portion of the text. It’s important for students to realize that there might be other pieces of evidence that you could use to answer this question, but the test creator only wants you to use the information located in a certain section of text.

​Based on/According to

• You need to determine the highest quality option or the answer choice that is better than the others. This means that there might be TWO answer choices that could be correct, but students are being asked to select the BEST.

Most or Best

Word Choice

When you see these words they are a clue that you are looking for a detail in the text that is connected to the idea mentioned in the question. You are basically looking for the text evidence that supports what is mentioned in the question.

Suggests or Supports

Categorize

Options (16)

Always

Never

Every

All

None

Two

Most

Best

According to

Supports

NOT

Except

paragraph

passage

evidence

states

Organize these options into the right categories

Sus Word

Not Sus But Important

Gotcha Words

Typical

Vocabulary Strategies

• Substitute each answer choice in the sentence for context clues questions. Then select the one that makes the most sense within the context of the text.

• Break down unknown words into known word parts. This could be looking for root words and affixes.

• Make connections to other known words. For example if you know the word circle, it can help you read and understand words such as semicircle and circulate.

Multiple Choice

The miniscule, tiny puppy had a difficult time walking up the large stairs.

What does miniscule mean?

• large

• small

• furry

• loud

Multiple Choice

What type of context clue is used in this sentence:

The miniscule, tiny puppy had a difficult time walking up the large stairs.

• definition

• synonym

• antonym

• general

• example

Multiple Choice

Kennedy opposed the idea of skipping breakfast, although her best friend was completely supportive of the idea.

What does opposed mean?

• agreed with/in favor of

• disagreed with/was not in favor of

• did not care about it

• was confused by it

Multiple Choice

What type of context clue is used in this sentence?

Kennedy opposed the idea of skipping breakfast, although her best friend was completely supportive of it.

• synonym

• antonym

• definition

• example

• general

Multiple Choice

In his first novel, the mysterious post-man is the perfect example of a lugubrious character, always seeming to be ready to cry and never smiling.

What does lugubrious mean?

• seeming in control

• looking sad

• friendly

• crazy misfit

Multiple Select

In his first novel, the mysterious post-man is the perfect example of a lugubrious character, always seeming to be ready to cry and never smiling.

What type of context clue is this?

• definition

• example

• synonym

• antonym

• general

Multiple Choice

During the hottest days of summer, I feel so lethargic that all I want to do is drink iced tea and sit on the porch. Even thinking about going makes me tired!

What does lethargic mean?

• sunny

• happy

• excited

• tired

Multiple Select

During the hottest days of summer, I feel so lethargic that all I want to do is drink iced tea and sit on the porch. Even thinking about going makes me tired!

What type of context clue is being used?

• definition

• example

• synonym

• antonym

• general