Developing a Better Exam Technique

Many students spend hours learning the content of a subject but far less time learning how to take the exam itself. Yet in reality, exam technique can easily be the difference between a B and an A, or a pass and a fail.

After more than 40 years of teaching and preparing students for GCSE and A-Level exams, I’ve seen the same pattern repeatedly. Students often know more than they manage to show on the paper. The problem isn’t knowledge — it’s exam technique.

Let’s look at how to improve it.

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1. Read the Question — Properly

It sounds obvious, but many marks are lost because students misread the question.

Examiners are very precise with wording. Words like:

• Describe – give the features

• Explain – give reasons why

• Evaluate – give arguments for and against

• Calculate – show the working

If the question asks you to explain, a simple description won’t earn full marks.

A useful habit is to underline the command word before answering.

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2. Use the Marks as a Guide

The number of marks tells you how much the examiner expects.

For example:

Marks	What the examiner expects
1–2 marks	Short factual answer
3–4 marks	Several points or a short explanation
6 marks	Clear explanation with multiple steps
10+ marks	Structured argument or extended reasoning

If a question is worth 6 marks, a one-sentence answer is almost certainly not enough.

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3. Show Your Working

This is particularly important in maths and science.

Even if the final answer is wrong, examiners often award method marks.

For example:

• Write the formula

• Substitute the values

• Show the calculation

A student who shows their working might still get 3 or 4 marks, while a student who writes only the wrong answer gets zero.

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4. Structure Longer Answers

For longer questions, a simple structure works well.

One effective method is PEEL:

• Point – make a clear statement

• Evidence – support it with facts or data

• Explain – say why it matters

• Link – connect back to the question

This structure is particularly useful in subjects such as biology, geography, and sociology.

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5. Manage Your Time

A common mistake is spending too long on one question.

A simple rule is:

Marks ≈ Minutes

So for a 60-mark paper in 60 minutes, you should spend roughly:

• 5 minutes on a 5-mark question

• 10 minutes on a 10-mark question

If you get stuck, move on and return later.

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6. Practise with Past Papers

Nothing improves exam technique faster than real exam questions.

Past papers help you:

• recognise question patterns

• learn the mark schemes

• understand what examiners want

When possible, mark your work against the official mark scheme.

You’ll quickly notice the phrases examiners expect.

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7. Answer the Question That Was Asked

This may sound obvious, but it’s surprisingly common for students to write everything they know about a topic rather than answering the specific question.

Examiners can only award marks for relevant points.

Always ask yourself:

“Does this sentence answer the question?”

If not, leave it out.

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Final Thought

Good exam technique is a skill that can be learned.

Students who practise reading questions carefully, structuring answers, showing their working, and managing their time often see rapid improvements in their marks.

Knowledge is important — but knowing how to demonstrate that knowledge in an exam is just as important.