10 Top Tips to Utilise Extra Time in the AQE and GL Transfer Tests

If your child is sitting the 2022 AQE or GL tests they will be doing a lot of practice papers by now. Luckily, this year children sitting the AQE tests will get 10 minutes extra time to help combat learning loss from the pandemic. Read our 10 top tips to utilise extra time in the AQE and GL Transfer Tests.

Some children make finish the test quickly and have time left over. It’s important to make sure they know they should not just sit back and relax. For instance, if they practise finding their own mistakes you may even find that they become more aware and start making less silly mistakes in the AQE tests. The techniques below can be used in both the AQE and GL tests if your child finishes before time is up.

How to utilise extra time in the AQE and GL tests

1. First, check you have answered all the questions.

Even if you are unsure how to tackle a question it is better to have an answer than no answer. This is especially true in multiple choice questions where there is a chance you will get it right, even if you guess!

2. Make sure you have not left any pages out.

Believe it or not it is very common for students to leave out entire pages because they have turned over a double page without realising. Start at the beginning of the paper and turn the pages, counting the page numbers as you go to check you have not turned over two pages at once.

3. Put a circle or a big star beside any questions you are not sure about.

This will mean it is easy to find these questions if you have time left over. You can then go back and have another go.

4. Show your working out

This makes it easier to check your answers. If you are using a separate sheet of paper for working out, make sure you number the question so you can easily go back and check your work.

5. Double check any questions that state that you need to be careful with your spelling.

In the AQE the words, “be careful with your spelling” will be written in bold in the question. This means that you will only get the mark if your spelling is correct.

6. Double check any questions that require two answers.

Many students lose marks as they have only ticked one box instead of two. The question will state, “tick two boxes” if this required. Some students may also write a word in the box instead ticking. Make sure you have followed all the instructions correctly.

7. Check your units of measure.

For example, the question might be in centimetres but the answer is asked for in metres. Make sure that the answers you have written are in the correct unit of measure.

8. Go back over any questions that ask for a noun, verb, adjective or adverb

Double check the answer you have given is correct. Always read the word in the sentence as some words can have more than one classification depending on the context of the sentence they are written.

9. Make sure you have written the answer on the line provided.

Sometimes it is easy to do all the working out for a question, get it correct but then forget to write the answer on the answer line. Make sure you do or you will lose the mark.

10. Use every minute of the test time.

You should never be sitting doing nothing. If you have time left over after you have checked everything then use it to look at the hardest questions again. You never know, you might find something you missed!

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