Tips & Tricks for getting the right answers

[Ikarium]

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Hey all I decided to make this thread so we can all brainstorm test taking strategies to help narrow the answer choices down even when guessing.

Things I have been using are:

If two answers are opposites, one must be correct
Strongly worded answers are typically wrong

What are some other Process of Elimination tactics?

 

[tuhtles]

Ive noticed that some answer choices may be either true or mentioned in the passage, but are completely irrelevant to the question stem. Don't fall for that dirty trick! Make sure you read the question carefully the first time around and understand what the question is asking you to do.

Also, I think it may be wise to be a bit cautious with the opposites. I've noticed and encountered some problems where the answer choices are the opposite, but they were both wrong.

I've also seen answer choices which basically just reworded parts of the question. Those are obviously wrong.

 

[cloudzz]

Ive noticed that some answer choices may be either true or mentioned in the passage, but are completely irrelevant to the question stem. Don't fall for that dirty trick! Make sure you read the question carefully the first time around and understand what the question is asking you to do.

Also, I think it may be wise to be a bit cautious with the opposites. I've noticed and encountered some problems where the answer choices are the opposite, but they were both wrong.

I've also seen answer choices which basically just reworded parts of the question. Those are obviously wrong.

I've also come across quite a number of questions where opposites are both wrong.
I think for VR, there are a lot of instances where the questions ask for main ideas but wrong answers focus on minute details. You know you are looking at a wrong answer when the entire passage discusses breeds of cats but that one answer choice only talks about Ragdoll.

 

[Spinach Dip]

-Read carefully.
-Understand the author's thesis as well as the details he employs to support it.
-Be extremely careful to take note of the subtle differences between answer choices.



BTW, I assume you are talking VR.

 

[Melomare17]

Just cuz 2 answers are opposites does NOT necessarily mean one has to be the right answer. Not always.

 

[Doctorphilic]

Just cuz 2 answers are opposites does NOT necessarily mean one has to be the right answer. Not always.

This is a useful thread but for the most part, some people are prone to specific errors. For example, in science--I figured out after doing some BR passages that most of my problems come from not properly reading the question. In the verbal (something I am not good at but literate in terms of strategy) is also the importance of reading the question thoroughly and that is the first key step. Strategies like process of elimination are more useful in the science than verbal because in science we can usually knock out 1 or 2 choices right away and then use POE on the rest.

 

[athockey7]

There are so many times where an answer will pop out at you and you think that has to be the answer. But be careful because just because something sounds right does not mean it was supported in the passage. you need to be certain that there is some sort of evidence in the passage for whatever answer you are choosing, especially when the question states according to the passage...
if the author never said or implied something then that is usually not the correct answer, even though it may make sense

and this is obviously for verbal.

 

[bpatient]

Great tips guys

 

[Roxas]

Just cuz 2 answers are opposites does NOT necessarily mean one has to be the right answer. Not always.

This is my experience as well. In fact in our TPR course they told us that anytime there are answer choices that are opposites typically neither of them are correct. I don't have enough test experience to know for sure, but I would be wary.

 

[bear2roo]

There are so many times where an answer will pop out at you and you think that has to be the answer. But be careful because just because something sounds right does not mean it was supported in the passage. you need to be certain that there is some sort of evidence in the passage for whatever answer you are choosing, especially when the question states according to the passage...
if the author never said or implied something then that is usually not the correct answer, even though it may make sense

and this is obviously for verbal.

+1 I think this is what has been tanking me on Verbal, esp on June 20. Too many questions, answers just like popped out to me and fit what I thought was the answer so well.