TT5
5. How to Finish the Test
Your chances of passing are higher if you can finish the test. Preparing isn't just about being able to answer questions. It's about being able to answer with the clock ticking. Here are some suggestions about how to finish:
The best way to practice time management is on the GEDReady test:
- (1) Don't hesitate to guess and move on. Guessing isn't a failure; it's smart.
- (2) There's no penalty for wrong answers. So guess whenever you can, using the suggestions here. An unanswered question counts the same as a wrong answer.
- (3) You have 70 minutes to answer about 35 questions. To finish, you have to average about two minutes per question. Keep this in mind.
- (4) Get a kitchen timer, set it for two minutes, and use it whenever you work through an example or practice question. This helps you develop a sense of when you're getting bogged down, when it's time to guess and move on.
The best way to practice time management is on the GEDReady test:
- (1) The test is designed to tell you whether you're ready to take the test or not, and it does that well. But you can also use it to practice time management.
- (2) Two minutes per question means five questions every 10 minutes. When you take either the real test or GEDReady, check the clock after every fifth question. After five you shouldn't have used more than 10 minutes; after ten you shouldn't have used more than 20 minutes; and so forth. You'll see whether you need to speed up or not while you still have time to adjust.
- (3) If you are running out of time at the end, guess quickly at every question that's left, even if you just have to guess at the first choice.
- (4) You can't use the kitchen timer on the real test, but if you practice with it you'll sense when it's time to guess.
- (5) There are at least three versions of the GEDReady Social Studies test, so you can take it more than once. The page here has more infomation about GEDReady.
"THE TEST-TAKING SKILLS YOU NEED"