TIPS FOR TAKING MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS

Listen to your teacher’s directionsTrust your first instinctRead the ENTIRE question and ALL answer choicesAnswer the easy questions firstDouble check your workAnswer all questionsTake all the time you are allowed.

Multiple Choice Tips for Reading Tests

• Read each question and answer choice carefully FIRST before reading the passage.

• After reading the questions, read the entire passage through completely.

• Read the question again, and read all the answer choices before choosing one that you think is BEST.

Do NOT…

• Look ahead to another question until you complete the one you are working on.

• Spend too much time on one question.• Rush or hurry.• Worry if others finish while you are still

working.• Change an answer unless you are really sure

it needs to be changed.• Leave any questions blank.

Multiple Choice Testing

Strategies

COVER UP– Cover up the answer choices and try to

come up with the BEST answer yourself.

– Uncover the choices and see if you can find one to match your thinking.

– You still MUST READ ALL CHOICES before you decide!!!

COVER UP• This is a good strategy to use whenever

you are familiar with the material.

• Use Cover Up first. Then check with Check and See & Does Not Belong to make sure you have the right answer.

COVER UPWhat is your fourth grade teacher’s name?

Think…What is your teacher’s name. You know the answer.

Now look and see if the answer is there. If not, you will have to use another strategy.

What is your fourth grade teacher’s name?

a. Mrs. Kendall

b. Mrs. Darnell

c. Mrs. Redden

d. Mrs. Hopp

Check and See

Go back and PROVE your answer in the

text.

CHECK AND SEE• This method is best for finding answers in

Reading. Go back in the story and look for the sentence that has the correct answer in it.

• It is also good for Math when you need to read data like a graph. Look at the information carefully.

Check and SeeYesterday Molly went to the store. She

bought soft drinks, crackers, and candy. Then she went to her friend Julie’s house. They played soccer in the yard.

What did Molly do first?

a.ate a candy bar

b.went to Julie’s house

c.played soccer

d.went to the store

Check and SeeYesterday Molly went to the store. She

bought soft drinks, crackers, and candy. Then she went to her friend Julie’s house. They played soccer in the yard.

What did Molly do first?

a.ate a candy bar

b.went to Julie’s house

c.played soccer

d.went to the store

Does Not Belong (Key words to look for NOT, TRUE, Or

FALSE)

– Read all options– Choose the one that is different or

doesn’t belong with the others.

Does Not Belong

• This strategy is a good one to use in science and sometimes in math and reading.

Does Not Belong

Which of the following is green?

a.leaf

b.grass

c.sky

d.caterpillar

Does Not BelongWhich of the following is green?

a. leaf

b. grass

c. sky

d. caterpillar

We know that leaves are green. Grass is green. Caterpillars are sometimes green. The sky is NOT green.

Process of Elimination

– Read each answer choice.

– Mark out the ones that you KNOW are NOT correct.

Process of Elimination

• This is a good strategy to use when you are unsure of the answer. This is like the 50/50 on the Millionaire Game Show.

Process of Elimination

Which of the following is a pet that your teacher has at home?

a.Lion

b.Cat

c.Wolf

d.Dog

Process of Elimination

• It is unlikely that your teacher has a lion or a wolf as a pet.

• So that narrows the choices down to cat or dog.

True/False Strategy

– Give each answer choice a true/false test.

– Select the option that is MOST true.