9.  Use correct grammar and spelling. 10.  For longer questions and essay-style questions: plan your answers be- fore you start writing. 11.  Where relevant, give examples. 12.  If you are writing an open-book exam, keep in mind that you won’t have  enough time to look up all the answers. 13.  If you have to answer multiple-choice questions, make sure that you read  the questions very carefully. 14.  If you start running out of time towards the end of the exam, write short  notes as answers to each of the remaining questions, instead of trying  to answer each question perfectly. 15.  If you have time left at the end of the exam, go back and read through  your answers to make sure that you are happy with them. tips tips tips tips tips tips tips tips tips tips tips tips tips Developed for Oxbridge Academy Make sure that you know your work, and that you know where to look  for key information. These types of exams are more focused on testing  your understanding than on testing your knowledge, which means that  you need to have a thorough grasp of the work. Try to think of the correct answer before you read through the options,  as you are less likely to become confused. When in doubt, go with your  first instinct. If there is more than one correct answer, go with the an - swer that appears to be most correct. This way, you should still earn some marks for writing down the most  important points. This will help you to formulate logical arguments, as well as to structure  your answers clearly. In essay questions, you will get marks for using  the correct format, which includes making sure that you have an intro- duction, sub-headings and paragraphs, and a conclusion. This will help to demonstrate that you understand the topic. This will contribute to the clarity of your answers, and will prevent the  person marking your paper from having to guess what you mean. Basic English Language Skills