Start by rereading the question carefully. Sometimes the first reading creates confusion because the wording is complex rather than because the underlying concept is impossible.

Identify what information you do know.

For mathematics, write down the known values and what the question is asking you to find.

For reading, return to the relevant section and identify evidence.

For multiple-choice questions, use elimination. Even when you cannot immediately identify the correct answer, you may be able to eliminate options that clearly contradict the question.

Look for clues in:

• Units

• Keywords

• Patterns

• Relationships

• Diagrams

• Answer choices

If there is no penalty for an incorrect response, leaving a question unanswered is generally less useful than making the most informed choice permitted by the assessment rules.

Most importantly, manage your time.

If you have made a genuine attempt and still cannot progress, move on when appropriate and return later.

Use this sequence:

Pause → Reread → Identify known information → Eliminate → Attempt → Move on.

A difficult question is not evidence that you are failing.

Competitive assessments are often designed to contain questions that require students to think deeply. Your objective is to maximise the total number of marks you earn, not to prove that you can solve every question immediately.