How to Ace Multiple Choice Questions Like A Pro

Multiple Choice Strategies

Since most of the entrance exams are objective, knowing how to answer MCQs in a dead-on manner might free your mind. So how do you do it? How do you answer objective questions like a boss?

Types of Multiple Choice Test Questions:

As time passed by, the complexity of the competition questions has also increased. Earlier there were only text type questions, but now people have started using graphs, pictures, scrambled images, etc. in multiple-choice questions.

Basically, there are two types of multiple-choice questions, they are:

1. Single answer questions:

These are the type of questions where we will have the option of choosing only one answer. Here the choices will be provided in radio buttons.

2. Multiple answer question:

In this type of questions, we will be having the option of selecting multiple answers. Here the choices will be provided in checkboxes.

How to Answer Multiple Choice Questions like a pro?

Multiple choice questions are mostly tricky ones. But with a little smartness, we can crack them very easily. With a little knowledge on the subject and a good strategy, you can easily answer any multiple-choice questions.

1. Take up 1 question at a time and circle the keywords,

2. Cover all the possible answers as fast as you can, and if no idea, then make logical guesses

3. Execute a rescue round

The following mentioned are few multiple-choice test tricks and strategies on how to pass a multiple-choice test without studying.

   1.Elimination technique: For answering a multiple-choice question, it is a fact that the multiple options are formatted in a tough manner. All the options seem to be right in some aspect and so the test taker can pick out the wrong answers first and then choose the right answer.

2. Understand the question: First thing is first, understanding the question is the most important thing in giving an answer. Every answer is correct but not to every question. So I advise you to read every question at least three times and identify what it’s asking for. With multiple choice questions you might also want to be careful with those, “Not” and “Except” tricks. So take your time otherwise you might give the correct answer to the wrong question.

3. True or false test: Read the question carefully and if you’re muddled by looking at the options, give each option a true or false test. Cross out the false answers and by this way, the most appropriate answer can be found out.

4. Brainstorm for the answer: This is a technique I personally use with MCQs. I try to give the answer before looking at the options I have been given. This helps me distinguish the wrong answers from the correct one(s). It also helps avoid those options that seem similar to the answer but they are not quite it. Those ones can be a toughie. So have an idea of what the answer might be.

5. Analyse the given options: Now, this needs patience too. Examine all the options you have been given and I mean all of them. Some questions have several correct answers so may require a checklist.

6. Answer the question: However, if you’re uncertain I say start the whole process again from understanding the question. If still uncertain, well negative marking is no joke. That animal can rip you in pieces, so leave it un-attempted. It’s not being defeated, it protecting what you have already achieved. It is habitual that test-takers have a tough time answering multiple choice questions; this is because they consider multiple-choice questions as a stress-free set of a question when equated to another type of questions and so forget to pay attention to it. Irrespective of the format of the question, test takers should concentrate on multiple choice questions a lot. Many people take a guess to answer multiple-choice questions, but these type of questions require good skill and logic to answer them. Here are a few tips on how to solve multiple-choice questions.

7. Handling all of the above: In a multiple-choice question when there is an option as “all of the above” be careful in answering such type of question. Check to see if more than two options are right if so the choice can be opted.

8. Check articles in sentence: When your question ends with ‘a’, ‘an’ or ’the’, then the answer should start appropriate to the article and hence correct answer can be chosen appropriately. Though this does not stand true for all questions, but can help for few which has articles in it.

9. Patterns: When there are options with many variables and so, look out for the options and its patterns and similarities. Pick choices that have the same patterns and leave out the outliners so that the nearest or right answer is picked.

10. Test takers should make sure to read the question carefully though it is a timed test. Many individuals waste time without reading the question, hence it is important to read the question carefully and understand what is required. Practicing well for the exam is one way to score maximum. Past test papers, practice exams or study guides can give you an idea on how to answer MCQ questions.

11. Keywords: The keywords in the question are to be identified and underlined which helps to narrow down the meaning.

12. Instincts: You may have opted for the first option based on your first impression, you can also change the answer if you think another response is right. Concrete reasoning is mandatory to make any changes and not just feeling.

13. Answers hid in questions: A complete reading of the question paper is one way to find out a few answers, this is because for some questions answers are found in the question itself. The questions may have a link and answers within it too.

14. Eliminate grammatically wrong answers: It is a good way to eliminate grammatically wrong answers in a multiple-choice question. The answers would never make sense and hence grammatically wrong answers can be avoided.

15. Opposites can be the right answer: In a multiple-choice paper, if two options are complete opposites then there is a chance that one of them might be the answer. It is actually a trick used by the professors to check the knowledge of the students in the subject.

16. Single-word: There are many questions where one word appears in more than one options. The answer must be one of those choices which have the same word. In this context eliminate the odd one and choose from similar options.

You can also make lists and tables of important ideas or events which makes learning easier.

Conclusion: These are a few hints which can be followed for answering the multiple-choice questionnaire, but these tips are not complete 100% true to yield successful results. These are a few tricks to handle the questions. The skill to tackle a multiple choice test paper is mandatory and hence good preparation on the subject along with these techniques is required to win over such exams. Test takers and students can run through these tips with proper preparation and hack their multiple-choice exams in the right manner rather than believing in guesswork.