Common 11 Plus Test Mistakes - And How Best To Avoid Them!
Mar 31
We boffins here in the Club 11 Plus Club House have spent more years than we care to count doing our very best to prepare children for their 11 Plus tests in maths, English, verbal, and non-verbal reasoning. Coffee break chats often turn to the subject of the most common mistakes we see our students making, and how best we can help them avoid those pesky pitfalls, so in this article, we've put together some advice for children hoping to perform to the very best of their ability on test day.
The good news is that awareness of these common mistakes is half the battle, so let's dive in by listing some of the most frequent blunders our students have made over the years, along with some top tips on how to steer clear of them.
The good news is that awareness of these common mistakes is half the battle, so let's dive in by listing some of the most frequent blunders our students have made over the years, along with some top tips on how to steer clear of them.
Common English Test Pitfalls
Without a doubt, the most common reason for poor performance in the 11 Plus English test is students feeling the need to rush!
In the comprehension tasks, children often skim through the passage and then dive straight into the questions, reading them too quickly and leaping at the most obvious answer. Our advice is to read the passage at least once, slowly, re-reading any tricky paragraphs as you go. Only when you're really confident that you fully understand the passage should you start tackling the questions. The most common mistake of all is reading a question and then picking an answer without returning to the relevant part of the passage to check it. Even if you feel certain that you've picked the right answer, it's really important to go back and double-check it by finding the evidence. 11 Plus English comprehensions are a lot trickier than the ones you'll have been given at school, and the "obvious" answer often isn't the right one.
Our mantra for the 11 Plus English test is, "Read, re-read, and then double-check!"
Similarly, in the grammar, punctuation, and spelling questions, children often work far too quickly. While your first answer may be correct, you should still take the time to consider all the other options. Unlike in the maths, verbal, and non-verbal reasoning tests, you will generally have enough time in the English test to work steadily and carefully. We've seen many bright children zoom through their English mock tests, finishing with plenty of time left over, only to score a poor mark that doesn't reflect their ability. Our advice? When it comes to English tests, harness your inner tortoise - work slowly and carefully, reading, re-reading, and double-checking at every step.
Top tips:
✅ Read each question twice and underline all the key words before even looking at the possible answers.
✅ Harness you inner tortoise!
Typical Maths Test Traps
✅ Read each question twice and underline all the key words before even looking at the possible answers.
✅ Harness you inner tortoise!
Typical Maths Test Traps
Unfortunately, time is of the essence in the maths test - but rushing isn't the answer! We often see children throwing away marks by making "silly" mistakes, because they are working too quickly or panicking. The key to success in this test is good time-management and having the wit to "work smart". Let's explain what we mean:
In a typical GL-based 11 Plus maths test, each question carries the same number of points, yet some questions are straightforward while others are far trickier and more time-consuming. Our advice: if a question looks easy, dive right in and tackle it, working steadily rather than speedily to avoid silly mistakes; but if a question looks tricky, make a small mark by it, skip it, and move on. If there's time left over at the end, return to the tricky ones - but if you don't have any spare time, there's no need to worry - it's better to complete 85% of the test accurately than to rush through 100% of it and make lots of avoidable mistakes!
In a typical GL-based 11 Plus maths test, each question carries the same number of points, yet some questions are straightforward while others are far trickier and more time-consuming. Our advice: if a question looks easy, dive right in and tackle it, working steadily rather than speedily to avoid silly mistakes; but if a question looks tricky, make a small mark by it, skip it, and move on. If there's time left over at the end, return to the tricky ones - but if you don't have any spare time, there's no need to worry - it's better to complete 85% of the test accurately than to rush through 100% of it and make lots of avoidable mistakes!
"If in doubt, miss it out" is a sensible mantra for the maths test - cherry-picking the easier questions to gather as many marks as possible is the smart approach!
Top tips:
✅ Just like in the English test, read each question twice and underline all the key words - understanding the question is vital to getting the right answer!
✅ Cherry-pick the easier questions - "If in doubt, miss it out!"
Familiar Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Mishaps
✅ Just like in the English test, read each question twice and underline all the key words - understanding the question is vital to getting the right answer!
✅ Cherry-pick the easier questions - "If in doubt, miss it out!"
Familiar Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Mishaps
Just like in the maths test, time is tight in both the verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests. We often see children rushing because they're scared of running out of time, but some of these questions simply can't be done quickly, no matter how much of a genius you are or how much practice you've had.
In a typical GL-based 11 Plus verbal or non-verbal reasoning test, questions come in blocks: in a verbal reasoning test, you might get 6 questions of one type, followed by 6 of another type, with maybe 13 of these blocks in total in the test. In a non-verbal reasoning test, you might have 20 questions of the same type per block, with only 2 blocks in the whole test.
In a typical GL-based 11 Plus verbal or non-verbal reasoning test, questions come in blocks: in a verbal reasoning test, you might get 6 questions of one type, followed by 6 of another type, with maybe 13 of these blocks in total in the test. In a non-verbal reasoning test, you might have 20 questions of the same type per block, with only 2 blocks in the whole test.
Just like in the maths test, there may well not be time to complete every question, so once again cherry-picking the question types you're best at is key to success. Everyone has their own unique strengths, so play to them! If you're good at word-based questions, tackle those first. If you're naturally pretty good at code questions, but you know they take you a long time to do, maybe leave them for later. And if you struggle with spotting words hidden inside other words, or number sequences, it might be best to leave those types of questions until the end. Just like in the maths test, work smart!
Top Tips:
✅ Play to your strengths - complete the blocks of questions you're best at first, and leave the hardest ones until the end.
✅ When you've only got a minute left at the end of the test, fill in any unanswered questions with random guesses - you'll have a 1 in 5 chance of getting them right, so it's always worth a shot!
✅ Play to your strengths - complete the blocks of questions you're best at first, and leave the hardest ones until the end.
✅ When you've only got a minute left at the end of the test, fill in any unanswered questions with random guesses - you'll have a 1 in 5 chance of getting them right, so it's always worth a shot!
Final Thoughts
None of us is perfect - even we Club 11 Plus boffins make the odd mistake sometimes! The trick to performing your best is to work smart as well as hard:
✅ Don't rush.
✅ Take time to read the questions properly - "Read, re-read, and double-check!"
✅ Cherry-pick the easier questions first - "If in doubt, miss it out!"
✅ Fill in any unanswered questions with guesses at the end.
✅ Take time to read the questions properly - "Read, re-read, and double-check!"
✅ Cherry-pick the easier questions first - "If in doubt, miss it out!"
✅ Fill in any unanswered questions with guesses at the end.
By following these strategies, you can maximise your chances of success, and avoid the common pitfalls that trip up so many 11 Plus candidates. Good luck to you all!