25 Common Mistakes Learners Make During an Examination
Exams can make or break a student’s grade. Countless learners slip into the same preventable errors that drag their scores down, often through no fault of their own.
Recognise the common exam-day pitfalls and apply thorough fixes — so you can help your child walk into your next test confident and ready to perform at their best.
Key Takeaways: Success in exams stems from setting clear goals, studying actively and early, and engaging in test-specific practice. Stay calm, stick to the plan during the exam, and finish with a post-exam review to improve for future assessments.
If your child needs extra assistance with English, Afrikaans, Maths or Life Orientation. iRainbow is here to help! Contact us today.
Common Mistakes Before the Examination
Pre-exam Checklist
- Confirm exam details; such as date and time
- Note the grade/mark target for each paper
- List exam weighting and key topics
- Create a realistic study timetable
- Gather all resources
- Schedule active-study blocks
- Book at least one full-length mock under exam conditions
- Plan rest breaks, exercise, and sleep
- Prepare an exam-day kit
- Remember to breathe
1. Not Knowing the Grades You're Aiming for
One of the most significant mistakes learners make before an exam is not knowing the grades they’re aiming for. When learners don’t know what score they need to achieve in their final exams, they might study the incorrect amount for their exams.
To analyse how much studying is needed compared to the required marks, learners should first determine the grade they want to achieve in each class and identify the exams that will contribute the most to their grades. Next, learners should consider the weight of each exam and how it contributes to their overall grade. Learners should also assess their current grades and identify the areas where they need improvement.
Once learners have determined which exams are most critical to their grades, they can allocate their study time accordingly. It’s essential to balance the time spent studying for each exam and to avoid focusing on one exam to the detriment of others.
2. Relying on Teachers to Prepare Them
Another mistake learners make is relying solely on their teachers to prepare them for exams. Although teachers provide study guides and exam review sessions, learners should take responsibility for their learning. Learners can complement what their teachers provide by reading ahead, asking questions, and seeking additional resources to deepen their understanding of the material. You can also consider subscribing to our e-learning software for further studies.
3. Not Starting Early Enough
Many learners intend to study for exams weeks in advance, but procrastination often gets in the way. As exams approach, learners find themselves cramming instead of learning. To avoid this mistake, learners should begin studying early and create a schedule that allows them to pace themselves effectively.
4. Scrambling on exam day
Scrambling on exam day can torpedo your hard work preparing for the exam. A simple way to avoid this is to pack all items the night before and double-check the venue, time, and transportation details. Arrive about 30 minutes early to locate your seat, test pens and calculator and sidestep the last-second panic chatter. This buffer helps regulate cortisol levels, allowing working memory to remain clear.
5. Not checking the timetable properly
Misreading the exam timetable is an avoidable error. The fix is adding a bit of vigilance to your routine. Ensure that you log each paper’s date, start time, and location as soon as the schedule is available. Use a wall planner or digital calendar. Re-check the official timetable the week before in case of changes. This two-minute routine eliminates the risk of arriving late or on the wrong day. So, your mental bandwidth is free to focus on remembering the exam content.
6. Working too hard and burnout
Marathon cramming sessions may feel productive, but once fatigue sets in, every extra hour yields fewer actual learning and increases cortisol levels, eroding recall. Protect your 7 to 9 hours of sleep to consolidate learning. Finding that balance between studying and recovery ensures sustainable, high-quality learning.
7. Studying in Chronological Order
Studying in chronological order is another mistake many learners make. Instead of studying the most important topics first, learners typically go through their class notes in chronological order. This approach can be ineffective since learners might not have enough time to review the most recent topics, which are often the most challenging. To avoid this mistake, learners should prioritise and spend more time studying the most critical topics.
8. Ineffective Revision Habits
Even long study sessions can fall flat if they rely on low-impact methods. Just skimming notes repeatedly may feel productive, but it does little for long-term retention. Just as unhelpful is the habit of skipping self-tests or learning without some form of practice questions.
Effective study hinges on active retrieval. You want to extract information rather than passively receive it. That means quizzing yourself, teaching the concept aloud, working past-paper problems, and writing mini-essays from memory. And there is real evidence for the effectiveness of this idea.
Roediger and Karpicke called it the “testing effect.” In two landmark experiments, university students studied brief science passages and then either restudied them or took free-recall tests without feedback. When the final test followed immediately, extra studying led to better recall.
However, after delays of two days or one week, the pattern reversed. Students who had been initially tested remembered 14 to 20% more material than those who had only restudied, even though the previous group had seen the passage up to four times more often. Repeated testing was shown to especially effective, reducing the amount of material forgotten to roughly one-quarter of the rate observed after repeated study.
The study concludes that testing is not just an assessment tool. It enhances retention.
9. Using Passive Study Strategies
Many learners use passive study strategies such as reading notes and textbooks, which can be ineffective. Passive study strategies are not engaging and can lead to boredom and inattentiveness. Active study strategies, such as self-quizzing, are more effective since they engage the learner and promote retention. To avoid this mistake, learners should employ active study strategies that require them to engage with the material.
10. Not Testing Themselves on the Material
Testing oneself on the material is crucial in preparing for exams. However, many learners spend more time reviewing their notes rather than testing themselves. By taking practice tests, learners can identify their strengths and weaknesses and focus on areas that need improvement. To avoid this mistake, learners should test themselves frequently and use practice tests to prepare for exams.
Read more: Best tips to study effectively for exams
11. Practising in the Wrong Format
Learners often study for exams in the same way, regardless of the format. To avoid this mistake, learners should study using methods similar to the exam format. Suppose a student is preparing for a biology exam consisting of multiple-choice questions and essays. Using flashcards to memorise vocabulary terms might be a helpful strategy for the multiple-choice questions, but it wouldn’t help the student prepare for the essay portion of the exam. In this case, the student should also practice writing essays addressing the course’s key concepts and themes, encouraging them to think critically and express their ideas coherently.
Similarly, suppose a student prepares for a maths exam with multiple-choice and problem-solving questions. In that case, they should practice solving problems that require the same skills and concepts tested in the exam. By studying using methods similar to the exam format, students can better prepare themselves for the questions they will encounter on the exam.
12. Reviewing Information They Already Know
Many learners spend more time reviewing topics they already know, rather than challenging themselves with new concepts. This approach can be ineffective since learners might not have enough time to review the challenging topics they need to understand better. To avoid this mistake, learners should review the topics they’re less confident in and move on to the topics they already know once they are assured.
13. Sticking to Only One Place for Studying
Studying in the same place all the time can be monotonous and dull. It’s crucial to vary your study environment to improve memory retention. Changing study locations can enhance the mind’s cognitive functions by increasing blood circulation and promoting alertness.
Studies have shown that learning in the same place can lead to a phenomenon called context-dependent memory. This means the brain associates specific memories with the environment in which they were learned. Thus, studying in the same place can make recalling information in other settings more difficult.
During an Examination
14. Exam-Room Errors to Avoid
Racing through a paper is a shortcut to losing marks. Slow down, highlight key words, paraphrase the questions to be sure you’re tackling the right question, and confirm your outline matches the task. If stress clouds your mind, use a quick reset, such as the 4-7-8 breathing technique, to lower cortisol and reopen your recall pathways.
Assign “max minutes” to each section, and give big-mark questions the lion’s share of attention. Unfinished high-value items are the most common post-exam regret.
Finally, always reserve a final five-minute buffer to catch arithmetic slips, missing units, illegible digits, or rogue spelling errors. That last sweep can recover points you’ve already earned, turning careful execution into a higher overall score.
Speaking of last sweeps, A study involving Munich medical students found that, out of a 78-item multiple-choice exam, when students chose to conduct a quick revision, only 5% of responses were changed, but changes yielded a net gain of around 2.5% per student from first changes.
Key findings of this study show that single, considered changes are advantageous without harming overall performance. Students should therefore be encouraged to revisit and, when in doubt, amend their first answers.
15. Careless Mistakes/Not Reading the Question Properly
Learners may rush through questions without reading them correctly during the examination, leading to careless mistakes. It’s essential to read and understand each question before attempting to answer. Learners should take the time to scan through the question, underline keywords, and make sense of the question before answering.
16. Chasing the perfect answer
Polishing one response until it is perfect sometimes means you don’t get to all the questions you can. Craft a clear core plan during the exam reading time to ensure you allocate the correct amount of time to the questions. If inspiration strikes later, add a quick refinement in your final sweep, but never at the expense of untouched questions worth equal or greater points.
17. Not marking multiple-choice answers
Every blank bubble equals a zero you could have avoided. After finishing each question, shade the grid immediately, check the number-to-answer alignment, and scan the sheet for gaps before turning the page.
18. Leaving questions blank and forgetting to return
Leaving questions blank is not always because you’ve forgotten the answer, but often because you intend to return later once your memory is jogged a bit. If a problem stalls you, place a bold star in the margin and skip it. Reserve at least the last five minutes to hunt for every flagged question and complete any half-finished calculations or multiple-choice answers.
19. Going blank
Going blank mid-exam is usually a stress-triggered memory freeze, not true forgetting. Pause, slow your breathing, then jot any cue words, formulas or headings you can recall. If the fog persists, star the question, move on, and return once momentum rebuilds.
20. Answering a Different Question from the One Asked
Learners may become so stressed during the examination that they answer incorrectly. It’s crucial to understand the question and only provide the relevant information. To avoid this mistake, learners should prepare well for the exam, study past papers, and pay attention to how the memoranda expect the answer.
21. Tips on how not to panic during an exam
During the examination, learners may panic and feel overwhelmed by the stress of the exam. It’s crucial to remain calm and take a deep breath to reduce anxiety. One technique is deep breathing, which involves inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose, holding your breath for a few seconds, and exhaling slowly through your mouth. This technique can help slow down your heart rate and decrease feelings of stress and anxiety. Another technique, called the 4-7-8 technique, involves inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds. This technique can help regulate your breathing and promote relaxation.
22. Failing to Plan Your Answers (planning for exams essay)
The exam isn’t truly “over” when you hand it in. A quick review transforms one set of answers into a roadmap for future improvement.
While a quick assessment straight after the exam is somewhat beneficial, you’ll find that a deep dive when you receive your script is a much better way to improve. Take time to pinpoint where you lost method marks, spot recurring gaps, note any missed command words and balance your response lengths by practising timed papers so you stop writing when your depth matches the marks available.
23. Failing to Plan Your Time
Learners may fail to plan their time effectively during the examination, resulting in poor time management. It’s essential to check the number of questions and the marks available for each question. Learners should allocate more time to questions with a higher mark allocation and less time to questions with fewer marks.
24. Not Looking at the Mark Scheme or the Space Provided
During the examination, learners may fail to look at the mark scheme or the space provided, leading to incorrect answers. The mark scheme and space provided give clues about the examiners’ expectations. Learners should ensure their response fits the allocated marks and that they have answered the whole question.
25. Over-Generalising
Learners may over-generalise their answers during the examination, leading to inaccurate information. It’s essential to be specific and show an understanding of the limits of your statements. To achieve this, learners should use examples, statistics, or data to support their answers. They should also demonstrate an understanding of the limitations of their statements and refrain from making claims that are not supported by facts.
Post-Exam Reflection
The exam isn’t truly “over” when you hand it in. A quick review transforms one set of answers into a roadmap for future improvement.
While a quick assessment straight after the exam is somewhat beneficial, you’ll find that a deep dive when you receive your script is a much better way to improve. Take time to pinpoint where you lost method marks, spot recurring gaps, note any missed command words and balance your response lengths by practising timed papers so you stop writing when your depth matches the marks available.
Top Tips
Preventing mistakes commonly made during exams:
- learners should check for spelling and grammar errors
- ensure their handwriting is legible
- and manage their time well.
These study tips can help learners avoid common mistakes and perform well on their exams.
Exams are essential to the educational journey, and avoiding common mistakes that negatively affect performance is critical. Learners should start early, prioritise the most vital topics, and use active study strategies that require engagement with the material. During the exam, learners should take the time to understand each question, plan their answers, manage their time well, and avoid over-generalising their answers.
These tips can help learners improve their performance and achieve their academic goals. Enrol now if you’re ready to improve your study habits and prepare for your next exam. Alternatively, explore our material further by reading about how to study effectively for exams.
If your child needs extra assistance with English, Afrikaans, Maths or Life Orientation. iRainbow is here to help! Contact us today.
