10 Common Mistakes Candidates Make in MCQ Exams

When candidates review their mock tests carefully, they are often surprised to find that a large share of their lost marks came from questions they actually knew. These avoidable errors are frustrating, but they are also the easiest marks to win back.

1. Missing “NOT” or “EXCEPT”

“Which of the following is NOT a permanent member of the UN Security Council?” Read quickly, it looks like “which is a permanent member”, and you pick the first familiar name.

Fix: whenever you see NOT, EXCEPT or INCORRECT, pause and repeat the question to yourself in full before choosing.

2. Choosing the first plausible option

Many questions include a distractor that is partly correct. Candidates who pick the first reasonable-looking option often miss a better answer below it.

Fix: read all four options before answering, even when the first one looks right.

3. Confusing look-alike facts

Lahore Resolution (1940) vs Objectives Resolution (1949). Mercury (closest to the Sun) vs Venus (hottest). COUNT vs COUNTA. Examiners deliberately place both in the options.

Fix: keep a “don’t confuse” list and review it regularly.

4. Changing correct answers

Second-guessing usually happens out of anxiety, not new information.

Fix: change an answer only if you can name a specific reason, such as a misread word or a recalled fact. A vague feeling is not a reason.

5. Spending too long on one question

A three-minute struggle with one maths problem can cost three easier questions at the end.

Fix: set a personal limit (around 90 seconds) and move on, marking the question to revisit.

6. Marking the wrong line on the answer sheet

After skipping a question, it is easy to mark every following answer one row off.

Fix: check the question number each time you mark an answer, especially after skipping.

7. Guessing wildly under negative marking

Blind guessing on every unknown question adds risk with little expected benefit.

Fix: guess when you can eliminate at least one option with confidence. Our negative marking guide shows the numbers.

8. Ignoring units and wording in maths

Answering in minutes when the question asks for hours, or giving the profit when it asks for the selling price.

Fix: underline what the question asks for before you start calculating, and check that your answer matches.

9. Assuming a familiar question is identical

You recognize a question you have practised and answer from memory, but this version asks something slightly different, for example who moved the resolution rather than when.

Fix: read familiar questions as carefully as new ones.

10. Not reviewing mock tests properly

The biggest mistake happens before the exam: taking practice tests without studying the errors.

Fix: after every mock test, sort your mistakes by cause. Our guide to using mock tests properly explains how.

Turning mistakes into marks

Go back through your last mock test and count how many wrong answers fall into the categories above. For most candidates, fixing just two or three of these habits recovers several marks, without learning a single new fact.