A GUIDE ON HOW TO ANSWER

EXAM QUESTIONS
 READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS

Most Bar takers tend to go through the questions right away

after being handed the questionnaires and having a go signal
to start the exams. This, according to most professors and
lawyers, is the common mistake of those who took the previous
Bar exams. Given the fact that each Bar examiner has a
specific set of instructions for their respective exams, bar
examinees should read the instructions first.
 LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS FIRST

At times, the exam offers a kilometric set of facts which will make
the examinees spend so much time reading it. Most Bar questions
have tricky facts that branch out to legal problems which will make
law students think critically and exhaust them all the way.
However, most of the time, the questions posed are simple.

By reading the question first, students will be able to read and

understand the set of facts given in a legal problem. They can
filter out unnecessary facts that will only confuse them.
CHECK FOR THE KEYWORDS WITHIN THE FACTS AND
THE QUESTIONS
A legal problem in the Bar exam will always hand in something to
every examinee. Whether it be a word, a phrase, or even a legal
provision, takers must consider the same and determine whether or
not it is relevant to the answer they have in mind.

For example, one is confronted with a Criminal Law question and a

crime was given in the facts. The examinee is then expected to cross-
refer the same to the legal elements of the crime. Are the elements of
the crime present? Is one or more lacking? If so, what? With this, a
Bar taker could answer in a manner that is accorded with a legal
basis and the like.
 DON’T FORGET TO WRITE LEGIBLY AND PROVIDE
SIZABLE MARGINS

It must be ingrained in memory that every taker must leave a

margin on both sides of the test booklets. Bar examiners always
want a neatly-submitted booklet when they are checking the
same.
Also, takers must write clearly. Grammatical errors may affect the
grades an examiner may give to a taker. It must always be
remembered that the Bar exam, first and foremost, is an English
exam that requires mastery of the language as well.
 REMEMBERING ALAC AND KISS

The ALAC method strikes as the most familiar and most

useful to all bar exam takers out there. To those having a
hard time on how to come up with a well-crafted answer in
the Bar, let us revisit the said method.

ANSWER, LEGAL BASIS, APPLICATION, CONCLUSION

KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE
ANSWER
Before stretching out one’s knowledge when it comes to the pertinent
jurisprudence or codal provisions, one must first answer. Most
questions will ask whether or not the contention of a party is correct.
Takers must first answer by jotting down a YES or a NO followed by
the question asked (e.g. YES, the contention of the petitioner is
correct.)
LEGAL BASIS
After answering and establishing a point of reference, takers must now
lay down the related jurisprudence or codal provision to defend the
answer. One must take note however that while there may be a lot of
possible answers considering the exceptions and the exceptions to the
latter as well, remember that there is only one issue in the legal
question in which the examiner would like to be answered. In short, do
not complicate the answers and simplify them as much as possible.
ANALYSIS/APPLICATION
Now that the legal basis is established, an analysis must then be made
towards the facts of the legal problem. Here, correlation and cross-
referencing to the facts as well as the question comes to play. This is the
portion in which takers can further expound on their answer aside from
the given legal basis.
At times, the ANALYSIS is also referred to as the APPLICATION wherein
a taker must apply the legal basis he or she has given to the set of facts
and problems in the exam.
CONCLUSION
For the last paragraph of the answer, one must sum up all
of the factors already stated in the preceding sentences. It
serves as the point referring to the end of your answer.
SAMPLE ANSWER
NO, the contention of X is incorrect.
According to the Revised Penal Code, the elements of self-defense
as a justifying circumstance are as follows: unlawful aggression; the
reasonable necessity of the means employed to prevent or repel it, and; lack
of sufficient provocation on the part of the person defending himself.
In this case, the second element is lacking. Shooting an aggressor
multiple times at the back, according to jurisprudence, is not within
reasonable means to prevent or repel an attack.
Hence, X cannot use self-defense to be exculpated of the crime
charged.
KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE (KISS)
As shown in the given example, the KISS method was also
applied. The acronym stands for “Keep It Short and Simple.”
Bar takers are expected to go directly to the point and avoid
beating around the bush. Given the number of Bar takers in the
country, examiners only have a very limited time in checking
every booklet. Bar takers should know how to answer shortly yet
so concise that all the issues in the legal problem are answered
with just a couple of sentences.
SAMPLE WORDS/PHRASES TO USE IN
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
REASON/S BEHIND THE LAW

• The purpose of the law is…

• The law is designed to…
• The rationale behind the law is…
DEFINITION / EXPLANATION

• _________ is a comprehensive term used to describe

• _________ is a branch of public law (or private law)
which deals with..
• It pertains to _______
• _________ is a doctrine in (i.e. Civil Law) which
refers to…
• _________ is a principle in (i.e. Criminal Law) which
states that…
ENUMERATION

• In capsule form, the following are the elements of the

crime of ____:
a.
b.
• The following are the requisites for ____:
a.
b.
DISTINCTION/DIFFERENTIATION
• The (i.e. two) may be distinguished from each other in the
followings
ways:

a. In the former, ____ while in the latter _____.

b.
• ______ . On the other hand, _______ is _______.
CITING LAW PROVISIONS/BASIS

• No less than the (i.e. 1987 Constitution) provides for the…

• Under the law…

• According to the (i.e. Family Code)…

• By express provision of law,…

• In one case, the Supreme Court ruled that

• It is well settled in this jurisdiction that…

REFERRING BACK TO THE CASE (CORRELATING THE
FACTS WITH THE LAW/JURISPRUDENCE)

• From the facts given, noteworthy is the …

• From the facts of the case, it is readily observable
that…
• In the instant case, it may be observed that…
• In the case at bar, …
• Here, …
ANSWERING IN THE POSITIVE/NEGATIVE

• Yes/No.
• The petition is (not) meritorious.
• The contention has (no) legal basis.
• The case will (not) prosper.
• The action is (not) tenable.
• The motion should be (not) granted.
• The Judge is (in)correct.
CONCLUDING WORDS

• Finally, …
• Hence, …
• Therefore, …
• Consequently, …
• In sum, …
• Accordingly, …
WELCOME AND HAVE A BLAST
IN LAW SCHOOL. 