What strategies can we use when answering test questions?

Hi, I’m Helperoo, the helpful kangaroo.

Over the next few weeks, we will be working through some NAPLAN-style
questions. We will be focusing on using a variety of strategies to work out the
answer. Two strategies that will be used throughout these questions are:

Trial and Error Elimination

Trial and error means you try

Elimination is the process of eliminating or ‘getting rid of’
different answers and see if
answers you know are not correct. It’s a great strategy to use in
they work. If it doesn’t work
multiple choice questions.
(error), you try another
possible answer. For example, if you have 4 options, eliminate the 2 you don’t
think are correct. This leaves you with 2 answers. One will be
Once you have tried each
correct. One will be the distractor - an answer designed to trick
possible answer, you can
you. Now you only have 2 options and have a much higher
decide which one you think is
chance of choosing the correct answer.
correct.
Let’s see these strategies in action:

Which word completes this sentence?

Elimination
He want to go to the dentist. Trial
For this question, you couldand Error
eliminate the two
options you think are incorrect.

wouldn’t
shouldn’t
For this question, you use each
didn’t
wouldn’t can’t word in the sentence to see
which one makes sense. If it
doesn’t
This leaves you make
with two sense (error),
options:
shouldn’t then try another one until you
wouldn’t
didn’t find the one that fits!

In this case, the word ‘wouldn’t’ is the distractor.

didn’t It’s designed to try and trick you. Eliminate the
distractor and you will arrive at the correct
answer:
can’t He didn’t want to go to the dentist.

TIP: use your working out paper to help you.

Finally, the most important strategy…

Keep calm, breathe

and have
confidence in yourself.

Remember - it’s just a test, don’t stress,

just try your best!
Let’s have a go!
Day 1 Spelling Question Practice

There is a spelling mistake in the following sentence.

Type the correct spelling of the word in the box.

She was so frightened, she skreemed at the top of her voice.

Answer:
Day 1 Spelling Question Practice

There is a spelling mistake in the following sentence.

Type the correct spelling of the word in the box.

She was so frightened, she skreemed at the top of her voice.

Answer: How did you go? What screamed

strategy did you use?

Elimination Trial and Error

Eliminate the words you
Try out different spellings on
know are right to narrow
your working paper. See
down your options
which one you think looks
E.g. she, was, so, at, the top, correct.
of, her.
E.g.
This leaves you with screemed
‘frightened’, ‘skreemed’ and screamd
‘voice’. screamed
Day 2 Grammar Question Practice

Choose the word that best completes the sentence

The grass was the long it’s ever been!

longest

 longer

tall

Answer: longest How did you go? What strategy did you use?

Trial and Error Elimination

Eliminate 2 of the 4 options to narrow
down your answer.
Use each word in the E.g
sentence and see which one long
sounds right. longest
longer
tall
Day 3 Grammar Question Practice

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

Answer:
 Finally, she reached the front of the queue.
Finally she reached the front of the queue.
Finally she reached, the front of the queue.
Finally she reached the front of the queue,

How did you go? What strategy did you use?

Trial and Error Elimination

Read each sentence, pausing

Eliminate 2 of the 4 options to narrow
at the comma to see which
down your answer.
one sounds wight.
Day 4 Spelling Question Practice

Click play to listen to the sentence. Type the missing word.

The girl fell over and her knee.

Day 4 Spelling Question Practice

Click play to listen to the sentence. Type the missing word.

The girl fell over and her knee.

Answer: hurt
Trial and Error
Write the word on your
working out paper. Try a few
different spellings. See which
one looks correct.

How did you go? What strategy did you use? E.g.
hurt
hert
hirt
Day 5 Grammar Question Practice

Select the word that best fits the sentence.

catched catch caught  threw

The ball flew high in the air before she it.

Answer: caught

How did you go? What strategy did you use?

Trial and Error Elimination

Eliminate 2 of the 4 options to narrow
down your answer.
Use each word in the E.g.
sentence and see which one catched
sounds right. catch
caught
threw
Day 6 Grammar Question Practice

Which word fits in the sentence:


Australia has some of the world’s most famous beaches.
have

had
Answer: has
having

How did you go? What strategy did you use?

Trial and Error Elimination

Eliminate 2 of the 4 options to narrow
down your answer.
Use each word in the E.g.
sentence and see which one has
sounds right. have
had
having
Day 7 Grammar Question Practice

Which of the following are proper nouns?

she

 Harvey

mouse • Harvey
Answer:
shoes • Brisbane

 Brisbane

his

Elimination

Eliminate the options you

think are incorrect to narrow
How did you go? What strategy did you use? down your answer.
Day 8 Spelling Question Practice

There is a spelling mistake in the following sentence.

Type the correct spelling of the word in the box.

We wern’t supposed to go shopping by ourselves.

Answer:
Day 8 Spelling Question Practice

There is a spelling mistake in the following sentence.

Type the correct spelling of the word in the box.

We wern’t supposed to go shopping by ourselves.

Answer: weren’tdid you use?

How did you go? What strategy

Elimination Trial and Error

Eliminate the words you
know are right to narrow
down your options Try out different spellings on
your working paper. See
E.g. we, to, go, by.
which one you think looks
This leaves you with correct.
‘wern’t’, ‘supposed’,
‘shopping’, ‘ourselves’.
Day 9 Grammar Question Practice

Choose one row in each box to sow whether the sentence

should use were or where.
Day 9 Grammar Question Practice

Choose one row in each box to sow whether the sentence

should use were or where.

were where
I know to go.
You the best player!
They running really fast.

Trial and Error

How did you go? What strategy did you use? Use each word in the
sentence and see which
sounds right.
Day 10 Spelling Question Practice

Click play to listen to the sentence. Type the missing word.

My best friend and I played for teams.

Day 10 Spelling Question Practice

Click play to listen to the sentence. Type the missing word.

My best friend and I played for teams.

Answer: different
Trial and Error

Write the word on your

How did you go? What strategy did you use? working out paper. Try a few
different spellings. See which
one looks correct.
Well Done!