Clases de Sra. S: Spring Final Review

Study Tips for Taking Foreign Language Multiple Choice Tests

There are typically only three skills targeted: vocabulary, grammar, or culture. Once you have determined the type of question, follow these tips to help you do your best on the test:

1) Vocabulary questions: This is usually the most popular type of question and while it helps if you know all of the words, chances are you won't. If you are working with a vocab question, use grammatical cues to help you eliminate any illogical choices (if any). Then, work with what you know. Place each of the remaining choices you can define into the sentence to determine if it is typically logical or not. If you are not able to define them all, then just get it down to the least number of choices possible, and guess from there. DO NOT just pick the only word you can define! Always check to see if you can eliminate it first.

2) Grammar questions: These questions use some vocabulary, but are primarily designed to test a specific grammar point. Try and determine which skill is being assessed and work back from there. a) Always use cues to help you determine the audience. For example, when used in a dialogue (or with a "," to show that you are addressing someone), first names show the familiar tú, the formal Sr./Sra. are used for Ud., and multiple names let you know that Uds. if needed.

b) Use the gender of nouns to eliminate choices. Cómprala can only refer to buying the magazine (la revista), not buying the book (el libro).

c) Use context clues to help determine when the sentence is taking place. Eliminate choices that do not fit logically. For example, ayer refers to a specific action in the past which needs a preterit verb, while hoy requires the present tense.

3) Culture questions: For cultural typically you either have studied the material or not, but still eliminate illogical or grammatically incorrect choices and choose from there.

Always choose the best possible choice when answers are close. Read this general guide for more help with any multiple choice test.