So why are past papers such a powerful study tool? At the risk of sounding exactly like your teachers (who you may not always listen to), let's go over a couple of reasons why you should definitely use them in your exam prep.
#1: Preparation Makes Its Own Luck
While the questions in exams may change from year to year, the general structure of an exam paper and its questions usually stays the same. This means that past papers, should you work through them, will give you a sneak peek at what to expect.
Some types of questions can be difficult to answer, so getting some practice in beforehand is always a good idea!
#2: Past Papers Are An Open Book
No one said you had to jump right in and practice your past papers under exam conditions. I recommend doing a couple open book before you put yourself under that much pressure - this gives you the chance to make sure you really do know the content. Being able to check your answers as you go gives you instant feedback, so you know what you need to work on.
#3: Timing Is Everything
Working through Grade 12 past papers also gives you a chance to work on something that trips up a lot of Matric pupils - time management. It can be easy to lose track of time during an exam, even if your invigilator is keeping track. Devoting too much time to certain questions can leave you without the time to answer others, which only hurts your marks!
Past papers give you a chance to prepare for this - knowing what styles of questions require more time and which ones are quicker to complete.
#4: Did You Get The Memo?
And finally, working through past papers also gives you access to the marking guidelines and memoranda. This is of particular value when it comes to mathematical questions, in subjects such as Maths or Physics, and essay questions.
Being able to see the steps required for answering mathematical questions tells you exactly what is expected of you in an exam and precisely how to answer different types of questions.
Essay questions can be daunting, but having access to the memos gives you a good sense of the format required.
Are you convinced? Past papers are a great tool for Matric pupils preparing for their exams and you should absolutely start using them! Click here to access our collection of past papers and get started!
