How to Succeed on the TABE
Test-taking Strategies for Adult Learners
Although the TABE is not a pass/fail test, receiving an adequate score on the test can mean the difference between being required to take remedial classes or not, being allowed to enrolled in certain vocational programs, or receiving a job or a promotion. With a student’s education or career path at stake, taking the time to learn and apply test-taking strategies is a worthwhile investment of the adult student’s time.
The following are some test-taking strategies and tips that can be implemented with ease and are useful for the TABE and other diagnostic tests:
Answering the TABE Questions
Always read the directions carefully and understand what the question is asking you before attempting to answer it.
Skim and scan long reading passages. Slower readers or people who have been out of school for several years may waste valuable time reading entire passages word for word. Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph in the passage then go back to the passage as you answer each question.
Answer every question. If you are running out of time, guess. If you guess, you have a 25% chance of getting the question correct. If you don’t answer, you have a 0% chance of getting it right. Questions that you leave blank count as incorrect and lower your score.
If you must guess, the following tips can improve your chances of guessing the correct answer: (Only use these tips when you are certain that you cannot answer the question correctly. These strategies can help you make an educated guess but should not be used in place of a serious effort to answer the question.)
- Choose C or D. Test makers subconsciously try to “hide” the answer from the test taker, so they are more likely to make C or D the correct choice because they are further away from the question on the page.
- Choose “all of the above”.
- Choose the longest answer. This works mainly on the TABE Reading portion when you read passages and are given questions to answer about what you read. This especially works on questions that ask you for the main idea of the passage, or that ask you to summarize the passage, or make generalizations/predict outcomes.
For each question, try to eliminate two obviously wrong choices and focus on the two remaining ones. This increases your chances of getting the answer correct from 25% to 50% and also saves time.
On the paper and pencil version of the test, if you get stuck on a question, skip it and come back to it so that you don’t waste time and run out of time at the end. It’s better to miss that one question than to run out of time and miss ten at the end.
Memory Devices
Whenever possible, use memory devices to help you. For example, when trying to remember order of operations when solving math problems, remember P E M D A S (Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally):
- P=Parentheses
- E=Exponents
- M=Multiplication
- D=Division
- A=Addition
- S=Subtraction
Where to Get Study Help
Take advantage of resources available to help you prepare, such as workbooks offered through McGraw-Hill or free study guides and practice tests online. If you have had academic difficulties in the past, then you may want to consider tutoring. The center where you will take the TABE most likely will offer assistance and study materials.
Being Mentally Prepared
Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or yoga. This is especially beneficial for people with test-taking anxiety.
Think positive! Repeat positive affirmations to yourself. Before the test, visualize answering the questions with ease and receiving a good score. Many athletes report using visualization techniques before competing in important games or matches. While you may not be shooting the winning shot in the playoffs or winning a gold medal, the educational and career rewards that can be reaped from doing well on the TABE are priceless.
For more information about the format of the TABE, how it is administered and what information is included on it, see Understanding the TABE: A Diagnostic Test for Adult Learners.
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