Every student is sure to understand that past year papers are pretty much the equivalent to gold when it comes to exam revision. What better way could students find means of practice that simulates what the actual exams would be like?
Most students would often opt to purchase printed past year papers either in the form of the Ten Year Series (TYS) or compiled papers from other schools!
However, there are a few logistical problems that come along with that.
For one, lugging stacks and stacks of past year papers can be quite troublesome, especially when it comes to travelling. Not to mention, it can be rather easy to misplace the (many) papers or even accidentally damage them if we are not careful!
Furthermore, once we have written on the papers, re-doing them for revision can be quite the hassle.
Thus, more students nowadays are opting to download these past year papers online! You’d be surprised at just how many types of papers are available for download online. Everything from Cambridge papers to school question papers can be found at the tips of your fingers!
However, sourcing good websites for this purpose on your own can be a challenge, so this article has compiled a few good websites you could use!
Here are just a few popular and trusted websites you could start with…
Why are past year papers so important for revision?
Before you continue downloading and attempting some past year papers, it is imperative that you understand why doing them is important in the first place!
We all know the saying: Practice makes perfect. Past PSLE/O Level/A Level papers grant us the opportunity to see what the actual national exams are like and what type of questions to expect.
It also gives us a rough idea of what chapters or topics have been heavy tested in recent years. Thus, somewhat allowing us to predict the types of questions that might be tested for this year.
Past year school papers also let us compare our standards to that of other schools. Hence, giving us a rough gauge of where we stand compared to students of other schools. It also grants us a glimpse into what these other schools are teaching and how they go about doing so.
How to effectively study using past year papers
It is essential that we remember to study smart and not just simply study hard! Thus, we will now move on to how to get the most out of your revision with past year papers.
Nearing your exam dates, it would be good to practice these papers (under timed conditions!) frequently to create stamina for the actual exam.
Once they have been completed, always mark them before moving onto the next paper! We can only really learn from our mistakes only if we are made aware of them. This way, we can identify for ourselves the mistakes that we tend to make and correct them as soon as possible.
Past year papers also generally come with an examiner’s report, so it would be a good idea to read through it. This tells us the mistakes that most students often make and also what the Cambridge examiners expect in our answers.
If needed, consult your teachers in school if you face some problems in the papers that you don’t understand. Know that the teachers are always there to help!