The more you practice the more familiar you'll be with the material and the format. Practising will also help you recognize your bad habits and prevent careless errors. You're welcome.
"Cramming" may help you gain knowledge for a short amount of time, but you will not remember that information over the long term. This is particularly true for new vocabulary. By studying earlier in the process and on a regular basis, you'll be able to know the material rather than just being able to recall it for a couple days.
It is important to know what is expected of you while you are being tested. How many questions are there? What score do you have to get to pass? Is there a time limit? Are you to bring anything, such as pencils or any other equipment? Are you penalized for incorrect answers or should you answer each question? Each exam you take should have all of this information easily accessible.
Arrive to the testing site early so that you can get situated and relaxed. Make sure you've recently eaten a normal meal. Also be sure to use the restroom prior to the test. Many tests may not allow you to break once it has begun.
Getting a good night's rest is often overlooked. Many people sacrifice sleep for cramming which will often do more harm than good.
Unless required to do otherwise, dress casual and comfortable. The more comfortable you are the less stress you'll feel and the more energy you'll be able to focus on the test rather than struggling to finish it as soon as possible.
If allowed, bring a water bottle with you. Studies have shown that those with access to water during a standardized test typically have higher scores.
Just calm down already. Getting your panties in a twist won’t help. Take some deep breathes and calm down. If you know you are an anxious test taker, prepare yourself by practising more in real-life scenarios. It may also help research specific relaxation techniques.
Know how much time you're allowed for the exam. Know how many questions there are. Find about the right pace that you'll need to follow in order to complete the test on time. If you find yourself stumped on a question, move on to the next. Nothing good will come from spending 5 minutes on a single question. If you notice yourself falling behind pace, kick it up notch by skipping questions that you can come back to. That will ensure that you have enough time to at least read and possibly answer each question.
Don't assume that you know what the question will ask half-way through. Also, look for key words like "NOT", "EXCEPT", "MOST/LEAST Likely", etc. Read the question in its entirety and then pick the best answer. Guessing as to what the question will be is like guessing on the answer.
For TRUE/FALSE questions, make sure to look for any factor that would make the answer false. It's easy for a test creator to add a false part to an otherwise true statement. If ANY part of the question is false, the answer is false. Look for extremes, like "ALWAYS", "ALL", or "NEVER".
Just like guessing at the question, you may encounter problems if you select the first answer that looks correct. Make sure to look for "All of the above" or "Both A and B." Almost as important as picking the right answer is eliminating the wrong ones. The process of elimination will increase the probability of guessing the right answer if it comes to that. Make sure to rely on your knowledge and ignore any patterns you might recognize. Noticing that the last 3 answers were "B" does not mean that you should answer the next question with something other than "B."
Make sure you have answered all of the questions that you wanted to answer. Don't use this time to second-guess yourself. Instead, use it to find any questions that you may have misinterpreted. Look for questions that use the word "NOT" and "EXCEPT" and verify that you answer the question to match.