How to use a past paper to find where you lose marks

Published 31 October 2026

Many students do a past paper, look at the score and feel good or bad. Then they do another one. That wastes the best part. The real value is in what you learn from the marks you lost. Here is a simple method you can use tonight.

Step 1: Do it like the real exam.

Find a quiet place. Set a timer for the time given on the paper. Put your notes away. Phones off. If you cannot finish, stop when the time ends and note where you stopped.

Step 2: Mark it with the mark scheme.

Use a pen in a different colour. Be strict. Give marks only where the mark scheme gives them. If your answer is almost right, ask: what exact word or step was missing?

Step 3: Sort your lost marks into three boxes.

• "I did not know it" (a topic gap).
• "I knew it but made a slip" (careless error, units, signs, copying).
• "I did not understand the question" (read it again, underline the command word).

Step 4: Fix one box at a time.

Start with the box that has the most lost marks. For topic gaps, revise the topic and do three fresh questions. For slips, write your own checklist ("units? signs? read the question twice?"). For command words, learn what "explain", "state" and "describe" ask for.

A short example (use your own subject).

Say you lost 12 marks. Five were from one topic, four were careless slips, and three were from misreading questions. You now know where to start: that one topic. Illustrative example only. Numbers are made up to show the method.

Do this next

Repeat the same paper type next week and compare. If you want a teacher to mark it and show you what to fix, bring it to a monthly test. Failed a subject? Read our calm 5-step plan.