For most students, E1 is the easiest exam at the operational level. This is backed up by its pass rate, which is consistently among the highest of all modules whenever they are published by CIMA.
However, this doesn’t guarantee a pass. There are a few mistakes that E1 students commonly make, and making too many of these can lead to failing.
The good news is that once you know what to look out for, these mistakes are easy to avoid. Here are 3 quick tricks to minimise your chances of missing out on marks and maximise your chances of passing.
#1: Read the questions thoroughly
CIMA questions are often precisely-worded. If you skim them you can miss out on key details which could change your answer or even misunderstand the question entirely.
Remember; saving time sometimes costs marks.
#2: Memorise terminology
Before going into the exam, make sure you memorise all the relevant theory ad model terminology. Read your notes over and over until you’re able to recall what everything means quickly and accurately.
Being able to do this in the exam will help you answer questions more quickly, and reduces the risk of misinterpreting a question.
#3: Identify distractors
When looking at a multiple choice question, make sure to read every option before choosing an answer. Several options may be similar, or more technically complete than others, so don’t just pick the first one that looks right.
Options are deliberately included to confuse you and make it harder to identify the real correct answer. Take time to think each answer through, and work out whether they’re the best option.
This is the first of a series of posts focusing on individual objective test exams. I’ll be posting a few tips for every objective test, so check back regularly for tips if you’re studying another exam.
The CIMA Student 
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