Aptis reading Test: General Tips and Strategies

Prepare to hear a potential answer that is not the actual answer.
This is common when two 
people are making plans. They first agree on meeting at a certain time, but then one remembers that 
they cannot so they decide on a new time. 
Exclude incorrect answers first:
If you eliminate the answers that are impossible, you will be 
closer to finding the correct answer. Firstly, check if the possible answer makes sense. Then look at 
the grammar and ask yourself if it’s correct. Think about verb + noun agreement and singular/plurals 
(see above). 
Be Aware Of Timing:
Make sure that you know where the audio is with the questions. Don’t 
spend time thinking about earlier questions that have passed and miss the questions that are coming 
up. 
Flag the question for later review if not sure:
Remember, you can always go back to the 
questions at the end and try to answer them then. 

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Focus on what the speaker is saying not how they say it
: Get used to intonation and emphasis 
in English. ‘It’s a lovely day’ can be said in several ways- conversationally, sarcastically (if it’s 
raining), or happily. When a person is in the same room, it is easy to understand the tome of what 
they say, but without body language, it is more difficult. Try repeating a phrase in English using as 
many different intonations as you can. This will train your ear and help you with audio-only English. 
Don't leave any blank answers:
Check the summary page to see if you have missed any 
questions. Have a guess. There’s nothing to lose and you could be right. 
Go back to flagged questions
(if you have time): APTIS allows you to return to unanswered 
questions and try later. Never leave a question blank! 
Get into the habit of distinguishing between essential and non-essential information.
If two 
people are talking about making plans for a dinner date, the important information is the date/time 
they finally agree upon. Other dates/times they consider can be irrelevant or may have been included 
to distract you from the correct answer. Try to decide during the first listening and confirm the 
information in the second listening.