How to Use Save My Exams Exam Questions

Exam season can feel overwhelming. You've got a mountain of content to get through, limited time, and it can be difficult to know where to start.

Studying harder doesn't always mean studying smarter. You can spend hours re-reading notes and still feel unprepared when you sit down to write an actual exam. That's because passive revision, like reading, won’t help learning stick on its own.

Instead, the Save My Exams Exam Questions tool is an active way to revise. Research from the University of Pennsylvania (opens in a new tab) states that using practice questions is one of the most effective ways to learn and understand the topics you’re studying.

And Save My Exams has thousands of examiner-written and exam-board-aligned exam questions to get your teeth stuck into. Read on to find out how to use them.

Key Takeaways

• The Exam Questions tool gives you access to real exam-style practice questions, organised by topic and subject.

• Using the tool regularly helps you identify knowledge gaps before they cost you marks in the real exam.

• It works best when combined with other Save My Exams resources like revision notes, flashcards, and topic summaries.

What Is the Save My Exams Exam Questions Tool?

The Exam Questions tool is a bank of exam-style questions, organised by subject, qualification level, and topic. They are written by expert teachers and examiners to match your syllabus.

Rather than guessing what might come up, you can practise answering the kinds of questions your examiner will set, in the same style and format that your exam board uses.

Each question comes with a full mark scheme (and worked solutions where available), so you can check your answers and understand what you got right or where you went wrong. 

This type of active retrieval practice is one of the most effective study techniques available. A 2011 Cell Press study (opens in a new tab) suggests it leads to significantly better long-term retention than re-reading or summarising alone.  (opens in a new tab)

Where to Find the Save My Exams Exam Questions Tool

You can access Exam Questions directly from any subject or topic page on the Save My Exams website.

Here's how to find them:

1. Head to savemyexams.com (opens in a new tab)

2. Navigate to your subject (e.g. GCSE Biology, or A Level Maths)

3. Scroll down to your exam board.

4. Select the Exam Questions option.

5. You’ll see that the exam questions are broken down into topics and sub-topics.

6. Click the topic or subtopic of your choice to see the exam questions available.

The questions are available for a wide range of subjects and qualification levels, including GCSE, IGCSE, A Level, IB, and AP.

How the Exam Questions Tool Works

The Exam Questions tool is straightforward to use and no complicated setup is needed.

Once you've chosen your topic and clicked through to the exam questions, you'll either see them listed by difficulty or listed as a topic, depending on the subject. Each question mirrors the style and command words used by your specific exam board.

You answer the question (on paper or in your head), then click through to reveal the mark scheme (and model answer if there is one available). You can then honestly self-assess how you did. 

And, if it’s available, you can click the Smart Mark option and receive instant AI-powered exam-specific feedback to show you exactly where you went wrong while giving you guidance to improve.

Subjects include a range of question types, like: 

• Multiple-choice questions

• Short answer questions

• Longer extended response questions

This variety is the same as you’d find in a real exam. Understanding these different question types helps you practise different skills, not just factual recall.

Here’s an example of how you might use the tool if you want to focus on a GCSE Biology topic.

The Exam Questions tool is designed to be low-pressure, so your confidence can slowly build. There's no timer and no score submitted to a teacher. It’s just you, the question, and the opportunity to learn.

How to Use Exam Questions to Improve Your Revision

Simply doing questions isn't enough on its own. Here's how to get the most value from your practice.

Start with topics you've already studied

Don't try to answer questions on content you haven't revised yet. 

Use the Exam Questions tool to test yourself after you've worked through the revision notes for a topic and use flashcards to hone your understanding of key dates, equations, or quotes. 

Completing a set of exam questions reinforces what you've learned and shows you what actually stuck. 

Be honest when you mark your work

It's tempting to be generous with yourself. But the whole point is to find out where the gaps are. If you got a question wrong, or only partially right, mark it honestly. This gives you the opportunity to improve and see genuine progress next time you tackle a similar question.

Use wrong answers as a to-do list

Every question you get wrong is telling you something. Go back to the relevant revision notes, re-read that section, then try a similar question again a few days later. Research has shown (opens in a new tab) that using a spaced repetition approach is a great way to improve your long-term memory.  (opens in a new tab)

Work up in difficulty

Start with lower-difficulty questions to build confidence, then progress to harder ones. This scaffolded approach keeps you motivated and gradually stretches your understanding. Over time, you’ll feel the progress you’re making.

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of the Exam Questions Tool

1. Check in regularly, not just before the exam: Using the tool once the night before your exam won't help much. Build it into your revision routine from early on. 

2. Combine it with other revision tools. The Exam Questions tool works best alongside other Save My Exams resources: 

• Revision notes - to develop an overview of a topic. 

• Flashcards - for short burst active recall revision of key dates, quotes, facts, or formulae. 

• Strengths and Weaknesses tool - the more exam questions you complete, the more this tool can analyse your performance and show you where you need to improve.

3. Don't skip the mark scheme: Even when you get a question right, read the mark scheme to understand what examiners are looking for.

4. Focus on command words: Pay attention to what the question is actually asking. Words like evaluate, explain, describe, and calculate all require different types of answers. 

5. Track your weak spots: Keep a simple note (even a paper list) of the topics where you're consistently dropping marks. Return to these topics regularly and keep testing yourself until you feel confident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Save My Exams subscription to use the Exam Questions tool?

One exam question is available for free, but for full access to the complete question bank, a Save My Exams subscription is needed. 

Is the Exam Questions tool available on mobile?

Yes, The Save My Exams website is mobile-friendly, so you can access exam questions on your phone or tablet as well as on a desktop or laptop. This makes it easy to fit in a few practice questions wherever you are.

Which subjects and exam boards are covered?

Save My Exams covers a wide range of GCSE, IGCSE, A Level, IB, and AP subjects across multiple exam boards, including AQA, Edexcel, OCR, CIE, and more. Explore our full list of subjects for more information. 

How many questions should I do per session?

There's no magic number, but quality beats quantity. It's better to answer five questions carefully than to rush through twenty without reflecting on your answers.

Make sure you:

• Read the mark scheme

• Understand your mistakes

• Make a note of your weaker topics

Build an Effective Revision Routine and Use Save My Exams Exam Questions

When you revise with real exam-style questions, you stop hoping you've revised the right things, and start knowing exactly where you stand.

The Save My Exams Exam Questions tool puts that power in your hands. Use it consistently, be honest with yourself when you mark your work, and let your wrong answers guide what you study next.

The students who do best in exams are the ones who studied in the smartest way. Start with one topic, do a few questions, and build from there. Small, consistent steps lead to big results come exam day.

References

University of Pennsylvania - Why Use Practice Questions? (opens in a new tab)

CellPress/Science Direct - The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention (opens in a new tab)

PMC - The right time to learn: mechanisms and optimization of spaced learning (opens in a new tab)