More children lose marks on the 11+ to poor timing than to genuinely unknown content. Here are five rules that fix that.
1. Know the per-question budget
50 minutes for 50 questions = one minute per question. With reading time built in, aim for 45 seconds per question on shorter ones, leaving slack for longer ones.
2. Skip and return
If a question takes more than 90 seconds, mark it and move on. The next question might be a 20-second giveaway. Practice now a timed mock to build this habit.
3. Glance at the clock every 10 questions
Halfway through (Q25 of 50) should be roughly 25 minutes in. If you're at 35 minutes, you're behind — speed up.
4. Use the last two minutes for guessing
11+ papers have no penalty for wrong answers. Every blank is a guaranteed zero. Fill them all.
5. Don't redo finished questions
Unless you spot a clear error, leave finished questions alone. Second-guessing flips more right answers to wrong than the other way round.