Short answer

Direct questions answered with words lifted straight from the passage.

You answer with: Words and numbers copied verbatim from the passage
Answer order: Follows the passage

Test instructions

Answer the questions below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

What this task is

These are factual questions. The answers appear word for word in the passage. The task checks whether you can find and copy them accurately.

The questions follow passage order and ask for concrete details: names, quantities, materials, dates.

The traps

The common mistakes in this question type. Learn to spot each one before test day.

Answering from your head

You may already know a correct answer the passage does not give. Only words from the passage score.

Over-answering

The question wants "clay". You write "traditional local clay" and go over the word limit. The shortest complete answer is the safe one.

What to do next time

Turn each question into a scanning target. "How many" sends you looking for digits.
Answer with the minimum span that fully answers the question, copied exactly.
Use the order. Each answer's position starts the search for the next.

Now practise short answer questions free in the app. When you get one wrong, the review shows the correct answer and why the wrong choice looked right. Free, no payment needed.