This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within Reading strategies: skim, scan and trap-check for GCSE German. Revise Reading strategies: skim, scan and trap-check in Reading and Translation into English for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 4 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
💡 Exam Tips & Common Errors
- Always skim first, then scan — never try to translate the whole text word by word.
- Read the questions before re-reading the passage — they tell you exactly what detail to look for.
- For "True / False / Not mentioned": "Not mentioned" means the information is completely absent — do not infer it from general knowledge.
- For short answers in English: a precise phrase is enough — do not pad with a full sentence.
- If a multiple-choice option reuses a word from the text, it may be a distractor. Verify the meaning, not just the word.
❌ Common error: Choosing an answer just because it repeats a word from the text.
✓ Correct: Check whether that word appears in a distractor — a deliberate wrong answer planted to tempt you.
Why it costs marks: AQA builds distractors by reusing words from the passage in the wrong answer. The correct answer usually paraphrases. Students who scan for matching words instead of reading for meaning fall into this trap every time.
Practice questions for Reading strategies: skim, scan and trap-check
What should you do FIRST when you receive a German reading text in the exam?
Why is it useful to read the exam questions BEFORE re-reading the text in detail?