How to Pass ACCA exams? Please follow these important tips from the ACCA exam markers and ACCA tutors below
(These tips do not apply to multiple choice question papers F1, F2, F3 & F4)
1. Attempt every question
Attempt every part of every question (attempt does not mean finish – even just copying a relevant formula from the formula sheet will get a mark and could make the difference between 49 and 50)
2. Help the marker – start each new question on a new sheet of paper
Start each part of a question on a new sheet of paper. If you can only write one line for part (a) of a question, leave the rest of the page blank – you might think of something else later to add.
See also:
Download ACCA Candidate Answer Booklet front sheet
3. Be neat
Help the marker – be neat! You will get marks for the correct approach even if your calculations are wrong – provided the marker can see what you have done.
4. Never write nothing!
Always write something for a written part – never write nothing! Anything sensible will almost certainly get you 1 mark, which could be the difference between passing and failing. There is no negative marking, and so even if you are wrong you will not lose marks.
5. Allocate your time – between questions and parts of questions.
Spending an hour on one part of one question will certainly mean you will fail because you will not have enough time for other questions.
6. Don’t spend too long on one figure
In a calculation question, no one figure can be worth more than 3 or 4 marks (if it is it will be a separate part of the question). If you find yourself spending too long on one figure then leave it – there will be plenty more marks available in the same time.
7. Help the marker
Help the marker – in essay parts of questions put each separate point on a new line. If you string points one after the other, there is the danger of the marker missing some of them. Do make each point into a sentence – never write one-word answers.
8. Read the requirements first
Read the requirements first – do not start worrying about the figures in the body of the question until you know what it is you are trying to do!
9. Remember the pass mark is 50%
Aim to get 50% on every part of every question as fast as you can by going for the easy bits first. Once you feel you have got half the marks then you can spend more time on the harder bits.
10. Allocate your time and attempt every part of every question.
Allocate your time and attempt every part of every question!!!
Hi Mike! Thanks so much for your advice! I was wondering if its ok to leave 2 blank pages in the exam book and start another question? I leave 2 pages because I’m out of time for that question and really hoped to come back to it after i got some time, but it was so time pressured I couldn’t go back. I was wondering if its ok and kind of worry if they will miss my answer at the back. Please let me know. Maybe i need to send an email to acca about this? ?
Thank you!
great advices.
thanks to open tution!
Thank you opentuition. I am edified by your tips for the Exams.
pls great accountants i have bsc.Accounting as 1st degree ,ok ,which paper i suposed to register as my first exam? thank you
awesome
Thanks a lot open tuition, shall follow your instructions and pass. Once more, thank you. Patrick
Thank you for your comment 🙂
Thank you sir, ur suggestions gave me some courage
Thank you.
gracias!!!
2. Help the marker – start each new question on a new sheet of paper
Start each part of a question on a new sheet of paper. If you can only write one line for part (a) of a question, leave the rest of the page blank – you might think of something else later to add.
The above is one of the tips from open tuition. Is it compulsory to write each part of a question in a new answer sheet or is this just for presentation Purposes only? I knew about each question should be in a new answer sheet, but not each part of the question? Thank you in advance!
It’s not compulsory, no.
But why are you even discussing this? The advice has been given yet you appear to want to question its validity.
If you don’t want to start each part on a new page, fine. Ignore the advice
Hi
I’m Celine and I am new to ACCA. I just wish to find out where I can get past questions to study. I have checked in myacca and seem to see questions from june 2011 to december 2015. I need awider range of questions to study like from june 2004 tto december 2015. please where do I find these questions
The ACCA deletes the past exams after a period of time – you’ll be very lucky to find anything before 2010 or 2011
that should be enough for you – it seems to be enough for those candidates that are motivated to study hard (and it’s more than enough for those that aren’t motivated and leave everything to the last minute!)
https://www.cfe.edu.pk/past_papers.html
You can find the past exam papers here
over the new rules of grabbing the professional papers after 7 years, is there any exception?
What a good guidance.thank you so much.i really apreciate what you are doing for us???
What a good advice. Splendid! We need such for ICAN Nigeria too. Very helpful.
i want to knw whether lectures notes frm opentuition are sufficient or we also ned to follow study text to pass the f1 xm plz suggest me
may someone advice me on exemption. I want to be exempted and start therafter
Hi Busani,
I will suggest you contact ACCA. However, if you already completed a degree in accounting and finance, you will likely get an exemption from F1-F9; for any other business related degree probably be receive exemption-F1-F4.
Nevertheless, strongly suggest you contact ACCA.
I hope this helps?
Daniel
I went tru the comments and questions. Ths is helpful I believe I haven’t started as yet bt planning to soon.
Hello Mike,
What is the best approach to answering the consolidation question in P2. Should the workings come first or I leave a page(s) for the consolidated SOFP etc and the workings follow thereafter.
Many thanks.
I think the second approach is the best. but it depends on the person.
Gayathri, there really isn’t a lot of sense in leaving a page for the “answer” and then doing the workings after.
Many, many, many times I have advised doing the workings first – it’s the only logical way to go
Thank Mr Mike
Thank you so much for the advice.
You’re welcome
There is no “right way” – different students have different preferences.
Personally I find it stressful to try to concentrate on a large number of mcqs without some sort of brain break. If I were having to do the exams, I could very well see myself doing some mcqs followed by a “longer” question, then some more mcqs, then a longer question and so on.
Of course, this approach depends upon which paper you are attempting!
Hope this helps!