ESAT ESAT Test Format and Strategy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does Part 1 of the ESAT always include?
- Mathematics 1 (compulsory for all candidates) (Correct answer)
- Chemistry only
- Biology and Physics
- Further Mathematics
Correct answer: Mathematics 1 (compulsory for all candidates)
Part 1 of the ESAT always includes Mathematics 1, which is compulsory for all candidates regardless of chosen subjects.
Question 2: How many subject sections does a candidate typically complete in the ESAT?
- Two parts (Part 1 + one chosen Part 2 subject) (Correct answer)
- All five subjects
- One subject only
- Three subjects
Correct answer: Two parts (Part 1 + one chosen Part 2 subject)
Candidates complete Part 1 (Mathematics 1) and one Part 2 section chosen from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Further Mathematics.
Question 3: What is the recommended approach for pacing through ESAT questions?
- Spend about 90 seconds per question and move on if stuck (Correct answer)
- Spend as long as needed on each question
- Answer only the easy questions first and skip hard ones entirely
- Read the whole paper before answering
Correct answer: Spend about 90 seconds per question and move on if stuck
With 27 questions in 40 minutes, allocating roughly 90 seconds per question and moving on if stuck maximises overall score.
Question 4: What is the significance of process of elimination in ESAT multiple-choice questions?
- Eliminating wrong options increases the probability of selecting the correct answer (Correct answer)
- It only helps if you can eliminate all wrong options
- It is not useful because all options are equally likely
- It should only be used on biology questions
Correct answer: Eliminating wrong options increases the probability of selecting the correct answer
Eliminating even one or two clearly wrong options significantly improves the probability of guessing correctly from the remaining choices.
Question 5: Can candidates use a calculator in the ESAT?
- No, calculators are not permitted (Correct answer)
- Yes, any calculator is allowed
- Yes, but only a basic calculator
- Only in the Biology section
Correct answer: No, calculators are not permitted
Calculators are not permitted in the ESAT; all calculations must be done mentally or by hand.
Question 6: What type of questions appear in the ESAT?
- Four-option multiple choice only (Correct answer)
- Open-ended written responses
- True/false statements
- Diagram labelling
Correct answer: Four-option multiple choice only
The ESAT consists entirely of four-option multiple-choice questions across all parts.
ESAT ESAT Test Format and Strategy 2
What does Part 1 of the ESAT always include?