VCE Italian exam-day guide
VCE Italian · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification (as specified by the provider)
Bring the exact ID type and format your provider requires. The acceptable forms of ID and whether a signature is needed vary by venue and year, so confirm the current requirement with your school or the VCAA before exam day rather than assuming a school card will be accepted.
Admission slip or exam timetable confirmation
Many providers issue a personalised exam timetable or admission notice listing your subject, date, time and venue. Print it or save it offline, and check the Italian written and oral dates separately, since oral examinations in Italian are usually scheduled outside the main written examination period. Confirm the format with the provider.
Black or blue pens (at least two)
Written responses in Italian must be legible and in ink. Bring spare pens of an approved type; check whether correction fluid or erasable pens are permitted, as some providers restrict them.
Pencils, eraser and sharpener
Useful for planning and for any multiple-choice or machine-read answer sheet. Confirm with the provider whether answers must be recorded in pen on the answer sheet.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Most venues allow a transparent, unlabelled bottle of water. Rules on bottles, food and packaging differ between venues, so verify the current rule with your exam supervisor or provider.
Approved calculator only if the syllabus allows it
Italian examinations generally do not require a calculator. Do not bring one unless the provider explicitly permits it, and never bring a device with communication or storage capability.
No phone, smart watch or notes
Leave phones, smart watches, earbuds and any notes outside the examination room or surrender them as instructed. Even a switched-off device on your person can be treated as a breach; confirm the exact rule with the provider.
Printed summary of text types and useful phrases
Prepare a one-page revision sheet in the final days covering the structure of a formal letter, an informal email, a diary entry, a blog post and an article, plus linking words and register markers. Use it for revision only; it must not enter the room.
Vocabulary list organised by theme
Revise vocabulary grouped by the prescribed themes, such as family, school, health, environment, technology and Italian culture. Focus on words you can use actively in writing and speaking, not just recognise.
Practice of spoken responses recorded aloud
For the oral component, rehearse describing a picture, giving an opinion and asking follow-up questions. Record yourself and check pronunciation, rhythm and hesitation. Confirm the oral format and timing with the provider.
Plan for arrival time and transport
Arrive earlier than the stated reporting time, allowing for transport delays. Check the venue address and reporting time on your official timetable, and confirm whether late arrival is permitted with the provider.
Sleep, food and a calm routine
Plan a normal night's sleep, a light breakfast and a route that avoids last-minute stress. Cramming new material in the final hour tends to increase anxiety more than it improves performance.
Plan the day
Consolidate rather than cram. Review your one-page summary of text types and your thematic vocabulary lists, then write at least two full practice pieces under timed conditions, one formal and one informal, using past or sample tasks approved by your teacher. Mark your own work against the criteria: relevance to the task, range and accuracy of language, register and organisation. Reread your most common errors and make a short list of three or four to check before submitting any piece. Rehearse the oral component aloud twice, once alone and once to a listener who can ask follow-up questions.
Do a light review only: linking words, verb forms you often get wrong, and a handful of useful expressions for opinions and hypotheses. Confirm the venue, reporting time and ID requirement with the provider. Pack your bag with pens, pencils, water and your admission notice, and put your phone and smart watch somewhere you will not automatically pick them up. Practise one short oral warm-up aloud, then stop studying early and sleep.
Eat breakfast and arrive at the venue with time to spare. Leave all devices and notes behind or surrender them as instructed. Once seated, read the whole paper before writing: check the number of sections, the choice available and the recommended time for each. Spend a few minutes planning each extended response, including its structure and the register required. For the oral, warm up by speaking Italian quietly to yourself and greeting the examiner politely.
Follow the supervisor's instructions and record your candidate number as directed. Allocate time according to the marks available and keep an eye on the clock. Write in Italian throughout the assessed responses, adapting register to the task: formal letter versus informal email, for example. Leave time to reread for agreement, verb endings, accents and spelling. If a question is unclear, re-read the instruction rather than guessing; if a word is unknown, use circumlocution instead of switching to English. For the oral, listen to the whole question, ask for clarification in Italian if needed, and give developed answers with reasons and examples.
Rules to check
Bring the identification document exactly as specified by the provider and keep it on your desk if instructed. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted, since requirements can change between years and venues.
Do not bring phones, smart watches, earbuds or any notes into the examination room. Switch devices off and store them as directed; if you are unsure where to leave them, ask a supervisor before entering.
Follow all instructions from supervisors about seating, materials and timing. If you believe there is an error in the paper, raise it quietly with a supervisor rather than discussing it with other candidates.
Answer in Italian for assessed responses and match the register and text type required by the task. Responses in English or in the wrong text type may not receive credit under the assessment criteria.
If you need to leave the room for a break or toilet visit, raise your hand and wait for a supervisor. Rules on leaving and returning during the examination vary, so confirm the procedure with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the examination or in the reading time. Any suspected breach of rules may be reported and investigated under the provider's misconduct procedures.
Scoring is based on the published assessment criteria for the study design, including relevance, range and accuracy of language, and organisation. Check the current study design and assessment handbook for the exact weighting rather than relying on second-hand advice.
If illness or an unexpected event affects your performance, tell your school or the provider as soon as possible and ask about special provision or an application for derived examination score. Deadlines and evidence requirements apply, so confirm the process with the provider.