WACE ATAR German: Background Language exam-day guide
WACE ATAR German: Background Language · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the ID document your school or the exam authority requires (commonly a current photo ID). Confirm the exact accepted forms and validity requirements with your school/ provider before exam day.
Exam admission or candidate statement
Some centres issue an admission slip or candidate number. Check with your school whether you must bring it or whether seating and candidate numbers are provided at the venue.
Several blue or black pens and a spare
Written responses should be legible; bring at least two working pens plus a spare. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is permitted for any section.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Useful if any multiple-choice or machine-read answer sheet is used. Verify permitted stationery with the provider, as rules vary.
Clear water bottle
Stay hydrated; a plain, label-free bottle is usually safest. Confirm the venue's rules on drinks at the desk.
Watch (non-smart)
A simple analogue or digital watch helps you pace long writing tasks. Smart watches and phones are normally prohibited at the desk; confirm with the provider.
Printed summary of structures and connectives
Revise a one-page sheet of German connectives, subordinate-clause word order, and useful register phrases for the final review. Leave it outside the exam room; do not bring notes to the desk.
Know the venue, room and start time
Check the location, arrival time and reporting point the day before. Arrive early to allow for ID checks and seating.
Plan your travel and a backup
Build in a buffer for transport delays and know an alternative route. Late arrival rules vary, so confirm with the provider what happens if you are delayed.
Rest, food and sleep plan
Eat a normal breakfast and protect sleep in the final nights; avoid last-minute cramming that shortens sleep.
Confirm permitted aids and dictionary policy
Do not assume whether a dictionary, bilingual word list or other aid is allowed. Confirm with the provider or your teacher well before the exam.
Confirm device and phone rules
Phones and smart devices are generally not permitted in the exam room. Confirm where to store them and the consequences of a breach with the provider.
Plan the day
Shift from learning new content to consolidating. Review your best summaries of text types (e.g. informal email, formal letter, article, report), register differences (du/Sie, formal vs informal openings and closings), and the grammar points you most often get wrong. Do two timed practice tasks under exam conditions, one shorter writing task and one longer one, then mark them against the criteria your teacher has shared. Build a personal error list of no more than ten recurring mistakes and reread it daily.
Practise the listening and reading components if your syllabus includes them: skim question stems before audio or text, predict content, and note keywords. Rehearse paraphrasing rather than copying, since examiners reward your own wording. Keep vocabulary revision active: test yourself on topic vocabulary (environment, technology, school life, family, health) and on synonyms, not just single-word glosses.
Do a light review only: your error list, a page of connectives (jedoch, obwohl, deshalb, außerdem, einerseits/andererseits), and the conventions of each text type. Check the venue, arrival time, ID and stationery. Pack your bag the night before. Avoid a full mock exam today; protect sleep and stop studying early enough to wind down.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive at the venue with time to spare, and do a short 10-15 minute warm-up in German (read a short article, say a few sentences aloud, review your error list). Keep the warm-up light; do not start new topics. Switch off and stow your phone as instructed.
Read all instructions and check the marks and suggested timing for each section. Skim the whole paper so you know what is coming. Allocate time explicitly: roughly proportional to marks, plus 5-10 minutes at the end for checking.
Spend a few minutes planning audience, purpose, register and structure. Write the required text type with correct conventions (salutation, closing, paragraphing). Vary sentence structures and use connectives accurately. Leave time to check verb position in subordinate clauses, case endings, tenses and agreement.
Check you have answered every required item and that your name or candidate number is where it should be. Proofread for the errors on your personal list. If time is short, prioritise completing unfinished tasks over polishing finished ones.
Rules to check
Bring only permitted items to the desk. Confirm the exact permitted and prohibited items, including phones, smart watches, notes and dictionaries, with your school or the exam provider before the day.
Carry the identification the provider requires and present it if asked. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider in advance rather than on the morning.
Follow all instructions from supervisors about seating, starting, stopping and leaving the room. If you need to leave for the toilet, raise your hand and wait for permission; supervised arrangements vary, so ask the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the exam has begun, and do not look at others' work. Any suspected misconduct is handled under the provider's rules, which you should confirm with your school.
Write in German for German-language responses unless a task explicitly permits another language. Match the required register and text type, since these are part of the assessment criteria.
Answer the question asked: content relevance, range of language, accuracy and text-type conventions all count. Confirm the marking criteria and weightings for your syllabus with your teacher.
If you believe there is a problem with the paper or your conditions, tell a supervisor immediately; do not wait until afterwards. Procedures for special consideration or illness should be confirmed with the provider.
Arrive by the stated reporting time. Rules on late entry and on what happens if you miss part of the exam differ between centres, so confirm them with the provider in advance.