BW Abitur Italian exam-day guide
BW Abitur Italian · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Personal ID document
Bring a valid photo ID (passport or national ID card) as required for admission. The exact accepted documents and whether a school ID suffices must be confirmed with your school/provider before exam day.
Admission letter / registration confirmation
Carry the invitation or registration confirmation issued by your school or the examination board. It typically lists your candidate number, room, and start time. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Black or blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
Written Italian tasks are usually completed in ink. Bring spare pens of the same type; avoid erasable ink unless the provider explicitly allows it.
Pencil, eraser, and sharpener
Useful for planning, annotating, and any multiple-choice or grid answer sheets. Confirm with the provider whether annotations on the task sheet are permitted.
Printed dictionary (Italian–German / German–Italian)
In many Abitur Italian exams a monolingual or bilingual printed dictionary is allowed, but the exact type and whether electronic dictionaries are permitted varies. Confirm the allowed dictionary with your teacher/provider and practise with that exact copy beforehand.
Approved text edition for the set topic
If the exam includes a task on a set work (e.g., a novel or film), bring the edition your course used, if the provider allows it. Confirm whether annotated or unannotated editions are permitted.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Rooms may not have a visible clock. A simple analogue or digital watch without communication functions is usually acceptable; smartwatches are typically prohibited. Confirm the provider's device policy.
Clear water bottle
Hydration helps during a long written exam. Labels may need to be removed; confirm the provider's rules on drinks and food in the exam room.
Snack for after the exam
Written exams can run several hours. Keep food outside the exam room unless the provider allows it during breaks.
Tissues and personal medication
Bring tissues and any necessary medication. If you need to take medication during the exam, clarify the procedure with the invigilator beforehand; confirm any documentation requirements with the provider.
Leave phone and smart devices at home or switched off in your bag
Mobile phones, smartwatches, and other electronic devices are usually banned from the exam desk. Confirm the provider's rules on where devices must be stored.
Check room, start time, and arrival time the day before
Verify the room, entrance, and how early you must arrive. Arrival and lateness rules vary; confirm with the provider whether late entry is possible and under what conditions.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidating. Review your own summaries of the set topics, key vocabulary, and typical task formats (comprehension, analysis, comment, mediation). Practise one timed task under exam conditions, then check it against the task's operator words (e.g., 'analysiere', 'erläutere', 'commenta'). Confirm with your teacher which aids (dictionary, text edition) are allowed so you practise with exactly those.
Prepare your materials: choose and test the dictionary, check pens, print the admission letter, and plan your journey. Read the provider's information sheet on conduct and permitted aids; note anything unclear and ask your teacher rather than guessing.
Do a light review only: skim your summaries, the structure of a written analysis, and useful connectors for Italian essays. Pack your bag with ID, admission letter, pens, pencil, eraser, dictionary, watch, water, and tissues. Set two alarms and go to bed at a normal time; avoid all-night cramming.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive at the school well before the stated time, allowing extra margin for transport. Leave your phone and smart devices switched off and stored as instructed. Go to the toilet before entering the room. Have your ID and admission letter ready for inspection.
Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions, fill in your candidate details exactly as required, and check that you have received all task sheets and any answer booklets. Read the entire paper before writing: note the task choice, the time available, and the weighting of each part.
Allocate time in blocks: planning and close reading, drafting, writing, and a final check. Start with the task you feel most secure about if the format allows a choice, but keep to your time plan. Write in the required language and register, use the dictionary sparingly and only for targeted lookups, and reserve the last 10–15 minutes for checking grammar, spelling, and whether you have addressed every operator in the task.
Stop writing immediately when time is called. Number and order your sheets as instructed, hand everything in, and do not take task sheets or notes out of the room unless the invigilator says they may be removed. Confirm with the provider what happens if you finish early (e.g., whether you may leave the room).
Rules to check
Bring valid photo ID and your admission letter; without them you may be refused entry. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and what to do if you lose them.
Electronic devices such as mobile phones, smartwatches, and earbuds are generally not allowed at the exam desk. Switch them off and store them where the invigilator instructs; confirm the provider's exact device policy.
Use only the aids explicitly permitted for this exam (e.g., a printed dictionary, a specific text edition). Do not share materials with other candidates during the exam, and confirm with the provider whether borrowing is allowed at all.
Raise your hand and ask the invigilator if a task sheet is defective or you need to leave the room. Do not communicate with other candidates once the exam has started; follow the invigilator's instructions on breaks and toilet visits.
Arrive on time. Lateness rules and whether extra time is granted vary; confirm with the provider what happens if you arrive after the start.
Write your answers in the required language and format, and make sure your candidate number is on every sheet. Answers written in the wrong language or on unapproved paper may not be marked; confirm the provider's rules on this.
If you miss the exam through illness, you will normally need to provide a medical certificate and follow the provider's procedure for missed examinations. Confirm the deadlines and documentation requirements with your school/provider.
Scoring and grading are set by the examination board; do not rely on assumptions about partial credit or rounding. Ask your teacher to explain the assessment criteria for each task type before exam day.