Državna Matura English common mistakes
Državna Matura English · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Answering each reading question by matching words that appear in the text instead of locating the sentence where the meaning is actually stated or paraphrased.
Under time pressure, candidates scan for a keyword from the question, find it in a distractor sentence, and stop there; matura reading tasks deliberately include the same vocabulary in wrong options and in sentences that do not answer the question.
What to do instead
For every item, underline the exact line that justifies the answer and check that the option restates that line's meaning, not its wording. If the only link is a shared word, mark the option as a trap and keep looking. Practise with two-colour annotation: one colour for question keywords, one for the justifying phrase.
Treating 'True / False / Not Given'-style or multiple-choice items as personal opinion questions, choosing the option that sounds most reasonable rather than the one the passage supports.
Candidates rely on general knowledge and world experience, especially on familiar topics like technology or environment, and do not return to the text to verify.
What to do instead
Apply a strict evidence rule: no answer without a quoted line. For 'Not Given', ask whether the text explicitly contradicts the statement; if it neither confirms nor contradicts, the answer is 'Not Given'. Do a set of ten items and write the supporting quote next to each answer before checking the key.
Losing the thread during listening because the candidate is still writing or thinking about the previous answer when the next piece of information is spoken.
The recording plays once, and candidates try to write full sentences or re-read the previous question, so attention lags exactly when the answer is delivered.
What to do instead
Before each section, read the questions and predict the type of answer (number, name, place, verb). Write only a short cue (one or two words) and complete it after the recording. If an answer is missed, abandon it immediately and move to the next question; never let one gap cost two answers.
Falling for distractors in listening tasks where a speaker first mentions one option, then corrects or rejects it ('Actually, it was moved to Thursday').
Candidates hear the first plausible word and commit to it, missing the reformulation, negation, or self-correction that follows in the same turn.
What to do instead
Train on the discourse markers that signal correction: 'actually', 'on second thought', 'not ... but', 'I meant', 'originally ... but'. Expect at least one correction per task and wait for the end of the speaker's turn before finalising a choice.
In gap-fill and transformation tasks, writing the word that fits the meaning but has the wrong grammatical form (e.g. noun where a verb is needed, or missing plural or tense).
Candidates translate the idea from their first language and stop once the sentence 'sounds right', without checking what the gap requires syntactically, and they forget that the prompt word must often be changed in form.
What to do instead
Before writing, identify the part of speech the gap needs by looking at the words immediately before and after it. After writing, run a three-point check: part of speech, agreement/tense, and spelling. In sentence transformation, count the words and verify the required prompt word is used unchanged.
Ignoring the word limit or the required prompt word in sentence-transformation and key-word tasks, producing an answer that is semantically correct but marked wrong.
Candidates focus entirely on meaning and treat the instruction ('using the word ...', 'do not change the word', 'two to five words') as decoration, having practised mostly open writing.
What to do instead
Make instruction-checking a fixed final step: underline the prompt word in the task, confirm it appears unchanged in the answer, and count words including contractions as written. Do five transformations and mark them yourself against the rubric, not just against meaning.
Writing an essay or formal letter that answers the topic in general terms but omits one of the required content points or the specified register and format.
Candidates prepare memorised essays and adapt them loosely, so they spend words on an introduction and general opinion and run out of space for the second or third required point; they also mix informal and formal tone.
What to do instead
Spend two minutes planning: list every content point in the prompt and allocate one paragraph or sentence to each, then check them off as you write. Decide register before writing (contractions and phrasal verbs out for formal letters; consistent address forms). Reserve three minutes at the end to verify all points are covered and the format matches the task type.
Producing a short text with accurate sentences but almost no linking, so ideas read as a list and the text lacks cohesion and range.
Candidates write short, safe sentences to avoid errors, and they have not internalised a repertoire of connectors beyond 'and', 'but', and 'because'.
What to do instead
Learn a small set of connectors by function (contrast: however, whereas; cause: due to, consequently; addition: moreover, in addition) and force at least four into each practice text, one per paragraph boundary. Vary sentence openings and include one complex sentence per paragraph, then review the text checking that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence.
In the speaking component, giving one-sentence answers to questions and then falling silent, leaving the examiner to fill the space.
Candidates answer the literal question and stop, often because they are translating a full answer mentally and fear errors; they do not know that extended turns are what is assessed.
What to do instead
Use an answer formula: direct answer, one reason, one example or detail, and a closing comment. Practise recording 30- to 45-second answers to typical questions and listen back for length and fluency. Prepare a bank of personal examples (school, work, free time) that can be reused across topics.
Freezing or restarting a sentence repeatedly when a word is missing during a speaking task, which destroys fluency even though the message would be understood.
Candidates treat an unknown word as a failure and stop, rather than using paraphrase or a filler; they have not practised repair strategies under time pressure.
What to do instead
Learn and drill circumlocution: describe the missing word ('the thing you use to ...'), use a general term ('a kind of machine'), and keep going with a natural filler ('well, what I mean is ...'). Record yourself describing ten objects without naming them, then review how often you stopped versus paraphrased.