MET (Michigan English Tests) common mistakes
MET · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
The candidate writes well under the expected length and leaves one of the task's bullet points or content requirements unaddressed - e.g. the prompt asks for a suggestion, a reason and a closing line, and the response covers only the suggestion.
They treat the task as a free composition on a topic rather than as a set of requirements, and they spend so long composing opening sentences that they run out of time before covering the final point.
What to do instead
Use the first two minutes to list each requirement in the rubric/prompt in the margin and number them. Compose in the same order, ticking each one off, and reserve the last three minutes to check that every numbered point is present and the word count is within range.
The candidate inserts memorised 'impressive' phrases and long complex sentences regardless of whether they fit, producing errors in word choice and clause structure that obscure the meaning of otherwise simple ideas.
They believe that sophisticated vocabulary and subordination automatically raise the score, so they avoid plain sentences and reach for words and structures they have not actually learned to control.
What to do instead
Prioritise accuracy: write short, complete sentences that you can control and add one or two complex structures only where the link between ideas genuinely requires them. When learning new vocabulary, record whole collocations (verb + noun, adjective + noun) rather than single words, and use only those you have seen in context.
The candidate hands in the first draft with no planning or proofreading: the response is one unbroken block of text, and the same errors in articles, subject-verb agreement and tense recur throughout.
They assume that checking takes time away from producing content, and they have not identified which errors they personally make most often, so proofreading feels like reading the text again rather than hunting for something specific.
What to do instead
Keep a personal error list of your five most frequent mistakes and proofread once for each item only (one pass for articles, one for verb endings, one for plurals). Budget three minutes for planning, twenty for writing, and three to five for checking, and practise paragraphing: one idea per paragraph with a clear topic sentence.
The candidate loses their place in the recording: while still thinking about an item they have just heard, the answer to the next one passes, and they then guess two or three items in a row.
They try to resolve each question completely before moving on, so a single missed or uncertain answer derails the rest of the section.
What to do instead
Use the pause before each part to read the questions ahead and underline the key word in each. Commit to a rule: once the recording moves on, mark your best guess, leave it, and move your eyes to the next question immediately. Drill this with full-length audio so that releasing a missed item becomes automatic.
The candidate selects the option that contains words they actually heard in the recording, even though the speaker later reversed or qualified the statement ('Well, I was going to say Tuesday - actually it's Thursday').
They are matching sounds and individual words rather than following the meaning of the whole turn, and they stop listening as soon as they recognise familiar vocabulary.
What to do instead
Train yourself to listen through to the end of the speaker's turn before deciding, and treat discourse markers such as 'but', 'actually', 'instead', 'not really' and 'the thing is' as signals that the earlier information is being changed. When reviewing practice audio, write down the exact words that reversed the answer.
The candidate reads each passage closely from the first line before looking at any questions, so that by the third or fourth text they are out of time and leave items blank.
They were taught that careful reading equals comprehension, and they do not realise that the reading section is timed in a way that rewards selective reading over full translation.
What to do instead
Read the questions first and underline the key words, then move to the text and read only the stretch that contains the answer. Set a fixed time budget per part, work with a visible timer in practice, and never leave an item blank - an informed guess costs nothing.
The candidate chooses an option because it repeats vocabulary from the passage, even when the option states something the passage does not say, or says something true but does not answer the question asked.
Surface word overlap feels like evidence, and under time pressure the candidate stops at recognition rather than checking the proposition against the text.
What to do instead
For every answer, find and underline the exact line that justifies it, then ask two questions: does the option mean the same as that line in different words, and does it answer this question rather than merely mention the topic? Treat heavy verbatim overlap between option and text as a warning sign of a distractor, and eliminate options that answer a different question.
On gapped-text and matching items the candidate inserts a sentence because its topic seems to fit, without checking that pronouns, reference words and linking adverbials connect it to the sentences on either side; the completed paragraph then does not read coherently.
They evaluate each gap as an isolated meaning decision and ignore the grammatical and cohesive glue that constrains the answer.
What to do instead
Before choosing, list what the missing sentence must contain: a singular or plural subject matching the pronoun in the following sentence, a contrast or result connector matching the logic, and a reference word pointing back to the previous sentence. After choosing, read the whole paragraph through and reject any option that leaves an unconnected pronoun or a broken logical link.
The candidate answers in a single short sentence and then stops, waiting for the next question, so the examiner has to keep prompting and the candidate never produces extended speech.
They treat the interview as a test of correct answers rather than an opportunity to demonstrate range, and they are afraid that speaking longer will expose errors.
What to do instead
Adopt a fixed extension pattern for every answer: direct answer, then a reason, then a concrete example or contrast ('I'd rather ... because ... For instance, last year ...'). Practise recording sixty-second answers to everyday questions and count how many sentences you produce before you naturally stop.
The candidate delivers a rehearsed speech that does not fit the question actually asked, or freezes and goes silent for several seconds when the question is unexpected.
They have prepared topics rather than strategies, so any deviation from their script leaves them with nothing to say and no way to gain thinking time.
What to do instead
Practise with unseen questions from a partner so that you must respond to what is asked. Learn three or four natural delaying and clarifying phrases ('That's an interesting one - let me think ...', 'Sorry, do you mean ...?') and a paraphrase strategy: repeat the question in your own words while you plan the answer, which buys time and confirms you understood.