MATSEC SEC Italian exam-day guide
MATSEC SEC Italian · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the ID document accepted by your school or the MATSEC Examinations Board for SEC examinations. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a school-issued card is sufficient.
Statement of entry / exam timetable slip
Bring the printed statement of entry or timetable showing your candidate number, session times and venue. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or whether a digital copy is acceptable.
Candidate number and index number
Memorise or write down your candidate/index number; you will write it on every answer booklet and on the listening answer sheet. Check the exact format on your statement of entry.
Black or blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
Write all answers in ink. Bring spares; pencil is normally only for multiple-choice or machine-read sheets. Confirm with the provider which sections require pencil.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Needed if any part of the paper uses a multiple-choice or grid answer sheet. Keep them in a clear pencil case if clear cases are required.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones must be switched off and stored. A plain analogue watch helps you pace the reading and writing sections.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Stay hydrated for the listening and long writing tasks. Confirm with the provider whether bottles are allowed in the hall and what labelling rules apply.
Transport and venue plan
Check the exact venue and arrival time on your statement of entry, plan the route and aim to arrive well before the start. Confirm with the provider what happens if you arrive late.
Leave phone and smart devices at home or switched off
Any phone, smartwatch or earpiece brought into the hall can lead to disqualification even if unused. Confirm with the provider where devices must be deposited.
Revision sheet of set texts and vocabulary
For the last 72 hours, prepare a one-page sheet with key quotations or plot points from set texts, useful connectives and opinion phrases. Do not bring it into the hall.
Dictionary policy check
Confirm with the provider whether monolingual or bilingual dictionaries are permitted in any component; do not assume, as rules vary by paper.
Special arrangements confirmation
If you have access arrangements (extra time, separate room, reader, scribe), confirm in advance with your school's examinations officer that they are in place for each session.
Plan the day
Do a full timed past-paper or specimen paper under exam conditions: listening once only, then reading and writing to the clock. Mark it honestly and list your three weakest areas rather than revising everything.
Re-read summaries and key scenes or poems from any set texts, and write five short opinion paragraphs using varied tenses, the subjunctive and connectives. Check them against a grammar reference.
Practise the oral or conversation component aloud if your exam includes one: prepare answers on family, school, free time, holidays and future plans, and record yourself to check fluency and pronunciation.
Revise high-frequency vocabulary and fixed expressions for the writing task (opinion, contrast, cause, consequence), and review common traps such as false friends and prepositions.
Light revision only: skim your one-page sheet, re-read instructions of each paper type so you recognise them instantly, and check the venue, start time and ID requirements.
Pack your bag with ID, statement of entry, pens, pencil, eraser, watch and water; lay out clothes; set two alarms and get a full night's sleep. Do not start new topics.
Eat breakfast, arrive at the venue early, and avoid last-minute cramming in the corridor that will make you anxious. Switch your phone off before entering the building.
Read the questions before the recording starts, note key words, and write answers as you listen. Do not panic over one missed item; the next question is coming. Transfer answers neatly if a separate sheet is used.
Skim the passage first for gist, then read the questions and scan for the relevant lines. Answer in the language and length the question requires, and watch for questions that ask for your own opinion.
Spend two or three minutes planning structure and vocabulary, write with clear paragraphs, and reserve five minutes to check verb endings, agreements, accents and word count.
Greet the examiner in Italian, ask for clarification politely if needed, and keep talking even if you make a mistake; self-correct briefly and continue rather than stopping.
Check that your candidate number is on every booklet and sheet, hand everything to the invigilator, and leave quietly without discussing answers with others.
Rules to check
Bring the identification document required by the MATSEC Examinations Board or your school; if you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Arrive at the venue at the time stated on your statement of entry. Late arrival, admission after the start and extra time for lateness are governed by official regulations, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Phones, smartwatches and any other electronic devices must be switched off and out of reach for the whole session; possession can be treated as malpractice even if the device is not used.
Write in the language required by each question. In Italian papers, answers in English or Maltese where Italian is expected may score no marks; follow the rubric exactly.
Respect the word limits and task instructions in the writing section; answers far over or under the limit may lose marks or be penalised, so check the rubric for the exact rule.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the papers are distributed, and do not take question papers, answer booklets or rough paper out of the hall unless the invigilator permits it.
Breaks and permission to leave the hall are at the invigilator's discretion and may be accompanied; confirm with the provider what the procedure is at your centre.
If you believe there is a problem with the paper or your circumstances affected your performance, tell the invigilator immediately and ask your school how to report it through the official channels.