11 Plus Exams Forum

I think I might have wasted my money!

I've bought Susan Daughtrey Verbal Reasonson Technique and Practice Bookes 1-3. We've done a couple of the tests and are getting on fine, but I've just read another post somewhere that says I should have bought the Bright Sparks series instead.
Can someone please clarify for me. Am I wasting time with the books I've bought?

Thanks
Nicki

Dear Nicki

Susan Dauhtrey method and technique books are not relevant to the Bucks 11 plus [they used to be, some 10 plus years ago] They use 35 plus different types of questions and are in standard form.

The Bucks 11 plus only uses 21 types, Multiple Choice. There are different techniques for M/C. If you want a method and technique book either use IPS or the Tutors free download from this site.

Some of the types which are similar to questions used in the Bucks test are just that, similar not the same. For example, one word outside the brackets is close in meaning to one of the words inside the brackets:

Refuse [ agree, decline, drop, waist, sack]

The real test would ask the child to find one word from each set of 3, making it harder. [ the 1st example assists the child by giving them the 1st word]

[waste, agree, refuse] [waist, decline, drop]

In addition, with M/C the child would, with this type of question, work directly from the answer sheet, saving time.

Take a look at the following thread for relevant publishers. The Bright Sparks series by Susan Daughtrey are a very good resource.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... php?t=4782

Patricia

Hi Nicki

You could still use them for practice, but you would need to download the Tutor's Method and Technique course to show you which the 21 types are, and then cross out all the question types that are not relevant.

A bit of a pain though ...

Sally-Anne

Hi,

I followed Patricia's list and in the order she suggested. I felt if really helped my DS as the papers became progressively more difficult and if we had started with Bright Sparks I think he would have thrown the towel in at the beginning.

Although there is a cost in buying the materials, I would recommend starting with IPS/Tutors and learning the techniques required in answering the 21 question types. IMHO Bright Sparks are similar in level to the real exam and it is good to work up to them.

Good Luck. I found the advice given on the forum invaluable and my DS would not now be heading to a Bucks Grammar School if it wasn't for Patricia, Sally Ann, Guest 55 and all the other folk who kept me sane!

Thanks everyone for the help. I am going to WHSmith today and if they haven't got these then I'll order on line later today.

Patricia - thanks for the pm. I will reply to you in more detail later.