With IGCSE and A-Level exams approaching, practicing past papers is one of the most effective ways to prepare.

However, simply solving them is not enough—how you approach them matters.

Here are five common mistakes students make when working on past papers and how Sorise AI can help improve your preparation.

1. Not Timing Yourself

Many students complete past papers without setting a time limit, treating them as regular exercises rather than actual exam simulations.

The issue: Without timed practice, students may develop a false sense of confidence in their speed and struggle under real exam conditions.

How to avoid it: Always solve past papers under strict time constraints.

Sorise AI tracks your timing and provides insights on how effectively you are answering questions, helping you improve speed and accuracy.

2. Memorizing Answers Instead of Understanding Concepts

Some students rely on memorization, assuming similar questions will appear in the exam.

However, exams assess understanding, not just recall.

The issue: If a question is worded differently or tests application skills, memorization alone will not be enough.

How to avoid it: Focus on understanding the reasoning behind each answer.

Sorise AI provides explanations and detailed feedback, ensuring that you grasp concepts instead of just remembering answers.

3. Ignoring Mark Schemes and Examiner Reports

Past papers are useful only when combined with proper evaluation, yet many students do not analyze mark schemes or examiner feedback.

The issue: Without reviewing marking criteria, students miss valuable insights into how examiners expect answers to be structured.

How to avoid it: Compare your answers with the grading standards provided in Sorise AI’s Cambridge Mark Scheme-aligned evaluations.

It highlights areas for improvement, helping you refine your responses for maximum marks.

4. Not Reviewing Mistakes

Many students complete past papers but do not spend enough time analyzing their mistakes.

Without proper review, errors are likely to be repeated in the actual exam.

The issue: Repeating the same mistakes lowers the chances of improvement and wastes valuable preparation time.

How to avoid it: Carefully go through incorrect answers to understand where you went wrong.

Sorise AI identifies mistakes, explains them, and provides guidance on how to correct them, helping you learn from errors more efficiently.

5. Avoiding Difficult Questions

It is easy to focus on familiar topics while skipping challenging questions.

However, this approach leads to knowledge gaps and uncertainty during the exam.

The issue: Avoiding difficult questions can result in a lack of confidence when facing unfamiliar problems on the exam day.

How to avoid it: Work through all types of questions, even the ones that seem challenging.

Sorise AI identifies weak areas and offers step-by-step guidance, ensuring you build confidence in every subject.

Study Smarter with Sorise AI

With IGCSE and A-Level exams approaching, avoiding these mistakes can make a significant difference in your performance

Sorise AI provides structured feedback, accurate grading, and targeted recommendations to help students prepare efficiently and improve their scores.

Start using Sorise AI today to enhance your exam preparation and approach past papers with confidence.