Victorian Selective School Year 9 - Exam Guide [ACER]
Exam Format
3 sections, 2 hours 35 minutes of testing (~4 hours at the venue): Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning (60min), Reading & Verbal Reasoning (55min), Writing (40min, 2 tasks). Paper-based. Content does not exceed the Year 8 curriculum.
Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning (60 minutes)
One combined multiple-choice section. The mathematics questions cover number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability, from straightforward calculations to multi-step problems. The quantitative reasoning questions test number sequences, patterns and data interpretation, and depend less on curriculum knowledge. ACER does not publish question counts; the questions are designed so most students will not finish.
Reading & Verbal Reasoning (55 minutes)
One combined multiple-choice section. The reading questions cover narrative, expository and argumentative passages: main ideas, inference, evaluating arguments and vocabulary in context. The verbal reasoning questions test analogies, word relationships, sentence completion and logical deduction. A broad vocabulary and efficient reading both matter.
Writing (40 minutes, 2 tasks)
Two written tasks in 40 minutes. ACER does not announce the text types in advance, so practise several styles (for example, persuasive and imaginative) and plan quickly. Assessed on ideas, structure, vocabulary and control of language conventions.
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