What is the best practice for guessing on difficult questions?

• A. Always choose the first option.
• B. Choose randomly without elimination.
• C. Eliminate clearly wrong choices when possible and make an educated guess.
• D. Skip the question entirely.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is to boost your odds on tough questions by narrowing the choices through elimination and then guessing among the plausible options. When you hit a difficult item, first look for statements that are clearly wrong—things that don’t fit the stem, go beyond what’s been discussed, or use absolute terms that are likely inaccurate. Crossing these out turns a pure guess into an educated choice, raising your chances of getting it right.

If only one option remains after you eliminate the impossible or unlikely ones, go with it with confidence. If several options survive, rely on what you know about the topic and how well each option fits the question. Favor statements that are precise, directly supported by the stem, and consistent with the material you’ve studied, rather than broad or extreme claims.

Keep an eye on time as you apply this strategy; it’s usually better to move on and return later if you’re stuck, rather than fritter away too long on a single item. In short, don’t guess blindly—use elimination to form an educated guess, which improves your odds compared with random guessing.