How I cleared my Life in the UK test

I will be applying for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK very soon. However, before I do that I came to know that one has to clear the "life in the UK test". So, I did a bit of research on the internet and also consulted with my friends about the test. Well, many people say that it is a very simple test and anyone can clear it. However, in my opinion though it might seem simple, it is not very straight forward.
I mean unless you read the syllabus, the chances of clearing the test are low. I cleared the test in the first attempt.
The test lasts for 45 minutes. There are 24 questions and one has to give correct answers to at least 18 of them to clear the test. I booked the 10:15 AM slot at "computer learning centre Hounslow east" on a Friday morning as I was doing night shift and thought of appearing the test directly after my shifted finished. One has to be present 30 minutes before the test start time. So, I was there at 09:45 but I guess the centre wasn't opened. I think it opened at 09:50 AM. There were about 7 to 8 people including me. We were made to sit in a room in the ground floor and then after some time each of us was handed over a tag with a number on it. Mine was 2. Then one by one we were asked to go upstairs in another waiting room. Then we were called in another room one by one according to our tag number and were asked to show the proof that we had registered with. I had registered for the test using my biometric card. So, I showed them the biometric card and the print out of the confirmation email of the test appointment (which was not required). I had also got my passport along with me. After this each one of us was given a computer in the computer room. I missed to read the instructions above the computers "Do not touch the computer" and was asked not to touch it by the instructor. I could see a login screen on the computer console. And above the computer, there were clear instructions on how to give the test. Just before the start time, some official came and logged in for me. Before this we were asked to place the above mentioned proof on the table. After logging in she asked me if I would like a practice test. I said No, thanks. So, she began my test.

Above the main screen where the questions are displayed, there is a horizontal row of small squares with numbers from 1 to 24 with 1 on the left most side and 24 on the right most. You could click on any square to open the corresponding question and the answer options at any time. Once you have answered the question, the square turns solid black. If you have visited any question, then the corresponding square's border becomes thick. The non attended squares are white. I started from 1 and without skipping any question completed all 24. Then I revisited all of them once. I completed my test in about 10 minutes and I could see a couple other others get up after 10 minutes as well. Once you have completed all the questions you can click on finish. Before clicking on finish, you can change the answers any number of times.
As soon as you finish the test, you are taken to an adjacent room where you show your above mentioned proof. The official told me that I have passed and handed over a passing certificate after stamping it.
He also told me to keep it very safely and to provide it during the ILR application and wished me good luck :)
Well regarding the preparations for the test, one of my colleagues had the life in the UK book. He was kind enough to lend it to me. You don’t have to go through all the chapters. For passing the test or to get full marks, you just have to go through chapters 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. These chapters cover about 50 pages. It would be helpful if you read the book out of interest and carefully. Note that there are some specific questions asked in the test which expect you to remember or know specific years, percentages etc. For example, In which year did women in UK get the right to vote ? Or in which year did women in the UK get the right to vote as the age of men? Or what percentage of ethnic minority of the UK lives in London ? Or in which year did Guy Fawkes plot the plan to bo** the parliament ?
So, while reading underline these points and try to remember them. The good thing about the test is that it is a multiple choice test, where you have multiple choices for a question or 2 choices out of 4 or true or false type of questions.

I would highly recommend you to go through as many questions as possible from the Life in the UK official sample Question papers. There about 18 question papers in this small sized book. The answers at the back of each question paper and the best thing is that with each answer, they have given the corresponding page number where the answer can be found in the main Life in the UK book.
In my case I read the whole book once as I was not aware that I had to read only chapters 2 to 6. But its nice to read the whole book out of interest. Then I read the book again (only the above mentioned 50 pages).
And then on the day before the test, I solved about 15 sample papers from the Life in the UK sample papers book. I hope this was helpful to you and I wish you good luck with the test and the visa application.

About me

Tier 1 visa extension

UK family visitor visa from India