Grade: 5 Subject: SAT/ACT Skills Unit: Time Management Lesson: 5 of 6 SAT: ProblemSolving+DataAnalysis ACT: Math

Review Mistakes

Learn from common time management mistakes so you can work more efficiently on test day.

Learn

Time Mistakes Cost Points

Poor time management is one of the biggest reasons students don't finish tests or make careless errors. Learning from common mistakes helps you avoid them!

Why Time Mistakes Happen

  • Perfectionism: Spending too long on one question
  • Panic: Rushing and making careless errors
  • Poor planning: Not knowing how much time you have per question
  • Not checking the clock: Losing track of time completely

Common Time Management Mistakes

1. Getting Stuck

Mistake: Spending 5 minutes on one hard question while easy ones wait.
Fix: Use the "skip and return" strategy. Mark it and move on!

2. Not Checking Time

Mistake: Looking up to find only 2 minutes left with 10 questions to go.
Fix: Check the clock after every 5-10 questions.

3. Rushing at the End

Mistake: Racing through the last questions and making careless errors.
Fix: Pace yourself from the start so you have steady time throughout.

4. Second-Guessing

Mistake: Changing answers multiple times and wasting precious minutes.
Fix: Trust your first instinct unless you find a clear error.

Time Management Recovery Plan

1

Recognize the Problem

Notice when you're spending too long. Set a mental alarm for 90 seconds per question.

2

Make a Quick Decision

Either make your best guess now or mark it to return later.

3

Move Forward

Answer easier questions to build confidence and earn points.

4

Return if Time Permits

Come back to marked questions only after finishing everything else.

Examples

Example: Analyzing a Time Mistake

Situation: Maria spent 4 minutes on question 5 because it looked hard. When she finally moved on, she rushed through questions 6-10 and made 3 careless errors.

1

What Went Wrong

Maria got stuck on one question (mistake #1) and then rushed (mistake #3).

2

The Cost

She might have gotten question 5 wrong anyway, PLUS she made 3 errors on easier questions.

3

Better Strategy

After 90 seconds on #5, mark it and move on. Answer 6-10 carefully. Return to #5 if time permits.

Practice

Identify the time management mistake in each scenario.

Question 1

Jake looked at the clock for the first time and realized he had 5 minutes left but 15 questions remaining.

What mistake did Jake make?

Question 2

Emma answered question 12, then erased it and chose B, then erased B and chose C, then went back to her original answer. This took 3 minutes.

What mistake did Emma make?

Question 3

Carlos read a word problem three times, drew multiple diagrams, and tried four different approaches on question 8. When he finally looked at the clock, he had spent 6 minutes on this one question.

What should Carlos have done differently?

Question 4

With 3 minutes left, Sophie still had 8 questions to answer. She panicked and filled in answers without really reading the questions.

What happened as a result of her earlier time management?

Check Your Understanding

Test your knowledge of time management mistakes with this 10-question quiz!

Time Management Quiz

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Next Steps

Key Takeaways

  • Don't get stuck - use the skip and return strategy
  • Check the clock every 5-10 questions
  • Pace yourself to avoid rushing at the end
  • Trust your first instinct to avoid wasting time on second-guessing
  • Practice with timed tests to build awareness
  • Keep a log of when you run out of time to find patterns
  • Move on to Guided Practice to apply all your time management skills