Are the Theory Test Questions the same as you practice on the App?
A question that many people ask while revising for their theory test is “are theory test questions the same as you practice on the app?”
In this blog I’ll let you know:
- What types of questions you’ll be asked?
- What are the options for preparing for your test?
- Are the practice questions the same ones as you’ll answer in your actual test?
What types of questions you’ll be asked?
DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) supplies practice theory test questions, answers and question hints to certain providers.
These are the questions that you’ll practice in the course/App/book that you select to use to revise for your test.
There are 14 theory test topics in total, and there are a number of official practice questions for each topic:
- Accidents = 48 practice questions
- Alertness = 26 practice questions
- Attitude = 39 practice questions
- Documents = 28 practice questions
- Hazard Awareness = 78 practice questions
- Motorway Rules = 55 practice questions
- Other Types of Vehicles = 22 practice questions
- Road and Traffic Signs = 133 practice questions
- Rules of the Road = 67 practice questions
- Safety Margins = 33 practice questions
- Safety and Your Vehicle/Motorcycle = 78 practice questions
- Vehicle/Motorcycle Handling = 44 practice questions
- Vehicle/Motorcycle Loading = 12 practice questions
- Vulnerable Road Users = 67 practice questions
This means that there are 730 official practice questions in total.
Three of the questions in your test will be based on a short video, referred to as a Case Study.
In a Case Study you will:
- Watch a short video, for example, something like a car towing a caravan on a motorway.
- You then have to answer three questions about what you have just seen in the video.
For example:
- What is the maximum speed that the car towing a caravan is allowed to go at?
- Can the car and caravan drive in lane 3, of a 3-lane motorway?
- What colour are the studs between lane 1 and the hard shoulder?
You’ll be able to watch the Case Study video as many times as you like to answer these questions.
The purpose of the Case Study is to test whether you can apply your theory knowledge to real-life situations.
By having a go at the practice questions and reading the hints that come with the questions, you will know what facts and information you’re expected to learn about.
You will be asked 50 multiple-choice questions in your theory test. You have 57 minutes to answer these questions and the pass mark is 86% (43/50).
What are the options for preparing for your test?
There are a few different ways that people choose to prepare for the theory test.
Many people decide to download an App. If it’s a good App that is kept updated, it will have all of the official DVSA practice questions. If you decide to use a free App you need to be aware that you will only have a small number of the actual practice questions. To have access to all of the questions you will need the paid version of the App.
It’s good to be able to have a go at all of the practice questions. But to properly understand a topic and to help you to be able to answer questions that will be worded differently in your test, you will need other ways to find out more information.
To assess your knowledge and understanding, as you go through your app you can ask yourself these questions:
- Am I guessing the answers, or do I properly understand what the question is asking me?
- Do I have a good idea of what the answer is before looking at the four answer options?
- Could I chat about the topic with another person with some level of knowledge and understanding?
If your answer is no to any of these questions, then you will need to find another way of understanding the topic – or you may find that you will struggle to answer the questions in the actual theory test.
To develop more knowledge and understanding the three books that the theory test questions are based on are:
- Highway Code
- Know your Traffic Signs
- Driving the Essential Skills
All three are useful books to own and they include all the information that you will need.
If, however, you can’t read well, you do not like reading or you choose not to read, then you need to find another option.
1-2-1 lessons with a theory expert is a very successful option for many people.
The option that is suitable for all learners is Theory Test Course
This is a course that has everything you need to develop good knowledge and understanding, through the numerous video tutorials and fact lists. You can test your knowledge with the worksheets and topic quizzes. The course includes all of the official questions and it has mock tests to practice. On top of all that, the course has techniques to help answer questions and score well on hazard perception clips. As well as all this, the Theory test Course has techniques to get rid of test anxiety and includes games to help make learning more fun!
By going through Theory Test Course, you will not only have the opportunity to have a go at all of the official DVSA practice theory questions, but you will also learn all about the topic first. This means that however the question is worded in your actual test, you’ll be able to answer it with confidence.
Are the practice questions the same ones as you’ll answer in your actual test?
The practice questions you will see in the theory test course, a book or an app will be very similar to the questions you come across in your actual theory test, but they will not be the same question. It may be a different question covering the same topic, but it may be worded slightly differently, and it may have different answer options.
This means that by going through your revision you will know what you’re expected to learn and understand, but you cannot practice the actual question you’ll be asked.
Example
This question and hint make it clear that you are expected to know and understand speed limits:
What will the speed limit usually be where you can see street lights but no speed limit signs?
- 30 mph
- 40 mph
- 50 mph
- 60 mph
HINT (no hint available in your actual test)
The presence of streets lights generally indicates that there’s a 30 mile per hour speed limit unless signs tell you otherwise.
By practising this question and other questions relating to speed limits, and by reading the hints that are provided, you can see that you’re expected to know and understand the speed limits for all types of roads.
You may need to do some research to find out more information so that you can answer questions about speed limits however they are worded.
Theory Test Course helps you to properly understand speed limits, the difference between single and dual carriageway roads.
Conclusion
n response to the title of this blog, “are theory test questions the same as the app?”, the answer is simply that the topics and the knowledge expected are the same as in your App, but the questions you’ll be asked in your actual theory test may be worded differently.
Therefore, you mustn’t just aim to memorise answers to questions. You must make sure you properly understand the information.
Remember that you are being asked the chosen questions for a good reason. You need to know and understand all the information within the theory test to pass the test, as well as make safe driving decisions. This will keep yourself, your passengers and other road users safe!
Covering everything provided to you in Theory Test Course is the best way to become confident and test ready. Sign up today and prepare to pass your test with us.