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Driving Newsletter - Tips and Advice on Passing your Driving Test

Theory Driving Test Practice

The best way to practice for your Theory Test

  • Theory test practice online now
  • Practice both parts of your theory test

The driving ‘theory test’ is a tricky term, as it can refer to both the hazard perception test and multiple-choice sections and also (more specifically), the multiple-choice part on its own. Worse, the two terms can be bandied around simultaneously in a conversation, causing no end of confusion.

Thus, for the purposes of simplicity and in an attempt to cling to the last scraps of our sanity, we’ll use ‘theory test’ to refer to the overall test, and ‘multiple-choice’ to refer to the part of the test where you get asked all the questions. Savvy?

The driving theory test is run by the DSA, who have somewhat of a monopoly on the driving world. Given that these are the people who write the Highway Code, however, this seems pretty fair. They have what feels like hundreds of theory test centres around the UK (in fact there are 158) where you can, for a meagre £31, hand over an hour or so of your time and a significant part of your intelligence; in return you get a simple A4 paper that says ‘PASS’ on it. The same result could be achieved in 5 minutes with a Word doc, a printer and a suitably squiggly signature, but sadly this method is not recognised by the DSA, and is therefore less popular with the more discerning learner drivers.

There are two parts to the theory test: hazard perception and multiple choice. Contrary to what the previous sentence might lead you to believe, the multiple-choice part usually comes first.

Multiple Choice

For the multiple-choice section of the theory test, there are 50 questions, of which you need to answer 43 correctly in order to pass. This isn’t as difficult as it might seem, as most of the questions you’d be surprised to find you already know the answers to, and the others are generally common sense. With only a few notable exceptions – stopping distances, road signs and speed limits for bizarre vehicles such as tractors and caravans – the multiple-choice part is quite straightforward. For the parts that aren’t straightforward, God invented the mock theory test.

Practicing your Theory test online

Found on numerous sites, mock theory tests allow you to practise both the multiple-choice and hazard perception sections online, usually for free. That said, some websites do charge for more than 2 practice tests (a man’s got to earn a living, after all) – if you’re absolutely desperate for the practice, then pay; if not, stick to the freebies. Getting in some good theory test practice is fantastic for ironing out those little questions that could throw you in the real thing; mock hazard perception tests are great for giving you a good idea of what kind of thing to expect in the exam, especially when it comes to the mouse pointer.

 

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