Practice, Exams & Progress

Master practice mode, understand adaptive exams, and track your improvement over time.

Estimated Reading Time

This guide covers practice mode, simulated exams, adaptive difficulty, and progress tracking. Allow approximately 12-15 minutes to read through all sections.

Practice Mode

Practice mode is your daily training ground for IB success. It allows you to answer individual questions with immediate AI feedback, helping you learn from each attempt.

Getting Started

Navigate to Practice from the main menu. You'll see a list of available questions filtered by your preferences. Select any question to begin practicing.

Using the Filter Panel

The advanced filter panel helps you find exactly the questions you need. Press F to toggle the filter panel at any time.

Subject & Subtopic

Filter by IB subject (Biology, Chemistry, Economics, etc.) and drill down to specific subtopics within each subject.

Exam Board

Select questions from specific exam sessions or boards to practice with authentic past paper styles.

Marks Range

Filter by mark value (1-8+ marks) to practice specific question lengths. Start with lower marks and work up.

Difficulty Range

Adjust the difficulty slider from 0-100% to find questions matching your current level. Higher percentages mean harder questions.

Keyboard Shortcut

Press F to quickly toggle the filter panel open or closed while browsing questions.

Single vs Multi-Question Mode

Choose the practice style that fits your study session:

Single Question Mode

Focus on one question at a time with immediate feedback. Best for learning new topics or reviewing specific concepts. Get detailed AI feedback after each answer.

Multi-Question Mode

Answer multiple questions (1-50) in sequence. Feedback is provided at the end. Best for building stamina and simulating exam conditions without full timing.

Managing Sessions

If you leave during a multi-question session, you can return later:

Continue Session
Pick up where you left off with all previous answers saved.
Discard Session
Start fresh with a new set of questions.

Simulated Exams

Simulated exams provide authentic IB exam experiences with timed papers and comprehensive AI marking. They're designed to prepare you for the real thing.

Starting an Exam

Select Your Subject & Level

Choose from available IB subjects and select your level (SL or HL). The question bank, timing, and difficulty are tailored to your selection.

Review Exam Details

Before starting, you'll see the number of questions, total marks, and time allowed. The system generates a personalised exam based on your recent performance.

Begin Under Timed Conditions

Once you start, the timer begins. Work through questions at your own pace, but keep an eye on the clock - just like the real IB exam.

Submit & Receive Feedback

After submission, AI marking analyses each answer and provides detailed feedback within minutes.

Time Management Tips

Marks = Minutes

As a general rule, spend roughly 1-1.5 minutes per mark. A 4-mark question should take about 4-6 minutes.

Don't Get Stuck

If a question is taking too long, move on and return to it later. Partial answers are better than no answer.

Leave Review Time

Try to finish with 5-10 minutes to spare for reviewing your answers and catching any mistakes.

Watch the Timer

The on-screen timer changes colour when time is running low. Use this as your cue to wrap up.

Multi-Part Questions

Some questions have multiple parts (a, b, c). Make sure to answer all parts before moving on. Each part is marked separately and contributes to your total score. Later parts often build on earlier ones.

Understanding Your Results

After completing an exam, you'll receive a comprehensive results breakdown:

Overall Score & Grade
Your total marks out of the maximum, with an estimated IB grade boundary.
Question-by-Question Feedback
Detailed AI feedback for each answer explaining what you did well and what could be improved.
Topic Breakdown
See which topics you performed well in and which need more attention.
Model Answers
Compare your responses to exemplar answers to understand what examiners look for.

Adaptive Difficulty

IB Marker uses adaptive difficulty to personalise your exam experience. Questions are selected based on your recent performance, keeping you in your optimal learning zone.

Zone of Proximal Development

Educational research shows that learning is most effective when tasks are challenging but achievable. Questions that are too easy don't push you forward; questions that are too hard lead to frustration. Adaptive difficulty keeps you in the "sweet spot" where real learning happens.

How It Works

The system analyses your performance across your last 2-5 exams to determine your current level:

Performance Analysis

Your recent exam scores are averaged to determine your current performance tier.

Difficulty Selection

Questions are selected from a difficulty percentile range matched to your tier.

Continuous Adjustment

As you complete more exams, the system continuously recalculates and adjusts to your improving (or struggling) performance.

Performance Tiers

Based on your recent exam scores, you're placed in one of four performance tiers:

Advanced (85%+)

You'll receive questions from the 60th-100th percentile of difficulty. Challenging questions designed to push your mastery to the highest levels.

Proficient (70-84%)

Questions from the 40th-85th percentile. A balanced mix that reinforces your strengths while introducing new challenges.

Intermediate (55-69%)

Questions from the 25th-65th percentile. Focused on consolidating core concepts with manageable, confidence-building challenges.

Foundation (<55%)

Questions from the 0-50th percentile. Building a strong foundation with accessible questions while gradually increasing difficulty.

Progression Over Time

As you improve, the system automatically adjusts to provide appropriately challenging questions. You might start in Foundation and work your way up to Advanced over several weeks. This personalised progression ensures every exam helps you grow.

Tips for Improving Your Tier

Practice Between Exams
Use Practice Mode to target weak topics identified in your exam feedback before attempting another exam.
Review AI Feedback Thoroughly
Don't just look at your score - study the feedback to understand exactly where marks were lost.
Take Exams Regularly
Aim for 1-2 simulated exams per week per subject. Consistency helps the adaptive system track your progress accurately.

Tracking Your Progress

Monitor your improvement over time with comprehensive analytics and score tracking.

Viewing Your Scores

Practice Results
View all your practice session results from the Results tab in Practice Mode. See scores, time spent, and detailed feedback for each question.
Exam History
Access your simulated exam results anytime. Review your performance breakdown by section, topic, and question type.
AI Feedback Review
Revisit detailed AI feedback from any past attempt. Learn from previous mistakes and track how your answers have improved.

Performance Analytics

Subject Breakdown

See your average scores across different subjects and identify which areas need more attention.

Trend Analysis

Track your improvement over time with visual charts showing score progression.

Milestones

Celebrate achievements as you hit learning milestones - questions answered, topics mastered, and badges earned.

Export Results

Download your score reports for personal records or to share with teachers and parents.