Preparing for a Latin test: the 7-day plan
In short
A Latin test in class (in Germany a Klassenarbeit, a written test that counts towards the grade) almost always checks three things: vocabulary, forms and translation. If you start a week ahead, practise 20 to 30 minutes a day and revise your weak spots on purpose, you go into the test calmly. The plan below shows what to do on which day.
Before you start: find out what is on the test
Ask what the test covers: which chapters, which vocabulary, which grammar. Write the topics on a slip of paper, for example “ablative, perfect active, vocabulary chapters 12–14”. This slip is the basis for the whole week.
The 7-day plan
| Day | What you practise |
|---|---|
| 1 | Collect the vocabulary for the test and go through it once. Mark the words you are unsure of. |
| 2 | First grammar topic: read the rule, then produce the forms yourself, don’t just read them. |
| 3 | Second grammar topic. Revise the vocabulary from day 1. |
| 4 | Sentence elements and sentence structure: identify subject, predicate and objects in practice sentences. |
| 5 | Translation: translate a short text from the textbook, analysing it word by word. |
| 6 | Mock test: old exercises or textbook tasks against the clock. Collect your mistakes. |
| 7 | Only the mistakes from day 6 and the uncertain words. Go to bed early. |
On top of that, spend 5 to 10 minutes reviewing vocabulary every day.
How Disce ludens helps with exam preparation
- Your own box for the test: create a box for the test and put the words into it, from the app’s vocabulary or your own. The box tests the weakest words first.
- The lesson on the topic: each of the 62 lessons of Disce ludens I and II can be opened on its own, for example the ablative or the perfect.
- Looking up forms: under “Grammatik” (grammar) you find all forms of every word in tables. Typing in a form such as ceperunt takes you straight to the word and its analysis. Looking things up is locked during an exercise.
- Error points show the gaps: where many mistakes happen is the topic for days 6 and 7.
The app is in German: exercises, hints and meanings are German, as in the original.
The most common mistakes in Latin tests
- Ending not analysed: first determine case, number and gender, or person, number, tense, mood and voice, then translate.
- Looking for the predicate too late: find the predicate first in a Latin sentence; it often comes at the end.
- Word with the wrong meaning: for words with several meanings, choose the one that fits the sentence.
- Translating too literally: once you have understood the sentence, put it into good English (or German).
Try it
A real exercise from Disce ludens:
Disce ludens II · Lesson 11 · Comparison I, card 12
Give the Latin for “of the higher tower” (genitive singular). (turris alta – the high tower; the forms of the comparative: nominative altior, genitive altioris)
Hint 1: Turris, -is f. is a third-declension i-stem noun.
Hint 2: turris
Error points: 0
© Disce ludensWhat Disce ludens does – and what it doesn’t
What Disce ludens does
- Tests the words for the test in a box of their own.
- Practises each grammar topic in its own lesson, with hints instead of the solution.
- Shows all forms of a word and analyses forms you type in.
What it doesn’t do
- Does not know exactly what is on your test.
- Does not contain the texts and chapter vocabulary of your textbook.
- Does not correct free translations of whole texts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to prepare for a Latin test?
Start a week ahead, find out what is on the test and practise 20 to 30 minutes every day: vocabulary, forms, sentence elements, translation. At the end, do a mock test and revise the mistakes on purpose.
How do I learn Latin vocabulary quickly for a test?
In small portions over several days instead of everything the night before. Revise uncertain words more often; a box with stages does the planning for you.
What do I do if I don’t understand the grammar?
Work through the rule with a simple example, then produce forms yourself. If something stays unclear, ask your teacher – better early in the week than the day before the test.
Does an app help with exam preparation?
For practice, yes: vocabulary, forms and sentence elements are easy to train every day in short sessions. Translating whole texts is better practised with the textbook.