Trap words in citizenship test questions: NOT, EXCEPT and how to read them

Everything on the test is in the free booklet, Our Common Bond. We help you practise reading the questions the way the test asks them. This guide is about that second part.

Some wrong answers come from not knowing a fact. Others come from knowing the fact and answering the wrong question. The second kind is easy to fix.

What a trap word is

A trap word is a small word that turns a question around. The common ones are NOT and EXCEPT. When one is in the question, the right answer is the one that does not fit.

Take this question: "Which of these is NOT a responsibility of an Australian citizen?"

Three choices are responsibilities: obey the laws, vote, serve on a jury. One is a privilege: apply for a passport. The right answer is the passport. If you skim, you see "responsibility" and pick the first true one. You get it wrong with the right facts in your head.

We cannot say how often the real test uses these words. We can say you should be ready for them.

Other words that change a question

• ALWAYS, NEVER, ONLY. These words make a claim strong. Few facts in the booklet are so strong. Check each one against the page.
• MOST, MAIN, PRIMARILY. The question asks for the best fit, not any fit. For example, state and territory governments are primarily responsible for schools.
• LEAST, FIRST, LARGEST, SMALLEST. These ask for a rank. Compare all four choices before you pick.
• BEFORE, AFTER. These ask for order. Link each choice to a date.

A four-step read

1. Read the question once, slowly, and stop at the trap word. If you see NOT or EXCEPT, say it aloud in your head: "I need the one that does not fit."
2. Cover the choices. Think of the answer or the type of answer before you look.
3. Read all choices. Do not stop at the first one that looks right. In a NOT question, the first true choice is a wrong answer.
4. Check the answer against the question. Say the question and the choice in one line. "Passport is NOT a responsibility. Yes."

An example with a list

The booklet lists the jobs of the three levels of government.

Question: "Which of these is NOT the job of local government?"

A. Rubbish collection
B. Parks and playgrounds
C. Building permits
D. Immigration

Answer: D. Immigration is a job of the Australian Government. The other three belong to local councils.

This question is built from a list. You get it right if you know the lists, and you also need to catch the NOT.

Why it matters most for values

On the values questions, one wrong answer fails the whole test. A question may use NOT or EXCEPT, or it may offer a choice that sounds polite but breaks the law. The slow read costs seconds. It is worth them there.

How to train it

• Underline the trap word in every practice question before you answer. In our mock, the trap word in each question is marked, so your eye learns it.
• Say the flip. Turn "NOT a responsibility" into "the one that is a privilege". It helps you see the answer.
• Review misses by cause. For each wrong answer, ask: did I miss the fact, or did I miss the word? Keep a tally. If most misses are the word, slow down. If most are facts, go back to the page.

The time

The test gives you 45 minutes for 20 questions. That is more than two minutes each. You have the time to read twice. Use it.

Practise it

Take the free mock. Look for the marked trap words, and check at the end how many wrong answers came from reading.

Start the free mock

Last checked against Our Common Bond (2020): 22 October 2026