5 Tips in Answering Bar Exam 

Questions
Posted on June 12, 2017by kristieamaro
Aside from knowing and remembering the laws, one important weapon that bar candidates have
to bring with them during the bar exams is knowing how to answer questions in a categorical,
brief and fully responsive manner. It is not enough that you know the answer to the bar question.
You have to know how to properly express it.

So I am sharing these 5 tips from what I learned from my law professor, Atty. Abelardo
Domondon, my coaches at Jurists Bar Review Center, and my personal experience.
Tip No. 1: KISS Method

Keep It Short and Simple!

Examiners do not have the luxury of time to be reading your answers like they would normally
do for pleadings or cases. With a very limited time to check thousands of booklets, they would
truly appreciate short yet responsive answers.

Just think about this: If there are 6,000 bar booklets with an average of 20 questions per bar
subject, an examiner only has approximately 1.5 minutes per question for checking. So try your
best to give your categorical answer, support it with the law and apply the law to the facts of the
case in the first minute of your answer.

Sounds complicated, right? You’ll get the hang of it if you practice daily. Answer at least five
bar questions per day following this method so that eventually, it will become part of your
system.

So on November, remember to KISS!

Tip No. 2: 4-Paragraph Rule

No, this tip does not contradict the first one. This rule talks about how you are going to make it
easier for the examiner to find your answer. It does not talk about length!

The 4-Paragraph Rule provides a systematic way of answering bar exam questions.

First paragraph should say your categorical answer, whether it is a yes or a no, or the answer to
an objective type question. Yes, A is liable. Your first paragraph could be as short and simple as
this.

Second paragraph should provide your legal basis, whether it is an applicable law or
jurisprudence. The National Internal Revenue Code provides that a resident citizen is liable to
pay income tax for income derived from sources outside the Philippines. Your legal basis could
be written in a one-liner paragraph like this. You need not cite the exact chapter or section of the
Code nor the title of the case for jurisprudence.

Third paragraph should be the synthesis. It is where you should apply the law to the given facts
of the case or question. Examiners test not only your knowledge of the law but also your ability
to apply the law in various scenarios. Here, A is a Filipino, residing in Manila, and earning
rental income for his house and lot in the US. The third paragraph is usually the longest among
the four paragraphs as it interlocks the given set of facts with the applicable law. But it can also
be a one-sentence paragraph depending on the question at hand.

Fourth paragraph is “hence-paragraph”. It is where you conclude your answer. Usually, it is a

repetition of the categorical answer but with few more details to end it strong. Hence, A, as a
resident citizen, is liable for income tax. Your fourth paragraph should conclude and summarize
your response to the bar exam question.
Again, the 4-paragraph rule does not equate to length of the answer. In the examples given
above, you would notice that every paragraph is composed of only one sentence each.

     Yes, A is liable.
     The National Internal Revenue Code provides that a resident citizen is liable to pay income
tax for income derived from sources outside the Philippines.
     Here, A is a Filipino, residing in Manila, and earning rental income for his house and lot in
the US.
     Hence, A, as a resident citizen, is liable for income tax.
By following this rule, you are helping the examiner check your booklet easier and faster. Since
you have a systematic way of answering the questions, the examiner would know where to look
for the answers or key words he or she is looking for.

Tip No. 3: Stick-to-One Rule

Okay, okay. This rule has nothing to do with your #hugot #feels. Let’s set those things aside for
now (we’ll talk about that after the bar). 
The Stick-to-One Rule means that you should pick a side and take a stand in your answer. A
lawyer should know how to argue based on the provisions of the law and case holdings. Hence,
your bar answer should demonstrate such ability and prove to the examiner that you are worthy
to become a member of the profession. Never answer MAYBE. If you are unsure of your answer
or you think the case could go either way, make a choice still and argue for it. For gray areas or
for questions with different possible answers, examiners usually check how bar candidates make
a case.

Answer categorically. If it is a yes, mean it. Stick to it. Make the examiner believe that your side
is the right side.

Whether it be in a relationship or in the bar exams, abide by the Stick-to-Rule to be successful.

Tip No. 4: Watch your grammar

Another thing that would help the bar examiners check your booklets with ease and with a light
heart is your good grammar. Lawyers are expected to have a good command of the English
language, both in oral and written communications. As such, bar candidates must work on their
grammar and composition.

Atty. Rita Linda Jimeno, a bar examiner, shared her thoughts on the relevance of good English
grammar in the bar exams through her column in Manila Standard. An excerpt from the article
says,
“Worst, many of the examinees were unable to express their thoughts in English. The English
grammar of many of the examinees could shock even a high school graduate who took his
secondary education seriously. For instance, nearly a majority erred in the proper use of “is” and
“are.” In one question involving two persons, “Y” and “Z,” many said “Z” and “Y” is wrong.”
It is not too late to work on your basic grammar. With your daily practice writing, you will be
able to spot your grammar flaws and correct them just in time for the bar exams.

Tip No. 5: Write legibly

 After years of struggle in law school and bar

review, you sure would not want to mess it all up with just a bad penmanship. It is equally
important to have a legible penmanship.
The bar exams do not require a specific type of penmanship. You may write in cursive or in
block letters, as long as you do not use all caps in your sentences.
As early as now, know which type of penmanship suits you best. Do you write more legibly in
cursive or in print/block letters? Consider also your speed as you are only given four hours to
answer around 20 questions per bar subject.

Another practical advice: Choose a really good pen. Use the same pen for your practice writing
until the bar exams.

I hope these five tips would help you pass the bar exams. I am also launching a FREE ONLINE
COACHING focusing on how to properly answer bar exam questions. Details posted in a
separate entry.
(Sign up for Free Online Coaching is temporarily closed due to high volume of subscribers. If
you have signed up, make sure to follow our  Facebook page for updates.)