Prepare for the 18th Edition exam by practising two skills together: understanding a requirement and finding it in BS 7671. Use the permitted paper book, time short question sets and review the reason for each mistake before repeating a mock.
This plan is for the City & Guilds 2382-26 assessment. The official format is 60 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes. Our shorter free practice sets help you rehearse the process; they do not reproduce a complete examination paper.
Confirm the book and what you can bring
2382-26 uses BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. Ask your centre to confirm the qualification code on your booking and whether it supplies the examination copy. The On-Site Guide and Guidance Note 3 are not permitted substitutes.
The handbook allows highlighting, navigation bookmarks and brief cross-references within the book. It excludes detailed notes, example questions, answers and added diagrams. Check your markings with the centre in advance; a centre can choose to use clean copies. Bring the required non-programmable calculator.
Practise a repeatable lookup
Open-book revision works best when you can explain how you found an answer. Use this sequence with a small set of practice questions.
- Read the whole question. Identify the installation, equipment or condition it is asking about, and what decision the answer must make.
- Choose a search term. Use the contents for a broad subject or the index for a particular term; try the standard’s terminology if your first wording gets you nowhere.
- Read the relevant requirement with its scope, definitions and any qualifications. Follow a cross-reference when it changes the answer.
- Compare all the options against what you found. Check units, qualifying words and whether the stated condition actually applies.
- After answering, record the route you used. Aim to make the next lookup more direct while preserving the reasoning.
Use the two hours deliberately
Sixty questions in 120 minutes gives an average of two minutes per question, including checking. Some answers will take much less time; a difficult lookup can take longer. Treat that average as a planning aid.
For a practice run, try reserving the final 20 minutes for checks. That leaves 100 minutes for the first pass: about 1 minute 40 seconds per question. This is a suggested exercise, not an awarding-body rule. Adjust it after seeing where you lose time.
During a timed set, notice when you are repeatedly turning the same pages without getting closer. Make your best provisional choice and return if the test interface allows it. Ask the centre about the actual interface and review controls before the assessment.
Turn a mock result into the next revision task
A score gives you a starting point. For each wrong answer—and each answer you guessed correctly—write down what failed and choose a follow-up exercise.
| What happened | What to practise next | How to check progress |
|---|---|---|
| Could not find the topic | Trace the contents or index route, then close and reopen the book. | Find it again without your previous page open. |
| Found it but missed a condition | Read the scope and qualifications; explain when the requirement applies. | Explain why a different condition would change the answer. |
| Misread a unit or an option | Write the quantity and unit before comparing choices. | Check a fresh example without relying on the option’s appearance. |
| Recognised a repeated question | Justify the answer from the book before viewing feedback. | Explain the reasoning without recalling the answer’s position. |
Build a plan around the gaps you find
Use these sessions in order, repeating a step when it exposes a gap. Their length depends on your starting knowledge and the time available before your assessment.
- Orientate: check the edition, contents, index and permitted book markings. Locate several familiar subjects without a timer.
- Diagnose: answer a short mixed set with the book open. Note wrong answers, guesses and slow lookups.
- Repair: read the weak topics and practise the lookup or interpretation that caused each mistake.
- Rehearse: complete another set with a timer, then review every uncertain answer. A repeated free set uses the same bank, so remember that familiarity can increase the score.
- Prepare for the day: confirm the time, venue, identification and permitted materials with the centre. Leave space in your plan to resolve any book or booking issue.
Quick answers
Should I memorise every regulation number?
Build enough familiarity to choose a useful starting point, then practise following the contents, index and cross-references. Revision should also check that you understand the requirement once you find it.
Can a high mock score tell me I will pass?
It cannot guarantee a pass. Repeated questions can reward memory of the answer. Include your guessed answers and slow lookups in the review, even when the final score looks strong.
How long should I revise for?
Use an initial practice session to find the gaps. Someone who navigates BS 7671 regularly will have a different starting point from a new learner. Plan enough sessions to revisit each weak topic and practise under time pressure.