The G1 test isn’t hard if you prepare, but you need 80% to pass, so a few careless mistakes can cost you. These tips will help you walk in ready.
1. Read the official Driver’s Handbook
Every question comes from the MTO Driver’s Handbook. Read it once from start to finish, then go back to the parts you found hard. It’s free on ontario.ca.
2. Learn road signs by shape and colour
Shapes and colours tell you a lot before you read a word. An octagon is always a stop sign, a triangle means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of hazards ahead. A red circle with a line through it means something is not allowed. Practise with our road signs practice test.
3. Memorise the numbers
Many questions test exact numbers. Make a short list and review it daily: demerit points, suspension lengths, parking distances (such as 3 metres from a fire hydrant), blood alcohol limits and the G1 and G2 waiting periods.
4. Know the G1 rules cold
Expect questions about your own licence: zero alcohol, who must sit beside you, no driving from midnight to 5 a.m., and which highways you can’t use. Our G1 test guide lists them all.
5. Take full practice tests
Practice tests show you what you don’t know yet. Take a full mock exam without looking anything up, then read the explanation for every question you missed.
6. Study your mistakes, not just your score
A score of 85% means little if you keep missing the same topic. Look for patterns, such as right-of-way or parking, and reread that part of the handbook.
7. Read every answer before you choose
Two answers often look right. Read the whole question and all four choices, and watch for words like “always”, “never” and “only”.
8. Study a little every day
Twenty minutes a day for a week works better than one long night before the test. Spread out your practice and retake exams until you score well above 80% every time.
9. Get your documents ready the day before
Bring original ID that proves your legal name and date of birth, your glasses or contacts if you need them, and payment. Arrive at least an hour before the DriveTest Centre closes.
10. Take your time on test day
The test isn’t timed, so there’s no need to rush. If a question stumps you, think about what the safest choice would be. That’s usually the right answer.