Worked example 1
A UK form asks for date of birth as DD/MM/YYYY. You were born on 4 March 1990.
- Day: 04.
- Month: 03.
- Year: 1990.
Answer: 04/03/1990
Everyday Adult Skills · Beginner
How to fill in forms correctly (paper and online)
Forms collect information in a set format. Small mistakes — a wrong date format or missed box — can delay applications.
- 1Learn it
- 2See it worked
- 3Try it online
- 4Print it
- 5Check your answer
Before you start
Who it's for and what to know first
Reading everyday instructions.
Learn it
How it works
- Read the whole form first, including notes at the end.
- BLOCK CAPITALS means all capital letters, clearly separated.
- Dates: follow the format shown. UK forms usually use DD/MM/YYYY; US forms often use MM/DD/YYYY.
- Required fields are often marked with an asterisk (*).
- Online forms may time out — draft long answers separately first.
- Check against documents (passport, bank card) and keep a copy of what you sent.
Try it online · print it · check it
Practice questions
Tips
Common mistakes
- Swapping day and month on international forms.
- Leaving a required field blank instead of writing N/A where allowed.
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026