Examiners often start off the oral portion of a checkride by asking about certificates, documents and airworthiness.

Each applicant is typically asked about airworthiness.  Sitting down with their instructor and tabbing the required entries, saves everybody a lot of time.

How can we teach this material so it sinks in? 

If the PIC elects to fly the plane with an optional item not working it must first be placarded inoperative (INOP)

Now we get to the thing that really upsets me...