La rezulto de mia lasta ekzameno estis pli bona ol mi atendis.

La is the definite article, meaning the.

So La rezulto means the result.
Esperanto has only one article: la. It does not change for gender, number, or case.

In this sentence, the speaker is talking about a specific result: the result of their last exam.

The word de usually means of or from, and here it marks a relationship like English of.

So:

• la rezulto de mia lasta ekzameno = the result of my last exam

This is a very common Esperanto structure. It works much like English:

• la koloro de la aŭto = the color of the car
• la fino de la libro = the end of the book

Because this phrase is not a direct object. It is part of a de-phrase: de mia lasta ekzameno.

The accusative -n in Esperanto is mainly used for direct objects and for some expressions of direction. Here, ekzameno is simply the noun governed by de, so no -n is used.

Also, the adjective must agree with the noun:

• mia lasta ekzameno
  not
• mia lasta ekzamenon

Since ekzameno has no -n, lasta also has no -n.

Yes. In Esperanto, adjectives can come either before or after the noun.

So both are grammatically possible:

• mia lasta ekzameno
• mia ekzameno lasta

But putting the adjective before the noun is much more common and usually sounds more natural, especially in simple sentences.

So mia lasta ekzameno is the normal way to say my last exam.

Estis is the past tense of esti, which means to be.

So:

• estas = is / am / are
• estis = was / were
• estos = will be

In this sentence:

• La rezulto ... estis pli bona = The result ... was better

The exam result is being talked about as something already known in the past, so estis is the correct tense.

Because bona is an adjective, and it describes the noun rezulto.

• bona = good as an adjective
• bone = well as an adverb

Here, the sentence is saying that the result was better. Since result is a noun, you need the adjective:

• pli bona = better

If you used bone, it would describe how something was done, not what the result was like.

Compare:

• La rezulto estis bona. = The result was good.
• Li faris bone. = He did well.

Pli ... ol is the standard Esperanto pattern for comparisons.

• pli = more
• ol = than

So:

• pli bona ol = better than
• literally: more good than

Examples:

• Ŝi estas pli alta ol mi. = She is taller than me.
• Tio estas pli facila ol mi pensis. = That is easier than I thought.

In your sentence:

• estis pli bona ol mi atendis = was better than I expected

Because after ol, Esperanto often leaves out the repeated object when it is obvious from context.

Here, the meaning is:

• The result was better than I expected [it to be].

Just like in English, you do not need to repeat the object if it is clear.

So ol mi atendis is natural and idiomatic.

You might sometimes see longer versions in other contexts, but here the shorter form is best.

Atendi usually means to expect or to wait for, depending on context.

Here it clearly means to expect:

• mi atendis = I expected

That is because the sentence is comparing the actual result with what the speaker had expected.

Examples:

• Mi atendis pli malbonan rezulton. = I expected a worse result.
• Mi atendas la buson. = I am waiting for the bus.

So the meaning of atendi depends on what kind of sentence it is.

Because it is not describing a direct object. It is part of the predicate after estis.

In Esperanto, predicate adjectives after forms of esti normally do not take -n.

So:

• La rezulto estis bona. = correct
• La rezulto estis bonan. = incorrect

The same is true in your sentence:

• estis pli bona = correct

That is close to the structure, but not natural English.

Esperanto often uses:

• pli bona = literally more good

But in English, we normally say:

• better

So the natural English meaning is:

• The result of my last exam was better than I expected.

This is a good example of how Esperanto can be very regular, even when English uses an irregular comparative.

Because everything being referred to is singular:

• la rezulto = the result
• mia lasta ekzameno = my last exam

If these were plural, you would see -j:

• la rezultoj = the results
• miaj lastaj ekzamenoj = my last exams

In the actual sentence, only one result and one exam are meant, so singular forms are used.

Not completely. Esperanto word order is fairly flexible, but this sentence uses the most natural and straightforward order.

Standard order here is:

• La rezulto de mia lasta ekzameno — subject
• estis — verb
• pli bona ol mi atendis — complement/comparison

Because Esperanto marks grammar clearly with endings and particles, some rearrangement is possible. But for learners, this version is the best model to follow because it sounds natural and is easy to understand.