Well, it's been a grey, rainy day here in Ottawa: 8ºC, just like in Madrid, and our snow is almost all gone. I wasn't in the mood to get outside and do much today, so I've started work on a new series of videos.
Today's installment describes the difference between ASSIST and ATTEND. Be careful with this pair - this is the kind of question that Cambridge LOVES to put on exams like the First and the Proficiency.
Showing posts with label Cambridge Exams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambridge Exams. Show all posts
1.04.2013
Writing for Exams: Three things NOT to do
Starting from this month, I'm going to be contributing blog posts to the ClubMBA website (and if I haven't said it before, I'm saying it now - those of you who are doing the TOEFL exam should definitely check out their TOEFL forum - not because I'm contributing to it, but because there are a number of good testimonials from people who have done the exam and what their experiences were like.)
Anyway, one of the topics that I wanted to write about for that blog was how NOT to do the writing part of an exam. I get a lot of students asking for help with writing (especially for TOEFL and FCE), and there are three common mistakes that many students make when doing this part of the exams. Here are the three most common:
a) You don't answer the question that you're asked on the exam. It seems crazy, but, yes, apparently there are still some students who try to memorize an answer and write it down on the exam. This only works if the question they ask you is exactly the same as the question you memorized. (Don't laugh - I've had students who have tried this. The results are exactly as you would expect.)
b) You don't organize your ideas inside your writing exercise. When we talk, we're thinking and producing language in the moment. Since we have direct contact with the person we're speaking to, we can fix and adjust the language we use, and the way we present ideas. However, when we write, we don't have that luxury. We have to remember that we can't clarify AFTER ideas are on the page (or on the computer screen). Therefore, it's important to make sure that your ideas and arguments are easy to understand - because if they aren't, that makes it harder for the person marking your exam to understand what you're talking about. An essay that is hard to understand is an essay that won't get a good mark - it's the marker's job to figure out what you're trying to say.
c) You use a lot of the same tired, uninteresting words to express ideas. As I explain in this video about verbs, using "boring" verbs like say, tell, do and get are fine when you first start learning English. As your English gets better, however, your vocabulary should expand so that you're using more precise verbs (and more precise adjectives, adverbs that modify adjectives, etc.). Obviously, you shouldn't use complicated words if you can't use them properly, or you don't know what they mean. You should also aim for maximum clarity in your writing. Your writing needs to have a certain amount of sophistication; if you're doing the TOEFL, you cannot get a good mark if you sound like you have the vocabulary of a ten-year-old child.
If you'd like more information on writing classes and coaching to improve your writing, click here.
Anyway, one of the topics that I wanted to write about for that blog was how NOT to do the writing part of an exam. I get a lot of students asking for help with writing (especially for TOEFL and FCE), and there are three common mistakes that many students make when doing this part of the exams. Here are the three most common:
a) You don't answer the question that you're asked on the exam. It seems crazy, but, yes, apparently there are still some students who try to memorize an answer and write it down on the exam. This only works if the question they ask you is exactly the same as the question you memorized. (Don't laugh - I've had students who have tried this. The results are exactly as you would expect.)
b) You don't organize your ideas inside your writing exercise. When we talk, we're thinking and producing language in the moment. Since we have direct contact with the person we're speaking to, we can fix and adjust the language we use, and the way we present ideas. However, when we write, we don't have that luxury. We have to remember that we can't clarify AFTER ideas are on the page (or on the computer screen). Therefore, it's important to make sure that your ideas and arguments are easy to understand - because if they aren't, that makes it harder for the person marking your exam to understand what you're talking about. An essay that is hard to understand is an essay that won't get a good mark - it's the marker's job to figure out what you're trying to say.
c) You use a lot of the same tired, uninteresting words to express ideas. As I explain in this video about verbs, using "boring" verbs like say, tell, do and get are fine when you first start learning English. As your English gets better, however, your vocabulary should expand so that you're using more precise verbs (and more precise adjectives, adverbs that modify adjectives, etc.). Obviously, you shouldn't use complicated words if you can't use them properly, or you don't know what they mean. You should also aim for maximum clarity in your writing. Your writing needs to have a certain amount of sophistication; if you're doing the TOEFL, you cannot get a good mark if you sound like you have the vocabulary of a ten-year-old child.
If you'd like more information on writing classes and coaching to improve your writing, click here.
10.08.2010
Exam writing tasks: Don't Do This
One thing I've noticed over the last couple of weeks....If you're doing an English exam this fall, be it IELTS, TOEFL or FCE, make sure you understand the task before you start it.
That seems obvious, right? It should be. But one common mistake that students make is that they don't think about what kind of information they're expect to write down. Writing tasks always test your ability to manipulate different kinds of information for different audiences. That means that when you do an exam, you need to understand the following information:
How do they want me to present the information? Is this a personal essay, a letter, an article or a short story?
What kind of language do I need to do this? How formal does the text have to be? What specialized vocabulary do I need to describe people, equipment, ideas?
Who's going to read this? Is the task designed so that I give information to people who I do know? Or will I be creating something more formal - closer to tone to usted - because I don't know who the end reader will be?
How can I filter my mistakes so that I don't repeat them? When I did these tasks in practice, what were the problems (spelling, grammar, syntax) that I had before? How do I stop them from happening again?
The fastest way to fail a writing task is to adapt the task to your needs...and totally ignore what the examiners want to do. If you don't do the task as it's described, you take an enormous risk of failing. Examiners cannot tell the difference between someone who didn't like the task and decided to adapt it, and someone who didn't understand what the question was.
I'm not trying to scare you, but you need to understand the risks you take when you don't do what they ask you to do!
How do you stop this from happening?
a) As you practice (and you should practice as much as you can), anticipate the kinds of tasks you will be asked to do.
b) Review the language (words, verb tenses and collocations) you need to do this task.
c) Analyze your previous mistakes. Make a list of the kinds of mistakes you tend to make and if you're not sure why you're having problems, talk to your teacher about what kind of practice you can do to eliminate those mistakes.
d) Remember that a BIG part of writing exams is knowing what isn't important, not just what you need.
And if you have any questions, please feel free to comment here!
b
That seems obvious, right? It should be. But one common mistake that students make is that they don't think about what kind of information they're expect to write down. Writing tasks always test your ability to manipulate different kinds of information for different audiences. That means that when you do an exam, you need to understand the following information:
How do they want me to present the information? Is this a personal essay, a letter, an article or a short story?
What kind of language do I need to do this? How formal does the text have to be? What specialized vocabulary do I need to describe people, equipment, ideas?
Who's going to read this? Is the task designed so that I give information to people who I do know? Or will I be creating something more formal - closer to tone to usted - because I don't know who the end reader will be?
How can I filter my mistakes so that I don't repeat them? When I did these tasks in practice, what were the problems (spelling, grammar, syntax) that I had before? How do I stop them from happening again?
The fastest way to fail a writing task is to adapt the task to your needs...and totally ignore what the examiners want to do. If you don't do the task as it's described, you take an enormous risk of failing. Examiners cannot tell the difference between someone who didn't like the task and decided to adapt it, and someone who didn't understand what the question was.
I'm not trying to scare you, but you need to understand the risks you take when you don't do what they ask you to do!
How do you stop this from happening?
a) As you practice (and you should practice as much as you can), anticipate the kinds of tasks you will be asked to do.
b) Review the language (words, verb tenses and collocations) you need to do this task.
c) Analyze your previous mistakes. Make a list of the kinds of mistakes you tend to make and if you're not sure why you're having problems, talk to your teacher about what kind of practice you can do to eliminate those mistakes.
d) Remember that a BIG part of writing exams is knowing what isn't important, not just what you need.
And if you have any questions, please feel free to comment here!
b
9.23.2010
Don't let Paper 3 of the First Certificate freak you out.
Most of my students don't really like the Use of English paper (Paper 3) of the First Certificate exam. But I'm surprised at how many people really, really loathe it. They find it frustrating because they don't know how to manage the new words they learn, and they can't always remember why one words is more appropriate than another word in a specific context.
Remember this: 50% of the words in the Multiple Choice Cloze are not possible for technical reasons. It could be for several reasons: maybe they've given you an adverb form when you need an adjective; maybe that adjective needs a dependent preposition that isn't in the body of the text; maybe it's a word that we use in relation to people, not ideas. Or maybe it's a false friend. Whatever.
If you're doing practice exercises to help you with this part of the exam, try this:
a) Print out the "Right Word, Wrong Word" worksheet and write the name of the exercise at the top of the first page, along with a brief description of the topic of the text. You can find the worksheet here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/37990867/RightWordWrongWord-1
b) Your first job is to look at the options and if you know that there are one or two words that aren't possible, get rid of them.
c ) Now you're down to the remaining 50% - two - options, but you don't know which one is the right one.
- Get out your English-only dictionary. (A translating dictionary will not always provide the information that you need to do this properly.) Look up the word, then look at the structure of the sentence, and look at the ways in which you can use the word (or phrase).
- What does the dictionary say? Look at the possibilities and use the one that fits with the information the dictionary tells you.
- Once you're done, don't second-guess and don't change your answer if you're not sure. Nine times out of ten, your first reaction will be the correct one.
- If, after all this, you're still not sure....guess. Really. You have a 50% chance of being right and the examiners won't take points away for any wrong answers you have.
d) When you're done, check your answers and DO NOT ERASE ANY WRONG ANSWERS. Instead, write down the explanation next to the wrong answer and make a mental note to practice the word/phrase most often.
Good luck!
Remember this: 50% of the words in the Multiple Choice Cloze are not possible for technical reasons. It could be for several reasons: maybe they've given you an adverb form when you need an adjective; maybe that adjective needs a dependent preposition that isn't in the body of the text; maybe it's a word that we use in relation to people, not ideas. Or maybe it's a false friend. Whatever.
If you're doing practice exercises to help you with this part of the exam, try this:
a) Print out the "Right Word, Wrong Word" worksheet and write the name of the exercise at the top of the first page, along with a brief description of the topic of the text. You can find the worksheet here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/37990867/RightWordWrongWord-1
b) Your first job is to look at the options and if you know that there are one or two words that aren't possible, get rid of them.
c ) Now you're down to the remaining 50% - two - options, but you don't know which one is the right one.
- Get out your English-only dictionary. (A translating dictionary will not always provide the information that you need to do this properly.) Look up the word, then look at the structure of the sentence, and look at the ways in which you can use the word (or phrase).
- What does the dictionary say? Look at the possibilities and use the one that fits with the information the dictionary tells you.
- Once you're done, don't second-guess and don't change your answer if you're not sure. Nine times out of ten, your first reaction will be the correct one.
- If, after all this, you're still not sure....guess. Really. You have a 50% chance of being right and the examiners won't take points away for any wrong answers you have.
d) When you're done, check your answers and DO NOT ERASE ANY WRONG ANSWERS. Instead, write down the explanation next to the wrong answer and make a mental note to practice the word/phrase most often.
Good luck!
8.16.2010
Why bother with Proficiency?
In this week's CPE newsletter, www.Flo-Joe.co.uk had some interesting thought about doing the Cambridge Proficiency exam:
CPE RECOGNITION - why bother doing the Proficiency exam?An important factor in a student's mind when deciding to take an exam is its currency for study or vocational purposes. CPE is wellrecognised both in the UK and abroad, so what are the typical benefits of passing the Proficiency? Firstly, CPE is recognised by just about all British universities for satisfying English languagerequirements and, according to Cambridge ESOL literature "a growing number of universities in the USA", where traditionally the TOEFL exam has greater recognition. It is not just in the academic fieldthat CPE is useful. Many companies around the world where potentialemployees are required to demonstrate a high level of language competence ask for CPE as evidence; furthermore, ongoing staff development programmes may work towards the exam. If you would like more information about how and where Cambridge ESOL examinations are recognised you can go the Cambridge ESOL website:
http://www.cambridgeesol.org/recognition/index.php
It's worth remembering that motivation is a key factor in how well you learn English. Having a specific goal in mind - doing an exam, for example - may help you improve your English and your learning skills this year.
CPE RECOGNITION - why bother doing the Proficiency exam?An important factor in a student's mind when deciding to take an exam is its currency for study or vocational purposes. CPE is wellrecognised both in the UK and abroad, so what are the typical benefits of passing the Proficiency? Firstly, CPE is recognised by just about all British universities for satisfying English languagerequirements and, according to Cambridge ESOL literature "a growing number of universities in the USA", where traditionally the TOEFL exam has greater recognition. It is not just in the academic fieldthat CPE is useful. Many companies around the world where potentialemployees are required to demonstrate a high level of language competence ask for CPE as evidence; furthermore, ongoing staff development programmes may work towards the exam. If you would like more information about how and where Cambridge ESOL examinations are recognised you can go the Cambridge ESOL website:
http://www.cambridgeesol.org/recognition/index.php
It's worth remembering that motivation is a key factor in how well you learn English. Having a specific goal in mind - doing an exam, for example - may help you improve your English and your learning skills this year.
5.15.2010
The Art of Preparing for Exams
Exam time is coming up. If you're planning on doing an exam with the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas at the end of May, or a Cambridge exam in June, you have -- hopefully -- been studying and practising your skills all the way throughout the year. If you're like most students, however, you've probably put off studying, and now you're starting to feel panic because of all the work you haven't done.
Don't panic. Panic is useless. You may not pass the exam with perfect marks, but there's still time to rescue your year. Here's how.
1) Think like an examiner. I say: What's on the exam? "Everything," you say. No. Wrong answer. Not possible. Remember that, in an exam, you have a limited amount of time to show that you can work with the language you learned in class, and an exam is probably going to focus on the skills and language that you need for your level.
If you're a B1 student (EOI Level 3), for example, your teacher needs to see that you can express opinions correctly, ask other people about their opinions, and compare and contrast things and people. Your exam, therefore, will probably check that you understand and can use comparatives and superlatives; that you understand how to express opinions properly (I think that, If you ask me...)
2) Don't believe the "PERFECT" myth: "PERFECT" does NOT exist. Know what "perfect" is? It's a trick that people use so that they can have an excuse later on for not trying - because they KNOW that speaking English perfectly is impossible. Don't try to be perfect. Just do your best.
It's the same with sports. An athlete who puts pressure on himself to be perfect gives himself or herself too much stress, and is destined to fail; athletes who compete doing the best job they can almost always do better than the ones who obsess too much and end up failing because of stress.Use the English that you know and understand to do the task on the test. That's all you need to do.
3) Choose your battles intelligently. Don't waste time studying things that don't give you problems.
Before you start studying, take a piece of paper and divide it into three columns. At the top of the first column, write "NO PROBLEM". The second column is called "MAYBE." The third column is the most important: "NEED HELP".
Now, go through your notes and put each topic - vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation - in the correct column. If you can easily talk and write about the topic, it goes in "NO PROBLEM" and will not require a lot of review. On the other hand, if you have trouble remembering the relevant vocabulary and don't think that you could easily talk about the topic or use the language that is connected with it, it must go under "NO PROBLEM".
Why should you do this? If you only have a week or two to prepare for your exam, it's important to distribute your time in the most efficient way possible. You cannot gamble and hope that the exam will only include the topics you know best. Identifying the worst problems allows you to review in a productive way. Even if you don't know the topic enough, you still have a chance if you guess (and on the Cambridge Exams, points are NOT deducted for an incorrect answer.)
4) Ask for help. Ask me. Ask your teacher. Ask other students (remember, none of you is as smart as all of you are together.) Ask an English speaker who you know. Check English-learner websites on the Internet; look in the back of your textbook and see if your textbook publisher has a companion website for your textbook (where you can get extra activities and advice.) The squeaky wheel gets the grease: You only get as much help as you ask for.
Good luck!! And stop procrastinating!!
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