O-Level English
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The O level results are out. I heard from some of my friends that although some of their kids failed their English, the kids still managed to get into Poly but not JC. I thought by failing English means you fail everything? Has the system changed? :scratchhead:
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if iām not wrong, minimum D7 you can apply for those techonology courses.
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Poly require only D7 for entry.
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GCE \"O\" Level English touches a whole let lesser on grammar as compared to Secondary. The papers assumes that you have at least some basic mastery over grammar. Hence, the exam is more on understanding. The examinations have 4 segments, mainly, Oral, Listening Compre, Writing and Editting, and finally Comprehension and Summary. I can say that pure hardwork is impossible to get an A1.
> ORAL
The examiners mostly look like they're asleep. But they are sharp. For my examination (Year 2015) my topic was shopping. Everyone was shocked. A completely new topic. Reading and memorising points from TYS won't help much. Oral tests on your moral evaluation skills - how well are you able to morally evaluate certain matters. As well as, it tests on critical thinking and evaluation - how fast are you able to generate points, perspective and solution, as well as reason with what you are saying. Suddenly cramming world news in your head won't help. You just have to speak truly from your personal experiences because there are just SO MANY topics. It helps. For reading aloud is basically sheer practice and correction. You have to encounter as many words as possible and learn their pronunciation.
> LC
Probably one of the topics that does not require practice. Of course, LC has been getting harder over the years. The key thing is have a good sleep the night before to stay alert during LC.
> EDITING, ESSAY WRITING
- Editing
[/u]It comes with sheer practice. To score in editing is really to be so used to grammar that you can naturally spot the mistakes when reading. TYS (Ten year series) helps quite a bit here.
- Situational Writing
This is extremely technical, with its main focus on formatting. Most of the facts are presented in graphics (Webpages, posters, so on and forth), in which you will need to write about. It usually has a persuasive factor involved. In 2015, the exam tested on a blog post (pretty much an extremely strip down format as compared to other sit. writing). But a few key points in Sit. writing to score. 1. CONTEXT AND AUDIENCE. Imagine who you are speaking too - The principal? Your friend? Or maybe even the police. Write like how you would talk to them. That addresses the proper context and audience. The tone and what words to use comes naturally afterwards. 2. FORMAT. Format is something that has to be memorized. There is no way around it. Heavy penalization is dealt on wrong format so be very careful. 3. POINTS. Sit. Writing always involve addressing certain points which can be found within the question itself. Make sure all points are addressed.
- Essay Writing
>> Discursive/Argumentative
You must be extremely critical, providing really and extremely strong support for each point. Here is where you live examples, world news comes in. Words use must be strong and solid, leaving no room for doubt. Never end off your points with a maybe or a meh.
>> Narrative
Probably one of the most difficult to score, narrative has no rigid scoring structure. Over here is where you connect with your life examples, playing the scene through your head and describing the little details to really create the atmosphere. Personally, I am not a huge fan of mouth-dropping phrases or wow-ing vocabulary, but what I aim for is to describe the scene such that it can be recreated in the readers' mind. Of course, try to avoid repetition in the vocab you use. The most important thing with expanding you vocab for narrative is to search for words unique in their meaning. You don't need to know 1000 synonyms to happy, but words with other meaning. Narrative is really up to how much you can describe what you imagine, how you set the atmosphere and really make the reader feel the emotions.
> COMPREHENSION and SUMMARY
For year 2015, comprehension tested heavily on technical aspects of how you understand the passage. It holds very much similarity to literature with questions such as \"Why did the author use this word or what is the effect of that phrase.\" Over here empathy is important. Thinking from the perspective of the author helps. But of course, the easy way out would be to really familiarize yourself with different writing techniques. Don't be put off by chim words. Try to read the passage and grasp the meaning of the word. Imagine the chim word wasn't there. What word would you fill up that blank with instead, that fits in? Next off is summary. This is a HUGE test on your vocabulary and your synonym bank. If you clearly understand the passage, you will be able to dig out the very key point and sub the words with their respective synonyms. There is no way out of summary but sheer practice.
I managed to clinch an A1 for 2015 O's. I can't say that I studied crazily hard. (Haven't touch any practice papers at all). Studying smart, not hard. Remembering what is only necessary (format!) and leaving the rest instinct worked for me. By instinct I refer to how you will naturally talk to people and just write it out as you are talking! Good luck to the parents out there whose son will be facing GCE \"O\" Level 2016! Don't take it too hard if you can't score super well in school tests (Never gotten an A1 in Sec 3-4) -
hterbin:
The editing component was introduced in the 2013 examination, so there is no TYS for it.- Editing
[/u]It comes with sheer practice. To score in editing is really to be so used to grammar that you can naturally spot the mistakes when reading. TYS (Ten year series) helps quite a bit here. -
hterbin:
:goodpost:GCE \"O\" Level English touches a whole let lesser on grammar as compared to Secondary. The papers assumes that you have at least some basic mastery over grammar. Hence, the exam is more on understanding. The examinations have 4 segments, mainly, Oral, Listening Compre, Writing and Editting, and finally Comprehension and Summary. I can say that pure hardwork is impossible to get an A1.
> ORAL
The examiners mostly look like they're asleep. But they are sharp. For my examination (Year 2015) my topic was shopping. Everyone was shocked. A completely new topic. Reading and memorising points from TYS won't help much. Oral tests on your moral evaluation skills - how well are you able to morally evaluate certain matters. As well as, it tests on critical thinking and evaluation - how fast are you able to generate points, perspective and solution, as well as reason with what you are saying. Suddenly cramming world news in your head won't help. You just have to speak truly from your personal experiences because there are just SO MANY topics. It helps. For reading aloud is basically sheer practice and correction. You have to encounter as many words as possible and learn their pronunciation.
> LC
Probably one of the topics that does not require practice. Of course, LC has been getting harder over the years. The key thing is have a good sleep the night before to stay alert during LC.
> EDITING, ESSAY WRITING
- Editing
[/u]It comes with sheer practice. To score in editing is really to be so used to grammar that you can naturally spot the mistakes when reading. TYS (Ten year series) helps quite a bit here.
- Situational Writing
This is extremely technical, with its main focus on formatting. Most of the facts are presented in graphics (Webpages, posters, so on and forth), in which you will need to write about. It usually has a persuasive factor involved. In 2015, the exam tested on a blog post (pretty much an extremely strip down format as compared to other sit. writing). But a few key points in Sit. writing to score. 1. CONTEXT AND AUDIENCE. Imagine who you are speaking too - The principal? Your friend? Or maybe even the police. Write like how you would talk to them. That addresses the proper context and audience. The tone and what words to use comes naturally afterwards. 2. FORMAT. Format is something that has to be memorized. There is no way around it. Heavy penalization is dealt on wrong format so be very careful. 3. POINTS. Sit. Writing always involve addressing certain points which can be found within the question itself. Make sure all points are addressed.
- Essay Writing
>> Discursive/Argumentative
You must be extremely critical, providing really and extremely strong support for each point. Here is where you live examples, world news comes in. Words use must be strong and solid, leaving no room for doubt. Never end off your points with a maybe or a meh.
>> Narrative
Probably one of the most difficult to score, narrative has no rigid scoring structure. Over here is where you connect with your life examples, playing the scene through your head and describing the little details to really create the atmosphere. Personally, I am not a huge fan of mouth-dropping phrases or wow-ing vocabulary, but what I aim for is to describe the scene such that it can be recreated in the readers' mind. Of course, try to avoid repetition in the vocab you use. The most important thing with expanding you vocab for narrative is to search for words unique in their meaning. You don't need to know 1000 synonyms to happy, but words with other meaning. Narrative is really up to how much you can describe what you imagine, how you set the atmosphere and really make the reader feel the emotions.
> COMPREHENSION and SUMMARY
For year 2015, comprehension tested heavily on technical aspects of how you understand the passage. It holds very much similarity to literature with questions such as \"Why did the author use this word or what is the effect of that phrase.\" Over here empathy is important. Thinking from the perspective of the author helps. But of course, the easy way out would be to really familiarize yourself with different writing techniques. Don't be put off by chim words. Try to read the passage and grasp the meaning of the word. Imagine the chim word wasn't there. What word would you fill up that blank with instead, that fits in? Next off is summary. This is a HUGE test on your vocabulary and your synonym bank. If you clearly understand the passage, you will be able to dig out the very key point and sub the words with their respective synonyms. There is no way out of summary but sheer practice.
I managed to clinch an A1 for 2015 O's. I can't say that I studied crazily hard. (Haven't touch any practice papers at all). Studying smart, not hard. Remembering what is only necessary (format!) and leaving the rest instinct worked for me. By instinct I refer to how you will naturally talk to people and just write it out as you are talking! Good luck to the parents out there whose son will be facing GCE \"O\" Level 2016! Don't take it too hard if you can't score super well in school tests (Never gotten an A1 in Sec 3-4) -
twilight:
Nice. you have a pragmatic and helpful information here, I bet it could have helped many people improve their English skills. Except that i hope i knew it a yr orThanks everyone.
Another thing I find highly beneficial is to read examiners' report. Some teachers will flash it to their students (students are not allowed to retain a copy of it as it's supposed to be confidential) but others might not.
http://younisfarid.wordpress.com/
This site does have a lot of examiners' report. However, it is for the UK O levels. Though it's different, I highly believe examiners marking the UK paper and Singapore paper are either the same ones, or they have gone through similar training (speculation from similarities spotted in both Singapore and UK O levels examiners' report). Whatever that's pointed out there pertains to our local O levels as well.
more ago, so I wouldnt commit those mistakes stated in the examiners report and scored a D7 for my Os in 2015.
Thanks for providing information for those who havent done O level yet, and want to improve on their English. It'll prove to be very useful for my O level's retake too. -
jice_cream:
Try reading more English newspapers. I think it might help...
Nice. you have a pragmatic and helpful information here, I bet it could have helped many people improve their English skills. Except that i hope i knew it a yr ortwilight:
Thanks everyone.
Another thing I find highly beneficial is to read examiners' report. Some teachers will flash it to their students (students are not allowed to retain a copy of it as it's supposed to be confidential) but others might not.
http://younisfarid.wordpress.com/
This site does have a lot of examiners' report. However, it is for the UK O levels. Though it's different, I highly believe examiners marking the UK paper and Singapore paper are either the same ones, or they have gone through similar training (speculation from similarities spotted in both Singapore and UK O levels examiners' report). Whatever that's pointed out there pertains to our local O levels as well.
more ago, so I wouldnt commit those mistakes stated in the examiners report and scored a D7 for my Os in 2015.
Thanks for providing information for those who havent done O level yet, and want to improve on their English. It'll prove to be very useful for my O level's retake too.
I recall my O level Eng teacher used the Straits Times to teach us English every week. It was quite unorthodox in those days to be analysing news articles, commentaries & forum letters during EL lessons, but somehow my entire class scored A1 or A2 for EL1. -
jetsetter:
No leh... my teacher also did the same thing, but the class flipped to the sports section (Malaysia Cup and football fever) immediately.
Try reading more English newspapers. I think it might help...
I recall my O level Eng teacher used the Straits Times to teach us English every week. It was quite unorthodox in those days to be analysing news articles, commentaries & forum letters during EL lessons, but somehow my entire class scored A1 or A2 for EL1.
He ended up being a news reporter and later, the news editor :evil: -
Hi all,
Can someone who knows and have experienced with good English tutor please recommend him/her to me. I'm looking for a good tutor for my son who, at Sec 3 now, is still quite weak in the language. I'm tearing my hair out in trying to get him to read books and newspapers or even just watch the news on TV
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