English is one of the 70 available subjects that you can choose in the IGCSE examination. To achieve excellent results in the examination, you need to understand the structure of the English paper and be prepared before the exam day.
How To Do Well In English IGCSE Examination?
The first thing you got to do in the English IGCSE examination is to get to know the format of the exam paper. The structure of the English language subject examination differs according to the paper you will be taking.
Nevertheless, the language skills that will be assessed are still the same. The GCSE English paper will assess you in a different set of skills such as reading, writing as well as speaking and listening.
Let’s take a look at how you can improve yourself in each skill and get an A* in the IGCSE exam.
How To Study For Reading Test?
In the reading paper, you will be assessed for your comprehension skills. Therefore, it is crucial for you to enhance your reading skills way before you sit for the paper.
Some tips that might be helpful for you to improve your reading skills are:
1. Set some time to read English materials
Take some times around 15 to 30 minutes per day to read any English materials. Write a summary of the text you read based to test your understanding.
2. Enhance your vocabulary
Add more vocabulary every time you read. Make dictionary and thesaurus your new best friends.
3. Increase your reading speed
Once you get used to reading, try to increase your reading speed. Since you have to complete your exam paper in a certain duration, it is a good practice to read faster but still maintain your comprehension.
To pass your reading paper, there are a few steps that you should remember and implement during the exam day.
- Read the insert instruction
- Skim the text to understand the context
- Read the questions and underline the keywords
- Scan the text for answers
- Write the answers in the appropriate answering space
You are always encouraged to practise answering past examination questions to make sure you get used to the paper format. You can look for the Form 1 English exam paper with answer Malaysia from multiple resources for extra questions that you can use, to practice.
How To Score Good Marks In Writing Test?
Writing papers can be trickier than reading examinations papers. For writing, you usually will be tested on writing a summary or academic essay.
For essay examples, you can also look for the Form 2 English exam paper academic essay example questions on the internet. Teh format might be different but they can still be used to practice. Some of the websites also offer tips on creating a better essay writing.
In order to write a better essay for examination, you have to:
1. Improve your vocabulary
Read and listen to any English materials such as magazines, newspapers, podcasts or movies. They help you to find new words.
2. Practice writing every day
You can’t simply be able to write well in an instant. You need to practice to be good at it. Spend an appropriate amount of time to write.
3. Check your mistakes and improve your writing
Check your writing every time you write. You may ask your teacher, friends, family members or any grammar checking tools online.
4. Answer past exam paper
You can use past year exam papers to practice your writing. It is not only good for practising but also let you get used to the exam questions.
Writing is an ongoing skill. Therefore, you need to practice every day, check for any mistakes and improve your write up.
How To Prepare For Listening And Speaking Test?
Listening and speaking exams are two of the most intriguing tests that students have to face. Both of the tests can be quite nerve-wracking. However, this is not the case if you get prepared early. But how do you prepare for the listening and speaking tests?
To help you get ready with your listening test, here are some tips that you can use to pass the test with flying colours.
- Listen to English audio every day
- Listen to English audio at a different speed
- Listen to English audio in different accent and voice
And for the speaking test, there is no other good advice to speak up. In order to be able to talk English fluently, you need to speak the language.
Additionally, you have to add more English vocabulary through reading and listening. The more vocabulary you know, the easier for you to speak up and convey your message.
Listening and speaking by far is the two most intimidating tests for English examinations candidates. To excel in the test, you need to practice, practice, practice. But to be more effective, try to practices with a partner.
By having a partner to practise, you do not only stay motivated but also have someone to point out what and where the mistakes that you made. From there, you can have more room to improve.
You can get help from your school teacher, a friend or a family member. But of course, they are not always available for you. So, the best option you can go with is by getting yourself an English tutor.
Hiring an English tutor is beneficial for you. You do not only have someone with experience and qualifications to identify your mistakes but he or she also can strengthen out your English language skill - reading, listening, speaking and writing.
It is so easy to find a qualified and experienced English tutor these days. All you got to do is hop on online tutoring websites. There is a lot of online tutoring website available but nothing can beat Superprof.
Superprof offers more than 16 million tutors for more than 100 subjects worldwide. You will definitely find the best tutor for yourself.
Looking for a tutor is so easy with the Superprof search engine. All you got to do is to choose your subject, put in your address or postcode and finally click on the ‘Find a tutor’ button. In just a few seconds, you will see a list of available tutors on your screen.
You can select the tutor from the list or alternatively you can perform an advance search using the filters if you prefer specific requirements - distance, rate, response time and level.
Check out the tutors’ profiles and read them carefully. You can always consult with your potential tutor before you decide to hire them.
Consultation is always free. Talk to the tutor about your background, your needs, expectations and availability. Once you decide which tutor to go with, simply click the ‘Book a class’ button on the tutor’s profile.
What Are The Best Tips For Exam Day?
Attending exams can be stressful. You might go blank in front of your paper, run out of time and be careless while answering the questions. Here are some simple tips you can use to avoid these mistakes.
1. Eat Well
Make sure you eat lightly before you sit for your exam. An empty stomach will get you hungry. Too much food will burn too much of your energy. So keep it moderate. Make sure you stay hydrated too.
2. Avoid Last Minute Studying
You have already prepared for months before your exam day. Last-minute reading won't bring you anywhere. Instead, stay calm. Reading last minute might lead you to confusion about what you already know.
3. Breath!
Some students panic when they open the test paper and their minds go blank. That might be happening to you too if you get too nervous. If this happens, take a deep breath, close your eyes and clear your mind. Once you overcome the fear, start answering your paper.
4. Focus On Your Paper
Keep your attention on yourself and your exam paper. Stop looking around and glance at other people. You might get more nervous when you see other candidates freak out or stay calm. So keep your focus on yourself.
5. Manage Your Time
Allocate appropriate time for each question to make sure you have enough time to answer all. Spend more time on high marks questions and less time on low mark questions. Do not forget to leave some ample time to review and correct your answers.
6. Answer All Questions
Try your best to answer all the questions. If you do not know the answer, write anything that you can think of but is still relevant to the questions. If you are running out of time, write your answers in points instead of long sentences.
7. Move On
Once the exam is over, move on. Do not dwell on the careless mistakes you think you have done in the papers. You have already done your best and you can't really change anything now. Get ready for the next paper.
8. Reward Yourself
Whether you nailed the test or otherwise, pat yourself on the back. You have done your best. So now it is time to reward yourself. Treat yourself to your favourite meal, buy something nice or catch up with a friend.
You have been preparing for the IGCSE English examinations and now it is time to go for it. Give it all you got and keep your fingers crossed.
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