Dear Colleagues!

And at the same time I’ll tell you their “case history” - how it all began and where we came, including an analysis of the mistakes made in the exam. I hope my experience will help you in your preparation!

This year, I had two girls take the Unified State Exam in English – Anastasia and Irina.

Anastasia

Anastasia came to me a year and a half before the exam with a confident level Intermediate. She had been studying with English tutors since elementary school, and came to me because she did not feel any progress in her classes with the previous teacher.

Anastasia pleased me with the ease of understanding the language, quickly memorizing new structures and words, but frustrated me with Elementary-level mistakes. Moreover, it would be nice if they were fossilized, that is, permanent. But these same errors behaved like at a resort - they appeared once and disappeared without a trace...

Trial version The student wrote about 75 points, excellent for someone unfamiliar with the exam format. Therefore, the purpose of the preparation was to teach the girl how to squeeze her good English into the exam format.

And after a year of studying, Anastasia changed her decision about choosing a university and said that now she needed the Unified State Exam in literature, and not in English. But we decided to take the exam anyway, since we had already put in so much effort.

Anastasia wrote the last pre-exam samples for about 90 points, and this was the result that we were waiting for in the exam.

Before the exam, she said, she was not at all worried and was confident in her answers. But, having received the results, both were disappointed - 78 points!

The table clearly shows how the student wrote the samples and what happened in the exam. The columns indicate minus how many points the student received.

It’s especially offensive about the grammar with vocabulary and essays. Let's take a look at mistakes in essay according to the Unified State Examination criteria in English:

The theme of the Moscow region this year: “The best holidays and festivals are those with specific traditions for celebrating.” Yes, tricky. I would be interested to see how the person who invented it would describe it with 14 points; I am especially concerned about solving the communicative problem - none of my students received the maximum for this point.

For the decision communicative task(KZ) Anastasia has 2 points out of 3. This means: “some aspects specified in the task are not fully disclosed; There are individual violations of the stylistic design of speech.” Since the style is fine (no abbreviations or informal language), some aspect is not disclosed.

In my opinion, Anastasia distorted the topic. In the introduction we see a contrast between “old traditions and specific traditions,” which is not entirely true. It should rather sound like this: “no particular traditions – specific traditions”, for example March 8/February 23 – Halloween/New Year. This incorrect contrast is repeated throughout the essay and will result in a point being deducted.

Behind text organization(OT) we have 2 points out of 3: “the statement is mostly logical, there are some deviations from the plan in the structure of the statement; there are some disadvantages when using logical communication means; There are some shortcomings when dividing the text into paragraphs.” I didn’t notice any shortcomings when using communication tools; the division into paragraphs is correct, which means we are dealing with a violation of the logic of the statement.

In the 2nd paragraph, where the student’s opinion is indicated, the first and second arguments are similar - 1) old traditions are boring; 2) they cannot surprise tourists.

In the 3rd paragraph, where we need to express the opposite point of view, we read about the old traditions of the countries, which show the ancient culture of the country. The counterargument in the 4th paragraph states that in such countries it will be more interesting for tourists to participate in specific celebrations in order to understand the uniqueness of the country. It is illogical, because ancient traditions also distinguish one country from another.

Here they could also put a minus for this link in the 2nd paragraph: “Personally, in my opinion, …” Although I personally don’t see any crime in it.

Behind vocabulary 1 point deducted. “The vocabulary used corresponds to the communicative task, however, there are some inaccuracies in the use of words (2-3 words), or the vocabulary is limited, but the vocabulary is used correctly.” I don't know where the vocabulary could have gone wrong in this topic, so points were probably deducted for incorrect use of vocabulary:

celebrate with old traditions/ … are celebrated by old traditions… 1,2 paragraphs our world does not stand on one place, 5 paragraph

On grammar also minus 1 point – “there are a number of errors that do not make it difficult to understand the text (no more than 4).”

the old traditions, paragraph 2 (no clarification as to which ones)

… are popular with tourists who want to visit a country again and again, paragraph 2 (about a certain country)

tradition make any country is different..., paragraph 4

… the best holidays and festivals are not those which are celebrated ordinary..., paragraph 5 (wrong part of speech)

Behind spelling and punctuation also deducted a point. “There are a number of spelling and/or punctuation errors, including some that make the test slightly more difficult to understand (no more than 4).”

Spelling: “they long to try something” knew“, paragraph 2

Punctuation:

The others have an opposite opinion …__ and I can understand this point of view, 1 paragraph (compound sentence without a comma before the conjunction)

… they sing their national songs, do not dance as usual , but make cool tricks... paragraph 2 (homogeneous terms, no comma needed)

As a result, events, which make people surprised… , are the best, paragraph 4 (clause clause, not separated by commas)

… events, which are celebrated by specific traditions, paragraph 4 (clause clause, not separated by commas)

This is how the essay and its analysis turned out. If you disagree with me in assessing the essay or anything else, write in the comments!

Irina

Now I’ll tell you about Irina. We studied with her exactly a year before the exam; she also came to me from another tutor, from whom she did not see any benefit. Before that, I had not studied the language with teachers; the Unified State Exam in English was needed for admission to a university. Language level – beginning Intermediate, sampler wrote for 67 points. Gaps in basic things kept popping up, like: Are there a vegetarian menu? But unlike Anastasia, these mistakes were already deposited in the subcortex.

During the year, we practically did not touch the vocabulary, the stock of which was enough to write an essay, but we improved our grammar and pored over the exam format. A school teacher, an Unified State Exam expert, made a great contribution to the preparation; she shared materials for preparation and suggested points that I did not know. Many thanks to her for this!

Before the Unified State Exam itself, the test samples showed 85 points, so Irina passed - to the expected 85 points. I was especially pleased with the essay with a difficult topic, which she was able to describe and speak without errors.

Comparison table:

Let's also analyze her essay according to the criteria:

In this work, 1 point is lost per short circuit And grammar. I will only pay attention to them; I will not touch upon errors in other parameters that did not affect the loss of points.

So, short circuit. For me personally, the topic is covered, the only place where I don’t see the logic in adding an example to my statement is the 3rd paragraph with a counterargument: “They consider that unusual celebrations can be dangerous because people do not know what they should do there.” For me, the word dangerous does not mean “people don’t know what they should do there.”

Grammar, found 4 errors:

… because ___ unusual way of spending your free time …, paragraph 2 (no article)

Moreover, you can go with your friend which was there earlier …, paragraph 4 (which instead of who, was instead of has been)

In conclusion, I would state that specific festivals are __ very exciting way of spending your free time, paragraph 5 (no article).

Results

Which ones have I made for myself? conclusions?

WITH Anastasia I didn’t study the psychology of passing the Unified State Exam - I had to repeat many times before the exam that she should not relax and be attentive so as not to make mistakes. Perhaps it was her self-confidence that let her down.

This is an example of the fact that a person with a good knowledge of the language (by the end of our classes Anastasia had a confident Upper-Intermediate) cannot always adapt it to the exam format. And the Unified State Exam is a lottery, this year with unpredictable texts, sometimes higher than the required level, and a tricky essay topic.

WITH Irina everything is logical, she wrote as much as she deserved. Of course, I would like her to get about 90, but given the difficult listening (2nd task), reading (3rd task) and essay topic, it could be worse. So we were pleased here.

Here I concluded that the Intermediate level is sufficient to successfully pass the exam; the main thing is to master the format and strategies for solving tasks where there is not enough knowledge to fully understand the text.

This concludes my reflection on the work done. It will be great if you share the results of the Unified State Exam 2016!

Have a nice holiday everyone!

Unified State Exam 2016 in English. Results

The main stage of the Unified State Exam ended almost a week ago, which means that all graduates can now officially say goodbye to the walls of their home school, because an equally exciting study at their chosen university awaits them. But before retiring or preparing for entrance exams, 11th graders face an equally long and exciting stage of waiting for the results, because they will show what exactly the student needs to do next.

Results for compulsory and some core subjects have already appeared online. Nevertheless, graduates who chose a foreign language as their core subject are still waiting for their results.

The Unified State Exam in a foreign language is one of the specialized subjects required for admission to a university, so it is especially important to pass it with a high score, otherwise the opportunity to enroll will sharply decrease. For now, this exam is not mandatory, but due to the demand for foreign languages ​​in modern society, it is quite possible that in a few years this exam will also be taken by all graduates, without exception, on a mandatory basis.

It is worth noting that it does not matter at all in which language the student will take the exam in order to enter the university. If the school curriculum included German, Spanish, French or any other language instead of international English, the graduate has every right to take an exam in it. Or if the school curriculum included several languages, for example, English and French, and the student is more confident in his knowledge of the French language, then no one will stop him from writing an exam in French.

But it is worth noting that more than 90% of students still take the Unified State Exam in English, because it is now considered one of the most popular in the world.

When will the results of the Unified State Exam in a foreign language appear?

It is worth noting that three whole days were allocated for passing the foreign language exam. Thus, on June 9 and 13, students took the exam orally, and on June 18 in writing. But all the results will be announced on the same day.

It takes on average 7-14 days to check papers for each subject. It all depends on the number of students who took the exam. Thus, compulsory subjects can be checked for up to 20 days, and the results for core subjects can become known after 8.

But you shouldn’t expect much haste, because when checking the Unified State Exam, every work, without exception, is given maximum attention. Thus, each work is verified at two levels - regional and federal. At each level, verification takes on average 6 days.

If the work claims high scores, then it will be checked again with recordings from surveillance cameras to make sure that the student did not resort to various kinds of cheat sheets. If a student is caught violating the rules, his work will be canceled without the right to retake it.

Thus, the results of the Unified State Exam in foreign languages ​​should be expected no later than July 5. Results for other subjects will appear in approximately the following numbers:

How is the Unified State Examination in a foreign language assessed?

The minimum score for passing the Unified State Exam in a foreign language is 22 points. The oral part is taken on a separate day and is not mandatory; in total, you can score only 20 points.

The written part is mandatory and includes the following sections: listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary. In total, the work consists of 40 tasks, for which 180 minutes are allotted. Each section is worth 20 points, if everything is done perfectly and a total of 80 points can be scored for this part. Therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to pass the oral part.

In the 2018–2019 academic year, eleventh-graders will be introduced to an innovation - a mandatory all-Russian test in English. This is “training” before the mandatory Unified State Exam in 2022. What should high school students and their parents expect, how ready are our schools for innovation and what level of language proficiency will 100 points for the Unified State Exam correspond to? These and other questions were answered by experts at the Izvestia round table.

Izvestia: In four years, current eighth-graders will have another mandatory Unified State Examination - in a foreign language. Are our schools ready for its introduction?

Oksana Reshetnikova, Director of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements

Oksana Reshetnikova, director of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements (FIPI): Now the Unified State Exam in a foreign language is an optional exam. And only 10% of graduates of this year and previous years choose the Unified State Exam in a foreign language. Their results are quite decent and stable, and we understand that the level of foreign language proficiency of these motivated guys is quite high. But the remaining 90% of graduates and their level of foreign language proficiency are a subject for serious research. We assume that there are problems here.

Maria Verbitskaya, Head of the Federal Commission for the Development of CMM (Control and Measuring Materials) for the State Examination in Foreign Languages, Vice-President of the National Association of Teachers of English : All schooling cannot be reduced to the Unified State Exam and the Unified State Exam. This is just a form of control, a check, an exam. It is important to have something that can be tested in the exam. And this is a learning process where we have very strong teachers, strong schools and very good students, but there are also not very good ones, to put it mildly. There is quite a lot of work here, especially because the Unified State Exam focuses on the modern understanding of proficiency in foreign languages.

Izvestia: What does this mean?

Maria Verbitskaya: “I know English (German, French or Spanish)” - this means that I speak, listen and understand, I read and understand. I can write in language what I need. Unfortunately, there is also a grammar-translation method, rules, and proposals for translation. Some teachers speak very little in a foreign language in class because they were taught differently, as teachers they were formed in a different paradigm.

Izvestia: Maybe it’s worth using the experience of other countries? Sweden has an English proficiency index of 71%, ranking first in the world. How did the Swedes achieve this?

Lydia Lagerström, student at Uppsala University (Sweden), Swedish language teacher in Moscow: We learned English from first grade. Every year we took an exam. In high school, the last exam is the most difficult. We took math, Swedish and English. But we didn’t even think about English, because we studied it for many years.

Izvestia: How is English taught in Swedish schools? Do you also start with grammar?

Lydia Lagerström: Yes, of course, we start with grammar, and then we talk a lot. We watch movies. The most important thing is to learn to speak correctly so that there is no fear.

Big change

Izvestia: Is it necessary to change something in the teaching of a foreign language in schools?

Irina Rezanova, Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, National Research University Higher School of Economics: Changes are happening. It's unavoidable. They say that many teachers do not want to adapt to the new format. This is wrong. There are many young teachers appearing. They look at education differently and already know about international standards. Our federal standard has many similarities with international education standards. The level of teaching in schools is growing every year.

Izvestia: Nevertheless, children have been learning English for almost ten years, and at the end of the day...

Maria Verbitskaya: The end result is very different.

“Izvestia”: Those who take additional courses with a tutor have good results. How can we ensure that we have enough school lessons? Is this possible?

Oksana Reshetnikova: It should be. The standard has already laid down this requirement - mandatory knowledge of a foreign language at a basic level. This can no longer be changed, the teacher is aware of this. The situation when the most motivated are taught a foreign language, and the rest are left to their own devices, has developed because the results are not checked. The requirement for compulsory passing of a foreign language at the State Examination Test at the end of high school has been introduced into the standards; academic achievements in this subject will be tested. There is a problem with teachers. Are there enough competent foreign language teachers for everyone? It is no secret that the best teacher is assigned to a class with in-depth study of a foreign language. Progressive and serious educational and methodological sets are selected, and everything else follows the residual principle. The signal for the system is the appearance of a prototype of the measuring material, its complexity, and its content. Unfortunately, until they check, you can close your eyes.

Maria Verbitskaya: Making the exam mandatory will be an incentive and motivation not only for teachers and school administration, but also for students. They will understand that they will definitely be tested at the end of the training. Now the social situation itself, the digital economy are pushing us towards learning foreign languages. What kind of digital economy can there be without inclusion in global processes? This is impossible.

Maria Verbitskaya, head of the Federal Commission for the Development of CMMs

Izvestia: Where are the most serious language gaps among schoolchildren?

Irina Rezanova: Children know the rules, but when it comes to using the rule in context, they lack the skills to manipulate them in speech. The textbooks that we mostly use present situations that are divorced from real life. Children have a question about where to use complex tenses and complex grammatical constructions. There are no answers in the textbook; they give rules taken out of context.

Izvestia: What exactly needs to be changed in order for foreign language teaching to be of high quality in all schools?

Maria Verbitskaya: A normative document is needed that defines the subject content for each year of study. The authors of educational and methodological complexes (UMCs) would write textbooks on this basis, and we would make CIMs. The current Federal State Educational Standard has formulated the requirements for a graduate in such a way that KIMs cannot be done: everything is possible and nothing is possible. So far, KIMs are being created on the basis of the requirements of the federal component of 2004, where the requirements and subject content are clearly defined. But for the mandatory Unified State Exam, we need detailed subject content in the Federal State Educational Standard. School teachers are also waiting for decisions from the ministry. One of the possible administrative solutions: I would like to have fewer students in the language group. By law, a class can be divided into groups only if there are at least 26 students in it. There are issues of improving the qualifications of teachers. For many of them, communication in the language, oral speech, is a problem.

Izvestia: How many students are there in a Swedish school class and are they divided into groups when learning the language?

Lydia Lagerström: We were not divided. There were 30 people in the class. English lessons - three times a week. But the number of students does not in any way affect the quality of teaching. I think the difference is that in Sweden you study to learn the language, not to pass an exam. In Russia, you will still get a job even without knowing the language. And in Sweden, English is needed for work. If you don't speak English, you'll sit at the checkout counter at the supermarket.

Maria Verbitskaya: 90% of Russians need a foreign language to travel to Turkey or Egypt once a year for a week, where everyone in hotels already speaks Russian. By introducing a foreign language as a compulsory subject, we are working for the digital economy and the future of Russia. Because a doctor, an engineer, a chemist, and a pharmacist must have instrumental knowledge of a foreign language.

Graduate training

Izvestia: Many parents of current eighth-graders are already thinking about tutors. Is this the right approach?

Oksana Reshetnikova: FIPI and Rosobrnadzor have been fighting this approach for many years - “you need to prepare for the exam.” Parents must understand: if the learning process is controlled by them, if they are in contact with the teacher, then there is no need to prepare for anything - you just need to study from grades 1 to 11, and not just from September 1 to May 31 in grade 11 try to master the entire school program.

They don’t need to do anything now, except for one thing: to realize that a foreign language is a compulsory subject that they have to not only pass, but also use in life. And the main task of the ministry is to ensure equal conditions for everyone.

Izvestia: How will schoolchildren be “accustomed” and prepared psychologically for the mandatory Unified State Examination in a foreign language?

Oksana Reshetnikova: Rosobrnadzor and I discussed the scenario for the next academic year, and there is already a road map. As part of the implementation of the road map, this year a VPR model was created for eleventh-graders. All regions gave their graduates the opportunity to participate in the VPR on a voluntary basis. The next step will be the introduction of this procedure, mandatory for everyone, in 2018–2019. It does not affect the certificate in any way, but is mandatory, and will allow us to assess the level of training of those children who have not studied the language in depth. Only 11th graders will participate.

Next, we plan to connect computer models of the conduct, and give the regions the opportunity to choose paper or computer technology in order to assess their capabilities and potential readiness, according to which scenario we should proceed next. These are very important and effective steps towards the mandatory exam.

Lydia Lagerström, student at Uppsala University

Two difficulty levels

Izvestia: How difficult will the compulsory Unified State Exam be?

Maria Verbitskaya: The mandatory Unified State Examination in a foreign language is two different exams. A basic level exam for those who do not connect their lives with the language profession. The advanced level exam is designed for those who envision themselves in language professions. The in-depth exam is probably very close to what we have now. The basic exam will apparently be close to what we currently offer at VPR.

Izvestia: What level of language proficiency according to the Council of Europe classification will correspond to 100 points for the non-basic Unified State Exam?

Maria Verbitskaya: There is no final answer yet, because we do not have content for academic subjects in the current Federal State Educational Standard. The current in-depth exam contains tasks from level A2+ to B2 in the European school. 100 points is a B2 in the current exam and will probably remain so. Today 22 is the minimum score. A student who studied normally at school and did his homework easily achieves this level.

Izvestia: Don’t you want to raise the threshold?

Maria Verbitskaya: For what? The exam should be feasible for children graduating from school. We can give 55 points, and it turns out that the child studied for ten years, did his homework honestly, but studied according to the minimum basic program and cannot pass the basic Unified State Exam? This is an unacceptable situation.

Izvestia: How proficient will a child who successfully passes the basic exam be in the language?

Maria Verbitskaya: E T o there will be a level from A2 to B1. It cannot be higher than B1 and lower than A2.

Izvestia: What should the weakest student who has passed the basic Unified State Exam be able to do?

Maria Verbitskaya: He must explain himself on the street, in a store and in a hotel. He must read and understand a fairly simple but authentic text. We don't know if we will include this, but he should be able to write an email about his life, factual content, ask questions.

Oksana Reshetnikova: The mathematicians called their basic exam "mathematics for life." We will have a foreign language for life.

Izvestia: What will the Unified State Exam consist of?

Maria Verbitskaya: There will definitely be an oral part. If we suddenly drop it from the basic exam, speaking at school will go away again, again “read, translate, retell.”

Izvestia: What form will the oral part be in?

Maria Verbitskaya: Now we use computer technology and offer a choice of one of three photographs. The following communicative situation is given: “These are photographs from your photo album. Choose a photo and describe it to your friend.” We give a five-point plan of what to say: where and when this photo was taken, what is depicted, what is happening, why you decided to show your friend, why you keep this photo. A very communicative situation, a fairly easy plan - this is a basic level task. But we want to hear spontaneous, unprepared speech.

“Izvestia”: Is it supposed to be an essay, presentation, composition?

Maria Verbitskaya: There are two tasks in the “Writing” section of the current Unified State Exam. One is a personal letter. An excerpt from a friend’s letter is given, where three questions of this kind are asked: “How did you spend your holidays?”, “What book did you read?” You also need to ask your friend questions: “A friend has moved to a new house. Ask him questions."

The second task is called quite difficult: a detailed written statement with elements of reasoning “My opinion”. This is neither a Western essay nor our native essay. It is quite difficult, this is a B2 level task. A statement is suggested, for example: “Exams motivate schoolchildren and students.” You need to agree or disagree, give arguments, express a different point of view, give arguments from supporters and give your counter-argument. We attach great importance to this task.

Izvestia: Is this there now and will it remain in four years?

Oksana Reshetnikova: We have no reason to change anything, because this is a serious differentiating task. Statistics show that the best get the maximum score. The Unified State Exam in the present and the Unified State Exam at an advanced level in the future is a tool that should select the most prepared for the university.

But the basic exam is a serious topic for discussion. It must be made accessible so that it does not cause fear and excitement, but it must motivate people to learn foreign languages ​​and be interesting. It's very difficult.

Irina Rezanova, Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, National Research University Higher School of Economics

Izvestia: What does the final English exam look like in Sweden?

Lydia Lagerström: We have a listening test, one grammar test, a speaking part, we also write an essay - we are given three different topics to choose from. If you want a high score, you need to analyze. Don't write simple sentences, but draw conclusions. It's not very easy. The test is not computer based.

Izvestia: By what year will the final CMMs be ready?

Oksana Reshetnikova: After all testing studies , no later than August 2021, draft demonstration versions of the Unified State Exam KIM at basic and advanced levels will be published. A demonstration version of the all-Russian test for grade 11 this year has been posted on the FIPI website in wide access since November last year. Nothing is hidden.

Izvestia: What can we expect in four years, what should children and parents expect?

Oksana Reshetnikova: We can start preparing this summer, while we have many foreign guests at the World Cup. Try to talk, communicate, overcome the conversational barrier.

Maria Verbitskaya: Children need to get ready to study: regular, normal, with homework. Watch films in English, listen to songs. For young people there are clubs and cafes where they speak English. And the most important thing for parents is not to stir up fears. There is no need to create a stressful situation or excitement. Life does not end with the Unified State Exam.

Increasingly, parents of schoolchildren are turning to our school with a request to prepare future graduates for the Unified State Exam in English 2018. Therefore, we decided to write a detailed article in which we will tell you how to prepare for this exam: we will consider its structure and provide practical tips for successfully passing each part of the Unified State Exam. , and will also present the best textbooks and online resources for preparing for this difficult test.

What is the Unified State Exam in English 2018

The Unified State Examination in English 2018 is a final exam at school, which is counted as an entrance exam to a university, which is why it is so important to pass it with a high score. For now, this exam is not mandatory, but if a graduate is going to enter a specialized university, he needs to pass this test.

In structure and level of difficulty, the Unified State Exam is similar to the international FCE exam. This means that in order to pass successfully, the student must have a level (above average). This is a high level, so we recommend starting to prepare for the Unified State Exam in English from the 10th grade, then in 2 years the student will be able to master the entire required amount of material at a normal pace.

In principle, you can prepare to take the exam in 1 year, but only if at the time of starting preparation the student already speaks English at an (intermediate) level. Don't know what level the graduate has? Then invite him to pass.

How is the Unified State Exam in English held in 2018? The exam consists of written and oral parts, which are held on different days. On one day, schoolchildren take the written part, it includes the following sections: listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary. In total, on this day the graduate needs to complete 40 tasks in 180 minutes. A student can receive a maximum of 20 points for each section. Thus, for this day you can score 80 points.

The second part - oral - takes place on another day and available upon request. It lasts only 15 minutes and consists of 4 tasks. On this day, a graduate can earn another 20 points. We strongly advise all graduates to take the oral part: in case of unsuccessful answers you do not lose anything, but in case of successful - earn extra points.

Thus, a graduate can score a maximum of 100 points in the exam. The minimum score to pass the exam is 22 points.

Below we present a table for converting Unified State Exam scores in English into a five-point system.

Unified State Exam results are usually published 14 days after passing the second part of the exam, but in some cases they are known after 12 days. You can find out your results on the official Unified State Exam website by filling out all the required fields. Paper USE certificates were canceled in 2014, so now only electronic certificates are available.

Structure of the Unified State Exam in English 2018 and principles for successfully passing each part

In this chapter, we will tell you in detail about what tasks the graduate will have to complete in each part of the exam. In addition, we will provide advice from our teachers who prepare schoolchildren to take the Unified State Exam. By the way, if you are looking for a teacher who will prepare your child for the exam, pay attention to. They have been doing this for several years now and have developed their own strategy for successful preparation; they know what pitfalls await them in the exam, what typical mistakes schoolchildren make and how to get rid of these mistakes.

As an example, we will present you with a demo version of the Unified State Exam in English, provided by the official website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements fipi.ru.

Listening

The listening test lasts 30 minutes and consists of three parts. The first two parts are the first and second tasks, respectively, and the third part is tasks No. 3-9 (out of a total list of 40 tasks).

Listening for the Unified State Exam in English in 2018 includes 3 audio fragments combined into one recording. The examiners turn on the recording and do not stop it until the very end, but there are pauses between fragments to read the tasks and transfer the answers to the form. For each correct answer in this and other parts of the exam, the student receives 1 point. Let's see what the graduate will have to do in listening.

Exercise 1: 7 statements are given. The student listens to 6 statements and matches them with statements, one of which is redundant.

6 points.

Example:

Listening task 1

Task 2: 7 statements are given. The student listens to the dialogue and determines which statements correspond to the content of the dialogue (True), which do not correspond (False), and which are not mentioned in it (Not Stated).

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Listening task 2

Task 3: 7 questions are given, each of them has 3 possible answers. The student listens to the audio recording and selects the correct answer to each question.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Listening task 3

Our tips:

1. When preparing for the exam, you need to do as many listening tasks as possible in exam format. This way, the graduate will get used to quickly reading assignments and catching key words in speech that will help them find the correct answer.
2. When choosing an answer, you need to rely not on the words mentioned in the speaker’s speech, but on the meaning of his words. So, for example, in his speech he may in one way or another mention all the answers to the task, but if you delve into what was said, you can understand that there is only one correct answer.

Reading

The reading lasts 30 minutes and consists of 3 parts (9 tasks). We recommend spending no more than 10 minutes on each part in order to complete the allotted half hour.

Exercise 1: There are 7 short texts (3-6 sentences each) and 8 headings. You need to read the texts and choose the appropriate heading for each of them. In this case, 1 heading will be redundant.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Reading task 1

Task 2: Given a text that has 6 gaps. Below are 7 passages, 6 of which must be inserted in place of the gaps.

Maximum points: 6 points.

Example:

Reading task 2

Task 3: A short text and 7 questions for it are given. For each question there are 4 answer options, from which you need to choose 1 correct one.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Reading task 3

Our tips:

1. When completing the first task, you need to look for keywords that will indicate the meaning of the text and help you find the desired title. In addition, often the main meaning of a paragraph is reflected in the first sentence, and the rest give some minor details. Therefore, in some cases you just need to carefully read the first sentence in order to complete the task correctly.
2. To successfully complete the second task, you need to have a good understanding of how complex sentences are constructed in English. The fact is that the missing part in most cases is part of a compound or complex sentence. For example, if a student understands that in the subordinate clause who is used in relation to people, which - objects, and where - places, he will be able to successfully complete most of the tasks. It also needs to be repeated, for example, that the infinitive is used to express purpose.
3. In the third task, the questions are arranged in the order in which they are answered in the text. That is, the answer to the first question will be at the beginning of the text, and not in the middle or end, the answer to the second question will be after the answer to the first, etc.

Grammar and vocabulary

This section of the Unified State Exam in English 2018 tests the graduate’s knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary. The student is given 40 minutes to complete it. Let's see what the student has to do.

Exercise 1: Given a text in which 7 words are missing. To the right of the text are words that need to be transformed grammatically (for example, put the verb in the right tense) and inserted in place of the gap.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 1

Task 2: Given a text with 6 gaps. On the right are words that need to be transformed both lexically and grammatically - to form a single-root word that matches the meaning of the text.

Maximum points: 6 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 2

Task 3: Given a text with 7 gaps. You need to choose 1 correct answer out of the four proposed for each of them.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 3

Our tips:

1. The transformation of a word in the first part, as a rule, occurs according to the following principle. If you are given a verb, you must either use it in the correct tense, put it in the correct voice (active or passive), or form a participle from it. If an adjective is given, you must put it in the comparative or superlative degree. If you need to change a numeral, most likely you need to make it ordinal.
2. The second part mainly tests knowledge of suffixes and prefixes, including negative ones, and the ability to form different parts of speech from a word with the same root.
3. In the third part, knowledge of word combinations, so-called collocations, is most often tested. In addition, out of 4 words, you will need to choose the most appropriate one in meaning, that is, you need to know the difference between similar words and read the context.

Letter

The graduate is given 80 minutes to write and check 2 written works.

Exercise 1: Given is the text of a short letter from a friend asking questions. The student needs to read it and write a response letter: answer the friend’s questions and ask him questions.

Volume: 100-140 words.

Maximum points: 6 points.

Example:

Letter, task 1

A letter to a friend is written in an informal style. The structure of this work is as follows:

1. Making a “hat”

   In the upper right corner we write the address: on the top line we indicate the city, below it - the country of residence. No need to write the street and house number: This may be considered a disclosure of confidential information, even if the address is fictitious.

   After the address, skip 1 line and write the date the letter was written in the same upper right corner.

   Next, as usual, on the left we write an informal address: Dear Tom/Jim (the name will be given in the task). It is unacceptable to write Hello here. After the address, put a comma and continue writing the text of the letter on a new line.

2. Text of the letter

   We start writing each paragraph with a red line.

   In the first paragraph, you need to thank your friend for the letter you received (Thanks a lot for your last letter) and apologize that you didn’t write earlier (Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long). You can also mention some fact from the letter you received.

   In the fourth paragraph, you need to summarize - inform that you are finishing the letter (I’ve got to go now! It’s time for my favorite TV show), and offer to keep in touch (Take care and keep in touch!).

3. End of the letter

   At the end, you need to write a final cliche phrase, which is always followed by a comma: All the best, Best wishes, etc.

   On the next line, under this phrase, you indicate your name.

Task 2: A statement (usually controversial) is given. The graduate writes an essay in which he discusses this topic, expresses his point of view, and also gives an opposing opinion and explains why he disagrees with it.

Volume: 200-250 words.

Maximum points: 14 points.

Example:

Letter, task 2

The essay is written in a neutral style and consists of 5 paragraphs:

1. Introduction: we formulate the topic-problem and immediately indicate that there are two opposing points of view.
2. Your opinion: we express our point of view (one) on this issue and give 2-3 arguments that confirm it.
3. Opposing opinions: we write 1-2 opposing points of view and give arguments in favor of their existence.
4. We express disagreement: we explain why we do not agree with the above points of view, and provide arguments in defense of our own opinion. However, they should not repeat the arguments from point 2.
5. Conclusion: We draw a conclusion on the topic, point out that there are different points of view, and finally confirm our point of view.

Our tips:

1. Stick to the required volume. It is permissible to deviate by 10% from the specified number of words, that is, you can write from 90 to 154 words in a letter and from 180 to 275 in an essay. If a graduate writes at least 1 word less (89), he will be given 0 points for the assignment. If the limit is exceeded, the examiner will count 140 words in a letter or 250 in an essay and evaluate it, and will deduct points for unfinished work, assignment design, topic disclosure, etc.
2. Avoid paragraphs consisting of one sentence; you need to supplement and justify each of your thoughts. To do this, you can use the constructions In my opinion, I believe, etc.
3. Monitor the style of written work: colloquial expressions like Guess what? or Wish me luck!, but in an essay it is better to stick to a more formal style. It is important not to overdo it with “informality”: all kinds of well, cause and slang expressions are unacceptable.
4. Use linking words, they make the text logical and allow you to complement or contrast sentences.

Oral speech

The oral part of the exam is the shortest, it takes only 15 minutes. The graduate needs to complete as many as 4 tasks, for which he can receive a maximum of 20 points. The student submits assignments in front of the computer, his answers are recorded using a headset, and the time countdown is shown on the screen. There is an organizer in the audience who monitors the progress of the exam.

Exercise 1: Popular scientific text is displayed on the screen. In 1.5 minutes you need to prepare and in the next 1.5 minutes read it out loud expressively.

Lead time: no more than 3 minutes.

Maximum points: 1 point.

Example:

Oral speech, task 1

Lead time: about 3 minutes.

Maximum points: 5 points.

Example:

Oral speech, task 2

Task 3: Show 3 photos. You need to choose 1 and describe it according to the plan proposed right there in the task.

Lead time: about 3.5 minutes.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Oral speech, task 3

Task 4: 2 pictures are given. It is necessary to compare them, describe the similarities and differences, and explain why the chosen topic is close to the graduate.

Lead time: about 3.5 minutes.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Oral speech, task 4

Our tips:

1. Take advantage online trainer for the oral part of the exam on the website injaz.ege.edu.ru. It completely simulates the exam, so you will become familiar with the format and understand exactly what you need to do, what time to meet, etc.
2. To practice the first part of the exam you need take texts on different topics and learn to read them with the correct expression: speech should have pauses, logical stress, natural intonation. In addition, the graduate must complete it in one and a half minutes, because the score is reduced if the text is not read to the end. However, you can’t rush either, because it’s not the reading speed that is being tested, but the ability to read the text expressively.
3. To successfully complete the second task, you need learn to ask questions to various texts. In principle, the task itself is elementary; most errors are associated with the loss of an auxiliary verb or its incorrect agreement with a noun. This problem can be easily solved by repeating question-writing exercises.
4. In the third task, the examinee needs to select 1 photo from 3 proposed and describe it. Here's our main advice - read the assignment carefully. The point is that it changes a little every year, so learn to answer according to the wording of 2018. In 2018, graduates will have to describe a photograph to a friend, that is, the monologue should address him. In addition, it is necessary answer all questions in the assignment, for example, if it says where and when the photo was taken, you need to answer both questions - where and when. At the beginning, you must definitely indicate which photo we will be talking about (I’ve chosen photo number...). Don't forget also about the introductory one (Would you like to have a look at my picture? / I'd like to show you a picture from my photo album.) and the final one (That's all for now. / I hope you liked my picture.) phrases that make speech logical.
5. In the fourth task you need to do the main focus of the speech is on comparing pictures, and not their description. In this case it is necessary use speech cliches: The first picture depicts... whereas/while the second picture depicts..., The main difference is that..., In comparison to the first picture, this one... etc. More similar speech cliches you learn with our article “Compare and Contrast Phrases”.

Textbooks and websites for preparing for the Unified State Exam in English 2018

Now you are familiar with the structure of the exam and understand that graduates will face a difficult test. However, you can pass the Unified State Exam in English in 2018 easily and successfully if you prepare well for it in advance. And in this the student will be helped, first of all, by a good teacher, as well as resources for preparing for this exam. We would like to introduce you to some textbooks and websites that our teachers use when preparing their students for the Unified State Exam. Take note of at least a few of them.

1. The Macmillan Exam Skills for Russia textbook series includes books on preparation for each part of the Unified State Exam. With authentic texts and exercises, this series is one of the best for exam preparation. These books are quite complex, so we recommend studying them for schoolchildren with at least an Intermediate level.
2. “Standard exam versions of the Unified State Exam edited by Verbitskaya” - exist in various variations and include standard Unified State Exam tasks with answers. Using the book, you can check how well a graduate is prepared to take the exam.
3. fipi.ru is the official website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements, which presents a large bank of standard tasks for the Unified State Exam. On the specified page, click on the inscription “English” and in the tab that opens on the left, select the skill that you want to train. Please note: there are no answers to the assignments on the site, therefore, to ensure that the graduate’s efforts are not wasted, we advise you to study with the teacher and submit completed assignments to him for checking.
, talkenglish.com , podcastsinenglish.com - sites with educational podcasts in English. Of course, there are no standard tasks for the Unified State Exam, but you can practice your listening comprehension skills in an interesting way and take a little break from the same type of exam tasks.

Our teacher Natalya has already prepared dozens of excellent students for the Unified State Exam in English; in her article “Exam, be good to me, or How to successfully pass the Unified State Exam in English,” she shares her personal experience and advice for graduates.

So, now you can imagine the amount of work and know the secrets of successfully passing the Unified State Exam in English. We wish all graduates easy exams and high scores! And if you haven’t found a suitable teacher yet, sign up with us at.