Preparation for the exam in English. Tasks included in the "Reading" section

Increasingly, parents of schoolchildren are turning to our school with a request to prepare future graduates for the USE 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 give practical tips for successfully passing each part of the USE , as well as the best tutorials and online resources to prepare for this tough challenge.

What is the USE in English 2018

The USE in English 2018 is a final exam at school, which counts as an entrance exam to a university, which is why it is so important to pass it with a high score. So far, this exam is not mandatory, but if a graduate is going to enter a specialized university, he needs to pass this test.

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

In principle, it is possible to prepare for the exam in 1 year, but only if at the time the preparation begins, the student already speaks English at the level (intermediate). Don't know what level a graduate has? Then invite him to pass.

How is the exam in English in 2018? The exam consists of written and oral parts, which are held on different days. On the same day, students 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. The student can receive a maximum of 20 points for each of the sections. Thus, for this day you can score 80 points.

The second part - oral - takes place on another day and available on request. It lasts only 15 minutes and consists of 4 tasks. On this day, the 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, and in case of successful - earn extra points.

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

Below we present a table for translating USE scores in English into a five-point system.

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

The structure of the exam in English 2018 and the principles for the successful delivery of 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 give advice from our teachers who prepare students for the 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 more than a year and have developed their own strategy for successful preparation, they know what pitfalls await in the exam, what typical mistakes students make and how to get rid of these mistakes.

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

listening

The audition 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 to the 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, however, there are pauses between the 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 has to do in the audition.

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

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

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Listening task 3

Our advice:

When preparing for an exam, you must as many listening assignments as possible in the exam format. So the graduate will get used to quickly read assignments and catch key words in speech that will help to find the right answer.
When choosing an answer, one should 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 can somehow mention all the answers to the task, but if you delve into what has been said, you can understand that there is only one correct answer.

Reading

Reading lasts 30 minutes and consists of 3 parts (9 tasks). For each part, we advise you to spend no more than 10 minutes to meet the allotted half an hour.

Exercise 1: Given 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 superfluous.

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 to it are given. Each question has 4 possible answers, from which you need to choose 1 correct one.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Reading task 3

Our advice:

When completing the first task, you need to look for keywords that will indicate the meaning of the text and help you find the right heading. In addition, often the main point of a paragraph is reflected in the first sentence, and some small details are given in the rest. Therefore, in some cases, you just need to carefully read the first sentence in order to correctly complete the task.
To successfully complete the second task, you need to have a good understanding of how complex sentences are built in English. The fact is that the missing part in most cases is part of a complex or complex sentence. For example, if a student understands that in the relative clause who is used for people, which for objects, and where for 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.
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 USE in English 2018 tests the knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary of the graduate. The student is given 40 minutes to complete it. Let's see what the student has to do.

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

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 1

Task 2: Given a text with 6 gaps. On the right are the 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 for each of them 1 correct answer out of the four proposed.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 3

Our advice:

The transformation of the 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, or put it in the correct voice form (active or passive), or form a participle from it. If an adjective is given, it is necessary to put it in a comparative or superlative degree. If you need to change a numeral, most likely, you need to make it ordinal.
In the second part, knowledge of suffixes and prefixes, including negative ones, is mainly checked, the ability to form different parts of speech from a single-root word.
In the third part, knowledge of word compatibility, the so-called collocations, is most often checked. In addition, out of 4 words, you will need to choose the most appropriate in meaning, that is, you need to know the difference between similar words, read the context.

Letter

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

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

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:

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 regarded as disclosure of confidential information, even if the address is fictitious.
After the address, skip 1 line and write the date of writing the letter in the same upper right corner.
Further, as usual, on the left we write an informal appeal: Dear Tom / Jim (name will be given in the task). Hello is not allowed here. After the appeal, put a comma and continue to write the text of the letter from a new line.
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 did not write earlier (Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long). You can also mention some fact from the received letter.
In the fourth paragraph, you need to sum up - say 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!).
End of letter
At the end, you need to write a final cliche phrase, after which a comma is always placed: All the best, Best wishes, etc.
On the next line, below this phrase, you enter 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 the opposite opinion and explains why he does not agree 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:

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

Our advice:

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 the 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 will evaluate it, moreover, they will deduct points for work in progress, assignment design, disclosure of the topic, etc.
Avoid paragraphs consisting of one sentence, you need to supplement and argue your every thought. To do this, you can use the constructions In my opinion, I believe, etc.
Follow the style of written work: colloquial expressions like Guess what? or Wish me luck!, and in an essay it is better to stick to a more formal style. It is important not to overdo it with "informality": all sorts of well, cause and slang expressions are unacceptable.
Use linking words, they make the text logical, allow you to complement or contrast sentences.

Oral speech

The oral part of the exam is the shortest, taking only 15 minutes. The graduate needs to have time to complete as many as 4 tasks, for which you can get a maximum of 20 points. The student submits assignments in front of the computer, his answers are recorded using a headset, and the countdown is shown on the screen. At the same time, there is an organizer in the audience who monitors the course of the exam.

Exercise 1: The text of a popular science character is displayed on the screen. In 1.5 minutes you need to prepare and in the next 1.5 minutes expressively read it aloud.

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 pictures. 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: Given 2 pictures. It is necessary to compare them, describe similarities and differences, 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 advice:

Take advantage online simulator of the oral part of the exam on the website injaz.ege.edu.ru. It completely simulates the exam, so you get familiar with the format and understand what exactly you need to do, what time to meet, etc.
To complete the first part of the exam, you need take texts on different subjects and learn to read them with the correct expression: there should be pauses in speech, logical stresses, natural intonation. In addition, the graduate must fit in one and a half minutes, because the score is reduced if the text is not read to the end. However, it is also impossible to rush, because it is not the speed of reading that is checked, but the ability to expressively read the text.
To successfully complete the second task, you need learn to ask questions to different texts. In principle, the task itself is elementary, most of the errors are due to the loss of the auxiliary verb or its incorrect agreement with the noun. This problem is easily solved by doing multiple question-writing exercises.
In the third task, the examinee needs to choose 1 photo from 3 offered and describe it. Here's our top tip - read the task carefully. The fact is that it changes a little every year, so learn to respond accordingly to the wording of 2018. In 2018, graduates will have to describe a photo to a friend, that is, the monologue should contain an appeal to him. In addition, it is necessary answer all the 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, it is necessary to indicate which photo will be discussed (I’ve chosen photo number...). Don't forget about the opening (Would you like to have a look at my picture? / I'd like to show you a picture from my photo album.) and closing (That's all for now. / I hope you liked my picture.) phrases that make speech logical.
In the fourth task, you need to do the main emphasis in speech on comparing pictures and not their description. At the same time, it is necessary use speech clichés: The first picture depicts... whereas/while the second picture depicts..., The main difference is that..., In comparison to the first picture, this one... etc. learn with the help of our article " Phrases for comparison and contrast".

Textbooks and sites for preparing for the exam in English 2018

Now you are familiar with the structure of the exam and understand that graduates will face a difficult test. However, the exam in English in 2018 can be passed 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 want to introduce you to some of the textbooks and websites that our teachers use when preparing their students for the exam. Take note of at least a few of them.

A series of textbooks Macmillan Exam Skills for Russia includes books on preparation for each part of the exam. With authentic texts and assignments, this series is one of the best for exam preparation. These books are quite difficult, so we recommend studying them for students with a level not lower than Intermediate.
"Typical exam options for the USE edited by Verbitskaya" - exist in various variations, include standard USE tasks with answers. With the help of the book, you can check how well the graduate is ready for the exam.
fipi.ru - the official website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements, which presents a large bank of standard tasks for the exam. On the indicated page, click on the inscription "English" and in the tab that opens on the left, select the skill you want to train. Please note: there are no answers to assignments on the site, therefore, so that the efforts of the graduate are not in vain, we advise you to study with the teacher and send the completed assignments to him for verification.

Our teacher Natalya has already prepared more than a dozen excellent students for the exam in English, in her article “Exam, be good to me, or How to successfully pass the exam in English”, she shares her personal experience and advice for graduates.

So, now you imagine the amount of work and know the secrets of successfully passing the exam in English. We wish all graduates easy exams and high scores!

And if you have not yet found a suitable teacher for your child, our teachers will help you prepare for the USE 2018 on.

A.EASILY LEARNED
B. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
C. SADLY DISAPPEARING
D. RARELY BEATEN
E. SURPRISINGLY SUCCESSFUL
F. QUICKLY GROWING

	A B C D E F	Draughts (or ‘checkers’ as the Americans call it) is one of the most popular games around the world. The rules are simple. Even young children have no problem working out how to play. The top players study moves in the same way chess players do but anyone can pick it up and have a go. Getting to a high standard takes a lot of hard work and practice but the basics are not particularly difficult.
	A B C D E F	Since 1997, when the game of Ultima Online has become popular, many thousands of people have played all kinds of games online – and the numbers are still increasing rapidly. Every year, more and more people discover the pleasures of playing over the internet and the next generation of games consoles are being designed with that in mind. There seems to be no sign that this explosion in online games will stop any time soon.
	A B C D E F	It has been called the greatest phenomenon in the history of games, but when Trivial Pursuit was created by two friends in 1981, few people had any idea what a hit it would be. It was a quiz game and none of the games companies expected it to do well, until an American company became interested in it. Many millions of Trivial Pursuit games have been sold since then in 19 languages and 33 different countries.
	A B C D E F	Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian was chess world champion from 1963 to 1969. He dominated the game during those years and almost never lost. He was known as a player who was strong in defense and very few players got the better of him. In fact, his defensive play was so good that he was known as 'Iron Tigran'. When he did lose, it was big news in Moscow chess circles.
	A B C D E F	It seems that there have been some big changes in the British playground. Twenty years ago, traditional games were played in every school across the country during the break. These days, they are quickly being replaced by hand-held games consoles and other electronic games. Before long, there is a danger that traditional games could die out. Once they are forgotten, it may be impossible to bring these enjoyable pastimes back to the playground.

Although I left university with a good degree, I suddenly found that it was actually quite hard to find a job. After being unemployed for a few months, I realized I had to take the first thing that came along or I’d be in serious financial difficulties. And so, for six very long months, I became a market research telephone interviewer.

I knew it wasn't the best company in the world when they told me that I'd have to undergo three days of training before starting work, and that I wouldn't get paid for any of it. Still, I knew that the hourly rate when I actually did start full time would be good. So, I thought of the money I’d earn and put up with three days of unpaid training. Whatever those three days taught me, I wasn't prepared for the way I would be treated by the supervisors.

It was worse than being at school. There were about twenty interviewers like myself, each sitting in a small, dark booth with an ancient computer and a dirty telephone. The booths were around the walls of the fifth floor of a concrete office block, and the supervisors sat in the middle of the room, listening to all of our telephone interviews. We weren’t allowed to talk to each other, and if we took more than about two seconds from ending one phone call and starting another, they would shout at us to hurry up and get on with our jobs. We even had to ask permission to go to the toilet. I was amazed how slowly the day went.

It wouldn't have been so bad if what we were doing had been useful. But it wasn't. Most of our interviews were for a major telecommunications company. We’d have to ring up businesses and ask them things like, ‘Is your telecoms budget more than three million pounds a year?’ The chances are we’d get the reply, ‘Oh, I don’t think so. I'll ask my husband. This is a corner shop. We've only got one phone.' And so the day went on.

The most frightening aspect of the job was that I was actually quite good at it. ‘Oh no!’ I thought. ‘Maybe I’m destined to be a market researcher for the rest of my life.’ My boss certainly seemed to think so. One day - during a break, of course - she ordered me into her office. ‘Simon,’ she said, ‘I’m promoting you. From tomorrow, you're off telecoms and onto credit card complaints. I'm sure you can handle it. There's no extra pay, but it is a very responsible position.'

Three weeks later I quit. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

	Why did the writer become a market research telephone interviewer?
	A	He had completely run out of money.
	B	He had the right university degree for the job.
	C	It was the first job he was offered.
	D	He knew it was only for six months.

	The writer had doubts about the company when
	A	they only offered him three days of training.
	B	they told him he wouldn't receive payment for his training.
	C	they told him he had to be trained first.
	D	he was told what the hourly rate would be.

	His workplace could best be described as
	A	large and noisy.
	B	silent and dirty.
	C	untidy and crowded.
	D	old-fashioned and uncomfortable.

	What would have made the job more bearable?
	A	knowing that he was carrying out a valuable service
	B	being able to phone much larger companies
	C	not having to talk to shopkeepers
	D	not having to ring up businesses

	What was unusual about Simon's promotion?
	A	It showed how good he was at his job.
	B	It meant he would be phoning different people.
	C	It involved greater responsibility.
	D	There was no increase in salary.

11	The Russian writer Anton Chekhov, who was born in 1860 and died in 1904, made an enormous to modern literature. His	CONTRIBUTE
	success was a remarkable , and came despite the fact
13	that Chekhov's family lived in severe poverty for much of his .
	Chekhov’s works have had a great influence on 20th century literature in many ways, particularly in terms of plot and narrative structure, and character .
	Even today, more than a hundred years after his , Chekhov's stories are extremely popular all over the world.

Ruth knocked on the door. Dr Johansson opened it and led her excitedly inside. She had called him the day before to (16) ______ a b c d _______ a few facts for an article she was writing for the newspaper – Dr Johansson was a leading expert in physics – and he had invited her to go and see his latest experiment. At first, she had tried to (17) _____ a b c d _______ out of it, remembering the hours of physics lessons she had sat through at school. However, he had insisted (18) ______ a b c d ______ seeing her, saying that she wouldn't regret it. As they walked into the laboratory, Ruth wondered exactly what she was letting herself in for. A cat sat on a workbench. It opened one eye lazily and looked at her. There was a black box connected to a computer and another black box on the other side of the room.
‘Now, Miss Evans,’ said Dr Johansson, with a slight foreign (19) ______ a b c d ______. ‘What are you about to see may change the world forever!’
He pushed a couple of buttons and a low hum filled the room. ‘I have been conducting experiments on this for three years, and finally I have succeeded.’
Dr Johansson picked up the cat and placed it in the black box, closing the lid gently. He stood Ruth next to the other black box.
‘The transportation of a living creature!’ Dr Johansson said triumphantly, and he pressed a final button. There was a spark of electricity in the air. He opened the box and the cat had disappeared.
‘You…you’ve killed it!’ Ruth shouted. Dr Johansson smiled and pointed to the black box next to her. He (20) ______ a b c d ______ her to look inside. She slowly lifted the lid. The cat looked up at her, then closed its eyes and settled down for a nap.

A hot time is approaching for graduates - on the eve of the Unified State Examination, including in English. Millions of 11th graders are actively studying textbooks, taking private lessons from tutors, and cramming the rules. But in the 21st century, the Internet has become a great helper for those who need to prepare for the exam in English. In this article, we will provide an overview of the best online resources for preparing for this exam, as well as consider the structure of the final test and give useful tips on how to pass the exam in English.

The structure of the exam in English 2018

The USE (Unified State Exam) is a final examination paper at school, without which it is impossible to enter a university. When entering a higher educational institution, the final exam scores are also important, so students try to pass the exam for the highest scores. The USE in English 2018 is not mandatory, but applicants who intend to enter a specialized university will have to take this exam.

In terms of complexity and structure, the USE in English is similar to the international FCE test, for the successful passing of which it is necessary to speak the language at an Upper-Intermediate level.

For Russian-speaking students, this is a rather high bar, so it is better to start preparing for the upcoming final exam in advance - from grade 9.10. In this case, in 2-3 years, the student, slowly from the elementary level, will be able to fully acquire knowledge and develop skills for successfully passing the exam in English.

Of course, you can prepare for this exam faster, but for this, the student must have a sufficiently high level of foreign language proficiency, at least an intermediate one.

To prepare for the successful passing of the exam, it is necessary not only to know the subject well, but also to understand how the examination work is arranged.

What elements does the USE 2018 in English consist of? The examination test consists of several parts: written and oral. The first part is mandatory, and the second part is optional, they are rented on different days.

The written part, in turn, consists of five sections:

listening;
reading;
vocabulary and grammar;
letter.

For each section, the student can receive a maximum of 20 points. The graduate is allocated 180 minutes to complete 40 tasks. Having passed the first part of the exam with excellent marks, a student can score 80 points out of 100. To get the maximum number of points, you will have to come again and pass the oral part. It contains only 4 tasks, for which only 15 minutes are allotted. For the oral part, you can get a maximum of 20 points.

So, for the USE in English, a graduate can score the maximum number of points - 100, which practically guarantees him admission to a specialized university. However, in order to pass the exam for 5, it is enough to score 84 points. And in order for the test to be counted, it must be passed for 3, that is, at least score 22 points.

As a rule, test results are published on the official website of the exam two weeks after the oral part. You can find out your result on the official resource ege.edu.ru by filling in the appropriate fields with your data. Having successfully passed the exam, the graduate receives an electronic certificate and is entered in a special register. Paper certificates have not been issued since 2014.

How to pass the exam in English 2018?

To understand how the final exam in English is arranged, we will consider in detail an example of such a test. And at the end of each section, we give useful tips from tutors who specialize in preparing students for the exam.

Auditing principles

This section is divided into three parts and takes 30 minutes to complete. These are exercises 1 to 9 from a total list of 40 tasks. The student will hear an audio recording of three fragments, which will be played by the examiners and not stopped for 30 minutes. There are pauses between fragments of the record so that the student can read the task and transfer the answers to the form. For each correct answer, the graduate will receive 1 point.

7 statements are given. Then the student will have to listen to 6 statements and correlate them with statements, one of which is superfluous. You can get 6 b.
7 statements are given. The student listens to the dialogue and determines which statements correspond to the dialogue (True), which are not true (False), and which are not mentioned in it (Not Stated). The maximum you can get is 7 b.
There are 7 questions with 3 possible answers. The student needs to listen to the audio recording and choose the correct answer. Exercise for 7 b.

In total, you can score a maximum of 20 points for listening.

Tutor Tips:

When preparing for testing, it is listening in this format that allows you to get used to quickly understanding the task and searching for key phrases in speech that will indicate the correct answer.
When choosing an answer, rely on the meaning of the speaker's words, since in his speech he can mention key phrases for the entire task, but if you understand the meaning of what was said, then you will get only one correct answer.

Principles for passing reading

This section also consists of three parts and 9 tasks, and half an hour is also given for their completion, that is, about 10 minutes for each part.

Given 7 short texts and 8 headings. The student must read the texts and choose the appropriate headings for them, leaving an extra heading. You can dial 7 b.
Given a text with 6 gaps. Below are 7 passages, 6 of which the graduate needs to insert into the text instead of gaps. For the task - 6 p.
A short text and 7 questions are given. For each question, there are 4 possible answers, from which you need to choose 1 correct one. It is possible to get 7 b.

In total, you can score a maximum of 20 points for reading.

Tutor Tips:

When completing the first task, you need to look for key phrases that will help you find the meaning of the entire text and point to the correct heading. As a rule, the main meaning is contained in the first sentence, so carefully study the beginning of the paragraph to find the right answer.
To successfully complete the second task, you need to have a good understanding of how sentences are built in English. Omissions are often found in complex and complex sentences. Remember that in the clause who is used for people, which for things, and where for places. Also remember that the infinitive serves to express purpose.
The questions in the third task are arranged in accordance with the position of the answers in the text, that is, at the beginning of the text you need to look for the answer to the first question, a little further - to the second, etc.

Principles of delivery of vocabulary and grammar

This section is designed to test the vocabulary of schoolchildren, as well as how graduates have learned grammatical constructions in English. The student has to complete three tasks in 40 minutes.

Given a text with 7 words missing. To the right of the text there are words that need to be grammatically transformed (for example, put the verb in the past tense) and inserted in place of the gap. Task for 7 b.
Given a text with 6 gaps. On the right there are words that need to be transformed not only grammatically, but also lexically, that is, to form a single-root word that fits the meaning of the text and insert it into the gap. You can dial 6 b.
Given a text with 7 gaps and 7 blocks of words with answer options. For each pass, the student must choose 1 correct option out of 4 proposed. It is possible to get 7 b.

Total for vocabulary and grammar, you can score a maximum of 20 points.

Tutor Tips:

If in the first task you were given a verb, then you must put it in the correct tense or use it in the correct form of voice (active or passive), or form a participle from it. The adjective, often, needs to be put in a superlative or comparative degree, and the numeral should be converted, as a rule, into ordinal.
In the second task, most often, it is necessary to transform single-root words by adding prefixes and suffixes to them, including negative ones.
In the third task, usually, you need to show knowledge of word compatibility - collocations. You will have to choose from 4 words similar in meaning, in order to choose the correct answer, you must carefully read the text.

Letter Delivery Principles

There are only two tasks in this section (write a letter and an essay), for which the student is given 80 minutes.

The text of a small letter from a friend asking questions is given. The graduate must read the message and write a letter to a friend in response, answering questions and asking them. Volume: 100-140 words. You can get 6 b.
A controversial statement is given. The student needs to write an essay-reasoning on the topic, express his opinion, and give the opposite point of view, as well as explain his disagreement with it. Volume: 200−250 words. For this task - 14 b.

In total, a maximum of 20 points can be scored for written work.

How to write a letter to a friend in English:

A letter to a loved one is written in an informal style.
Hat design. In the upper right corner you need to write the address: first the city, then the country of residence. But it is better not to indicate the street name and house number, because even if the address does not exist, it can be interpreted as the disclosure of classified information.
In the same corner, below the address, skipping one line, write the date.
Then an informal appeal to the addressee is written on the left: Dear Nil / Joe (name will be indicated in the task). Note that Hello is not allowed in this case. Don't forget to put a comma after the call. Continuation of the letter - from a new line.
Each paragraph, according to the rules, begins with a red line. It is worth starting a letter with an expression of gratitude to a friend for the message received (Thanks a lot for your last letter). It will not be superfluous to apologize for the long answer (Sorry I haven't been in touch for so long). It would be a good move if you mention some information from the received message.
Then the main part is written (second and third paragraphs). In the second part, you need to answer the questions received in the letter, and in the third part, you need to ask questions to a friend.
The fourth paragraph is final, it is necessary to notify the addressee about the end of the message (I "ve got to go now!). It would be good form if you offer to keep in touch (Take care and keep in touch!).
At the end, you need to write a standard cliché - Best wishes, All the best (a comma is required), or others. Under this phrase, on the next line, you need to write your name.

How to write an essay on the exam in English:

The essay is also written in a neutral style and contains five paragraphs:

Introduction: the topic-problem is formulated and the existence of two opposing points of view is immediately indicated.
Own opinion: one's own point of view on this issue is expressed and 2-3 arguments are given in its defense.
Contrasting opinions: opposing points of view are described and arguments are given that support them.
Expression of disagreement: you need to explain the reason for disagreeing with opposing opinions, and defend your point of view without using the arguments from the second paragraph.
Conclusion: a conclusion is written on the question posed.

Tutor Tips:

It is strongly recommended not to go beyond the required volume. Only a 10% error is acceptable, that is, for a letter it is permissible to write from 90 to 154 words, and in an essay, from 180 to 275 lexemes. If the student writes at least one word less, then he will not receive a single point for the task. If the volume is exceeded, then the verifier will count the specified limit from the entire text and will evaluate only it, while the examiner removes points for the fact that the work has not been completed, and the topic has not been disclosed or conclusions have not been written.
Do not write paragraphs containing only one sentence. Each thought must be developed and argued. You can use such speech constructions as I believe, In my opinion, etc.
Watch your writing style: never use colloquial expressions like Wish me luck! or Guess what?, and in an essay it is better not to write informal well, cause and slang expressions.
At the same time, the use of linking words in written works is recommended, since they make the text logical, allow you to contrast or two parts of the sentence or supplement one of them.

Principles of delivery of oral speech

This is the shortest part of the exam, which is taken on another day, and lasts only 15 minutes, during which the student must complete four tasks.

A feature of this part of testing is that the graduate performs tasks in front of a computer with a timer on the screen, and all answers are recorded through a microphone. At the same time, the examiner in the audience monitors the progress of testing.

A popular science text appears on the monitor. For 90 seconds, you need to quickly read it to yourself, and in the next 90 seconds you need to read it aloud with expression. Run time - 3 minutes. For the task - 1 p.
An advertisement is displayed on the screen. Based on the keywords, you need to make five direct questions to this text. 90 seconds are allotted for preparation, after which it is necessary to formulate each of the questions within 20 seconds. Run time - 3 minutes. For correct execution - 5 b.
Three photographs are proposed, from which you need to choose one and describe it in accordance with the proposed plan. Run time - 3.5 minutes. You can get - 7 b.
Two pictures are shown, which must be compared, describing the differences and similarities, explaining the choice. Run time - 3.5 minutes. It is possible to dial - 7 b.

The maximum score for the oral part is 20 points.

Tutor Tips:

In order to prepare for the first assignment, it is worth working on texts on various topics, reading them with expression: you must observe all pauses, natural intonation, logical stress. It is also important to keep within the allotted time, but you should not rush too much.
For the successful completion of the second part of the oral exam, it is necessary to practice the ability to ask questions to a variety of texts. When composing questions, do not forget to use auxiliary verbs and put them in the correct form, agreeing with the noun.
In 2018, at the Unified State Examination, in the third task, you will be asked to describe a photo to a friend. Therefore, when composing the text, you need to use the appeal. At the beginning of the description, you need to indicate which photo you chose (I "ve chosen photo number ...). It is also important to answer ALL the questions asked in the assignment, indicate where and when. Do not forget about the introductory phrase (I" d like to show you a picture from my photo album./Would you like to have a look at my picture?) and the final cliché (I hope you liked my picture./That"s all for now.).
When completing the fourth task, the emphasis should be on comparing images, and not on their descriptive characteristics. When comparing pictures, one should use such common clichés as In comparison to the first picture, this one… The first picture depicts… whereas/while the second picture depicts…, The main difference is that… etc.

This is how the USE in English will look like in 2018 - the test is not easy, but it can be successfully passed if you prepare for it in advance, including using Internet resources.

Universal sites for preparing for the exam

Before you start using a variety of online resources to prepare for the exam, it is advisable to take a demo version of the exam, which can be downloaded from the official website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements.

Resources for preparing for the exam in all school subjects:

Examer is a simulator for independent preparation for the exam in history, English and Russian, chemistry, mathematics, physics and other school subjects. The program imitates tasks that may occur in the exam in the selected subject. After completing all the tasks, the Examer summarizes the results and suggests what mistakes were made. In addition, the program contains sections such as Theory, Variants + verification by experts, the online game Arena USE. The first part is free, then you have to pay.
For many graduates, the “USE 100 points” group on the VK.com social network has become a good helper. By web address

Many future school graduates are faced with the need to pass a unified state exam in a foreign language. And the most popular language chosen for the exam is undoubtedly English. If you are also faced with a similar need, it is important to find out the answers to many questions regarding the features of the USE in English, the structure of the test itself and, of course, the technology for preparing for the successful passing of such an exam. In this article, we will try to answer many of the questions related to this area.

Who needs to take the exam in a foreign language?

At the moment, a foreign language is an elective subject for passing the unified state exam at the end of grade 11. Accordingly, few graduates choose it, most often they are confident in their command of a foreign language and have the intention to connect their future education (for example, in a linguistic university) and career with it. It is no coincidence that only a few pass this subject of choice, because the USE test in a foreign language is rightly considered one of the most difficult for school graduates, and the percentage of successful passing the exam is quite low.

However, the situation may change in the coming years. More recently, there has been active talk about the introduction of a mandatory USE in a foreign language from 2020, which was officially announced back in July 2013 by former Minister of Education and Science Dmitry Livanov. But already in September 2016, the head The Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science, Sergei Kravtsov, in his brief interview, mentioned “the introduction of a mandatory foreign language exam after the ninth grade from 2020 and a mandatory USE in a foreign language from 2022.” We'll see how the situation develops in the future. Of course, one can complain here about the inconsistency of Russian education, the low level of teaching a foreign language in schools, etc., but one can see in this situation an excellent opportunity for oneself to motivately “pull up” one’s level of English, which will undoubtedly be useful not only to pass the exam.

What is the exam in a foreign language?

2 days are allotted for passing the exam in a foreign language, on the first of which the examinee passes a written test, and on the second - an oral one. The written part of the exam is mandatory, and the corresponding written test consists of four sections:

listening, that is, the perception of foreign speech by ear and the performance of tasks for understanding what was heard;
reading, represented by three tasks aimed at controlling different levels of reading comprehension;
grammar and vocabulary- a section aimed at monitoring the skills of proficiency in language material;
letter, which requires the graduate to write a letter of a personal nature and an essay discussing various views on a specified problem.

In general, the written part of the unified state exam includes 40 tasks in 2017, and the subject is given 3 hours (180 minutes) to complete them.

Passing the oral stage of the exam is held on a different day and is voluntary. That is, the examinee may refuse to participate in the oral exam, simply by not visiting it. But in this case, he risks losing possible additional points that he could earn by showing his speaking skills. The oral stage of the exam is represented by four tasks, and in general, 15 minutes are allotted for the answer of one examinee, including preparation time.

It should be noted that a maximum of 80 points is given for completing the tasks of the written stage. At the same time, the maximum primary score is now equal to the final score, expressed as a percentage. Therefore, in order to increase your final score, it is still worth attending the oral stage of the exam, which can bring the graduate a maximum of 20 points.

Features of passing the exam in English in 2017 remain unchanged compared to the previous year. The minimum score to pass the exam is for a graduate to achieve a threshold value of 22 points.

What is the structure of the USE test in a foreign language?

Chapter	Time	Job number	Response format	What checks	Points
listening				listening comprehension with the search for information, the ability to compare heard texts with statements
				selective listening comprehension, the ability to determine the correspondence of a written statement to the heard text according to the True, False, Not Stated scheme
				listening comprehension with full understanding of the text, the ability to choose an answer to a question from three given data in accordance with the text heard
Reading				reading with the search for the necessary information, the ability to compare the read texts with given short statements
				reading with selective understanding, the ability to select the missing fragments of sentences among those given based on the meaning of the text and the grammatical structure of sentences
				reading with a detailed understanding of the text, the ability to choose the most accurate answer to a question on the text from the four presented
Grammar and vocabulary			capital letters without spaces	shaping skills, that is, changing the grammatical form of a word according to the proposed context and the rules of English grammar
			capital letters without spaces	word-formation skills, that is, obtaining from given words their single-root derivatives, often representing other parts of speech (for example, obtaining a noun from a verb, etc.) required by a given context
				language competence in relation to vocabulary and grammar in general, the ability to choose the most appropriate option from a lexical and grammatical point of view to fill in the gaps in the text
Letter			in words in the answer sheet No. 2	the ability to write a personal letter under given conditions
Letter			in words in the answer sheet No. 2	the ability to write an essay expressing one's own opinion and different views on the given problem
speaking (held on a separate day)			verbally, the answer is audio-recorded	phonetic side of speech, correct English pronunciation skills based on a short popular science text read aloud
				the ability to formulate questions on the proposed announcement, the skills of competently compiling interrogative sentences in oral speech
				the ability to build a monologue statement to describe a photo from a “personal” archive based on one of three data for choosing photos (a description plan is attached)
				the ability to build a monologue statement aimed at comparing two images according to the proposed plan with a brief final expression of one's own opinion-reasoning on the topic covered in the images

What are the strategies for successful preparation for the exam in general?

First of all, it costs the most consciously and responsibly get ready for the exam. Don't assume that your "A" in English at school reflects your actual readiness for the exam. Very often, this is only a reflection of your diligence, your level against the background of other students in the class and your knowledge of the textbook material, which, unfortunately, is often not enough even to get threshold scores for the exam. Important start preparing as early as possible, preferably not less than 1.5-2 years. But even if there are only a few months left before the exam, you still have a chance to prepare for its successful delivery, subject to very intensive daily training and a competent approach to preparation.

get ready regularly, better daily. Excellent assistance in preparing for the exam in English, as well as other subjects, is provided by the center of pre-university education "Unicum". You can familiarize yourself with the USE preparation program and sign up for training on the website. If you are preparing for the exam under the guidance of a teacher / tutor, do not rely only on him. The teacher most often only guides you, controls and helps you in your preparation. You must add the main load to yourself and on your own, it is you who can make your preparation for the exam as versatile, rich and effective as possible.

Be sure to get to know USE structure, rules its implementation, the criteria for evaluating tasks (the very boring codifiers and specifiers of the Unified State Examination, which few graduates look at), guidelines for performing certain types of tasks and train, train, train.

You also need to train smart. It makes no sense to prepare for assignments that do not correspond to the format of tests in the exam - they can be arbitrarily useful for other cases, but here they will come to your aid, first of all, demo versions USE test materials in English, which you can find in abundance on the Internet. Particularly relevant are those posted on the FIPI website (Federal Institute for Pedagogical Measurements). It’s worth starting preparation with demos, because they are provided with answers, which will help you navigate how much you know the material on a particular topic. The mistakes made should be considered as a reason to repeat or re-learn the material to which they correspond. Unfamiliar words and phrases, especially those that interfere with perception or will be useful for completing tasks in the Writing and Speaking sections, should be memorized. You, like many high school students, have little time for vocabulary expansion? Carry a small notebook with you, get in the habit of writing down unfamiliar lexical units there, take it out every time you ride in transport, wait in line and memorize words and phrases. Such a notebook may well replace modern gadgets. Do you love movies and music? Watch your favorite films and series in English, listen to songs by British artists, etc. Preference should be given to British English, since it is used in the preparation of the KIM USE.

Any work on a training task should be divided into two stages - first solve the task in conditions as close as possible to those that await you on the exam- observe the time frame, do not use dictionaries and reference books. Then check the answers received with the original answers to the task, sort out the mistakes, find out the controversial points, repeat the rules for which the mistakes were made, perform several training exercises on them (here the collections of grammatical and lexical exercises will be very useful).

When you are already confident enough to solve the tasks of the demo options, making a minimum of mistakes in them, it's time to move on to the tasks. Open job bank USE. This is part of the real tasks that you may actually meet on the exam, posted on the FIPI website (see link above). The advantage of these tasks is their value as real USE tasks, the minus is the lack of answers to them. But if you are preparing for an exam under the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher, you can always discuss controversial issues with him or ask him to check your answer.

Be sure to practice responding to copies answer forms in order to develop the automaticity of filling out forms of this kind, to avoid confusion and loss of time on the exam. On the Internet you will find many images of such forms, sometimes their samples are also presented in various manuals for preparing for the exam.

How to prepare for each section of the exam?

listening

Listen to English speech as often as possible. Not only audio recordings of training and demonstration versions of the exam, but also watching TV shows, feature films and documentaries, TV shows in English, listening to audio books read by native speakers can serve to hone your listening skills. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to quality, not quantity. Limit listening to 10-15 minutes at a time, but try to focus on perception as much as possible and extract the maximum information from the listened text. Choose to listen to audio recordings with the British pronunciation, since it is it that is used in audio recordings for the USE test materials.

When training on demonstration options or tasks close to the USE tasks, carefully study the proposed answers. Don't let yourself be confused. You should not be guided only by individual words that you heard fragmentarily in the text and coinciding with the words in one or another version of the answer. Often this is a trap for an inattentive listener. Only content understanding can give you clues to the correct answers.

Each text is presented for listening twice. Do not rely only on your memory, make brief notes. Take advantage of the pause before replaying the text to carefully check the result obtained after the first listening. Even if you understood everything after the first listening, do not relax your attention during the second presentation of the text - you may not have noticed something important. Anyway, re-listening- a great opportunity to test yourself and eliminate possible errors.

Reading

Expand your vocabulary in any way possible and be sure to read in English. It is important to choose the right material for reading. In addition to the texts of demos and study guides for preparing for the exam, pay your attention to popular science articles and short texts of different styles (journalism, fiction, popular science,

pragmatic), which, according to the USE 2017 codifier, can meet you in the exam. When you meet unfamiliar words, especially those that hinder perception, write them out and memorize them. Read carefully, often rushing and relying only on individual thematic words in the text, and not on its content, can lead you down the wrong path.

Grammar and vocabulary

The result that you get when solving the tasks in this section is an indicator of your grammatical and lexical competence in the field of English, and therefore an indicator of how seriously you took grammar, expanding your vocabulary and getting to know English word formation in the course of learning the language. If enough effort, time, and attention has been put into all this, then this section will seem to you almost the easiest of all. If the work on grammar, vocabulary and word formation was insufficient, regardless of what was the reason - whether your inattention to these aspects of the language or the peculiarities of its teaching at school - you will have to do a lot of work to restore the gaps in the knowledge of language material. To do this, use the diagram above - when solving trial versions of the tasks in the "Grammar and Vocabulary" section, pay special attention to the mistakes you make. These are indicators of your gaps in knowledge - repeat the material on these topics in as much detail as possible, complete training exercises on each of the topics. If mistakes on a particular topic are repeated, follow the same pattern until you bring the skill of proficiency in one or another language phenomenon to automatism.

Correctly fill out the answer form - do not forget that the word form, consisting of several parts, is written in tasks 19-31 capital letters without spaces.

Letter

Study in English too. Be sure to follow the structure suggested in the assignment. And write letters and essays as often as possible and on a variety of topics. Memorize the phrases and clichés that are characteristic of these written works. Analyze your own mistakes in written texts and try to avoid them in the future. Observe the specified word length and carefully check what is written.

speaking

It is important to develop language skills and abilities. It is not enough to be fluent in the language material - this will not help you overcome the barrier in oral communication if there is no practice in it. Try to communicate in English as often as possible - while traveling, with online interlocutors from English-speaking countries and, of course, with a qualified teacher. It is important that your speech is not just listened to and the communication turned out to be successful, but that you can be corrected in case of a mistake.

Hone your pronunciation, do not neglect the “hard-to-pronounce” English sounds, try to pronounce them correctly and in no case “roll down” to replace them with somewhat similar Russian sounds (for example, [θ] to [s]). Pay attention to intonation - remember that it is different in different types of sentences. Listen to English speech and say individual phrases aloud - this way you can also hone your listening skills.

And of course, as often as possible, train on the tasks offered in the exam in the "Speaking" section - read aloud, ask questions, compare and describe photos. At the same time, keep track of the time, try to gradually reduce the time for oral response and preparation for it. All this will render you an invaluable service in the exam.

What manuals will help in preparing for the exam in English?

Of course, you should not limit yourself to just demo versions when preparing for the exam. Moreover, quite a lot of excellent study guides have now been developed that will help you gradually and comprehensively prepare for the exam in English. Here are some of them:

Macmillan Exam Skills	One of the most modern and complete textbooks, consisting of 15 tests of the USE format, compiled according to the latest changes in the exam and necessarily including the oral part. Important advantages of the textbook are its relevance, compliance with the real USE format, authenticity and an excellent team of authors who worked on it, including British developers and the chairman of the subject commission for foreign languages of the unified state exam M.V. Verbitskaya. In addition, the publisherMacmillan has released a number of study guides to prepare for individual sections of the exam, and on the websiteMacmillan.ru additional materials for preparing for the OGE and the Unified State Examination for graduates and teachers are presented.
A.I. Nemykina, A.V. Pochepaev - USE. oral part	This is a real speaking simulator, containing a detailed description of the oral part of the exam as a whole, as well as 20 tests with detailed explanations and a strategy for developing an oral answer.
English language. Preparation for the exam-2015. Fomenko E.A., Bodoni M.A. and etc.	Comprehensive guide for effective exam preparation, consisting of two books, complementary to each other, and audio applications on disk.
Afanas'eva O ., Evans V ., Kopylova V . - Practice Exam Papers for the Russian National Exam	A detailed study guide with an audio application contains variable tasks for various types of speech activity for optimal preparation for tests in the USE format, relevant and authentic. The manual is another example of effective interaction between Russian and British authors.
Verbitskaya M.V. - USE. English language. Standard exam options.	This manual is included in the group "USE.FIPI - to school", is published under the authorship of the chairman of the subject commission for foreign languages of the USE M.V. Verbitskaya, which undoubtedly indicates the high value of this manual, as the closest to the real tests of the USE. Available in two versions containing 10 and 30 practice tests.
Muzlanova E.S. - English language. USE textbook	The manual is represented by 16 thematic blocks that correspond to the topics prescribed in the USE codifier. Each block consists of 5 sections corresponding to the five sections of the USE test and containing test tasks similar to those of the USE, as well as useful explanations for their solution.

Is it possible to prepare independently, as well as express preparation for the exam in English?

In conclusion, I would like to answer the question that worries many graduates - how much should you trust the possibilities of self-preparation for the exam, and is a tutor really needed to pass the exam effectively? This question can only be answered based on your level of language proficiency, as well as your diligence, determination and perseverance. When choosing a foreign language as a subject for passing the unified state exam, you should be aware of what result should be achieved and how much work you have to do. A qualified teacher will be able, like an experienced conductor, to direct your preparation in the right direction, gradually complicate the level of tasks and control YOUR painstaking work in preparing for the exam. If you are not particularly confident in your level of language proficiency, organizational skills (after all, you will have to independently organize and direct your own activities) and motivation, it is better to use the services of a qualified and knowledgeable teacher in preparing for the exam. If you think that your level of English proficiency meets the requirements of the Unified State Examination, and your own motivation and willpower will not let you relax when preparing for the exam, you should outline your own strategy and start independent work on preparing for the Unified State Examination in English. But remember: regardless of your level of language proficiency, in any case, you have hard and painstaking work ahead of you. But it's worth it - a high score on the exam and, more importantly, a high level of English proficiency will serve you well more than once.

And what about those who "come to their senses" shortly before the exam? Is there an optimal "express preparation" for the exam in English. Unfortunately, the answer will be rather negative, because a foreign language is a set of practical skills and abilities that are acquired in the course of long and regular language practice. This set of skills and abilities cannot be acquired overnight or even in a week. Therefore, do not be fooled by all sorts of "intensive USE preparation courses 24 hours before the exam." If there are six months left before your exam, get involved in active preparation with a vengeance - this will be a kind of “express training” for you, which, with a responsible approach, will certainly bring you a positive result.

We hope that our tips will help you on your way to achieving the best results in passing the exam in English. Good luck to you!

Hello dear teachers and tutors!

They often come to my mail through the form of many letters, where readers ask to help them or tell them something that interests them. Recently, similar requests have been coming in related to preparing for the exam.

In order not to answer everyone in the letter, I decided to combine all the questions into one article and analyze everything in detail. I will write what I personally think about this and of course I do not pretend to be correct, I will simply state my thoughts, how I would do it.

So, where to start preparing for the exam, if you have never done this before? What is the first thing you need to have for yourself and your students?

Why are teachers afraid

prepare students for the exam?

Usually, teachers who deal mainly with young children are afraid to start preparing students for the exam in English for two reasons:

Language training is weak

Agree that when teaching kids, you do not need to have a large amount of vocabulary, and basic grammar is studied there. Everything goes at an elementary level, both grammar and vocabulary.

I do not argue that some of the teachers speak the language well and are constantly developing, but in many cases for many there is no need. And by the way, it's sad!

2. Never in my life did they prepare for exams (GIA and Unified State Examination) and did not pass themselves

So it's time to start! If you follow the fact that English is gaining more and more popularity and there is a tendency that it will soon be mandatory for many, then you just need to learn how to prepare students for these exams.

If only because if you work as a tutor, you will be competitive and a step higher than those who do not prepare for them.

Courses, tutor or self-taught?

If suddenly you have firmly decided that you want to prepare children for the exam, you must, first of all, be well versed in this exam yourself! For this you have a choice:

to sign up for USE preparation courses in English in your city, if any. If not, then go remote. Unfortunately, the courses that I took are no longer available. And it was already a long time ago on the site on September 1
find a tutor who will be able to teach you the wisdom of the exam and will tell and show you step by step what and how. Perfect option! But there are very few of them and they hide))). I'm not hiding and you can contact me for.
self-educate and read, read, read! And then implement all this, practice and draw conclusions! One of the most affordable options, but it requires a lot of self-organization and self-discipline from you!

The first step is to test your knowledge!

Where should a teacher (tutor) who wants to prepare students for exams start?

First, you need to improve your language base! To do this, just test yourself by doing one of the exam options.

By self-checking against the answers where possible (a letter and essay ask more experienced ones to check), you will see a real picture of your knowledge and will see your gaps.

Based on the proven, you will already know where to strengthen your work, what types of skills to focus on. It can be a lexico-grammatical part or a letter. Do you have difficulty listening or reading?

In any case, you must understand one thing: you must be confident in your knowledge! (it is clear that it is impossible to know everything, but everyone has their own scale of confidence)

If you don’t feel like that, then improve until you reach the level that is sufficient for you to teach.

Here I will make a reservation that it is not at all necessary for you to know the language at the level of a native speaker, we are not pursuing this goal. I'm talking now about how you feel comfortable with your knowledge to teach children.

Everyone's comfort level is different! What do I mean by this?

For example, it’s one thing to explain a grammatical topic to a student (from a methodological point of view, present the material so that the student understands everything), another thing is why a particular tense or construction is used in a sentence (and here you already show your knowledge, directly linguistic) .

If you do this with ease and without a twinge of conscience, you can look up something in the dictionary together with the student, if you don’t know something, then you have almost reached your comfort level.

The second stage - we study everything about the format of the exam

I think that many of you are already familiar with what the USE is, many teachers have already passed it. But I already gave some information about what the USE is and what it is eaten with.

There you can download the codifier and demo version, as well as get tips on self-preparation for the exam in English.

Our task, as a teacher (tutor) is to get complete information about the format of the exam, about the sections of the exam! Where can you get it? For example, . (Verbitskaya's video lectures are very helpful and will help you clarify some points)

The third stage is the preparation of materials for students

So, here we have found out with you our level of language training. Now we need some materials on which you will work with children. Of course, you can buy any books where the Unified State Examination is written in English, but sooner or later you will realize that these are just options for exam tasks and they are all of the same type.

We need a more systematic approach. That is, work on each section. I will not talk about listening and reading for now, since these are sections that require students to be more independent than our help.

But I will dwell on the lexical and grammatical part in more detail. Where to begin? What topics should be studied? I have prepared for you a list of grammar topics that must be studied with students. All of them can meet at the exam.

From this list, take topics and go through with the students. As you pass, fix it - put a tick in front of each topic or cross it out. So you will clearly see how much you have left to go through, as well as how many classes you can pay attention to them.

You can also give a theory at home in the form of video grammar (for example,) The student will remember the material again if he missed something in class or simply forgot.

To consolidate grammatical topics, choose special grammar books, where there are a lot of exercises. For example, I use the following tutorials:

Round-Up 3, 4, 5 (a series where all tasks are in English and theory too)

New Round-Up 3, 4 (Russian-language series, theory in Russian)

	New Round-Up: Student's Book: Level 3 / English Grammar 3 (+ CD-ROM)
	New Round-Up: Student's Book: Level 4 / English Grammar 4 (+ CD-ROM)
	"New Round-Up 5 (+CD-ROM)"

Grammarway 2, 3, 4

New Grammar Time 3, 4, 5

Russian collections of exercises by such authors as Muzlanova E. S., Fomenko E. A.

Interactive English exercises. A lot of tests on different topics in grammar. It is convenient to use, as the program itself checks for errors. I wrote a review about this in detail.

These are the materials I use to study grammar topics.

In general, when you take ready-made versions of KIMs, I recommend you a manual where there are ready-made not only answers, but also comments on why this particular answer was chosen, with a detailed explanation.

Oxford Tests in English to prepare for the Unified State Examination can be such a tool. I believe that it will greatly help those tutors who are preparing students for the first time for the exam.

At least you will be able to explain it to your children later on as well. And then you will develop a habit.

Take a tenth grader or 11th grader this new school year and work with him for free, honing your skills and thereby preparing yourself! Or for a small fee

Most importantly, take action and don't be afraid!

If you have questions that are not covered on my blog on the topic of the GIA or the Unified State Examination, write in the comments. I will try to answer immediately or in the next articles!