GOOD LUCK!

Hey everyone! Your test is in just a few days. GOOD LUCK! Check over any areas you might need extra help with. Stay calm and follow all the rules we discussed in our lessons. Let me know how things go by taking the poll at the bottom of the column to the right.
Again, I wish you the best of luck and a great summer.

THE TEST rules and last minute information

The test will be on Thursday, June 11:
Reading, Writing, and Listening - 11:30
Speaking - 13:45

• Be at school at least 15 minutes before each exam time.
• The Listening test lasts about 30 minutes, including 2 minutes transfer time;
• The Reading and Writing tests last 1 hour and 10 minutes, including transfer time.  
• SPEAKING lasts 8-10 minutes or 15 minutes for a group of three. Be prepared with your partner. Keep silent while waiting. 
• There will be a short break between the tests. 
• You will have ASSIGNED SEATS. There will be a name tag on each desk.
• You can BRING pencils, pens, an eraser, and a bottle of water into the exam room, but nothing else. You can ask for paper to take notes. Leave it on your desk when you finish the exam.
• If you need help, raise your hand. You CANNOT ask what a word means. Try to understand the meaning from the context.
• You will receive a password and the date when you can see your results online. You can register on the Cambridge site for the results. 

Remember the RULES:

1. Bring your ID card or passport (with photo).  
2. Check that your name has been spelled correctly on all of the exam documents. If incorrect, notify someone immediately.
3. Dress appropriately. You cannot wear any clothes with English words or phrases on them. 
4. No gum.  
5. No noisy jewelry.
6. All electronic devices must be turned off and are not allowed in the exam rooms. 
7. All bags, purses, backpacks, and phones must be left outside the exam room.
8. DO NOT talk during the exam; DO NOT look around at the other students. Focus on your own work!
9. Follow all instructions. Don't leave anything blank.
10. Sit quietly if you finish early, CHECK your work. Do not get up until they say you can.
11. MAKE SURE that you have answered EVERY question and that you have copied your answers correctly. 

You can read the official rules HERE. If you have any questions, write in the comments section below. 

RICORDATE di:

1. NON lasciare nulla in bianco! 
2. Scrivere il più leggibile possibile! Niente lettere strane. Niente linguaggio "sms".
3. Ripassare i vocaboli. Spelling conta.. 
4. Iniziare la lettera con "Dear / Hi / Hello".  Andare a capo e iniziare la prima parola con la lettera Maiuscola. È necessario leggere le istruzioni della lettera con attenzione!  Rispondere ai tre quesiti. Chiudere con "From / Love / Your friend / See you soon / Bye for now" e firmare. Do NOT use "Goodbye,"  "Bye" or "kisses" when you close your letter. Seguire la forma corretta. Scrivere sempre da 25 a 35 parole.

L'esame si fa in silenzio (no chewing gum!)  Concentratevi sul proprio lavoro. Non giratevi intorno o parlare. Significa il ritiro dell'esame. 
Ricordatevi di portare un DOCUMENTO DI IDENTITA' VALIDO CON FOTO. 
NON PORTATE CELLULARI NE' SMARTWATCH. 

Esame Cambridge A2 Key for Schools – Informazioni Utili

Di seguito i dettagli e gli orari per la giornata d'esame che si terrà giovedì 11 giugno presso la Scuola Media IC 1 Piombino:

• Si raccomanda di arrivare 15 minuti prima dell'inizio di ogni prova.
• I candidati dovranno avere con sé: Documento d'identità valido (carta d'identità o passaporto).
  Una penna a sfera nera o blu.
  Una matita, una gomma e un temperamatite.
• Non è assolutamente consentito tenere con sé:
  Telefoni cellulari, smartwatch, orologi o qualsiasi altro dispositivo elettronico.  Questi oggetti devono essere
  lasciati fuori la stanza prima dell'inizio delle prove.

You can do this! 
Don't stress. Do your best. 

SPEAKING Part 1

Part 1: the examiner asks each student questions:  personal details, daily routines, likes, dislikes, and so on. Candidates respond directly to the examiner. You do not talk to each other in this part. 

Here are some common exam questions: 

1.     What’s your name?  / Spell your surname, please. 

2.       Where do you come from?  /  Where do you live?

3.       How often do you see your friends?

4.       What do you like doing with your friends?

5.       Where do your friends live?

6.       When do you see your friends?

7.       Please tell me something about one of your friends.

8.       Who do you live with?

9.       How many bedrooms are there in your house/flat?

10.           Where do you watch TV at home? (which room?)

11.              What’s your favourite room in your house?

12.            Please tell me something about the things you like doing at home at the weekends.

POST with the list of topics you should be able to talk about.

For more possible questions, click one of the links under "SPEAKING"  in the right-hand column.

Speaking Reminders

1. If you don't understand, you can say so.

Example, if the examiner asks, "Have you ever traveled abroad?" and you don't understand abroad, you can say: 

• I'm sorry. I don't understand "abroad".
• What does "abroad" mean?
• What is "abroad"?

2. The clock is always ticking, so keep talking. Show that you understand the question and know the vocabulary.

Examples: 

If you can't remember what the weather was like or what you wore yesterday,  a true answer is not important.  

• It was cold and rainy / It was warm and sunny. / It rained in the morning, but it was sunny in the afternoon.
• I wore a new pair of trousers and a black sweater with a white blouse.

3.  In part 2, keep the cards on the table so both of you can see them.
if your partner can't find the answer, you can indicate it with your finger.

4. KEEP THINGS SIMPLE and CORRECT. 
Do not give more information than you should.  
Do not change the questions or the information on the cards. 

5. Review the speaking posts

Speaking Test Notes

The Speaking Test is with a partner. It has 2 parts and lasts about 8 - 10 minutes.  If there is an odd number of students, the last group will be a group of 3 and will last 13-15 minutes. 
Part 1: "getting to know you" questions; talk about yourself.
Part 2: the candidates talk to each other about pictures on a specific topic. Discuss a topic, talk about likes and dislikes, giving reasons. 

1. There are 2 examiners. Both will give you marks, but only one will ask you questions. 
2. Relax and have fun. The examiners want you to do well.
3. Don't compare yourself to your partner.  Students are marked individually. 
4. Listen and react to what the examiner and your partner say, but don't interrupt.  In the 1st part, you will speak to the examiner. In part 2, to your partner. Be prepared to ask them questions and start the discussion. 
5. Speak clearly and loud enough for both examiners to hear you.
6. Answer in full sentences, not just one word.
7. You can ask the examiner to repeat the instructions. This will not affect your score.  REMEMBER that REPEAT means to say something again.
8. If you don't understand, say so. For example, if the examiner asks, "Which foreign languages are you studying?" and you don't understand foreign, you can say: 

• I'm sorry. I don't understand "foreign".
• What does "foreign" mean?
• What is "foreign"?

        9. If you can't remember a word you would like to use, explain it: 

• "I can't remember the word. It's something we use to keep our pens and erasers in." (Are you talking about a pencil case?)
• "We usually wear them in the winter when it's cold; not shoes, but those things we wear on our feet and cover our ankles or go up higher on our legs."  (Do you mean boots?)

        10. The clock is always ticking, so keep talking. Show that you understand the question and know the vocabulary.   Don't worry if the  examiner stops you.  This is due to the time limit. All candidates are given equal time. 

        11. A true answer is not always necessary.  If you can't remember what the weather was like, what you had for lunch, or what you wore yesterday, don't say you don't remember. You can answer anyway:

• It was cold and rainy / It was warm and sunny. / It rained in the morning, but it was sunny in the afternoon.
• I had a ham and cheese sandwich with some chips. / I had pasta with tomato sauce, some chicken and a salad. 
• I wore jeans,  a hoodie], and trainers.  / I wore a sweatsuit** because I had football practice after school.
  (*hooded sweatshirt; **tracksuit, sweats, sweatpants and sweatshirt)

       

Be sure to see the other posts on Speaking and watch the videos of some speaking tests. 

NEW DIGITAL VERSION of KEY for SCHOOLS

FAQs about the DIGITAL exams

 

The Speaking Test

 Speaking is always a very important part of any exam. 

• There are 2 examiners: one will speak to you, the other will take notes. 
• You will have a partner. It will last 8 - 10 minutes. 
• If there is an odd number of students, the last group will be a group of 3 and will last 13 -15 minutes. 

 Speaking Part 1 

 PERSONAL INFORMATION

This part lasts about 3 -4 minutes.

The examiner will ask each student questions. The most common exam questions are about:

1. Where you are from 
2. School and the subjects you study
3. Family
4. Your home town
5. Freetime activities
6. Your likes and dislikes

First, they will ask you your name, age and where you live, then they will say something like: "Now let's talk about school." 

You should be able to talk about these topics below:  

1. Appliances
2. Clothes and Accessories
3. Colors
4. Communication and Technology
5. Documents and Texts
6. Education
7. Entertainment and Media
8. Family and Friends
9. Food and drink
10. Health, medicine, and exercise
11. Hobbies and leisure (Free Time Activities)
12. House and home 
13. Measurements 
14. Personal feelings, opinions, and experiences 
15. Places (town, city, countryside) and Buildings
16. Services 
17. Shopping 
18. Sports
19. The natural world
20. Time
21. Transport
22. Travel and Holidays
23. Weather
24. Work and jobs

Click HERE to see pp. 24 - 32 for the vocabulary of the topics above. 

For some typical A2 level questions click HERE (for older students) and  HERE

 Speaking Part 2 
In this part, students talk to each other. 
There are 5 pictures to talk about one of the topics above. You will say why you like or don't like something. You will compare, describe, and give your opinion.
Then the examiner will ask some questions on the same topic. 
It will last about 5 -6 minutes.

Click HERE for possible questions in phase 2. 

Watch the videos of the new exam format:

General Information about the test

The READING and WRITING test lasts 1 hour.  There are 7 parts and 32 questions.
Part 1:   Six short real-world texts.
Part 2:  Three short texts on one topic.                                            

Part 3:  One long text for details.
Part 4:  Choose the correct vocabulary for the text.
Part 5:  Complete the gaps with your own words.
Part 6:  Write a short email or note (25 words or more). 
Part 7:  Write a short story (35 words or more). 
You should not spend more than 20 minutes on the email and story part.


The LISTENING test lasts about 30 minutes. There are 5 parts and 25 questions.
Part 1:   Five short dialogues. Choose the correct picture.
Part 2:  Taking notes (1 word, a number, a date, or a time).
Parts 3 and 4:  Choose the correct answer for dialogues.
Part 5:   A dialogue with a matching exercise. 

For paper version: you must use pencils and erasers on special answer sheets. No pens. 

The SPEAKING test lasts about 8-10 minutes. You will have a partner. You can choose your partner.  If there is an uneven number of students, the last group will be a group of three and will last 13 - 15 minutes. There are 2 parts to the Speaking Test. In the first part, the examiner will ask you questions. In the second part, you will discuss some pictures with your partner, saying why you like or dislike what you see.
(See the speaking post below).

Work on the areas that are most difficult for you.

Know the ALPHABET,  and study the VOCABULARY LISTS. 

How to see your KET for Schools RESULTS

What did you think of the exam?            

How do you think you did? 

Take the polls on the RIGHT side of the blog. 
You can also write in the comments section below. 

You will receive information with your ID number and Secret Number.  Use these to register so you can see the results of your test. Register at:

https://candidates.cambridgeenglish.org/

See the new KET online statement.


If you have comments or questions, write in the comments section below.

SPEAKING - some problems

PRIZES  (premi)     Prices (prezzi)

Have you ever won a prize?      What is the price of (a ticket)?  
                                    
cost?
How much is it?   /  How much are they?
How much does it cost?  /  How much do they cost?

£1400 = "one thousand four hundred pounds"  
£19.50 = "nineteen pounds, fifty"
€ 4.75 =  four euros and seventy-five cents   
                       "That's four seventy-five, please." 
                       "That'll be four seventy-five, please."
$122.33 = one hundred twenty-two dollars and thirty-three cents

Whose party is it?   It's Hannah's party.

     

What is the food like?   It's spicy. / It's very good. 

 Is eating out expensive? / Is it expensive to eat out?

               No, it's not expensive. It's cheap. 

What is the weather like?   It's sunny and warm.

    

Where does it take place?  It takes place in the city center.

 

eat?

     Can you eat there? 
food?
     Is there any food there?
    What kind of food is there? 

transport?
     How will/can we get there?
     What kind of transport will/can we use? 

How/get there?

     How can you get there?
     How do we get there?

(You can get there...) BY bus / train / boat / car
                                      ON foot

always sunny?
     Is it always sunny?

What/see?

     What can you see there? 
     What will we see there? 

age?

    How old is it? / How old is he/she?

car park?
     Is there a car park?

more information?

     Can you give me more information, please? 

     Where can I get more information? 

     How can I get more information?

Wear?
     What should I wear? (you, we)
     What do I/you/we have to wear?

What/clothes?
     What clothes should I wear? / What should I wear?

What/bring
     What should I bring?
     What can I bring?

long/journey?
     How long is the journey?

     Is the journey long?

good/food
     Is the food good?
     Do they have good food?

book/place (book means prenotare)
     How can I book a place?
     Can I book a place?
     
When?
When is it? (the party, the competition)

When/open?
When it is open?

April 25 or 25 April = "on the twenty-fifth of April" OR "April twenty-fifth."

November - January = "from November to January"

9 - 5 = "from nine to five"
Rd = Road
1900 = nineteen hundred

NOTE ON NUMBERS: 
1st = first  
31st = thirty-first
2nd = second  
22nd = twenty-second                       
3rd = third 
23rd = twenty-third 
5th = fifth
9th= ninth
12th = twelfth

@ = at
www.english.com = Double u-double u-double u - dot - English - dot - com 

If you have any questions or if there are other problem questions to add, please write them in the comments section below.