First-term Exam Prep: ‘Students should be well-versed with grammar’

English is one of the most widely spoken languages globally. Proficiency in English enables Indian students to communicate effectively with people from different parts of the world, making them competitive in the international job market.

However, for many, learning English may seem slightly complex in the beginning, especially when it is not one’s mother tongue. However, you can get a good grip on the language with constant practice and dedication. This can eventually help students improve communication, understand textbooks better, and score well in exams.

So what is the most important aspect to consider for an exam? According to Rachna Oberoi, TGT, English at Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg, students should thoroughly read the question paper during the 15 minutes that are given to them during the exam.

“This healthy reading of the question paper can help the students to avoid making silly mistakes. Students can also understand the context of the question very clearly. When students actually get down to writing the answer, there is fluency and they will make less mistakes – in sentence construction and spellings,” Oberoi said and shared some dos and don’ts.

Never leave any question. Even if you don’t know the exact answer, try to recall what was taught in the class and write that down. If you know the story, you know the context and you can write a few lines required in the answer

–Rachna Oberoi, TGT, English at Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg

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Here’s what she said

1.       Thoroughly read the textbook. This has to be done two-three times. You should read each and every word in the chapter.

2.       NEVER leave any question. Even if you don’t know the exact answer, try to recall what was taught in the class and write that down. If you know the story, you know the context and you can write a few lines required in the answer.

“No marks are deducted for not answering a question but it leaves a negative impact on the examiner. The student should do whatever he/she knows about it in general. Write some that is generalised; this can fetch the student up to 1 mark if he/she manages to end up writing a relevant answer,” Oberoi advised.

3.       Most of the time, the question that is asked is twisted to confuse the student. Reading the question paper three-four times comes in handy.

4.       Students of classes IX to XII should be well-versed with grammar. To be proficient, you have to practice things like parts of a sentence, determiners, and modals to name a few regularly.

“I give my students enough matter to practice with. The more the student practices, the less likely are the chances of him/her making mistakes. When it comes to sentence construction, I always tell my students to read the sentence in their mind and check if it sounds right or wrong before they jot down the answer,” Oberoi explained.

5.       The 80-mark question paper is divided – 40 marks for literature which also include long questions and answers; 20 marks is grammar, and 20 marks is reading comprehension.

6.       DON’T make spelling mistakes. This is an English paper. Ensure that you don’t make spelling mistakes or write a grammatically incorrect sentence.

“If a student has written wonderful content and there are very few spelling errors, the examiner tends to ignore those mistakes. But if the content is not up to the mark – there are mistakes and improper sentence construction, the student will end up losing marks,” Oberoi said.

7.       Since the exam is only in a few days, there are a few things that you can do. Brush up on how to format the answers. This means there should be a proper introduction to the answer, the main answer, and finally the summarisation.

8.       Writing the answer in the correct format is imperative when it comes to the grammar. You must know what the format of the letter is, and how to write long answers.

9.       Go through the assignments that have been given in the class.