You are on page 1of 2

!

Grade 6 English
examination study guide

What is the purpose of the examaniations?


These end of year tests are designed to help you develop your skills in writing
examinations in a formal setting with time-limits. Hand written (without spell-check)
examinations remain the major instrument of assessment in most systems and it is
important you get practice at taking them. Remember that your other major
assessment tasks are also important, and you should make sure you spend time and
effort on those as well.

What will I do in the examaniation?


In the exam you will need to write a news story based on facts that will be provided
for you. You will have four options to choose from. Your job is to write the best, most
realistic news story you can.

What can I do to revise?


Reading and writing skills (the major focus of these tests) take time to develop but
there are, of course, useful ways to prepare for this exam.

• Look through your folio pieces and work out ways to improve upon your
weaknesses
• Read newspapers and news web-sites and think about how the stories are
organised, written and the headlines that were used
• Work on your spelling and punctuation (practice, test yourself, have people test
you)
• Practice writing in the past tense, look at how real newspaper articles use
tenses
• Use the attached assessment criteria to work out what you skills you need to
work on
• Use the vocabulary table to make sure you know and understand these words

Useful vocabulary to know

fact opinion headline article

news journalist sub-heading introduction

witness spokesperson quotation report

motivation invention statement public

accused reality response expert

How will I be assessed?

In keeping with the methods we have been using all year you will be assessed using
the English department criteria.
Assessment Sheet (tick the descriptors that you think apply to you and give yourself a level)

Level Ideas Structures Style & language

Questions to help you: Questions to help you: Questions to help you:


How perceptive, focused and How skillfully have I structured my How accurate, varied and effective
well selected are the ideas in newspaper and the individual is my use of language?
my newspaper? items? How well did I choose language
How effective was my How well have I used sentences, for a newspaper audience.
headline? paragraphs and titles?

9-10 I use numerous well-chosen My newspaper is purposefully My language and vocabulary are
relevant details that support organised very accurate.
S and help my audience
T I use a variety of sentence types I use punctuation skillfully.
R My headline grabs the attention accurately
O of the audience and also lets My choice of language is formal
N them know what the story is I use paragraphs and transitions and appropriate for a newspaper.
G about carefully and effectively I use clear and precise language.

7-8 I use well-chosen relevant My overall structure is clear My language is generally accurate.
E details that support and help
F my audience I use different sentence types I use punctuation well.
F
E My headline gets the attention I use paragraphs and transitions My choice of language is formal and
C of the audience and gives them appropriate for a newspaper.
T an idea about the story
I
V
E

5-6 I use relevant details that I attempt to use a variety of My language is fairly accurate.
D
E
support and help my audience sentence types
V
I use paragraphs reasonably well I use punctuation effectively.
E
L
My headline lets the audience
O know what the story is about There is an attempt to sequence my
My choice of language is generally
P ideas
I formal and appropriate for a
N
G
newspaper.

3-4 My ideas show a basic I attempt to organise my work My use of language is not always
E understanding of the task effective
M I use basic paragraphs
E I develop some ideas There may be regular and errors in
R spelling and punctuation
GING

1-2 My ideas show a limited I am unsuccessful in organising my There are significant weaknesses
NOT understanding of the task work with the style and language I have
YET used
I attempt the task

You might also like