BBC Learning English

Exam Skills
Writing Sharpen your exam technique ___________________________________________ ______
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ ______ Exam Skills bbclearningenglish.com BBC Learning English 2008 Page 1 of3

Vocabulary Parts of speech Activity 1 In the box below are some pairs of words that are often confused. Put each word into the table according to whether it is a noun, verb, adjective, pronoun/determiner or contraction.

theyre their practice practise brought bought advice advise stationery stationary effect affect lose loose whos whose compliment complement its its
Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun/Determiner Contraction

Activity 2 Choose the correct word from each pair to complete the gaps in the sentences. You might need to change the words slightly to make the sentences grammatically correct. Be careful! 1. Theyre / their __________________ going to bed early because theyve got __________________ exam tomorrow. 2. Practice / practise Make sure you __________________ all four skills and do some __________________ exams. 3. Lose / loose Buy a ring binder to keep all your __________________ papers in - otherwise you might __________________ them. 4. Whos / whose If you have to miss a lesson, think about __________________ in your class and decide __________________ notes you can borrow. 5. Advice / advise If you want my __________________, I __________________ you to start revising as early as possible. 6. Bought / brought I went out and __________________ some new pencils for my exam, but when I arrived I discovered I hadnt __________________ them with me. 7. Affect / effect Exams have a strange __________________ on me I just hope they dont __________________ you the same way. 8. Its / its __________________ hard to say who will be more nervous when there is a new exam the students taking it or __________________ administrators. 9. Complement / compliment This is a bit of a strange __________________, but your pencil case really __________________ your jacket! 10. Stationery / stationary I was buying some __________________ to take to the exam when I saw a motorbike drive into a __________________ car.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ ______ Exam Skills bbclearningenglish.com BBC Learning English 2008 Page 3 of 3

KEY Activity 1 Noun: practice, advice, stationery, effect, compliment Verb: practice, bought, brought, advise, affect, lose, compliment, complement Adjective: stationary, loose Pronoun/Determiner: their, whose, its Contraction: theyre, whos, its Activity 2 1. Theyre going to bed early because theyve got their exam tomorrow. 2. Make sure you practise all four skills and do some practice exams. 3. Buy a ring binder to keep all your loose papers in - otherwise you might lose them. 4. If you have to miss a lesson, think about whos in your class and decide whose notes you can borrow. 5. If you want my advice, I advise you to start revising as early as possible. 6. I went out and bought some new pencils for my exam, but when I arrived I discovered I hadnt brought them with me. 7. Exams have a strange effect on me I just hope they dont affect you the same way. 8. Its hard to say who will be more nervous when there is a new exam the students taking it or its administrators. 9. This is a bit of a strange compliment, but your pencil case really complements your jacket! 10. I was buying some stationery to take to the exam when I saw a motorbike drive into a stationary car.