Demonstration versions of the Unified State Exam in English (grade 11). The Internet will help you prepare for the Unified State Exam in English...

• How many lessons are there in the course?
  The course contains 32 lessons for 25 hours, plus 6 original workbooks and all textbooks, as well as a chat with the teacher for the whole year.
• When can I watch the lessons?
  You can watch lessons at any time convenient for you and from any device.
• Will I be able to review lesson recordings after completing the course?
  Yes, recordings of all lessons remain with you for a whole year.
• Will there be homework? How often?
  After each lesson you receive homework. We recommend moving on to the next lesson only after completing your homework and fully understanding the material, since the course is built on the principle of gradualism and increasing complexity. If you don’t understand something, you can always ask the teacher a question in a special chat.
• Why is it a one-time payment?
  For your convenience and freedom in learning, you get access to all materials immediately after payment, so it must be done at once.
• What is better: classes with a teacher or a course?
  It is best to combine coursework with classes with a teacher. In the course you will receive a clearly planned plan for preparing for the exam, all materials and an explanation of all concepts from Elena, an experienced VIP teacher, MBA graduate, native English speaker. This will allow you to save money on private lessons with Elena. However, practicing all the concepts covered in the video course is very important to improve your skills, especially writing and speaking. Therefore, we specially selected the best Engforme teachers to work with students in the Unified State Exam course. By combining both methods, you will get the highest result thanks to a well-calibrated program, unique presentation of material and all the necessary materials, additional training and motivation from the teacher.
• At what level can I start the course?
  The course can be taken independently from the pre-intemediate level. If your level of English is lower, then you can start studying the course on your own, but connect with a teacher as soon as something is unclear. The teacher will make sure that you understand everything exactly.
• How to make payment?
  You can pay in several ways. On the page, by Western Union transfer or via PayPal.
• How long will it take to pass with 95-97 points?
  The course is designed for 3 months, taking into account the initial pre-intermediate level and daily work on the course for 1-1.5 hours. This estimate is based on our experience in training students, but is an average. Your results greatly depend on your lifestyle, intellectual abilities and regularity of exercise.

Find out the main things about the English Unified State Exam 2016 and start preparing today. Nuances, tips, useful links - start your path to successfully passing the exam by reading our article. Don't be afraid of the Unified State Exam - pass it with 100%!

Classmates

What is the Unified State Exam: numbers, facts

The Unified State Exam (USE) is a general state certification of eleventh grade graduates, the results of which are counted for admission to a secondary specialized educational institution (secondary educational institution) or a university (higher educational institution).

Currently, the Unified State Examination is conducted in 14 subjects, of which 4 are foreign languages ​​(English, German, French and Spanish). To receive a certificate, a graduate must pass 2 mandatory exams: Russian language and mathematics. Additionally, each university independently determines which exams applicants for a particular specialty are required to take. From 2020, the Unified State Exam in English is also planned to be made mandatory.

In 2016, the trial Unified State Exam in English is planned to be held in early April: the oral part - on the 8th and the written part - on the 9th (these results are not counted). The main exam will begin on June 10.If, for a valid reason confirmed by the facts, the graduate is unable to take part in the certification, he has the opportunity to take the exam later, during the reserve period.

If you disagree with the exam results, you can file an appeal - your answers will be rechecked.

After successfully passing the Unified State Exam, the participant is issued a corresponding certificate valid for the current year and 4 subsequent years. It must also be presented at school to receive a certificate of secondary education.

When entering a university, the applicant submits an application indicating his Unified State Exam scores; the selection committee checks their accuracy. You can simultaneously submit documents to no more than 5 universities in 3 areas.

At the end of 2015, to pass the Unified State Exam in English, it was enough to score 22 points. However, to enter the language departments of prestigious universities in the country, it was necessary to obtain 60-70 points in this type of exam (according to the admissions committees of Moscow State University, Moscow State Linguistic University, etc.); University passing scores are updated annually.

• In Moscow Independent Diagnostics Center opened, where you can take the trial Unified State Exam and Unified State Exam at any time (not only for schoolchildren, but also for parents), and you can take it as many times as you want.

What to take with you to the Unified State Exam and how to behave during the exam

Be sure to take your passport and a black gel (capillary) pen with you.

The list of prohibited items is much more extensive: this includes any storage media (phone, tablet, etc.), any video and audio equipment, books, notes and “cheat sheets,” as well as proofreaders and pencils.

During the exam you cannot stand up or talk - naturally, with the exception of the oral part “Speaking”. If you need to leave the room temporarily, you will do so accompanied by one of the examiners. Participants are under video surveillance and any violations may be punished by removal from the exam (and the issue of retaking will be decided by the State Commission).

Structure of the Unified State Exam in English

The test consists of four compulsory written parts, for which the test taker receives a maximum of 80 points: Listening, Reading, Grammar and Vocabulary and Writing.

The fifth, optional speaking part, was introduced very recently and is called “Speaking”: it can earn you a maximum of 20 points. Taking “Speaking” is a must, even if you don’t intend to attend a language university: this is a fairly easy way to score an additional 10-15 points (which is not so little).

Listening

9 tasks, 30 minutes

Listening is the perception of speech by ear. After listening to several fragments in English, you should understand what they said and answer several questions in writing about each fragment. Fragments are played twice, the time to respond is fixed. The topics of monologues and dialogues that will be offered for listening include weather forecasts, announcements, television and radio programs, interviews, reports.

An error typical for this part of the exam: takers choose the answer option that contains the words most often heard in the audio fragment. But you are unlikely to be able to answer questions correctly without understanding the essence of what is happening. To better understand the meaning of the conversation, pay attention to the intonation of the speakers and the sounds that you hear in the audio clip (sea noise, car horns, music, etc.). It is very important to be able to recognize subtext and sarcasm in the speaker’s speech, which can radically change the meaning of the statement.

Preparation

Only regular listening to English speech and learning unfamiliar words will help.

At the first stage, reading and listening to books voiced by native English speakers will be very useful. At the same time, be sure to choose books adapted to your actual level: pre-intermediate, intermediate, etc.

Watching English-language films “in three touches” is very effective: without subtitles, with English subtitles (with new words written out) and with double subtitles (in Russian and English). It is advisable to limit viewing sessions to 5-15 minutes (then the level of perception decreases). To prevent your vocabulary from developing one-sidedly, try to watch diverse films: on everyday topics, from the lives of lawyers, doctors, scientists. And preferably, these should be TV series: by watching several seasons, one episode a day, you will be able to hone the relevant vocabulary to perfection, after which you can move on to a TV series on a different topic.

A little later, it makes sense to move on to listening to radio news: without visuals and subtitles, information is more difficult to perceive, especially considering the fast pace of reporters’ speech. We recommend listening to BBC radio programs, because the videos for listening to the Unified State Examination will be read in British pronunciation.

Reading

9 tasks, 30 minutes

This task tests your ability to read and understand unfamiliar text without a dictionary: you should be familiar with about 97% of the words. Again, read the assignment carefully; a typical mistake in this part is misunderstanding the question asked.

Preparation

Replenish your vocabulary by all available means, tirelessly repeat learned words and try to use them in context - this way they are better remembered. According to the 2016 codifier, popular science publications and excerpts from works of fiction will be offered for reading. Read modern online newspapers and magazines: The Guardian, The New York Times, BBC, Listverse, etc. It will be very useful to study the Unified State Exam workbook in English reading, analyzing the mistakes you make.

Grammar and vocabulary

20 tasks, 40 minutes

In fact, this is almost the easiest section of the exam in terms of format. The first half of the section consists of reading small fragments of text and substituting missing words. To substitute, the proposed word must be grammatically changed (or left in its original form, if the rules require it) or a suitable single-root word must be selected, for example, absolute - absolutely, win - won, Russia - Russian.

The second half involves filling in the gaps in the text with the suggested words - there is no need to modify the word, you just need to choose one of four options. As with all multiple choice tests, if you don't know the answer, choose one at random - there is a chance it will be correct.

Preparation

If you know English well, this section will not be difficult for you. No special preparation is required for the format of this task - just review English grammar (and keep working on your vocabulary).

Letter

2 tasks, 80 minutes

Since the answers from the exam forms are scanned by computer, write your answer neatly, clearly and legibly, with paragraphing and structuring.

Task No. 1: “Letter to a friend”

Volume: 100-140 words

Imagine that you receive a letter from an English-speaking friend and are writing a response. You must understand the questions asked in the text and answer them in your “letter”.

Typical mistakes:

• Ignorance of the rules for formatting personal letters (be sure to repeat them!)
• misunderstanding of the essence of the questions asked
• lack of answer to one of their questions
• inability to correctly formulate one’s own questions according to the specified plan
• not using linking words

Assignment #2: Essay

Volume: 200-250 words

You are asked to express your opinion in writing about a certain statement according to a certain plan. And again, you need to read the task very carefully and under no circumstances deviate from the proposed plan.

The essay should be in a neutral style (avoid colloquial expressions), coherent, divided into paragraphs in accordance with the logic of the narrative.

If 30% or more of your answer coincides with the source (that is, in your answer you use words from the “problem conditions”), the task is not counted.

How to count the number of words in an essay

If the above letter contains less than 90 words, and the essay contains less than 180, they will not be counted (you will receive 0 points). If they are too long, the examiner will count only 154 words in the first case and 275 in the second; everything else will not be checked: you may lose a parting phrase or signature (in a letter) or conclusion (in an essay).

What are the rules for counting words? All words of the essay are taken into account; in the case of a letter, everything from the address to the signature. Counted as one word:

• all numerals in digital form (12, 2015, 10,000)
• all short forms and abbreviations (I’m, don’t, can’t, USA)
• complex words (well-known, good-looking, sixty-four)

In numerals expressed in several words, all words are counted (two thousand and fifteen - 4 words).

Preparation

The advice is simple - write an essay. Many, on different topics. Count the words, control the coherence of the text, do not forget to highlight paragraphs (one thought - one paragraph). Well, your work should be checked by an English teacher who is familiar with the requirements for the assignment.

Speaking

4 tasks, 15 minutes

During this part of the exam, an audio recording of your answer is made, which is sent for processing (checking) at the end of the exam. In other words, the role of the examiner is performed by the computer (but one of the exam organizers is always present in the audience). You see all tasks on the monitor - a time counter is also displayed there.

At the end of the exam, all answers are submitted for verification: each exam entry is checked by two trained specialists according to the same assessment criteria.

Task No. 1

In the first task, you will be asked to read a popular science text in English in one and a half minutes - first “to yourself”, and then out loud. They also give you one and a half minutes to prepare. You need to read the passage correctly, with natural intonation, without unnecessary pauses.

Task No. 2

As a second task, you are asked to read the text of the advertisement and ask 5 questions to it - in accordance with the proposed plan. Preparation time is 1.5 minutes, each question should be no longer than 20 seconds (watch the timer).

Task No. 3

Third task: choose and describe one of the three proposed photographs. Time to prepare - 1.5 minutes, time to answer - 2 minutes. The story must be built on the points of the proposed plan. The narrative must be logically coherent and contain introductory and concluding phrases.

• Let us recall that coherence is given to the text by expressions such as firstly, secondly, thirdly (firstly, secondly, thirdly), consequently (hence), finally (finally). The topic of introductory words and linking words needs to be worked out thoroughly.

Task No. 4

In the fourth task you are asked to compare two images. Here it is also extremely important to carefully read the text of the task and cover the proposed plan in the story: for example, find similarities between the pictures and point out the differences. A typical mistake is describing each picture separately, when what is needed is a comparison, comparison of two images.

You have 1.5 minutes to prepare - watch the timer to make sure you start on time and don't exceed the story limit of 2 minutes. Here, introductory and concluding phrases and consistency of presentation are also necessary.

Typical “traps” of parts 3 and 4 of the exam are questions like “where and when” (where and when), “who/why” (who/why), etc. When answering the first question of the pair, you can completely forget about the second - and lose points.

• Advice: If you notice that you have made a mistake, do not be alarmed. Some errors are acceptable and do not affect the score, the main thing is not to get confused or become completely silent.

The total time for this part of the exam is 15 minutes.

Preparation

Speech is a skill, and the ability to speak English must be developed. Listen to English speech and repeat what you hear. Take every opportunity to communicate in English: visit speaking clubs, speak English with friends. It is extremely important that the interlocutor not only listens to you, but points out mistakes and corrects you, therefore, to prepare for this type of exam, it is very advisable to find a qualified tutor.

10 common misconceptions when preparing for the Unified State Exam in English

1. There is no point in studying the exam format: a person who is fluent in English will easily pass the exam with the highest score
2. If your knowledge is initially below the Upper-Intermediate level (“above average”), you have no chance of passing the exam
3. If you don’t speak spoken English, it’s impossible to pass the Unified State Exam, since “Speaking” was introduced, and without it you won’t be able to get the required points
4. You can prepare for the Unified State Exam in English in just six months (or even faster)
5. After reading tips, secrets and “life hacks” for passing the Unified State Exam, you will be ready for the exam
6. To successfully pass, it is enough to listen to lectures and video lessons from teachers.
7. The best way to prepare is to take demos of the test multiple times and check your answers.
8. If the trial exam is passed perfectly, classes can be stopped.
9. During the exam you can make a “call to a friend” or use a cheat sheet
10. Answers will be available for purchase before the exam.

And remember: it is impossible to prepare for the Unified State Exam “the night before the exam”; start at least six months before the exam (or better yet, 1-2 years before the exam).
The English Unified State Exam 2016 is scheduled for June, so you need to start preparing for it immediately. High points to you!

From 2022 (2020 for some regions) Unified State Examination in English will be included in the number of mandatory exams along with exams in mathematics and the Russian language. But now the question is preparation for the Unified State Exam in English is relevant for many students. Good scores on it (not lower than a four, i.e. 59-83 points) are required for admission to many universities for philological faculties. It makes sense to take this exam for those who are not going to connect their lives with the language: firstly, the Unified State Examination in English has the highest pass rate (above 22 points), and secondly, English will certainly be useful to you throughout your life , and preparing for the Unified State Exam will provide you with the necessary knowledge.

From the article you will learn:

Unfortunately, preparing for the Unified State Exam in English is not so easy. Experts advise starting two years in advance, or one if your current level of language proficiency is at least Intermediate.

To confidently pass the exam, you need Upper-Intermediate level English, but it is not provided by the school curriculum. The conditions for completing tasks in the Unified State Exam have their own specifics, and if you do not practice on real tasks, which can be found on the website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements, for example, or in the Open Unified State Exam task bank, you may find that you are not able to fulfill all the requirements.

Below I will tell you How to pass the Unified State Exam in English, what parts and tasks it consists of, what can be expected in the exam. I will also give useful tips for completing English Unified State Exam assignments in each of its sections.

Conditions for passing the Unified State Exam in English

Passing the Unified State Exam in English with the minimum acceptable score is not so difficult: to do this you need to score only 22 points. For each part of the exam, if performed perfectly, 20 points are given. You will not pass the Unified State Exam in English very well: the answers to some of the tasks need to be chosen from a limited number of options, so according to the theory of probability, you will have some correct answers, even if you enter them at random.

It should be remembered that different tasks “cost” differently. So, for correctly reading a short text out loud you will receive only one point, but a well-written essay can earn you 14. Taking this into account, you can distribute your efforts when preparing; But we should not forget that many of the skills and abilities required in some parts of the exam will be useful in others. So, without knowledge and without an extensive vocabulary, you are unlikely to be able to understand what is being said in the dialogue that you are talking about.

The exam is taken in two stages, and only one of its parts, written, is mandatory. Unfortunately, it will only earn you 80 points, and you can get another 20 for the oral test, the main part of which takes only 15 minutes. By signing up for the oral part, you do not lose anything, but you get the opportunity to get the required score.

During the exam, you will definitely need an identity document (passport) and a black pen. It is advisable to use a brightly writing pen - capillary, gel or fountain pen. This is due to the fact that your answers will be scanned and sent for machine recognition. If you write them with a ballpoint pen or another color, the program may detect them incorrectly and you will lose precious points. In this case, only an appeal can help you - a request to recheck the exam results.

You may not bring anything other than the specified items into the classroom with you. Any electronic devices, notebooks, books, proofreaders are prohibited. If you need to leave, one of the examiners will follow you. Attempts at fraud will be severely punished: the process of taking the Unified State Exam will be interrupted, and a special commission will decide whether you will be allowed to retake it.

If for a good reason (you must have documentary evidence, for example, a certificate from a medical institution) you cannot take the Unified State Exam along with everyone else, you may be allowed to do this later, during the reserve period.

Structure of the Unified State Exam in English

As already said, Unified State Examination in English consists of compulsory (written) and optional (oral) parts, which are taken on different days. The written part is given in a general classroom and lasts 3 hours. To take the oral test, you will be invited in a randomly drawn queue to an office where there is all the necessary equipment. The duration of the exam itself is only 15 minutes.

The written part of the Unified State Exam is divided into four sections: listening, reading, grammar and vocabulary, and writing. You are allocated a certain time for each section, during which time you are free to decide in what order you will complete the tasks. In part, this does not apply to listening, where completing a task is largely tied to listening to the text.

You can see the table, which briefly outlines how much time you will be allotted for each section Unified State Exam, what tasks you will have to complete in each of them, and how many points you can score for these tasks. You will find more detailed information in the relevant paragraphs of the article.

Listening

During the listening test, you will be given three audio fragments to listen to, corresponding to the three tasks of this section. These can be both monologues and dialogues on a wide variety of topics (mainly everyday ones). During playback, the audio recording does not stop, but the texts for each task are played twice, and pauses are made between them, during which the test takers must read the written part of the task and write down their answers.

The pronunciation option you will hear during the listening test is British. This creates additional difficulties when completing already difficult tasks. The school curriculum places very little emphasis on watching videos or listening to audio in English, and students themselves, if they do engage with original media content, usually choose more American films and TV series, which does not sufficiently contribute to building up the British voice bank.

Tasks included in the “Listening” section

Task No. 1. In the first task, you will be presented with 6 statements that will need to be correlated in meaning with 7 statements (one statement is extra). Speakers are designated by English letters from A to F, statements are numbered. You will need to indicate the number of the corresponding statement in a special plate opposite each letter.

Task No. 2. In the second task, you will have to listen to a short text (most likely a dialogue) and familiarize yourself with seven statements, designated by letters from A to G. After this, in the table you will put one of three numbers under each letter, 1, 2 or 3, where one means , that the statement is true (True), a two - that it is false (False), and a three - that there is not enough information in the text to determine the veracity or falsity of the statement (Not Stated).

Task No. 3. They play an audio recording for you (for example, an interview), you listen to it carefully, read 7 unfinished statements and for each of these statements you choose from three options an appropriate ending. You write the option number in the field provided.

1. Listening texts and questions in assignments are designed in such a way that students rely on the meaning of what they heard, and not on words snatched from the flow of speech. Try to understand what idea the speaker is trying to convey. Please note that in the first task, the most important information for the correct answer is usually heard closer to the end of the statement.
2. Look, preferably British. It helps to review the same scenes several times, and first without subtitles or translation, so that the brain does not get used to relying on printed text. When you learn to navigate the sound of foreign speech, you can move on to sources without a visual component: audiobooks, radio broadcasts, etc. There are a huge variety of the latter, ranging from fictional audio series, and among them it is not difficult to find ones that suit your level. Some of them also have official or unofficial transcripts (a recording of what was said in text form), which can make it easier to follow.

Reading

In this section of the Unified State Exam you will have to prove your ability to understand the meaning of an unfamiliar text. There are quite a lot of texts that you will have to deal with, and two of them are relatively long (about a page). You only have about 10 minutes for each task, so you wouldn't be able to rely on a dictionary even if it were allowed.

Tasks included in the “Reading” section

Task No. 1. You are asked to read 7 short, 5-7 sentence texts, usually related to one topic or representing paragraphs of one text. Your task is to select for each of the text fragments one of the 8 headings indicated above and reflecting their meaning. One of the headings is redundant.

Task No. 2. In the second task, you will find a text from which 6 fragments have been removed (usually completing the sentence started in the text). The deleted fragments, with one extra added to them, are listed below in random order, and you need to determine which one belongs where.

Task No. 3. In the third task you will have to read a fairly voluminous text. Below it are 7 questions and open-ended statements, each of which has four possible answers. You need to choose the appropriate one, based not only on the details of what you read, but also on the general understanding of the author’s thoughts and the message embedded in the text.

1. As in the case of listening, you will not always be able to find words in the text that match the desired answer option, and sometimes such a strategy can even turn out to be harmful. Try to understand what thought the author put into each fragment of the text.
2. When completing the third task, it is useful to take into account that the questions for it are given approximately in the order in which the answer to them can be found in the text.
3. When you insert missing fragments into the text of the second task, it makes sense to rely not only on the essence of the sentence, but also on the grammatical compatibility of its various parts. Thus, a comma placed before the missing fragment will most likely mean that we are talking about a complex sentence, the subordinate part of which is attached to the main part using a conjunctive word (“which”, if we are talking about something inanimate, “who”, if we are talking about about a person, “where”, “how”), and a comma placed after the missing fragment will clearly indicate that it cannot end with a preposition.
4. To prepare for this section, it is useful to read, as well as popular science articles and news columns. Write down unfamiliar words from them; At the same time, try not to take up the dictionary right away, but first guess their meaning from the context and only then check your guess. If your level of English has reached Intermediate - Upper-Intermediate, it is better to find out the meaning of an unfamiliar word not from English-Russian, but from an English-English explanatory dictionary.
5. Expand your vocabulary in any other ways convenient for you. Solver books for the Unified State Examination can come to the rescue with this, allowing you to memorize new words at the pace that is most natural for you and/or in a playful manner.

Grammar and vocabulary (Use of English)

The third section, Use of English, tests your knowledge of English grammar, semantic nuances and compatibility of words, and word-formation devices. This is at the same time the simplest section, since it requires minimal creative effort, and the most difficult, since accurate knowledge is required to perform it correctly.

Tasks included in the “Grammar and Vocabulary” section

Task No. 1. In the first task you are given a text (or two short ones), in 7 places of which words are missing. The words you need are shown to the right of the blank and you need to use them in the correct grammatical form. For verbs, this usually means the need to put them in the correct tense form, form a passive voice or participle from them, and agree with the subject. Pronouns may need to be changed in number or made possessive. For adjectives, the change usually consists of the formation of the correct degrees of comparison, for nouns - the plural.

Task No. 2. The second task is also a text with gaps (6 in number), only this time you will have to form other parts of speech from the adjacent words using suffixes and prefixes. You will need to correctly determine which part of speech is required in the text and use word formation tools that are appropriate in meaning.

Task No. 3. This task is the only one in the section where you can choose from the proposed options (four), but this does not prevent it from being the most difficult. You are given a text with 7 missing words, and below you will see four words that can be used to fill in each of the gaps. These words are chosen to be either similar in meaning (of course, there are nuances in their use, which must be taken into account when deciding which one to use in a given case), or in spelling, or in the role that they usually play in the text. Also in the third task you may need to insert the required preposition or part of a phrasal verb.

1. To successfully pass this section, you simply need to memorize a lot of things in any way convenient for you. Draw, study what suffixes are used to form each part of speech and what their meaning is. Read the text carefully to correctly determine what grammatical form you need to put the word in or what part of speech to form from it, then think about how exactly to do it.
2. When learning verbs (for example, writing out unfamiliar ones from the text), always learn them together with the controls; remember whether they require a preposition after themselves, and if so, which one. Pay special attention to verbs that require a preposition that is difficult to deduce (such as “be angry with someone”).
3. When writing words in the blanks, carefully follow the rules for filling out exam forms. Write letters at regular intervals; if the answer consists of several words (as, for example, in analytical (compound) forms of verbs) - do not leave spaces between words.

Letter (Writing)

The “Writing” section includes two lengthy tasks, for which 80 minutes are allotted. Both tasks require the examinee to write a text with a specific focus, which imposes a certain framework on both form and content. You are required not only to know the English language, but also to know the characteristic features of texts of this particular type.

Tasks included in the “Writing” section

Task No. 1. You will be presented with a letter from a foreign friend or pen pal, where they will share information from their life with you and ask you a few questions. You are required to answer these questions in the form of a counter letter 100-140 words long and ask a certain number of your own on the topic specified in the assignment. It is extremely important to format the letter correctly. This is done according to the following scheme:

1. In the upper right corner, indicate below each other the city, country and date of writing the letter (in the format day/month/year). There is no need to write the address in more detail! One line is missing between the country and the date.
2. On the left side of the page we write the appeal “Dear ___”, where we insert the name of your recipient, after which we put a comma.
3. Despite the fact that the previous line ends with a comma, we start writing with a red line and a capital letter. We thank the interlocutor for sending the letter; You can also apologize for not answering right away, or mention how the letter made you feel.
4. We answer the interlocutor’s questions. In this case, you can use a colloquial style and abbreviated grammatical forms of words, exclamation marks and ellipsis, but you should refrain from slang and vulgarisms.
5. We ask our own questions according to the terms of the assignment.
6. We conclude the letter; You can report the reasons that prevent you from writing a longer letter, say that you will wait for an answer, or wish your interlocutor something.
7. On the left under the letter we write one of the special final template phrases (“Best regards”, “Lots of love”, “Warm wishes”, etc.; it should be borne in mind that some of them are suitable only for business style and will seem too formal for friendly correspondence, while others, on the contrary, will be too intimate and therefore inappropriate). We put a comma after it.
8. Under the template phrase we write our name without putting a period after it.

Task No. 2. The second task is to write an essay of 200-250 words on the specified topic. The essay must have a clear composition and include five paragraphs. The first and last paragraphs are the introduction and conclusion, in the second paragraph you indicate your opinion on the issue and give arguments in its favor, in the third paragraph you highlight the opposite point (or points) of view, in the fourth you explain why you settled on the point of view that protect.

Tips for preparing and passing the written part of the EGE in English

1. Pay close attention to the word limit! For a letter, the limits of what is permitted are 90-154 words, for an essay – 180-275. If you write less, the assignment will not be checked at all and you will receive 0 points; if you write more, they will not check everything that is outside the limit. This way you will lose compositionally significant parts, and with them, points.
2. Practice writing texts of a strictly specified length. Check the word count yourself; Remember that in a letter, the address and signature are also included in the total. To some extent, you can regulate the number of words, taking advantage of the fact that numerals written in numbers (1990, 234) or as a complex word with a hyphen (fifty-nine) are considered one word, and those written in several separate words are considered by their number (one thousand nine hundred twenty). Abbreviations and short grammatical forms (wouldn’t, I’d, it’s), as opposed to their full spelling, are also counted as one word.
3. Learn how to write an essay correctly. I told and cited it on this site.
4. Create your own toolkit of cliche phrases used in essays and texts of similar types to introduce an idea, to give an example, to contrast, to describe a cause-and-effect relationship, to move to the other side of the issue.
5. Be careful about your writing style. In essays, avoid emotionally charged vocabulary and colloquial expressions; in letters, avoid clerical language.

Speaking

The oral part of the Unified State Exam in English is voluntary and is taken separately from the written part - on a different day and usually in a different place. Unlike the written exam, you will take the speaking test one or several people at a time in a room specially equipped for this purpose. You will be given a headset (headphones + microphone) to record and listen to your answers, and under the supervision of an examiner, you will begin completing the tasks shown on the screen, based on the instructions of the program.

Unlike the written part of the exam, you do not have free reign over the time allotted for this section of the exam. You will complete the tasks in the order in which they appear on the screen, and the time frame in which you can record your answer is extremely strict. In total, the oral part of the exam lasts 15 minutes, and at the end you will have the opportunity to listen to how high-quality the audio recordings were. Unfortunately, you will not be able to deceive the system and correct a belatedly noticed error: re-recording is possible only after contacting an examiner, who must make sure that the problem is precisely in its quality.

Below you can watch a video explaining the exam in detail.

Tasks included in the “Speaking” section

Task No. 1. You are given only 3 minutes for this task. One and a half of them are allocated for you to familiarize yourself with a short (10-15 sentences) text, which you then have to read out loud. It is important not only to pronounce words correctly, but also to adhere to pauses specified by punctuation, and also to monitor intonation. For reading the text you will be given 1 point.

Task No. 2. In the second task, you will be shown an illustrated advertisement. According to the terms of the task, you are interested in the product and/or service discussed in the ad (this could be a membership to a pool or gym, an excursion, an overnight stay in a hotel, etc.), and you need to find out some details about it. The information you need to obtain is written down in five points below the ad. You are given a minute and a half to get your bearings, and then you will have to ask a question for each of the points. You have exactly 20 seconds to write down one question.

Task No. 3. In the third task, you will be shown three photographs, from which you need to choose one and, after a minute and a half, briefly describe it. It is important to remember to follow the legend in the conditions of the task. It may vary from year to year; in the last Unified State Exam it was that all the photographs were taken from your personal photo album, and you need to describe one of them to a friend.

When describing, it is important to adhere to the form of the answer. Start with “I’ve chosen photo number...” to indicate which photo you are describing, and then tell about it, based on the plan provided to you in the assignment. It is important not to deviate from it and answer as concisely as possible, since you are given only two minutes to answer, and if all the information asked for is not given, it will cost you points. You can get a total of 7 points for this task.

Task No. 4. The fourth task of the oral part of the exam is similar to the previous one, only in it you will be shown two pictures, and you will have to talk about both of them. You will be given one and a half minutes to prepare, and then in 2 minutes you will need to compare them, adhering to the plan given in the task. It will not be enough to describe what happens at each of them; you should find their similarities and differences (or rather, the similarities or differences of what is depicted on them), and also talk about your attitude towards them. You can also get 7 points for this task.

Tips for preparing and passing the oral part of the EGE in English

1. Due to the tight time frame of the oral part of the exam and the mental pressure it puts on you, you definitely need to practice dealing with these tasks and under these conditions. This can be done either on this website.
2. Remember that passing in front of a computer is very different from passing in front of an examiner, since you will not be able to rely on the other person's reaction. You need to get used to this format.
3. Record your speech on a voice recorder (you can use the built-in one in your smartphone) and listen to the result. If you have a headset for voice communication or a laptop with a built-in microphone, you can also turn to the online resource Vocaroo Voice Recorder, with which you can easily record and then download it for later use. This way you can get used to the sound of your voice, track obvious pronunciation errors, and practice staying within the allotted time.
4. Learn stable speech structures that are used when comparing or contrasting. You can also learn , which do not add additional meaning to the text, but with which you can fill the pause while you are thinking about the next part of your answer (“actually”, “indeed”, “in fact”, “as far as I know/can judge”) .
5. Try not to worry or get lost if you realize that you made a mistake. Grammatical errors and incorrect pronunciation of words are normal in speech, and if there are not too many of them, the score for them will not be reduced. The main thing that is being tested is your ability to express the desired thought in English. Focus on making sure that your speech conveys all the information that the task requires of you.

Increasingly, parents of schoolchildren are turning to our school with a request to prepare future graduates for the Unified State Exam 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 provide practical tips for successfully passing each part of the Unified State Exam. , and will also present the best textbooks and online resources for preparing for this difficult test.

What is the Unified State Exam in English 2018

The Unified State Examination in English 2018 is a final exam at school, which is counted as an entrance exam to a university, which is why it is so important to pass it with a high score. For now, this exam is not mandatory, but if a graduate is going to enter a specialized university, he needs to pass this test.

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

In principle, you can prepare to take the exam in 1 year, but only if at the time of starting preparation the student already speaks English at an (intermediate) level. Don't know what level the graduate has? Then invite him to pass.

How is the Unified State Exam in English held in 2018? The exam consists of written and oral parts, which are held on different days. On one day, schoolchildren 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. A student can receive a maximum of 20 points for each section. Thus, for this day you can score 80 points.

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

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

Below we present a table for converting Unified State Exam scores in English into a five-point system.

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

Structure of the Unified State Exam in English 2018 and principles for successfully passing 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 provide advice from our teachers who prepare schoolchildren to take the Unified State 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 several years now and have developed their own strategy for successful preparation; they know what pitfalls await them in the exam, what typical mistakes schoolchildren make and how to get rid of these mistakes.

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

Listening

The listening test 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 for the Unified State 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, but there are pauses between 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 will have to do in listening.

Task 1: 7 statements are given. The student listens to 6 statements and matches them with statements, one of which is redundant.

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

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Listening task 3

Our tips:

1. When preparing for the exam, you need to do as many listening tasks as possible in exam format. This way, the graduate will get used to quickly reading assignments and catching key words in speech that will help find the correct answer.
2. When choosing an answer, you need to 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 may in one way or another mention all the answers to the task, but if you delve into what was said, you can understand that there is only one correct answer.

Reading

The reading lasts 30 minutes and consists of 3 parts (9 tasks). We recommend spending no more than 10 minutes on each part in order to complete the allotted half hour.

Task 1: There are 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 redundant.

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 for it are given. For each question there are 4 answer options, from which you need to choose 1 correct one.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Reading task 3

Our tips:

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

Task 1: Given a text in which 7 words are missing. To the right of the text are words that need to be transformed grammatically (for example, put the verb in the right tense) and inserted in place of the gap.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 1

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

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 3

Our tips:

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

Letter

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

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

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:

1. 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 considered a disclosure of confidential information, even if the address is fictitious.

   After the address, skip 1 line and write the date the letter was written in the same upper right corner.

   Next, as usual, on the left we write an informal address: Dear Tom/Jim (the name will be given in the task). It is unacceptable to write Hello here. After the address, put a comma and continue writing the text of the letter on a new line.

2. Letter text

   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 didn’t write earlier (Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long). You can also mention some fact from the letter you received.

   In the fourth paragraph, you need to summarize - inform 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!).

3. End of the letter

   At the end, you need to write a final cliche phrase, which is always followed by a comma: All the best, Best wishes, etc.

   On the next line, under this phrase, you indicate 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 an opposing opinion and explains why he disagrees 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:

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

Our tips:

1. 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 a 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 evaluate it, and will deduct points for unfinished work, assignment design, topic disclosure, etc.
2. Avoid paragraphs consisting of one sentence; you need to supplement and justify each of your thoughts. To do this, you can use the constructions In my opinion, I believe, etc.
3. Monitor the style of written work: colloquial expressions like Guess what? or Wish me luck!, but in an essay it is better to stick to a more formal style. It is important not to overdo it with “informality”: all kinds of well, cause and slang expressions are unacceptable.
4. Use linking words, they make the text logical and allow you to complement or contrast sentences.

Oral speech

The oral part of the exam is the shortest, it takes only 15 minutes. The graduate needs to complete as many as 4 tasks, for which he can receive a maximum of 20 points. The student submits assignments in front of a computer, his answers are recorded using a headset, and the time countdown is shown on the screen. There is an organizer in the audience who monitors the progress of the exam.

Task 1: Popular scientific text is displayed on the screen. In 1.5 minutes you need to prepare and in the next 1.5 minutes read it out loud expressively.

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 photos. 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: 2 pictures are given. It is necessary to compare them, describe the similarities and differences, and 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 tips:

1. Take advantage online trainer for the oral part of the exam on the website injaz.ege.edu.ru. It completely simulates the exam, so you will become familiar with the format and understand exactly what you need to do, what time to meet, etc.
2. To practice the first part of the exam you need take texts on different topics and learn to read them with the correct expression: speech should have pauses, logical stress, natural intonation. In addition, the graduate must complete it in one and a half minutes, because the score is reduced if the text is not read to the end. However, you can’t rush either, because it’s not the reading speed that is being tested, but the ability to read the text expressively.
3. To successfully complete the second task, you need learn to ask questions to various texts. In principle, the task itself is elementary; most errors are associated with the loss of an auxiliary verb or its incorrect agreement with a noun. This problem can be easily solved by repeating question-writing exercises.
4. In the third task, the examinee needs to choose 1 photo from 3 proposed and describe it. Here's our main advice - read the assignment carefully. The point is that it changes a little every year, so learn to answer according to the wording of 2018. In 2018, graduates will have to describe a photograph to a friend, that is, the monologue should address him. In addition, it is necessary answer all 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, you must definitely indicate which photo we will be talking about (I’ve chosen photo number...). Don't forget also about the introductory one (Would you like to have a look at my picture? / I'd like to show you a picture from my photo album.) and the final one (That's all for now. / I hope you liked my picture.) phrases that make speech logical.
5. In the fourth task you need to do the main focus of the speech is on comparing pictures, and not their description. In this case it is necessary use speech cliches: The first picture depicts... whereas/while the second picture depicts..., The main difference is that..., In comparison to the first picture, this one... etc. More similar speech cliches you learn with our article “Compare and Contrast Phrases”.

Textbooks and websites for preparing for the Unified State Exam in English 2018

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

1. The Macmillan Exam Skills for Russia textbook series includes books on preparation for each part of the Unified State Exam. With authentic texts and exercises, this series is one of the best for exam preparation. These books are quite complex, so we recommend that students with at least an Intermediate level study using them.
2. “Standard exam versions of the Unified State Exam edited by Verbitskaya” - exist in various variations and include standard Unified State Exam tasks with answers. Using the book, you can check how well a graduate is prepared to take the exam.
3. fipi.ru is the official website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements, which presents a large bank of standard tasks for the Unified State Exam. On the specified page, click on the inscription “English” and in the tab that opens on the left, select the skill that you want to train. Please note: there are no answers to the assignments on the site, therefore, to ensure that the graduate’s efforts are not wasted, we advise you to study with the teacher and submit completed assignments to him for checking.
, talkenglish.com , podcastsinenglish.com - sites with educational podcasts in English. Of course, there are no standard tasks for the Unified State Exam, but you can practice your listening comprehension skills in an interesting way and take a little break from the same type of exam tasks.

Our teacher Natalya has already prepared dozens of excellent students for the Unified State Exam in English; in her article “Exam, be good to me, or How to successfully pass the Unified State Exam in English,” she shares her personal experience and advice for graduates.

So, now you can imagine the amount of work and know the secrets of successfully passing the Unified State 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 Unified State Exam 2018 at.

This page contains demo versions of the Unified State Examination in English for 2003 - 2019.

Since 2015, Unified State Examination in English consists of two parts: written and oral, including five sections: “listening”, “reading”, “grammar and vocabulary”, “writing” (written part) and “speaking” (oral part).

Answers to the tasks of the first three sections are given in demonstration versions, and assessment criteria are given for the tasks of the fourth and fifth sections.

In comparison, the criteria for assessing the completion of task 40 of the “Writing” section in the written part of the exam, as well as the wording of task 40, in which the exam participant is offered a choice of two topics of a detailed written statement with elements of reasoning “My opinion,” have been clarified.

Demo versions of the Unified State Examination in English

Note that demo options are presented in pdf format, and to view them you must have, for example, the free Adobe Reader software package installed on your computer.

Changes in demo versions of the Unified State Exam in English

Demonstration versions of the Unified State Exam in English for grade 11 for 2004 - 2008 included five sections: “listening”, “reading”, “grammar and vocabulary”, “writing”, “speaking”. Answers were given to the tasks of the first three sections in demonstration versions, and evaluation criteria were given for the tasks of the fourth and fifth sections.

Demonstration versions of the Unified State Exam in English for grade 11 for 2009 - 2014 already consisted of four sections: “listening”, “reading”, “grammar and vocabulary”, “writing”. Answers were given to the tasks of the first three sections in demonstration versions, and evaluation criteria were given for the tasks of the fourth section.

Thus, from demo versions of the Unified State Exam 2009 - 2014 the “speaking” section was excluded.

IN 2015 Unified State Examination in English began to consist of two parts: written and oral. Demonstration version of the written part of the Unified State Exam 2015 in English Compared to the demo version of the Unified State Exam 2014, it had the following differences:

• Numbering there were assignments through throughout the entire version without letter designations A, B, C.
• Was The form of recording the answer in tasks with a choice of answers has been changed: The answer now needs to be written down in a number with the number of the correct answer (rather than marked with a cross).
• Listening tasks A1-A7 demo version of 2014 were transformed into task 2 written part of the 2015 demo.

IN 2015 V Unified State Examination in English again the “speaking” section is back, now in the form oral part of the Unified State Exam.

IN demo versions of the Unified State Exam 2016 - 2018 in English compared to demo version 2015 in Englishthere were no significant changes: The wording of the tasks for the oral part of the exam and the criteria for their evaluation were clarified.

IN demo version of the 2019 Unified State Examination in English compared to demo version 2018 in English The criteria for assessing the performance of task 40 of the “Writing” section in the written part of the exam were clarified, as well as the wording of task 40, in which the exam participant was offered a choice of two topics for a detailed written statement with elements of reasoning “My opinion”.

On our website you can also get acquainted with educational materials for preparing for the Unified State Exam in mathematics prepared by teachers of our training center "Resolventa".

For schoolchildren in grades 10 and 11 who want to prepare well and pass Unified State Examination in mathematics or Russian language for a high score, the Resolventa training center conducts

We also organize for schoolchildren