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Language exams stressful?

Would you say that language exams are stressful, because you can't really revise for them? I usually like to feel fully prepared for exams, and it seems hard to do that with languages because it tests more of what you have accumulated over the years. I'm worried that I would be, well, really worried next year when I take my AS, because I wouldn't feel 100% confident. Or are you the opposite, and like language exams, because it requires consistent work rather than last minute revision?

Reply 1

mooncheese89

I personally prefer language exams because of that very reason- it's not all down to revision. I'm CRAP at revising on the run-up to exams, and I very rarely do...as a result, I got my best AS marks in French. I like it that way.
Honestly, I wouldn't worry- as long as you do put in consistent work, it will be fine. The really helpful thing is to learn vocabulary as it comes along- don't leave it to pile up to learn loads of it all at once, otherwise it won't stick.

I am lucky though, I have a very good memory for languages. But don't worry about being very stressed when the exam comes round because you can still do certain amounts of revision, like revising grammar rules, and a selection of very useful phrases and vocabulary.
:smile:

Reply 2

t-meister

I was calm during my Alevel German exams, so calm that I tried a new plan.

My AS Unit 3 (which I had sat twice b4!) had questions with listening, reading, then more listening then writing. So I decided to do reading first, then my writing then go to my listening. 5mins to go and I was confident, until I was reading through and realised I missed out my second listening section! 20 MARKS! I quickly pressed play and wrote down loads of random words and ticked a few boxes. I couldnt believe it.

Now, Im ****ting myself for every language exam.

Reply 3

MBenno

The french oral exam is the worst exam ever invented, i detest it with a passion, and scraped cs in AS and A2 exams, somehow brought up to scrape a B overall. I sometimes wonder why i picked it and moreso why ive picked it for uni.

Reply 4

Trundle

With langauges, although revision is of course still useful (especially for grammar), you certainly can not "cram" like you can for other subjects such as Psychology and History etc. You can prepare for them by doing all of the past papers (I did most of them twice!). I think the problem with the oral is that marks vary such a lot depending on who is marking it. I know that there are measures in place to supposedly ensure standardisation etc but I still think marks on oral exams come out very randomly.

Do't let this put you off though. If you work hard, there is no reason why you can't do well. Re-sits are invaluable to language students, for obvious reasons.

Reply 5

leannemarie

I don't find them very stressful, although I always get really nervous before my speaking exams because I feel under pressure to do my best/remember vocab etc whereas with written exams, at least the examiner isn't sat in front of you when you do them!

Reply 6

Excalibur

mooncheese89

I think I have a good memory for languages too, so I hope that it will be the case for me too. :smile:

Thanks for the replies everyone :smile:

Reply 7

*soph*

I would say speaking exams are, but not the other papers. Then again, I am the sort of person who tends to panic and go into the exam having got myself into a state and usually feeling very ill!

Reply 8

wirbelsturm

Excalibur

I think it depends how you learn a language, I personally crapped myself in all of the german units apart from the speaking because you can (to some extent) controll the direction of the conversation, you can also use it as an opportunity to show off whereas the listening and reading sections often require consise answers. A.s german is quite a step up from gcse, I went into a level having fluked my gcse and had little knowledge of grammar. Whatever you do make sure you learn the grammar, I think I did it the wrong way round, I spent far too much time reading the dictionary and was still panicking about cases 3 weeks before the exam. But having said that the examiners give more marks for opinion, reaction and response in the writing and the oral so as long as you can get some opinions across then you should do fine. A2 is a bit tougher with regard to the grammar though and if your doing AQA Gr04 is the one that I struggled with. Just make sure that you listen and read as much material as possible. Read german newspapers(get them online) and listen to german radio stations(google search throws up quite a lot) throughout your studies, some of the material will be way beyond a level standard but you will feel far more confident when faced with similar but easier extracts in an exam. I think I may have rambled off point, hopefully some of it was useful. Good luck and DONT PANIC!

Reply 9

kellywood_5

I actually felt very relaxed in written French exams because it's not like other subjects where you have loads of facts to remember and you've spent lots of time the night before cramming! If you've worked consistently throughout the year and done lots of past papers, there's really not much else you can do, and you usually have more time than you need in the exam itself, so you don't have to rush. Oral exams, however, are a completely different story! :p:

I hate them with a vengeance and get stressed out big time, but I guess you can at least prepare for them to a certain extent by learning and practicing your presentation.

Reply 10

PaddingtonClare

I did French and German at A level (going to Uni this year to do just that)
I got all A's in the 4 speaking exams I had to do in total, ie 2 x French, 2 x German.

Can I just say, that after my A2 German, I put my head in my hands... I had started speaking French... said English words, my grammar was wrong.. but I kept confident and kept going... I spoke for 30 mins in total. I got an A. I was so suprised, but examiers love it when you can just speak speak speak and not hesitate.
I'd say be confident, as a few grammar mistakes (and a whole different language :P) isnt the end of the world.

Reply 11

PaddingtonClare

I actually made a grammar mistake in that last post. How ironic.

Language exams are only stressful if you want them to be stressful

Reply 12

LucyA

Orals are the only really stressful part, I think. Mad, as you actually properly revise for them, but it's the whole going into an empty room with really sweaty palms trying to remember EVERYTHING.(in a spontaneous way, of course.

(In my y10 end of year french oral I started talking in Spanish, then in the wrong tense and nearly in english and she still gave me 38/40. which baffled me, to be honest. "um, je suis, jee uhhh, vais, no no um, je suis allée au ville avec mes copinees.ummm(insert partial nervous breakdown here)" and so on. )

Reply 13

BovineBeast

wesetters

The "um"s make it sound more realistic.

Loads of French people put stuff like "ben" and "alors" into their speech for no apparent reason. :biggrin:

Yeah, and really, that's what you have to do. Hesitation is fine, so long as you hesitate in the language you're doing. This means saying 'alors' a lot in French and 'also' in German.

But I got a D in my French Oral (I might have got an A in German though, can't remember), so taking advice from me is not the best idea (got an A in French overall though. Not sure how I managed that.) To be fair that was because I did the exam pretty horribly. Completely lost my grammar, which is usually what I'm best at, and that led to long silences. I hate Orals.

Reply 14

~amanda~

Yeah the orals were the worst because they're a lot more about thinking on your feet rather than having time to decide the best answer for a question

Reply 15

*~vicki~*

:dito: orals were the worst exam for languages, i didnt mind the writing/reading/listening, but the oral was the thing that freaked me out the most. I dont know what it was, but i completely panicked. Despite this i managed to get an A for both my german orals, but for french i ended up with a B and a D for the orals. The marking is so unpredicatable as well.

i hate orals! :biggrin:

Reply 16

kellywood_5

*~vicki~*