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Not all CAT4/5 tests include this. Although the full version should include them, often schools opt for a shortened version and omit this.
One may think this is just based on your familiarity with the word and that no strategies can really be applied, it may be pointless to prepare for this section. However, because often it features homonym (ie sound-alike) selections, it is important to focus on these in your preparation Example Their/There/They’re •their- ownership •they’re- they are •there- location Example •Give them (their / there / they’re) things back right away! •Ownership of things so ‘their’ is correct 1. (Their / There / They’re) textbooks are all in the vault. 2. I can tell that (their / there / they’re) not happy with the results. 3. We can give them (their / there / they’re) things back when they arrive 4. Make sure (their / there / they’re) all accounted for on the bus. 5. We want (their / there / they’re) things to be ready on time. 6. Can you tell if (their / there / they’re) motivated to learn? 7. Is Alice not quite over (their / there / they’re) yet? It’s/Its •The word (its) shows ownership. •The contraction (it’s) is the combination of the two words (it is). •Example A: (Its / It’s) color makes the car stand out from the rest. •Answer: Its 1. I can tell that (its / it’s) made from very well-made material. 2. Do you know if (its / it’s) the answer to the problem? 3. I can tell that (its / it’s) collar is choking the dog. 4. We made (its / it’s) sweater very snug around the neck. 5. Do you know if (its / it’s) going to run or walk? 6. (Its / It’s) been so long since I’ve seen her. (Skye, 2019) Your/You’re Make sure you start with you're and un-contract it first ie you are The apply it in a sentence Ignore the other selections 1. I want to show (your / you’re) art piece at the exhibit. 2. Do you know if (your / you’re) mother will make it to the show? 3. Make sure (your / you’re) ready for our vacation next week. 4. Why do (you’re / your) parents not want you to attend the field trip? 5. I want all of (you’re / your) things out by this afternoon. Affect versus Effect •Affect is a verb •Effect is a noun • •Example A: What (affect / effect) did your mentor have on you? •Answer: effect Practice 1. Will you let the low test score (affect / effect) you? 2. What (affect / effect) are you feeling from the medication? 3. Let me tell you the (affect / effect) of the soda you are drinking. 4. What was the (affect / effect) that the teacher had on you? 5. What (affect / effect) did the hurricane have on the town? Whom/Whose/Who/Who’s •Whose is an adjective of possession (Whose books are these?) •Who’s is short for “who is..noun…. or “who is …verb..ing….? It is the Subject •Whom is an object Pronoun (E.g. I give it to whom?) Practice 1. (Who’s / Whom/ Whose) suggesting that we go to the game early? 2. (Who’s / Whom/Whose) going to eat the rest of the potatoes? 3. I am going early, so (who’s / whose) going with me? 4. (Who’s / Whom/ Whose) shoes are those sitting on the ground in the living room? 5. (Who’s / Whose/ Whom) the winner of the championship game? 6. To (Who/Whom/Whose) am I speaking? 7. Is it a person (who/whom/who’s) I know? 8. (Who’s / Whom/ Whose) been eating my chocolates? •(Who’s / Whom/ Whose) going to the baseball game tonight? •Answer Who’s Then/ Than •Than is a conjunction to compare –….er –more –rather •Then it is an adverb for order between first and last (similar to ‘next’ or ‘after that’) •Example A: He is taller (then / than) his older brother. •Answer: than Practice 1. Are you faster (then / than) the rest of the players? 2. I am shorter (then / than) you. 3. He went to the dance, (then / than) he went to the movies. 4. I will brush my hair and (then / than) organize my bed. 5. We went fishing and (then / than) went to eat lunch. Advice/Advise • •Advice (n) • a recommendation • •Advise (v) •to give a recommendation • •She gave her best (advice/advise) •Answer: advice Practice 1.I would like some advise/advice as to how it is done. 2.In the end she had to advise/advice against it. 3.Where would you advise/advice we go? 4.In the end, she decided it was the only advise/advice she could accept. • Adverse/Averse •adverse •bad; unfavorable • •averse •opposed [v] (Sam 2019) • •E.g. He was not adverse/averse to giving the proposal more time to consider •Answer averse Practice 1.as a former CIA director, he is not averse/adverse to secrecy. 2.It was an adverse/averse play that led to the other team’s goal 3.The medication had an averse/adverse reaction from everyone 4.He was averse/adverse to all of her political views Bogus words that often get included in the selection: •Whosever •Its’ •Thier •Taute •Personel •Aprise •Ajacent •Ingenous
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These are questions that give linker or trasnition phrases as a selection and then a paragraph. It asks which is the best way to combine senetneces
Example: The rate of growth in these frew short yewars was phenomnel, leading to job growth and GNP rates never seen before. The poverty rate also rose and inequality soared. A. Thereofre B. Similarly, C. Yet D, As an example, Since yet represents a contrast from the positive indications of the first sentences to the negative result, we need a contrast linker and 'yet' is the only one there Strtegies •Determine relationship between sentences –Add, Explain, Contrast, Conclude •Deduct obvious •Ask yourself - Do the sentences in the answer selection …. –Add (i.e. and, along with ….etc)? –Explain (i.e. because, since….etc)? –Contrast (i.e. but, although, while…etc)? –Conclude (i.e. therefore, so, ….etc)? •Isolates and numbers three sentences and asks you to judge which combination is correct
•A bad one is: 1.Missing information 2.Not a correct statement of relationship 3.Too long and uses unnecessary conjunctions 4.Too many conjunctions The best choice is one that preserves the parts but uses as few words as possible Example •Anisha was born in England •She is 13 •She now lives in Ottawa 1.Anisha was born in England but now lives in Ottawa 2.Anisha, a thirteen year old girl now lives in Ottawa because she was born in England 3.Anisha, 13, was born in England but it is now the case that she lives in Ottawa 4.Anisha is a thirteen year old girl, and now lives in Ottawa and she was born in England. The most efficient response might be: 5. Anisha, a thirteen year old girl living in Ottawa, was born in England In these question types there are about •5-6 sentences in a paragraph and after each sentence is a number
(1)In the 19th century, not only was child labour prevalent but one could say it was the norm. (2) Large factory owners argues that it was not only morally justifiable to have children as young as 12 working in factories, but it was a moral duty to increase the number of breadwinners in a family. (3) They pointed out that if they were not working in factories, they might be doing equally strenuous labor at home. (4) Worker unions led the fight against child labor arguing that the work was debilitating towards children and that such labor practices had the effect of lowering wages and increasing unemployment for adults. (5) Their fight against it took many decades to find fruition, but eventually laws were enacted to abolish the practice, though it took many years for the enforcement of these laws to take full effect. Variations 1.One sentence is isolated and asks you where you would insert it 2.Asks you which sentence to remove 3.Asks you to put in concluding sentence among a list Strategies 1.Remember the answer in an insertion question goes after the number, not before 2.If an insertion: 1.Isolate referents (This …., …. them, One…..) 2.Determine if the referents are plural or singular 3.See how nice the fit is (Does it flow) 3.If it is an opener: 1.Does it open paragraph topic? 2.Does it seem linked to something before it? If so discard 4.If conclusion: 1.Look at flow of sentences and how it connects 2.Look for statements that are too specific & discard them 3.Does it summarize and is it general in nature? 4.Look for statements that are off track 5.Insert it and read it again to see if it seems to flow & Discard them Remeber All types... •Require you to understand the flow of the paragraph Example Industrialization was one cause of these changes. (1) In 1900, more than 85% of the world’s population farmed their own food. (2) However, several developments led people to move from the country to the city. (3) This new type of economy depended on factories that were located close to raw materials, power and transportation. (4) These sites attracted many workers. (5) Hence, there was a shift from rural settings to urban centres. a after sentence 1 ‘These changes’ needs a referent b after sentence 2 Should be something related to ‘changes’ c after sentence 3 We also must look at industrialization d after sentence 4 Examples shouldn't end paragraphs, especially after summary sentences .•Give a selection of sentences
•Only one is right Eg •Which one is correct a.Yesterday I went to the store and drink cola with a few friends. b.That’s a very good lesson I had about coding. c.I wish I could play but I couldn’t. d.If I were young, I would play basketball. Strategies 1. Take off any immediately that you feel sound wierd or unconfortable. Often your instincts are very good with this 2. Strategy 2: Know Your Structural Clauses so that you get punctuation sty;e questions correct Main Clause •I eat rice Direct relative clause (Identifying clause) •I eat rice that is healthy for me Prepositional clauses •I eat rice with a fork in the evening •In the evening, I eat rice with a fork Contrast Clause •Although tired, in the evening, I eat rice with a fork Adjective …ing clause •Although tired, in the evening, being very hungry, I eat rice with a fork. Strategy 3: Check to see indirect clauses have proper commas Indirect relative Clause •Although tired, in the evening, being very hungry, I eat rice with a fork, a meal which always fills me up. •That girl over there, Mary, is dead •That girl over there, the one who is always so annoying to everyone, is dead Strategy 4: Know your rules of punctuation Questions relating to : •commas, semi colons, colons, capitals, apostrophe, dashes, question marks, dialogue conventions Tips: •Know function of commas, colons, semicolons, dashes •If sentence looks grammatical it may be capitals or question marks •Don’t get rattled by north south east west or by professional names like doctor or professor •Look to see lists are separated with commas •Know the conventions of dialogue Eg where do the quotes and commas go in the following example: – I must insisted John see you at once –“I must,” insisted John, “see you at once.” - I am tired said Grace the mouse wants to kill Nevin –“I am tired!” said Grace. “The mouse wants to kill Nevin.” Strategy 5: Check tense consistency •Many wrong sentences are wrong because of tense E.g. My friend is tired because he is studying for two weeks. –Here we mix present continuous with for….. –Usually this is mixed with past tense or present perfect continuous –….because has been studying for two weeks –….because has been studying for two weeks E.g. I think I would go but I couldn’t. –Here we mix present and past –I thought I would go but I couldn’t E.g. I will see the teacher, when suddenly I decided not to. –The ‘when’ clause is used with past continuous not future tense. –I was going to see the teacher, when suddenly I decided not to. Strategy 6: Take off fake indirect clause commas (i.e. they are actually direct clauses) •Take off any comma splices that give fake clauses •If it connects to the main clause and doesn’t just add information, it shouldn’t have a comma. What’s wrong with these? •E.g. You need to find a water source, in the ground near your house. •E.g. I tried getting it open, by using a clamp. Answer: In both cases no commas are needed since all the phrases (ie "in the ground", "near your house" and "by using a house" are all direct modifying phrases. They are not indirect clauses. Strategy 7: Take off plural and singular mismatches •Is the subject singular or plural •Is the verb singular or plural •Do they match? E.g. John and Mary is meeting their friends. E.g. Of the whole neighbourhood, only Felix and Karen is opposed to the new development. E.g. Each of the birds are here. E.g. Eating 10 hot dogs are hard E.g. There are less people today than yesterday. Strategy 8: Keep sentences parallel What’s wrong with these? •I like playing, dancing, and food. •I like to eat, dance and playing. •I dance, sing and am praised. •I watch tv, movies and eat. Strategy 9 Know your dialogue rules •“I like,” said Mary, “lots of chocolate.” •“I like them,” said Mary. “They are great!” What’s wrong with these quotes? 1. I like them Mary said “Lots of chocolate.” 2.1.“I like them” Mary said! 3.“I like,” said Mary, “Lots of chocolate.” 4.“I like them,” said Mary, “they are great.” Corrected Answers 3. "I like them," Mary said. “Lots of chocolate.” 2. “I like them!” Mary said. 3. "I like,” said Mary, “lots of chocolate.” 4.“I like them,” said Mary. “They are great.” •These are the techniques an author uses to make their writing better
Essentially they affect you emotionally Get to know and be able to identify these types: Word devices •Metaphor (extended) •Simile •Personification •Hyperbole •Symbol •Allusion •Understatement •Oxymoron •Colloquialism •Jargon •connotation Sounds Similar sounds •Pun •Onomatopoeia Repeated sounds •Alliteration •Assonance •Consonance Stressful sounds •Cacophony •Dissonance Gentle Term & Sounds •Euphemism •Euphony • Others •Proverb •Irony •dramatic, •situational, •verbal •Paradox •Flashback/foreshadow •Epiphany •Repetition/parallelism Poem Types 1.Narrative 2.Sonnet 3.Limerick 4.Calligram 5.Free Verse 6.Haiku 7.Acrostic 8.Kenning Story types 1.Frame 2.Allegory 3.Fable 4.satire Characterization 1.Flat vs round, 2. dynamic vs static Irony Dramatic, verbal, situational Point of View 1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1.Omniscient 2.Limited Omniscient 3.Objective 4.Stream of Consciousness .Identifying Forms of Text questions are questions that ask you determine what kind of text it is or where it could be found where the text would most likely be found
They essentially ask you to: — Think of the nature of article —Show your understanding of different texts Example Where would the following passage be most likely found in:
1.Think of tone & emotions the article tends to affect 2.Consider different texts and their characteristics a.Texts tend to be very objective & neutral b.Newspaper articles are part subjective, part neutral c.Encyclopedia are very factual d.Essays are persuasive with more personal tone 3.Use deduction common sense a.CAT 4/5 will not use College level passages (ie take off scientfic journals, thesis papers etc) b.Biographies will feature one person c.Diaries and autobiographies will use 1st person (ie “I…”) Tests ability to:
a)Understand the attitude of author b)Understand the type of writing it is c)Look for evidence by way of adjectives, adverbs etc…. An example worded questions might be: What would best express the tone of the passage? What is the author's attitude towards....? Strategies 1.Determine if it is neutral/objective/impersonal/factual/ informative Many times the answer is just a variation of neutrality. If the choice not given or it is not neutral, then proceed to assess the tone 2.Look for article positive or negative charge – Determine what it is for the article – Which questions are positive and which are negative? – Take out ones different from the negative or positive charge 3.Determine whether passage is factual or opinionated – Which fit the nature of the passage? – Take off uncharacteristic tone words for authors if it is a factual article –Check wording if not sure 1.These questions are questions that are distinguishable from many others in that they are:.—
1. Locatable questions. While it may be tricky to ;loactetr them they are locatable in specific location. 2— The prompt itself is often a rich source to note before you locate the answer. Thus, these questions are heavily reliant on 1.Key words - words helpful for your search but often found as synonyms in the text 2.Anchor words - words that you can expect will be exactly replicated from the multiple choice selections in the text. In other words, they cannot be replaced —3. These questions are ones that are almost always decided by confirming with the text rather than deduction on the spot —4. They contain many tricks & traps. Especially common is the trick of using exact key word matches in the text in the multiple choice questions Strategies 1.Recognize these as detail questions 2.Note Key words & Anchor words in the MCQ prompt 3.Decide on your lead off key or anchor word before you search the text 4.Have a hypothesis of location of the answer. Is it likely to be: 1.beginning, 2.upper middle, 3.middle, 4.lower middle, 5.near end 5. Skim quickly for location 6. SLOWLY read the section and process information 7. Go back and forth to it as you confirm .These questions test your ability to
a) Do Detective work – locatable as clues b) Make assumptions based on information c) Search for evidence but not expecting direct answers These questions are typically worded in these ways What does the author suggest... What does the author/passage infer about.... What does the author imply..... Strategies: As you are eliminating choices, take out: a)Answers that contradict b)Answers that are not mentioned c) Then look for clues. If no clues take the choice out The thing is that if there are no clues the answer cannot be correct . Often, if you have already read it, you can deduct the easier wrong answers on the spot but the remaining contenders need you to search for clues back in the text. —Have a hypothesis when you get down to the last contenders •Which do you suspect are wrong? •Which do you suspect are right? •Work at the weakest links: 1.Seems to contradict what you know 2.ones most easily locatable, 3.ones that seem wrong by common sense |
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Strategies for doing well on both the CAT 4 & 5 English exams.
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AuthorNevin Blumer is the Director of TPS Tests and a teacher of MELAB since 2009. He has his MA in Applied Linguistics and a BEd from UVic ArchivesCategories |
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