The objective of this compulsory examination is an overall assessment of the student's competence in English required for successfully completing their final BA paper.

This is a compulsory examination whose objective is an overall assessment of the student's competence in English required for successful completion of their final BA paper.

* What?

The overall English competence examination comprises two independent written assignments, each 90 minutes long, and an oral colloquium. You can receive a maximum of 5 points for each of the assignments and a maximum of 5 points for the colloquium, i.e. a total of 15 points. The assessment of your achievement reflects your vocabulary, grammar, accuracy, consistency and cohesion as well as your communicative skills in English. Detailed instructions on what to do exactly are explained at the beginning of each section as well as on the answer sheets.

a) The first written assignment is the English in Use Paper. It comprises Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Error Correction, Lexical Cloze and Sentence Transformation. Dictionaries are not allowed.

b) The second written assignment is the Text Interpretation Paper, which includes Answering Questions on one text (or two texts on one topic), Asking Questions on the text, and writing a Summary. Printed dictionaries may be used (but no e-dictionaries). It is recommended that you bring a dictionary of your own as there may not be enough dictionaries to lend a copy to everyone.

A word of advice: Since all electronic devices (including mobile phones) are strictly forbidden, you may find it useful to bring a watch.

c) The colloquium consists of reading and presenting a page-long text on an academic topic. You will have 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the text, to read your text and prepare its presentation prior to the colloquium.  Paper dictionaries are allowed (but no e-dictionaries!). Then you will be invited to give a 5-minute presentation of the main topic of the text to a board of two examiners. Your performance will be followed by a 10-minute discussion and a detailed lexical and grammatical/lexical analysis of a selected section of the text. 

The assessment is based on the accuracy and clarity of your performance. The richness of your vocabulary, the succinctness of your presentation, the relevance of grammar as well as fluency - all these aspects play an important role. It is advisable that you communicate clearly and to the point. Your performance should be focused and appropriate. Show that you mean what you say.

* When?

There are five dates available per academic year (2 + 3, please see SIS) you can choose from. Owing to technical reasons, the written parts of the exam cannot be administered individually. Please note that the exam is not held in September.

The written parts of the exam usually take place on Mondays at 8:30 am in Troya, followed by the colloquia in the afternoon or on the following days.

The dates for written tests are announced in mid-October (for winter semesters) and early March (for spring semesters) in SIS.

If you wish to successfully pass the exam, make sure you do not miss the dates. 

 

The written sections of the exam must be taken personally in Troja. In case the covid situation makes in-classroom exams impossible, the entire exam will have to be postponed until the covid conditions become more favourable. Should this happen, you will be informed by e-mail. 

 

* Registration for the exam?

See SIS - Exam dates-publishing. Please remember that once you enrol for the exam, your registration becomes obligatory. In case you cannot take the exam it is necessary to notify the examiners PRIOR to the exam in order not to be failed. 

  

* Where?
    
Enrolled students take both written parts of the exam on the day they have enrolled for. The exam usually starts at 8:30 am. It will take place in Troya, the rooms will be specified by e-mail or just before the written exam. The colloquium will probably follow either in the afternoon or on the following Tuesday/Wednesday. You will be informed about the details before the exam begins - so make sure you come well in time. Please do not forget to sign on arrival, the sheet will be provided in the exam room.

Each registration counts as one try. Any failure to come for the exam must be duly explained prior to the exam. The examiners reserve the right not to accept any justification they find unconvincing.

 

* Grading

You may receive a maximum of 15 points for the entire examination, i.e. 5 points for each section. For the exam to be passed, you must get a minimum of one point for each section and a total of six points. (So, in the unlikely event you get 5 points for two sections and none for the remaining one, the 10 points gained will not constitute a pass.)

For grades, see the table below:

The total of points achieved	%	Grade
0    –  6	0 – 39 %	F – Failed / Nesplněno
6    –  8,5	40 – 57 %	C – Good / Dobře
8,6  –  11,5	58 – 77 %	B – Very Good / Velmi dobře
11,6 –  15	78 – 100 %	A – Excellent / Výborně

                                                                                                                                 

 

Resources for study depend entirely on your level of competence in English. In fact, any resource you find useful is good as long as it gives you an opportunity to enhance your skills and standard. There are countless guides and textbooks available on-line, nevertheless, the references you find below are worth looking at as they may be particularly helpful.

HORNBY, A. S.: Oxfrod Adanced Learners’s Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Many editions)

HACKER, D., SOMMERS, N. : A Pocket Style Manual. (Many editions)

GRAFF, G., BIRKENSTEIN, C.: They Say, I Say. The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. (Many editions)

SWAN, M.: Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Many editions)