Magister Academy

People learn English for many reasons. Unfortunately, learners often think that there is only one way to learn English and that the same knowledge items are important for everyone. Students who are aware of why they are learning English can also be persuaded that different issues are important for different learners. This lesson uses a quiz to help identify learners as:

1. TYPE 1: English for Career Purposes Learner
2. TYPE 2: Global English Learner
3. TYPE 3: Learner Who Wants to Live (or already lives) in an English Speaking Culture
4. TYPE 4: English for Fun and Pleasure Learner

Test to determine what type of learner a person is

Activity: English learning quiz

Level: Intermediate and above

• Take the quiz.
• Score the quiz using the following categories:

1. Answers for 1 above – English for Career Purposes Learner – is a Type 1 learner
2. Answers for 2 above – Global English Learner – is a Type 2 learner
3. Answers for 3 above – Learner Who Wants to Live (or already lives) in an English Speaking Culture – is a Type 3 learner
4. Answers for 4 above – English for Fun and Pleasure Learner – is a Type 4 learner

• One who answers 6 questions or more as type 1 learner = English for Career Purposes Learner
• One who answers 6 questions or more as type 2 learner = Global English Learner
• One who answers 6 questions or more as type 3 learner = Learner Who Wants to Live (or already lives) in an English Speaking Culture
• One who answers 6 questions or more as type 4 learner = English for Fun and Pleasure Learner

Based on your score, refer to the learner type description included in the second part of this lesson.

Obviously, these learner types are approximates. However, by taking the quiz, one is made aware of why learning English is important. Knowing the ‘learner type’ profile helps one to better judge which activities are more important and when to give oneself a break!

Question 1

When do you use your English outside of class?

• 1. Speaking with other non-native English speakers (i.e., not American, British, Australia, etc. but with people who have learned English as a second or foreign language).
  2. Speaking with native English speakers.
  3. When I travel on holiday.
  4. With colleagues on the telephone or by email.

Question 2

Why are you learning English?

• 1. To live in an English speaking country.
  2. To use English to get a better job – Improve English for my current job.
  3. To speak English on holidays.
  4. To use English to stay informed by reading newspapers, magazines, Internet.

Question 3

Which statement best expresses your opinion about English?

• 1. It’s important to speak English for my job.
  2. It’s important to speak American English OR British English.
  3. The most important thing is communicating. It doesn’t matter whether you make a few mistakes.
  4. I need to ask directions and order breakfast when I go on holiday.

Question 4

Which is the most important English task for you?

• 1. Understanding native English speakers.
  2. Writing excellent communication through email, or in letters.
  3. Exchanging ideas with other people in English (both native and non-native speakers).
  4. Asking for and understanding basic things in English.

Question 5

How often do you use your English?

• 1. Quite often at work.
  2. Every day at work, shopping and speaking to people.
  3. Not very often, only when I travel or meet foreigners in my country.
  4. On a regular basis when reading, speaking to friends via the internet, watching TV in English, etc.

Question 6

How do you use English on the Internet?

• 1. Only to learn English. Otherwise, I visit sites in my language.
  2. I like looking at pages in English from all around the world.
  3. Doing research for my job.
  4. I like visiting American or British sites to learn the slang and lifestyle.

Question 7

Which statement is true for you?

• 1. Basic pronunciation is important, excellent pronunciation is impossible.
  2. Pronunciation should be clear, it doesn’t matter if it is British or American, etc.
  3. Pronunciation is not so important, I need to understand and write English well.
  4. Pronunciation and the correct accent is very important for me. I want native speakers (Americans, British, Australian, Canadian, etc.) to understand me.

Question 8

Do you think that… ?

• 1. English learning is stressful, but important for work.
  2. English learning is essential to improve my life where I live.
  3. English learning is fun and one of my hobbies.
  4. English learning is one of my favorite hobbies.

Question 9

Do you dream in English?

• 1. Never
  2. Sometimes
  3. Often
  4. Rarely

Question 10

How often do you study English?

• 1. A few hours every day
  2. Once or twice a week
  3. A little bit every day
  4. If and when I feel like it

Click Here if you don’t see the table below.

Log on to this website for a comprehensive list of English Irregular Verbs.  English Irregular Verbs need to be learnt by heart.  There can be no escaping this!  The truth is that there is neither rhyme nor reason for some of the ‘strange’ words:  If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? Hmm…more about the idiosyncrasies of the English Language later.

You will need irregular verbs to conjucate the Past Tense and the Past Participle; so important for the Perfect Tenses.

So, first step, take some time to learn the Irregular Verbs.  You have to read them across, horizontally and repeat them over and over again.

www.englishpage.com/irregularverbs/irregularverbs.html

Our next tutorial will be about the five basic English Tenses and how to learn to apply them.  In the meantime, the best way to learn English is to read.  Read about anything that you like, that you enjoy and, remember, if there is anything that you do not understand, just google the word or phrase and hey presto!

Until the next time.