MTA Review for the Smartest of Students

Dear smart students reading this blogpost,


I hope you're having a fun and smooth time preparing for your midterm (which in case you didn't know is this Saturday from 11 am to 12:30 pm and will include reading, grammar, spelling and writing questions from themes 1, 2 and 3).

Please do not be discouraged if you got a low grade on your first quiz. You can always work harder and compensate in the midterm.

How can you prepare for the midterm exam?

First, study grammar:

Grammar is one pf the most important components of any language exam and it's a big part of the writing question as well. There are some grammar topics in each theme and it's of the utmost importance for you do know and practice all of them. There is a very useful grammar reference on page 179 of your student book which includes the grammar topics discussed in each of the five themes. Take a quick look through it before studying.

Grammar Topics Checklist (by themes)

Theme 1:

•Present simple tense

•Past simple tense

•Imperative sentences

•Gerunds (with verbs like love, hate,…)

•Infinitives (want, hope, promise,…)

Theme 2:

•Present time and past time indicators.

•Present simple to describe people

•Modals: Can, should

•Adverbs of frequency

•Short introductions

•Everybody / somebody / nobody / anybody

Theme 3:

•Must and have to

•Would like and want.

•Simple present passive.

•Using so and because.

Second, review vocabulary and definitions:

Most students find it hard to memorise the huge number of new words that the book contains and that's why you should study vocabulary as soon as you finish the lesson. However, I am sure most of you do not do that for the same reason you keep hitting the snooze button 5 times every morning. So my advice to you, lazy friends, is to focus on the difficult words and the definitions in the book in order to have a basic foundation. Remember also that spelling is crucially important. 

The vocabulary section will most likely include a) definitions, b) opposites and c) filling in with a suitable word.

To exercise your vocabulary, CLICK HERE

Thirdly, writing:

After you understand grammar and review key vocabulary, it is time to test the most important productive skill: writing. Be sure to implement good and correct ideas, adequate spelling, general understanding of key grammar rules and basic punctuation rules. 

Please DO NOT plagiarise (memorise or copy) sentences or paragraphs from the Internet. Doing so will probably lead to failing the course, suspension or expulsion from the university. Stay away from trouble!

The writing section may include another question such as reordering words to get a meaningful sentence. CLICK HERE to see an example

Hope to see you on Saturday,

Stay smart! B)

Ms. Tasneem Solie