Test Podium proficiency tests II

I just randomly Googled and found a proficiency test. I found one at Test Podium which seemed pretty good. 35 mins and 40 questions.

Here are my results:

Date of test : 13 September 2009

43.75 % correct

Level : Intermediate level 2 (37.5/60 Points) B2

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Test type French test level 2
Date of test : 31 October 2009

Test result 66.25 % correct

Grading according to section

Grammar 62.50%
Vocabulary 50.00%
Communication 68.75% (funnily, I scored lower here compared to last time)
Listening comprehension 75.00%
Reading comprehension 75.00%

Level : Advanced level 1 (46.5 Points)

and their grading and corresponding CEFR levels:

Elementary 1 (00-10 points) A1
Elementary 2 (11-20 points) A2
Intermediate 1 (21-30 points) B1
Intermediate 2 (31-40 points) B2
Advanced 1 (41-50 points) C1
Advanced 2 (51-60 points) C2

Language level
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.


So according to them, I was B2 level last time, and now I am C1. I don't think the level is important, what's important is that I've improved. Yay! I don't think C1 is accurate anyway, since they didn't test any writing skills.

ESL languages French proficiency test Part II

ESL languages French proficiency test

On 11 September I scored 28/40 A2-B1

On 30 October (today) I scored 35/40. B1.

I decided to do this test again and I thought sufficient time had passed for me not to 'memorise' the answers... I think I did pretty well! Most of the ones I got wrong had to do with the dreaded subjunctive. I sort of know how/when/where to use it, but memorising how to spell all those words in all the conjugated forms is another matter!

Je l'aime, trouver un boulet, and other amusing mistakes

Like I said earlier, I've been chatting heaps online... and have made some rather hilarious mistakes.

1. I said, "Je l'aime" wanting to mean "I like/love it" and the other person thought I meant "I love him/her" and asked me, "Who?" He said I have to say, "J'aime ça". I asked a second person to confirm and read a bit online and from all of this I gathered that "Je l'aime" can mean "I love it" but it's confusing so you need to specify exactly what (ex. ... Ce livre, je l'aime). Also, "J'aime ça" (or "J'aime cela") is much better for objects.

BUT

"Je les aime" means "I like/love them" and the "them" can mean either people or objects!

2. This was not really a mistake, but a stupid typo. I have no idea why I typed it except I was very tired... "Merci de ton aime" instead of "Merci de ton aide". Luckily the other person saw the funny side of it!

3. I made the typo "...j'ai decidé de trouver un boulet..." Of course I meant boulot (job/work, colloquial form of travail) and didn't even realize my mistake until it was pointed out to me. And after, we both had a good laugh about it since boulet means "cannonball" or one of those heavy "ball and chain" things (pic above).
A "boulet" is also slang for a 'loser', an annoying person, a drag, a boring person, or someone who is bad in bed! It is used to insult someone.

4. "C'était ma journée". After rambling on about my day, I added this at the end, which of course means "That was my day." which is acceptable, but apparently in slang (when said by a women) it also means, "I have my period" (proper term is "j'ai mes règles"). It would have been better to say,"Voilà ma journée."

I'm sure I'll make more amusing mistakes later on! But they are one of the best ways to learn (since you remember them more easily).

17 weeks of learning French

17 weeks... I haven't done much this week (a part from FSI) but... I have exciting news. I started a French evening course yesterday at an adult community college and I love love love it! It's once/week for 2 hours. There are around 10 people in my class. All older than me except one. I just chose my own level and I think I chose well. I really hope to be at B1 level by March. The class is around mid-late A2 level.

They are very easygoing, there are no exams and if you don't do your homework they don't care, but unlike high school, everybody (obviously) wants to be there and get the most out of it. The teacher is great, and I love his French accent.

I compared my ipod with one of my classmates and we both had all these French learning recordings on it, which we both agreed was pretty nerdy.

I've also been chatting a lot online (the time difference is now 10 hours!) and I'm getting much better/faster at typing the accents. I used to leave most of them out because I was lazy but now I'm forcing myself to type them all.

So far I have:

• Done up to the end of Coffee Break French - Lesson 39 (of 69 lessons)
• Done up to the end of Assimil - Lesson 76 (of 113 lessons)
• Done up to the end of Live Mocha - Lesson 25 (of 50 lessons) 
• Done up to the end of French in Action - Lesson 17 (of 52 lessons)
• Done up to the end of FSI - Lesson 44 (tape 7.5) (of 189 lessons)
• Done up to the end of FSI French Phonology - Lesson 3 (tape 2.1) (of 20 lessons) (none this week)

I really enjoyed lesson 39 of CBF. There are two adorable kids in it!

Ecole France Langue French Proficiency test

Here is another fun proficiency test.. it's all done in Flash and very quick and easy.

I scored Intermediate 2 - B1.