Unified State Examination English version 1. Unified State Examination in English

English is the most popular of the four languages ​​taken as part of the Unified State Exam. The current test is almost no different from testing in 2015, with the exception of some improvements in the wording of the oral part task and the fact that the passing score for the entire exam has increased to 22 points compared to last year’s 20. Passing English is no more difficult or easier than German, French or Spanish . The structure of the Unified State Exam in English is also no different from the Unified State Exam in other foreign languages.

Testing is spread over two days. On the first day, the student takes a mandatory written part, consisting of four sections:

  1. listening;
  2. reading;
  3. grammar and vocabulary;
  4. letter.

There are a total of 40 tasks in the written part, and 180 minutes are allotted for them. If they wish, students can come on the second day of the exam and take oral part, consisting of four tasks (to test speaking skills). For execution oral exam 15 minutes are allotted.

It is worth noting that only for the written part you can get no more than 80 points.

The conditions for taking the test in 2019 are no different from last year. But before you start taking practice assignments and online tests, study general information about the exam.

Unified State Examination

To pass the exam, you need to correctly solve at least 17 tasks from section 3 or 2 and 3. Thus, you gain 17 primary points, which, when translated into test scores, give 22. Use our table to reflect your results in a convenient five-point score.

Structure of the Unified State Exam written test

In 2019, the written part of the test consists of four sections, including 40 tasks.

  • Section 1: Listening (1–9), answers to tasks are a number or a sequence of numbers.
  • Section 2: Reading (10–18), the answers to the tasks are a number or a sequence of numbers.
  • Section 3: Grammar and Vocabulary (19–38), the answer to the task is a number, a word or several words written without spaces or punctuation.
  • Section 4: Writing (39–40), consists of two tasks - writing a personal letter and a statement with elements of reasoning.

Preparation for the Unified State Exam

  • Take the Unified State Exam tests online for free without registration or SMS. The tests presented are identical in complexity and structure to the actual exams conducted in the corresponding years.
  • Download demo versions of the Unified State Exam at English language, which will allow you to better prepare for the exam and pass it easier. All proposed tests have been developed and approved for preparation for the Unified State Exam by the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements (FIPI). In the same FIPI all official Unified State Exam options.
    The tasks you will see most likely will not appear on the exam, but there will be tasks similar to the demo ones on the same topic.

General Unified State Examination figures

Year Minimum Unified State Examination score Average score Number of participants Failed, % Qty
100 points
Duration -
Exam length, min.
2009 20
2010 20 55,87 73 853 5 2 160
2011 20 61,19 60 615 3,1 11 160
2012 20 60,8 74 408 3,3 28 160
2013 20 72,4 74 668 1,8 581 180
2014 20 62,8 180
2015 22 64,8 180
2016 22 180
2017 22 180
2018

Since 2003, the unified state exam was conducted as an experiment, and since 2009 it has become a unified form of state certification of applicants. Nowadays, in order to enter a university, you increasingly need to take Unified State Exam in English.

As for preparing for the Unified State Exam in English, you should know that you need to prepare for it in advance, and the sooner the better. And even if you good level English language skills, you still need good preparation, and this takes time, at least a year.

To pass the Unified State Exam well you need:

  • become familiar with the exam format;
  • have a good level of English;
  • master reading and listening strategies. An excellent understanding of the main content is assumed.
  • familiarize yourself with the assessment criteria for assignments.

If you want to prepare well for the Unified State Exam, you need to study with a professional teacher. He must know the format of this exam. Also choose a teacher who has already worked with children in this area. Do not think that you have enough lessons at school to successfully pass the Unified State Exam. Remember that the most important thing is quality, not quantity, so you need to prepare directly for the Unified State Exam, and don't study everything.

Unified State Exam 2010. Exam structure.

The Unified State Exam includes 4 sections, which consist of 46 tasks.

  • Section 1 - listening. This section consists of 15 tasks. 1 task - to establish correspondence and 14 tasks in which you need to choose the correct answer options. The time given is 30 minutes.
  • Section 2 - reading. It consists of 9 tasks, with 2 tasks on establishing correspondence, and 7 tasks on choosing the correct answer. Time to complete - 30 minutes.
  • Section 3 - vocabulary and grammar. Includes 20 tasks. 13 - with a short answer, 7 tasks - to choose from correct option answer. Time - 40 minutes.
  • Section 4 - written part. Includes two tasks. The first is to write an essay with a reasoning and the second is to write a friendly letter. You have 60 minutes to complete.

Total allowance for the exam 160 minutes.

Unified State Exam results for previous years

The most difficult section to complete is “Vocabulary and Grammar”. In general, the work has the lowest percentage of completion in lexical tasks. It is A22-A28. Practice has shown that it is difficult for graduates to use modified verb forms and tense agreement.

And in 2009 they removed it from the Unified State Examination "Burning". Probably, this situation arose as a result of the fact that many who took the Unified State Exam abandoned this section immediately after they began to answer it.

And now some advice regarding all sections of the Unified State Exam.

Listening

  • listen carefully! After all, such a trick is often used when they first say one answer and then correct it differently;
  • you need to read the assignment carefully;
  • look at the endings of what you wrote and try to find possible minor errors;
  • if you didn’t hear something, don’t panic, you will have the opportunity to listen again;
  • if you don’t know how to answer a question, answer at least something, but the main thing is to answer;
  • if they speak too quickly, don’t get upset, try to relax and then it will be easier for you to perceive the information.

Reading

  • if you are not familiar with the topic discussed in the text, do not worry, because in order to find the answers in the text, you do not need special knowledge;
  • if you are given tasks in which you need to insert words or phrases instead of gaps, read the sentence before and after the gaps, try to guess what exactly is missing;
  • don’t get hung up on one question, you can always return to it, but in the meantime, move on to others;
  • you always need to read the entire text to understand the meaning;
  • if you don't know the answer to a question, try to guess it;
  • When preparing for the Unified State Exam, read as many texts of different styles as possible.

Written assignment

  • it is worth writing about the same thing only in different words;
  • don't go off topic;
  • do not use the same vocabulary as in the task. Choose synonyms for words;
  • keep track of time;
  • do not write more than necessary, because this may indicate that you have written a lot of unnecessary things;
  • Remember that you need to take the time to re-read what you have written and, if necessary, correct any errors you find.

Vocabulary and grammar

  • if you need to insert a word, try to determine in what number and form it should be;
  • if you don’t know the correct answer, don’t leave any blanks anyway, look for the answer by contradiction;
  • check your spelling.

Speaking

This section was not included in the Unified State Exam 2010, but it is still worth knowing the tips for this part.

  • if you are unclear about a task, ask the examiner about what is unclear;
  • use as many words as possible, show your lexicon;
  • you must understand that you are required to express your personal opinion and not discuss the topic with professionalism;
  • Perhaps you will forget a word, in this case there is no need to get lost, you can replace it with another word.;
  • You should be aware that this section is not intended for you to demonstrate that you can construct sentences correctly. You need to demonstrate communication skills.

This page contains demo versions of the Unified State Examination in English for 2003 - 2019.

Since 2015, Unified State Examination in English comprises two parts: written and oral, including five sections: “listening”, “reading”, “grammar and vocabulary”, “writing” (written part) and “speaking” (oral part).

Answers to the tasks of the first three sections are given in demonstration versions, and evaluation criteria are given for the tasks of the fourth and fifth sections.

In comparison, the criteria for assessing the performance of task 40 of the “Writing” section in the written part of the exam, as well as the wording of task 40, in which the exam participant is offered a choice of two topics of a detailed written statement with elements of reasoning “My opinion,” have been clarified.

Demo versions of the Unified State Examination in English

Note that demo options are presented in pdf format, and to view them you must have, for example, the free Adobe Reader software package installed on your computer.

Demo version of the Unified State Examination in English for 2003
Demo version of the Unified State Examination in English for 2004
Demo version of the Unified State Examination in English for 2005
Demo version of the Unified State Examination in English for 2006
Demo version of the Unified State Examination in English for 2007
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2008
Demo version of the Unified State Examination in English for 2009
Demo version of the Unified State Examination in English for 2010
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2011
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2012
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2013
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2014
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2015 (written part)
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2015 (oral part)
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2016 (written part)
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2016 (oral part)
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2017 (written part)
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2017 (oral part)
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2018 (written part)
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2018 (oral part)
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2019 (written part)
Demonstration version of the Unified State Exam in English for 2019 (oral part)

Changes in demo versions of the Unified State Exam in English

Demonstration versions of the Unified State Exam in English for grade 11 for 2004 - 2008 included five sections: “listening”, “reading”, “grammar and vocabulary”, “writing”, “speaking”. Answers were given to the tasks of the first three sections in demonstration versions, and evaluation criteria were given for the tasks of the fourth and fifth sections.

Demonstration versions of the Unified State Exam in English for grade 11 for 2009 - 2014 already consisted of four sections: “listening”, “reading”, “grammar and vocabulary”, “writing”. Answers were given to the tasks of the first three sections in demonstration versions, and evaluation criteria were given for the tasks of the fourth section.

Thus, from demo versions of the Unified State Exam 2009 - 2014 the “speaking” section was excluded.

IN 2015 Unified State Examination in English began to consist of two parts: written and oral. Demonstration version of the written part of the Unified State Exam 2015 in English Compared to the demo version of the Unified State Exam 2014, it had the following differences:

  • Numbering there were assignments through throughout the entire version without letter designations A, B, C.
  • Was The form of recording the answer in tasks with a choice of answers has been changed: The answer now needs to be written down in a number with the number of the correct answer (rather than marked with a cross).
  • Listening tasks A1-A7 demo version of 2014 were transformed into task 2 written part of the 2015 demo.

IN 2015 V Unified State Examination in English again the “speaking” section is back, now in the form oral part of the Unified State Exam.

IN demo versions of the Unified State Exam 2016 - 2018 in English compared with demo version 2015 in Englishthere were no significant changes: The wording of the tasks for the oral part of the exam and the criteria for their evaluation were clarified.

IN demo version of the 2019 Unified State Examination in English compared with demo version 2018 in English The criteria for assessing the performance of task 40 of the “Writing” section in the written part of the exam were clarified, as well as the wording of task 40, in which the exam participant was offered a choice of two topics for a detailed written statement with elements of reasoning “My opinion”.

On our website you can also get acquainted with educational materials for preparing for the Unified State Exam in mathematics prepared by teachers of our training center "Resolventa".

For schoolchildren in grades 10 and 11 who want to prepare well and pass Unified State Examination in mathematics or Russian language for a high score, the Resolventa training center conducts

We also organize for schoolchildren

The Unified State Exam in English is an exam that is not included in the list of mandatory ones, but the popularity of foreign languages ​​is growing every day. There is a possibility that the discipline will be introduced as compulsory, so it is worth paying attention to the English language Special attention in progress schooling. The Unified State Exam is the final test for all schoolchildren, during which the test taker’s level of competence in a number of disciplines is tested. But to prepare for the Unified State Exam in foreign languages, there is little knowledge; the ability to apply it in practice and work on assignments is required different types and levels of complexity, perceive speech by ear, read, write, have an excellent knowledge of grammar. Additional factors success - the ability to rationally allocate time to solve different tasks and a strong nervous system.

In 2018, English was taken in 2 stages - written and oral parts. Writing skills and knowledge were tested on one day, and other tasks on another.
The letter is tested with tasks on grammar, vocabulary, listening, and reading. There are 40 tasks in total, for which 180 minutes are allocated. Maximum amount points – 80.
The oral part is not mandatory for examinees - it gives another 20 points. It is recommended not to refuse the opportunity to receive additional points, which may be useful upon admission. This stage of the test is given 15 minutes, during which you need to complete 4 tasks. If the oral portion is failed, writing scores do not suffer.


  • Listening - tasks that test students' ability to perceive speech by ear. The subjects are offered several fragments in English, which they must listen to and answer the proposed questions. Fragments include 2 times. The topics within the program are varied: weather, reports, recordings of programs and others. To answer correctly, it is important to understand what you hear! It is also recommended to listen carefully to background sounds when listening. To prepare for this stage, listen to English more often - watching films and programs will help.
  • Reading: a text is presented that needs to be successfully perceived, understood, and answered questions. Ideally, about 95-97% of words should be understandable. The preparation is very simple - read more in English and learn new words.
  • Grammar is the easiest format option. You need to insert missing words, correct mistakes, change the form of words, according to the rules. Preparation requires repetition of grammar.
  • Writing: You are required to write an essay on a given topic. This could be an advertisement, a letter, an essay. Not only literacy is required, but also adherence to the correct structure of the text.
“Solving the Unified State Exam in English” will help you practice solving tasks of varying difficulty in the discipline.

Increasingly, parents of schoolchildren are turning to our school with a request to prepare future graduates for the Unified State Exam in English 2018. Therefore, we decided to write a detailed article in which we will tell you how to prepare for this exam: we will look at its structure and give practical advice For successful completion each part of the Unified State Exam, and will also present the best textbooks and online resources for preparing for this difficult test.

What is the Unified State Exam in English 2018

Unified State Examination in English 2018 is final exam at school, which counts as an entrance exam to a university, which is why it is so important to pass it with a high score. For now, this exam is not mandatory, but if a graduate is going to enter a specialized university, he needs to pass this test.

In structure and level of complexity, the Unified State Exam is similar to international exam FCE. This means that in order to pass successfully, the student must have a level (above average). This is a high level, so we recommend starting to prepare for the Unified State Exam in English from the 10th grade, then in 2 years the student will be able to master the entire required amount of material at a normal pace.

In principle, you can prepare to take the exam in 1 year, but only if at the time of starting preparation the student already speaks English at an (intermediate) level. Don't know what level the graduate has? Then invite him to pass.

How is the Unified State Exam in English held in 2018? The exam consists of written and oral parts, which are conducted in different days. On one day, schoolchildren take the written part, it includes the following sections: listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary. In total, on this day the graduate needs to complete 40 tasks in 180 minutes. A student can receive a maximum of 20 points for each section. Thus, for this day you can score 80 points.

The second part - oral - takes place on another day and available upon request. It lasts only 15 minutes and consists of 4 tasks. On this day, a graduate can earn another 20 points. We strongly advise all graduates to take the oral part: in case of unsuccessful answers you do not lose anything, but in case of successful - earn extra points.

Thus, a graduate can score a maximum of 100 points in the exam. Minimum score to pass the exam is 22 points.

Below we present a table for converting Unified State Exam scores in English into a five-point system.

Unified State Exam results are usually published 14 days after passing the second part of the exam, but in some cases they are known after 12 days. You can find out your results on the official Unified State Exam website by filling out all the required fields. Paper USE certificates were canceled in 2014, so now only electronic certificates are available.

Structure of the Unified State Exam in English 2018 and principles for successfully passing each part

In this chapter, we will tell you in detail about what tasks the graduate will have to complete in each part of the exam. In addition, we will provide advice from our teachers who prepare schoolchildren to take the Unified State Exam. By the way, if you are looking for a teacher who will prepare your child for the exam, pay attention to. They have been doing this for several years now and have developed their own strategy for successful preparation; they know what pitfalls await them in the exam, what typical mistakes schoolchildren make and how to get rid of these mistakes.

As an example, we will present you demo version Unified State Exam in English, provided by the official website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements fipi.ru.

Listening

The listening test lasts 30 minutes and consists of three parts. The first two parts are the first and second tasks, respectively, and the third part is tasks No. 3-9 (out of a total list of 40 tasks).

Listening for the Unified State Exam in English in 2018 includes 3 audio fragments combined into one recording. The examiners turn on the recording and do not stop it until the very end, but there are pauses between fragments to read the tasks and transfer the answers to the form. For each correct answer in this and other parts of the exam, the student receives 1 point. Let's see what the graduate will have to do in listening.

Exercise 1: 7 statements are given. The student listens to 6 statements and matches them with statements, one of which is redundant.

6 points.

Example:

Listening task 1

Task 2: 7 statements are given. The student listens to the dialogue and determines which statements correspond to the content of the dialogue (True), which do not correspond (False), and which are not mentioned in it (Not Stated).

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Listening task 2

Task 3: 7 questions are given, each of them has 3 possible answers. The student listens to the audio recording and selects the correct answer to each question.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Listening task 3

Our tips:

  1. When preparing for the exam, you need to do as many listening tasks as possible in exam format. This way, the graduate will get used to quickly reading assignments and catching key words in speech that will help them find the correct answer.
  2. When choosing an answer, you need to rely not on the words mentioned in the speaker’s speech, but on the meaning of his words. So, for example, in his speech he may in one way or another mention all the answers to the task, but if you delve into what was said, you can understand that there is only one correct answer.

Reading

The reading lasts 30 minutes and consists of 3 parts (9 tasks). We recommend spending no more than 10 minutes on each part in order to complete the allotted half hour.

Exercise 1: There are 7 short texts (3-6 sentences each) and 8 headings. You need to read the texts and choose the appropriate heading for each of them. In this case, 1 heading will be redundant.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Reading task 1

Task 2: Given a text that has 6 gaps. Below are 7 passages, 6 of which must be inserted in place of the gaps.

Maximum points: 6 points.

Example:

Reading task 2

Task 3: A short text and 7 questions for it are given. For each question there are 4 answer options, from which you need to choose 1 correct one.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Reading task 3

Our tips:

  1. When completing the first task, you need to look for keywords that will indicate the meaning of the text and help you find the desired title. In addition, often the main meaning of a paragraph is reflected in the first sentence, and the rest give some minor details. Therefore, in some cases you just need to carefully read the first sentence in order to complete the task correctly.
  2. To successfully complete the second task, you need to have a good understanding of how they are constructed in English. complex sentences. The fact is that the missing part in most cases is part of a compound or complex sentence. For example, if a student understands that subordinate clause who is used to refer to people, which to refer to objects, and where to refer to places, he will be able to successfully complete most tasks. It also needs to be repeated, for example, that the infinitive is used to express purpose.
  3. In the third task, the questions are arranged in the order in which they are answered in the text. That is, the answer to the first question will be at the beginning of the text, and not in the middle or end, the answer to the second question will be after the answer to the first, etc.

Grammar and vocabulary

This Unified State Exam section in English 2018 tests the graduate’s knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary. The student is given 40 minutes to complete it. Let's see what the student has to do.

Exercise 1: Given a text in which 7 words are missing. To the right of the text are words that need to be transformed grammatically (for example, put the verb in the right tense) and inserted in place of the gap.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 1

Task 2: Given a text with 6 gaps. On the right are words that need to be transformed both lexically and grammatically - to form a single-root word that matches the meaning of the text.

Maximum points: 6 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 2

Task 3: Given a text with 7 gaps. You need to choose 1 correct answer out of the four proposed for each of them.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Grammar and vocabulary, task 3

Our tips:

  1. The transformation of a word in the first part, as a rule, occurs according to the following principle. If you are given a verb, you must either use it in the correct tense or put it in correct form voice (active or passive), or form a participle from it. If an adjective is given, you must put it in the comparative or superlative degree. If you need to change a numeral, most likely you need to make it ordinal.
  2. The second part mainly tests knowledge of suffixes and prefixes, including negative ones, and the ability to form different parts of speech from a word with the same root.
  3. In the third part, knowledge of word combinations, so-called collocations, is most often tested. In addition, out of 4 words you will need to choose the most appropriate in meaning, that is, you need to know the difference between similar words, read into the context.

Letter

The graduate is given 80 minutes to write and check 2 written works.

Exercise 1: Given is the text of a short letter from a friend asking questions. The student needs to read it and write a response letter: answer the friend’s questions and ask him questions.

Volume: 100-140 words.

Maximum points: 6 points.

Example:

Letter, task 1

A letter to a friend is written in an informal style. The structure of this work is as follows:

  1. Making a “hat”

    On the right top corner We write the address: on the top line we indicate the city, below it - the country of residence. No need to write the street and house number: This may be considered a disclosure of confidential information, even if the address is fictitious.

    After the address, skip 1 line and write the date the letter was written in the same upper right corner.

    Next, as usual, on the left we write an informal address: Dear Tom/Jim (the name will be given in the task). It is unacceptable to write Hello here. After the address, put a comma and continue writing the text of the letter on a new line.

  2. Text of the letter

    We start writing each paragraph with a red line.

    In the first paragraph, you need to thank your friend for the letter you received (Thanks a lot for your last letter) and apologize that you didn’t write earlier (Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long). You can also mention some fact from the letter you received.

    In the fourth paragraph, you need to summarize - inform that you are finishing the letter (I’ve got to go now! It’s time for my favorite TV show), and offer to keep in touch (Take care and keep in touch!).

  3. End of the letter

    At the end, you need to write a final cliche phrase, which is always followed by a comma: All the best, Best wishes, etc.

    On the next line, under this phrase, you indicate your name.

Task 2: A statement (usually controversial) is given. The graduate writes an essay in which he discusses this topic, expresses his point of view, and also gives an opposing opinion and explains why he disagrees with it.

Volume: 200-250 words.

Maximum points: 14 points.

Example:

Letter, task 2

The essay is written in a neutral style and consists of 5 paragraphs:

  1. Introduction: we formulate the topic-problem and immediately indicate that there are two opposing points of view.
  2. Your opinion: we express our point of view (one) on this issue and give 2-3 arguments that confirm it.
  3. Opposing opinions: we write 1-2 opposing points of view and give arguments in favor of their existence.
  4. We express disagreement: we explain why we do not agree with the above points of view, and provide arguments in defense of our own opinion. However, they should not repeat the arguments from point 2.
  5. Conclusion: We draw a conclusion on the topic, point out that there are different points of view, and finally confirm our point of view.

Our tips:

  1. Stick to the required volume. It is permissible to deviate by 10% from the specified number of words, that is, you can write from 90 to 154 words in a letter and from 180 to 275 in an essay. If a graduate writes at least 1 word less (89), he will be given 0 points for the assignment. If the limit is exceeded, the examiner will count 140 words in a letter or 250 in an essay and evaluate it, and will deduct points for unfinished work, assignment design, topic disclosure, etc.
  2. Avoid paragraphs consisting of one sentence; you need to supplement and justify each of your thoughts. To do this, you can use the constructions In my opinion, I believe, etc.
  3. Monitor the style of written work: colloquial expressions like Guess what? or Wish me luck!, but in an essay it is better to stick to a more formal style. It is important not to overdo it with “informality”: all kinds of well, cause and slang expressions are unacceptable.
  4. Use linking words, they make the text logical and allow you to complement or contrast sentences.

Oral speech

The oral part of the exam is the shortest, it takes only 15 minutes. The graduate needs to complete as many as 4 tasks, for which he can receive a maximum of 20 points. The student submits assignments in front of the computer, his answers are recorded using a headset, and the time countdown is shown on the screen. There is an organizer in the audience who monitors the progress of the exam.

Exercise 1: Popular scientific text is displayed on the screen. In 1.5 minutes you need to prepare and in the next 1.5 minutes read it out loud expressively.

Lead time: no more than 3 minutes.

Maximum points: 1 point.

Example:

Oral speech, task 1

Lead time: about 3 minutes.

Maximum points: 5 points.

Example:

Oral speech, task 2

Task 3: Show 3 photos. You need to choose 1 and describe it according to the plan proposed right there in the task.

Lead time: about 3.5 minutes.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Oral speech, task 3

Task 4: 2 pictures are given. It is necessary to compare them, describe the similarities and differences, and explain why the chosen topic is close to the graduate.

Lead time: about 3.5 minutes.

Maximum points: 7 points.

Example:

Oral speech, task 4

Our tips:

  1. Take advantage online trainer for the oral part of the exam on the website injaz.ege.edu.ru. It completely simulates the exam, so you will become familiar with the format and understand exactly what you need to do, what time to meet, etc.
  2. To practice the first part of the exam you need take texts on different topics and learn to read them with the correct expression: there should be pauses in speech, logical stresses, natural intonation. In addition, the graduate must complete it in one and a half minutes, because the score is reduced if the text is not read to the end. However, you can’t rush either, because it’s not the reading speed that is being tested, but the ability to read the text expressively.
  3. To successfully complete the second task, you need learn to ask questions to various texts. In principle, the task itself is elementary; most errors are associated with the loss of auxiliary verb or its incorrect agreement with a noun. This problem can be easily solved by repeating question-writing exercises.
  4. In the third task, the examinee needs to select 1 photo from 3 proposed and describe it. Here's our main advice - read the assignment carefully. The point is that it changes a little every year, so learn to answer according to the wording of 2018. In 2018, graduates will have to describe a photograph to a friend, that is, the monologue should address him. In addition, it is necessary answer all questions in the assignment, for example, if it says where and when the photo was taken, you need to answer both questions - where and when. At the beginning, you must definitely indicate which photo we will be talking about (I’ve chosen photo number...). Don't forget also about the introductory one (Would you like to have a look at my picture? / I'd like to show you a picture from my photo album.) and the final one (That's all for now. / I hope you liked my picture.) phrases that make speech logical.
  5. In the fourth task you need to do the main focus of the speech is on comparing pictures, and not their description. In this case it is necessary use speech cliches: The first picture depicts... whereas/while the second picture depicts..., The main difference is that..., In comparison to the first picture, this one... etc. More similar speech cliches you learn with our article “Compare and Contrast Phrases”.

Textbooks and websites for preparing for the Unified State Exam in English 2018

Now you are familiar with the structure of the exam and understand that graduates will face a difficult test. However, you can pass the Unified State Exam in English in 2018 easily and successfully if you prepare well for it in advance. And in this the student will be helped, first of all, by a good teacher, as well as resources for preparing for this exam. We would like to introduce you to some textbooks and websites that our teachers use when preparing their students for the Unified State Exam. Take note of at least a few of them.

  1. The Macmillan Exam Skills for Russia textbook series includes books on preparation for each part of the Unified State Exam. With authentic texts and exercises, this series is one of the best for exam preparation. These books are quite complex, so we recommend that students with at least an Intermediate level study using them.
  2. "Typical exam options Unified State Examination under the editorship of Verbitskaya" - exist in various variations, include typical Unified State Exam assignments with answers. Using the book, you can check how well a graduate is prepared to take the exam.
  3. fipi.ru is the official website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements, which presents a large bank of standard tasks for the Unified State Exam. On the specified page, click on the inscription “English” and in the tab that opens on the left, select the skill that you want to train. Please note: there are no answers to the assignments on the site, therefore, to ensure that the graduate’s efforts are not wasted, we advise you to study with the teacher and submit completed assignments to him for checking.
  4. , talkenglish.com , podcastsinenglish.com - sites with educational podcasts in English. Of course, there are no standard tasks for the Unified State Exam, but you can practice listening comprehension skills in an interesting way and take a little break from the same type of exam tasks.

Our teacher Natalya has already prepared more than a dozen excellent students for the Unified State Exam in English, in her article “Exam, be good to me, or How to successfully pass the Unified State Exam in English,” she shares personal experience and advice for graduates.

So, now you can imagine the volume of work and know the secrets of successful passing the Unified State Exam in English language. We wish all graduates easy exams and high scores! And if you haven’t found a suitable teacher yet, sign up with us at.