Language / GCSE Polish experience. [51]

Hello catsoldier! I have been away from this forum for a long time. Yep, you're quite right, I did do my GCSE Polish, but ended up with a terrible Grade D.

I suppose it wasn't that bad considering I didn't have a teacher and it was all self taught! Ok, I did receive help here and from my polish mates, but, I'm off to London again next May/June to do it all again...

My biggest problem is the writing part, particularly with verbs. I never know if I should be using Perfect or Imperfect...

Anyway, how's the forum been?

Chrzaszczbrzmi (I was formally 'Chrzaszcz' but I had to re-register..).

Well done for remembering I was doing GCSE though!

Hi Robal.
anyway, the only help I received with the Speaking part, was to download the information from AQA website I'm afraid. All I know, is that you prepare 3 1-minue presentations based on fthe our topics they outline (from the Specification), or any topic you chose. I chose My family, Hobbies, and Work. The examiner then asks specific questions on your topic. The AQA website does have a list of 'potential' questions they may ask. Unfortunately, I just ran out of time with the preparation. At any rate, for the Speaking part I got a Grade C.

Hope this helps.

I did do the GCSE Polish this year - ended up with a Grade D, but it was all self taught...

chrzaszczbrzmi

Language / GCSE Polish experience. [51]

Thanks for your encouragement catsoldier!

I remember, I got to my examination centre in London (I had commute by train (3 hour journey) three times for each part of the exam - I live over 200 miles away in the North West - now there's commitment for you - *wink*.

There were approximately 30 students (all polish). Only myself and another chap were English nationals; that was interesting to note.

still, I have another go next year. Tell me, how do you know Polish so well?

Language / GCSE Polish experience. [51]

Hi catsoldier,

My Polish exams were spread over May and June and had to take three separate trips to London. Luckily it was possible for me to stay at my sister's house on all occasions.

sounds like you're very determined to success in Polish. Did you study linguistics?

I was asking a Polish colleague today about Perfective / Imperfective / Conditional verbs ... and will not get the better of me ....

At any rate, I'll need to get a better grasp of it for my GCSE retake next May!!!

Chrzaszczbrzmi

Language / GCSE Polish experience. [51]

ahh, cheers Pam.

Thanks for your comment. Yeah, I was hoping to scrape a C. At any rate, I'm starting to re-learn the 14-page list of vocabulary which I didn't complete memorising (perhaps that's why the grade). I believe that was the main problem - if you don't know the words, one will struggle.

Luckily, I do have a few good Polish friends who gave me a lot of help preparing for the Speaking part. For that section I managed a C! It was the writing part where I struggled. I am not quite proficient in using the correct case endings for nouns, indeed, not grasping which case to use!!!!! I think in my exam, I used an awful lot of dictionary-form (would that be the nominative case????) words - peppered with a few accusatives I think.

Anyway, thanks for your kind comments.

chrzaszczbrzmi

thanks ziemonit!

for myself, I do struggle with memorising words/phrases which are spoken. From experience, I find it much easier to visualise the word or phrase, and see it as a sort of 'picture'. I had a Polish mate in England. He professed a good grasp of English. In conversation, when coming across a new word, he would ask me to say it twice or three times and he remembered. He, for some reason, could not remember the word 'nurse'. He would always ask me to to repeat over and over.... Mind you, the polish word is just as difficult for myself!

are you Polish? I admire your perseverence with French (Zut alhors!). I really didn't take to French or German. I got a Certificate in Japanese (really quite basic stuff), and writing Hiragana/Katatana. Russian too. Again basic level, but I do like dipping into languages, and being hit with linguistic nuances and 'false friends'. Only last year I discovered that the French word for 'paperclip' is Trombone (picture of the instrument).

Well done with your perserverence again.

Bien tot!
Chrzaszczbrzmi

Language / GCSE Polish experience. [51]

Hi Rozumiemnic.

When I did my GCSE Polish this year, in London, there were approx 25 school kids (Polish) with myself doing the exam. They looked so nervous though! I was told that they do this exam - most get As and A*s - a year early, so they get a decent GCSE under their belt before the other 10 they do the following year.

Yeah, and it probably does look good on school league tables!

chrzaszczbrzmi


...I'm still thinking on this one! I'm intrigued!!!

Language / Nominative (Mianownik) vs Accusative (Biernik)? [17]

catsoldier
Thanks for your replies catsoldier ... much appreciated.

chrzaszczbrzmi

Hi emiwis...

Does seeing things (nouns/objects) alter the case to which they belong? I'm a tad confused....but here I still plod on....

Language / The Polish accusative case [32]

Hi SzwedwPolsce

That was a very good post at the top of the page. These cases are not easy!

Thanks

Language / Nominative (Mianownik) vs Accusative (Biernik)? [17]

Why is kąpiel wrong?

I did absolutely shocking in this writing part. All I know, I got a grade E for this Writing part. I know it's the worse section, but trying to improve for next June!

Why can't I just copy (the nominative) from the dictionary?!

Language / Nominative (Mianownik) vs Accusative (Biernik)? [17]

oh dear oh dear!

There's still a lot, and I mean a lot of work still to do....

At least I have approx 9 months to get ready. Thanks all so much for your marvelous help. ...

I do infact have a great Polish dictionary - I think it must be my eyes.....or nerves!

Language / GCSE Polish experience. [51]

Hey ziemowit

thanks for your kind comments. I misunderstood your "French/English" comments. It was more a case of half a story on my part.

I am still perservering with Polish. I've got an excellent book by Diana Bielec "Basic Polish - A Grammar Workbook". There's an awful lot of content in this book, but slowly working through it is doing the trick.

You must be fairly good a French too?! All these Polish users here seem to be pretty fluent in English. I just wish I was just the same in Polish - but I will still try...

Which is more difficult to learn? English or French? and Why?

Chrzaszczbrzmi

Language / Polish language grammar books [59]

I am using the book and find it an excellent resource. I do find it quite 'meaty' in that a lot of information is covered, however, if you work through this book systematically, and SLOWLY, It really is a worthwhile purchase.

Good luck!