There was a slow down in the PSC SLE testing though… it is always like this when the financial year ends: it takes a while before the Departments get their new budgets going. Nevertheless, requests for training are still coming in!

Patrice finally got the results for his three tests (after several months) and he got EEC… quite an achievement indeed!

Congratulations Patrice!

Adelaide also got the results of her oral interaction test and she got the B required for her to keep her current position and, even better, she was offered a promotion within her division!

Congratulations Adelaide!

And… Monica, who was totally depressed after her oral test and had nightmares thinking she had only achieved and A, got her results last week and she got her C!…

Congratulations Monica!

Therefore I am happy… it looks like everyone managed to get their required language levels… Yet I have to say that I have them work like slaves sometimes!… Getting prepared for the SLE tests is a long and painful process and I really do admire my trainees. I am not convinced I would be able to suffer as much!

That being said, I had time to browse some tests and I finally decide to have you try and take an exercise on pronunciation… though pronunciation in French is more or less consistent, sometimes there are words that are not pronounced the way they are written (or maybe they are!). I took the test myself and I got 50/50… I am sure you can get a perfect score too!

After some freezing temperatures last week, we are back to above normal tempartures this week… Go figure!

It is such a pleasure to see stuff like this!

If you are not sitting on some patio somewhere, click here to play my game!

Have fun!

Photo credit by Philip Lean, Canberra, Australia

In the news department, Boris passed the required levels(CBC)  of the job position he has applied for… he even surpassed them in two tests: ECC!

Congratulations Boris!

The order of the pronouns in French… do you know it or do you sometimes struggle with it?… I found an interesting test on pronouns following an imperative… I took it and I got a perfect mark… can you do it, avoiding the traps?… Give it a try!

My Aussie friend sent me an interesting picture…

Apparently, it is the first time he came across a sign in almost perfect English! Be the judge!…

If you want to play my game, click here!

Have fun!

Photo credit by Philip Lean, Canberra, Australia

But, when I get great news, I have to share it with my readers… Morris, who was probably the most nervous student I ever had, went for his oral interaction test last Wednesday… he was convinced he would not get his B at his second attempt… I knew he could get it because only his stress was playing against him! Friday he wrote me saying that he had obtained his B!… What a happy camper!

Congratulations Morris!

Since I do not have much time to write tonight, instead of writing a substantial post, I found a test for you to give a try… There are two sentences and you must choose the one that you think is correct or… you may decide that both are equal… I got 50/50 only because I thought the incorrect sentences were a bit too obvious. Maybe you will disagree with me… let me know!

Two Gold Medals in two days for Canada: Alexandre Bilodeau in freestyle skiing and Maëlle Ricker in snowboarding cross event!…

GO CANADA, GO!!!

When not watching the Vancouver 2010 games, click here to play my game!

Have fun!

Photo credit: http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/canada-day.shtml

And now, I have more and more requests for preparing people to their oral interaction test in English. Therefore, the trainer/coach who was working for me occasionally is now busier than ever taking on the students who need help with their English.

In the news department, three of my students took their oral interaction tests early last week. Two of them got their results: Mia and Tamara…

Mia, who was almost in tears the day before her exam due to her anxiety and fear of failing her C, wrote me an email early Friday morning… she got an E… What an achievement!

Congratulations Mia!

As for Tamara (who was also very nervous the day before her test), she obtained the B she needs to comply with the requirements of her job position… Now she wants to move on with her training so that soon she can target a C!

Congratulations Tamara!

Since I have little time to write a post, I decided to give you my first quizz of 2010… Of course, I chose my favourite topic: les anglicismes!… In this test, you will have to find the sentence in which the word is used incorrectly (with its meaning in English). I gave it a try myself and I got 50/50… yet I had to ponder upon a couple of them before making my final choice… Let me know how it went for you!

Weather is weird… it’s March in January here… very mild temperature and rain…

I always whine about bad French… but bad English also exists!

While trying to figure that one out, click here to play my game…

Have fun!…

Photo credit by Philip Lean, Canberra, Australia

In the news department, I got a phone call from Corey in Montreal… after more than six weeks of painful waiting, he finally got his reading comprehension and written expression test results in the mail this morning and he made it!… He got a strong C in reading (and if he had had the time to complete the 65 questions, I am convinced he would have obtained an E) and he got his B in writing, missing the C by only one answer (that killed him actually!)… He wrote an email to his contact at the CRA to let him know that he had met the language requirements of the position he applied for and that he was expecting to be invited to take the oral interaction test some time in January!… Sometimes, these people need to be reminded of some basic stuff!

Congratulations Corey!

And I heard from Mikaela who finally took her oral interaction exam last week… Great news!… She got the C she needed to maintain her job position!…

Congratulations Mikaela!

Last Friday, «les Irréductibles du Club français» gathered at Leonardo’s Ristorante for a nice dinner before the Holidays… Everyone had a good time and, amazingly, there was not a single word of English spoken that evening!… Seema drastically improved her oral expression skills lately and even Corey’s French seemed to flow better than usual… and, of course, Alice was «aux anges»!… I was indeed impressed… and very proud of them!

Speaking of Alice... as usual, she did not want to be on any pics... yet she complied!

Mark, on the other hand, has no problems... he loves to appear on photos... I am not sure about Corey and myself though!

Mark and Seema are always smiling!

La Bande des Joyeux Lurons!...

On that note, I found quite an interesting quizz for you to play before 2009 ends…  Questions are not targeting any specific grammar rules in French… I took it and I got 50/50!… Give it a try and let me know how you did!

Click here to play!…

And… I want to take this opportunity to wish you all

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND AN AMAZING 2010!