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!

Last Thursday, I got a message from Dara: she got her B in oral interaction!… she is still waiting for the results of her written expression and reading comprehension exams though… I guess she will hear about them tomorrow or Tuesday…

Congratulations Dara!

Yesterday I heard from Nelson who went for his oral interaction test on Friday morning… usually stuff like this does not bother him too much yet he told me that he got so nervous during the interview!… Well… he is not different from the others… I do no know anyone who does not panic a little when sitting in that small interview room!… The whole process looks so much like a job interview, no wonder why candidates do not feel comfortable…

I chose an easy quizz today… those are common expressions in which we associate  adjectives and nouns when we want to establish comparisons. I did it in only a few minutes and I got 50/50… I did not know one but, knowing all the others, I just associated the last noun left!… I believe you should do pretty well also!

Apparently we will have a sunny week with above normal temperatures… Great!

I just want to enjoy this type of scenery a bit longer…

Are you ready to play?… Then click here!

Good Luck!

Yesterday Amelia went for her oral interaction test… it went very well since she was led in the fourth part of the interview… therefore she can sleep until she gets her result: the required B is guaranteed!… Yet there were some logistic problems at Slater yesterday morning… six examiners had called in sick!… Not the kind of news candidates (who were already under stress) needed… because of that, Amelia had to wait… finally she took the test over the phone with a male assessor in Montreal…

Krystal was a bit down yesterday… she received an email saying that she had gone through the entire hiring process successfully and her name had been placed in a pool of candidates that would expire at the end of October 2010!… She asked for more information and she was told that they had not filled in the position she had applied for and she would hear from it in a few weeks… Those generic emails are pointless because they never inform the candidates accurately… Mais, c’est le gouvernement du Canada!!! Live with it or look somewhere else for a job I guess…

French grammar terminology evolved quite a bit in the last few years and most parents are thrown off by it when they are trying to help their kids do their homework (though there are courses intended to have them get familiar with this new charabia)… was it necessary to rename everything? I do not think so… it will be interesting to see if this change occurred only in Quebec… I took the test and I got a perfect score: I had to learn the new terminology yet I have to admit I never use it… I work with adults and I will not waste time explaining the difference between now and then… all those components kept the same functions in a sentence anyways…

I will be in Montreal this weekend and hopefully weather will improve!

I am afraid I will not see another day like this one before next year!…

To check your knowledge of this new terminology, click here …

Bonne chance!