Miscellaneous

the examples and uses is given importance. Grammar
is not to be studied for the sake of grammar but the
use or application is to be studied. This approach of
dealing with grammar is known as the functional
aspect of grammar. Along with the rules of changes in
Active and Passive Voice the students must know
when to use Active Voice and when to use Passive
Voice.

In the teaching and learning of English the
teacher needs to induce the students to learn by
involving them in varied activities. The students need
to be exposed to use more and more English in the
different situations. Pair and group work is introduced
with the same intention. The teacher needs to be
facilitator, guide and administrator to make his/her
teaching result oriented.

There was a change in the scenario of
teaching and learning of English at the State level.
Right from the year 1999 - 2000 English is introduced
as a compulsory subject right from Std. I in all the non
-English medium schools. So the students now learn
English along with their mother tongue right from Std.
I. Moreover, now in the Secondary schools even in
Non-English medium schools English can be offered as
a First Language, that is the same English that is being

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taught in English medium schools is learnt by the
students other than English medium.

More recently the State Board has introduced
Oral Test for English. It is believed that real
language is learnt only when the students are in
position to express themselves in that language. The
students need to have mastered the skills of
listening, loud reading, speaking and conversation in
order to say that they have learnt the language.
More time of our life we spend in listening and
speaking, but less importance was given to this in
the olden days. The oral tests would encourage the
students in developing this most neglected part of
learning English.

Future
To speculate about what shape teaching and

learning of English might take place is really unpredictable.
Considering the trends in the pedagogy it is felt that the
teachers will have to take note of needs of the students.
The English to be taught should be more close to life. What
the students need in their day to day life should find a
proper place in the set up. There will be rising importance
to learning of English and hence the students will need a
sound foundation of English as a medium of instruction and

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expression. Hence, in coming future the place of English as a
medium of instruction and expression will be predominant.

There cannot be just one subject under the name
English. The scope and nature of the subject is widening.
Variety of studies in English will have to be made available for
the students. For example American English is different from
British English. May be the students will require specialised
study in Indian English. There are already many Englishes.
Therefore, new courses need to be developed for the students
that need to pursue something unusual.

English needed by Science students is different from
English needed by Commerce students and so on. The future
needs of the students are different and their learning at the +2
level should consider it by introducing different types of
papers. Some what closer to English for Specific Purposes
(ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) or English for
Occupational Purposes (EOP) approach will have to be tried. At
present we find a combination of these under variety of texts
and exercises. A serious thought to give something that the
students need in future in form of skills at least will have to be
given.

In near future the effect of internet, webs and other
media will increase which in turn might affect on learning of
English. The pedagogy of English will have to consider this and

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mere classroom teaching will have to be reformulated in the
light of changes outside. The changes in future will be in
respect of materials, methodology of teaching as well as
evaluation pattern. The teachers of English will have to be
ready to face these challenges of future

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8. Changing Test Type

Background:
To find whether the learners have acquired the

essential ability of a certain linguistic use we form a
test. The test is a tool to verify the learners’
understanding and achievement of that particular
linguistic usage. This test item forms to be an
essential part of our testing programme, a question
paper. The kind of test item we frame help us to
decide on how far the learner has developed the
ability in one particular item. In order to get a reliable
position of the achievement level of the students our
test item should be of variety and aiming at exactly
what we want to know. One of the major drawbacks
of our setting of question paper is pointed out as
traditional set up of setting test items. We set an item
or a question the way in which we were tested when
we were students. Things have undergone a lot of
change in all these days and that needs to be realised
in our test items. Moreover, the items are observed
to be stero-typed, montonus in nature and lack in
variety, challenge and innovative ideas. Again, the

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test of an item should not just confine itself to test the
memory level of the students but to step further and
aim at testing it at the application level.

Need to change:

Traditionally as a teacher or a test framer we
tend to follow the pattern of testing in which we have
been tested in our school days. Very occasionally we
tend to change from what we have been taught and
feel complacent in what we know and have learnt. The
need is to step further and try something fresh and
different so that the test will stand as the true
judgement of the achievement level of the learner.
This is not just for the sake of change but that is the
need. There is need to change our approach towards
testing. Let the students be given a challenge in
answering the questions that they can easily answer.
The testing should have a wider scope for imagination,
reconstruction, openness, flexible with multiple forms
of answering and it should not be close ending. The
students should feel that they are free in responding
and there are no restrictions of expressions. Answering
questions should not be a mechanical activity but a
creative and imaginative one. In order to frame such
questions the teachers will have to be innovative and
follow different ways.

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Use of articles in a sentence seems to be very
simple task at its prima face. As we start probing
deep into the use or articles, we come across lots of
details and nuances which make us believe that
articles is the most difficult and challenging thing to
learn in English grammar. While setting a test item
the setter has to be conscious of the objective/s that
is what to test. Clear understanding of whether you
are going to test knowledge or understanding or skill
or application is essential. In case of articles we can
test whether the students can-

1. Use a, an or the properly

2. Differentiate between the use of a and an.

3. Judge whether it is essential to use article at
the place suggested in a sentence

4. Point out the meaning of article/s used in a
sentence

5. Point out the wrong use of article/s in a
sentence

6. Relate how the meaning of a sentence changes
with or without the use of an article

7. Show clear understanding of the place where
an article is to be used

It would be interesting to find how we can test

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the knowledge, understanding, skill or application of
‘use of articles’ in varied ways. Some of the known
grammar books suggest variety of ways in which the
topic can be dealt with for the purpose of testing. Of
course, the change in test item demands change in
the methodology of teaching that can be used while
dealing with this particular item in a classroom. Then
only there can be a fair judgment of the achievement
level of students. Try one and check whether the
students have internalized the right use of articles.

Types of test items testing use of articles
1. Fill in the blanks with a, an, or the.
(Intermediate Grammar Usage and Composition

Tickoo, Subramanian, Subramaniam)
a. There is ........ public meeting in ..... City Hall
this evening. ......Speaker has come from Delhi.
b. There is ..... red book and .....green book
on .... table in ......library. Will you bring me

....green one please?

2. Fill in proper article where necessary in the
following sentence. (Intermediate

Grammar Usage and Composition Tickoo,

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Subramanian, Subramaniam)

a. He is poor man. He has wife and children to
support.

b. We travelled by plane at night. The view from
sky was splendid. It was thrilling experience.

3. Select the proper alternative from the given
one.

a. Iron is ....... most useful of all the metals.

i. the ii. a iii. an

iv. no article

b. Man is ..... social animal.

i. the ii. a iii. an

iv. no article

4. Correct the following sentence
a. You must write in a ink; here is an pen.
b. The chair is made of the wood

5. What does the article ‘a’ and ‘the’ mean in the
following sentence/s

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a. We can write on a blackboard or on a piece of
paper.
b. Give me a pen to write a letter.
c. The tea is very hot, I must put some milk in it.

6. Match the pairs of sentences

AB

A girl likes a cake with this flour.
A mother is kind to a sweet.
We can make a child.

7. Complete the following sentences
I want ----------
Put some -------on------table.

8. Read the following paragraph and fill in proper
articles where necessary. (Interactive English; Vol. 8;
Macmillan)

There once lived a minster in the Republic of
Korea. On.......right side of.....house

of......minister, there lived.....blacksmith, and
on ....left side..... carpenter. ......two of them

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made .....lot of noise and

disturbed ......minister. The minister ordered them

to move from there.

9. Look at the following pairs of sentences. For
each pair fill one blank with a or an, and

the other with the. (Collins Cobuild Students
Grammar)

a. I wrote a long letter to Jenny this morning.
Did I show you the letter I got from

Peter this morning?

b My uncle used to be......dentist before he
retired. Arthur Brown is............dentist

who lives next door to my parents.

10. Change the following sentences in singular
form. (Living English Structure; W. Stannard Allen)
a. Horses are animals
b. Balls are toys
c. Roses are beautiful flowers

11. What are these things? Try and find out if

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you don’t know. (Intermediate English
Grammar-Raymond Murphy)

a. An ant? Example: It’s an insect

b. Earth? .....................

12. Read about what these people do and say
what their jobs are. (Intermediate English

Grammar-Raymond Murphy)

a. Stella looks after patients in hospital. She
is................

b. My father operates on patients. My father
is ........

13. Complete the sentences with the word given
(school, etc..). Use the where necessary.

(school) (Intermediate English Grammar-
Raymond Murphy)
a. Every term parents are invited to ......to meet
the teachers.
b. Why aren’t your children at.....today? Are they
ill?
c. When he was younger, Ted hated................

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d. What time does ............start in the mornings in
your country?

14. Choose the correct form, with or without the
(Intermediate English Grammar-Raymond

Murphy)

a. I’m afraid of dogs/the dogs

b. Can you pass salt / the salt please?

15. Make sentences. Choose from Box A and Box
B. Use a/an where necessary.

(Essential English Grammar Raymond Murphy)

Example: 1. I want to ask you a question
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

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9. Changing the Condition…

The other day I read a quotation: “When you
are not happy with the condition around you ask a
question to yourself- What am I doing to improve the
situation?” The moment I read this my mind started
moving around the expression. Yes how true it is! and
how befitting! Look around yourself and you will find
the relevance of the thought.

Most of the time we come across persons
complaining about the changing situation and
uncomfortable situation around them. Always one
likes to compare the present situation with the olden
times and likes to point out how it was nice in those
days and now how things have changed and so on. In
our times we had devoted teachers, the whole school
atmosphere was like one family, we used to enjoy our
sports and competitions and gathering, we had
enjoyed our picnic also. A long story of how it was all
well in the history. But now see how the things have
undergone a change. Now it has all become just a
history. No one is ready to exert, all are behaving very
differently, everyone has become self-centred and on

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and on. Always there is a long list of such complaints.
Satisfaction in the old and complaining about the
present means to put a bar for the change and
progress.

When we complain about the circumstances
without knowing the rationale behind the change or
why the things are like that or not as expected then
perhaps our complaint just becomes one sided affair.
It is right also because it is very difficult to accept a
change in the first place. Habbits die very hard.
Everybody likes to enjoy the routine life. Coming to
the school at a certain time and going home at a
certain point. Change means you have to make
different adjustments and you have to change your
habits and thinking and the entire mode of living.
Many a times a change is not accepted because it is
forced. One needs time to know the change and check
it with one’s own life style and so on. Then perhaps
the change becomes acceptable. It is true that life is
not roses roses all the way. The life has got its thorns
and also its own turn to take. But when our life is
given a course by someone else or when our life
starts depending on the others then it turns to be a
strife. Even then one has to be ready to face the
unexpected at every turn.

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Well of course if the change is positive then
one may accept it readily. The nature of complaint is
always about dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction about the
situation that one has to face. Dissatisfaction towards
the condition that one is in. Indeed our dissatisfaction
rises from our way of looking at the situation. Have
you ever tried to look at the problem from the other
side of the view. Then perhaps you will have
something different to say. And it is here that we have
to look at ourselves into a mirror. What is my
contribution in changing the present scenario. If that
contribution amounts to a naught then something is
wrong within ourselves. We cannot comment without
being the part of the change.

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10. Exercises for Enriching Vocabulary

Vocabulary enrichment plays a vital role in a
language acquisition. If we know more words we can
enjoy more and learn more. A reader tries and adopts
various techniques to get the meaning of new words
that he/she is confronted with while reading.
Naturally, when a reader comes across a word of
which he/she doesn’t know the meaning that affects
on the speed of reading and moreover, the level of
comprehension Moreover, it is believed that knowing
a language is knowing more and more words in that
language. Such enrichment of vocabulary helps in
many ways.

Therefore, it is a duty of a teacher to help
students get acquainted with more and more words.
Of course a teacher should not provide ready made
answers to the queries put by the students. For
instance, for getting the meaning of words he/she
should not directly provide the meaning but make
him/her think so as he/she can realise the meaning for
himself/herself. Providing ready answers in this
respect will mar the essential quality of acquisition of

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the skill of getting meaning out of context. Cramming
the meaning of words is just not enough as in the real
life the technique will be of no help.

The Coursebooks of English prescribed at the
various levels help the teacher with number of
activities useful for developing the vocabulary power.
It is expected that a teacher of English should made
the best use of the techniques given over here.
Moreover it expected that a teacher should always
hunt for the passages in addition to the textbook
experiences. The teacher can select passages from the
various sources such as newspapers, magazines, and
so on. These passages which the students are expected
to work on their own help to test the acquisition of the
comprehension capacity of the students.

While dealing with the passages of this kind a
teacher should make use of the variety of exercises
which will help in enriching the word power. Here in
this article you will come across the various tasks that
can help the learners acquire the skill of getting
meaning of the words easily. The exercises will create
interest among the students to go to the text again
and again helping the students learn with the self-
learning as a technique.

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Rationale:
Before having a look at the tasks it is essential

to know the rationale in setting of the exercise on
vocabulary. The intention is to

1. Make students independent in getting the
meaning of words

2. Use the different strategies to get the
contextual meaning of words

3. Make students independent users of vocabulary
4.Understand the importance of vocabulary
5. Create interest among the students to know the

meaning of words on their own
Task type 1:
Match words with their meanings

Get selected words from the text and put them
in column A Give the contextual meaning in column B
in a jumbled order.

This task will ask the students to go back to the
text again and find out the context which possibly
might help them in getting the right meaning.
Task type 2:
Finding synonymous word from the passage

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Give the contextual meaning and ask the
learner to find the proper word from the text which is
having similar meaning. Give the line number where
the word has appeared in the text as a clue. This will
help to minimise time.

Task type 3:

Finding antonym of a word from the passage
Give the contextual meaning and ask the

learner to find the proper opposite meaning word
from the text.

Give the line number where the word has
appeared in the text as a clue.

Task type 4:

Arranging the words in an alphabetical order

Ask the learner to arrange the words as they would
occur in a dictionary. This will help the learners to
know how the words are arranged in a dictionary. The
skill of reference can be developed. While selecting
the words for arranging in alphabetical order the
words should be properly selected.

Task type 5:

Creating a word register

Ask the learner to find out words that belong to a
particular world or field. For example if the passage is

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dealing with agriculture, the students should be asked
to list down all the words dealing with the field of
agriculture.

Task type 6:

Finding contextual meaning from the
dictionary entries.

To provide a dictionary entry as it is from a dictionary
and ask the learner to locate the meaning as it is
applicable in the situation. The dictionary gives variety
of all the possible meanings of one word. Depending
on the situation the students will have to find out the
meaning applicable.

Task type 7:

Asking the learners to look at the location of a word in
the paragraph and getting meaning from the context.
Students should be encouraged to read the sentence
where the difficult or new word has appeared. Reading
the earlier or later part of a sentence will help in
locating the meaning.

Task type 8:

Selecting words/phrases from the text and to fill
in the blanks. This kind of exercise which is based on
the contextual meaning will ask the learners to go
back to the text get the situation and then to use the

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words in different kinds of situations. This application
part will make the students learn in a better way.

Task type 9:

Get meaning by making use of the previous knowledge.
The human brain always tries to connect whatever they
have read with the new things that are encountered
with. While deriving the meaning the previous
knowledge always comes to help. Considering this
natural tendency the teacher should encourage the
students to connect what they know with what they
don’t know.

Task type 10:

Choose the word which gives the correct meaning of
the word in bold type. A kind of clue would always
encourage the students to try. This will encourage self
study habit amongst the students.

Task type 11:

Rewrite the following sentence by replacing the bold
word with another word similar in meaning

While the children replace the expression with
the other word they are expected to get the meaning
and memorise the proper word. The exercise will help
them to test their memory as far as vocabulary is
concerned.

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Task type 12:

Give the meaning of the bold word in your
language (use of parallel meaning words)

The students here try to define the word as
per their knowledge and try to get the exact meaning
of the words. Replacing one word with the other
encourages them to enrich their vocabulary power.

Task type 13:

Look at the words in bold type in the
following sentences and match them with meanings
given below.

The matching exercise is always a very simple
exercise. It will help to encourage the students to
learn better and more. If a line is provided where the
word has occurred the students can very easily get to
know the meaning of words.

Task type 14:

Use words as a noun or a verb.

Mere word formation is a mechanical exercise.
If the students are told to use the words properly as
per the part of the speech they would definitely learn
the usage and not just changing one word into other
form.

Task type 15:

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Finding out the correct meaning from the one given
below.

From the mixed up meaning of the words the
students can find the correct meaning of words
depending on the context.

Task type 16:

Asking series of questions to the learners
which will help them to derive or guess meaning of
the word in a context. The students should be given
the technique of how to derive the meaning out of
words. A series of questions relating to the topic
might help them to get the meaning.

Task type 17:

Categorising the words as per their grammatical
groups.

This can turn to be just a mechanical exercise.
This is to know the part of speech of the words.

Task type 18:

Make use of a glossary to get help for finding
meaning of some other words that are not listed in
the glossary.

Glossary often deals with the contextual
meaning. While considering about the questions and
answers the students hardly bother for referring to

74

the glossary part. They should be told for how to use
the glossary.

Task type 19:

Find out different meanings of a word. (A word used
with two meanings)

Asking the students to find the different shades
of meanings is also a very nice exercise which helps
them to study the words and remember the different
usages.

Task type 20:

Collocation

Certain words go along with certain words only.
A mismatching exercise will help the students for the
right kind of use of words followed by the other
words.

Task type 21:

Give one word for.

The statements are given or some prompts are
provided and the learners can be asked to get a word
for the complete expression.

Task type 22:

Ask the learner to look at the spellings and find out
the mistake or to correct the spellings.

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These are some of the types which would help
the learners to know the meaning of words and to
enrich the vocabulary. A resourceful teacher can find
more such ways of dealing with vocabulary rather
than give ready made answers. The real responsibility
of a teacher is to make the students think and search
for the right kind of answers. The students require
the techniques and skills of getting answers and not
the ready sources.

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11. Sub-skills of Writing

Developing really a good piece of write up is not an
easy task. A good piece of write up is a product of various
stages and steps. Good writing requires good knowledge of
the sub-skills of writing. The writing skill involves variety of
sub-skills. Developing these sub-skills require sufficient
exposure to the sub-skills and regular practice. ‘Daily writing
something’, the message given by Ramdas Swami is
important. A good and effective piece of writing depends on
the proper use of the sub-skills. Different types of writing
requires different strategies. We have to train our students for
the sort of writing they are expected to do in their future life.
This will involve not only the formal write up but the
imaginative and creative write up as well. The formal write up
would help solving their doubts whereas the informal write up
would give them the purpose of life. Normally the technique
of developing a write up is not given. More stress is on
providing ready made write up for the students to mug up. A
teacher should give the techniques and discuss about the
skills.

77

Normally we wish our students to develop a letter, a
story, a dialogue, a report or any kind of narrative. All these
write ups require different kind of strategy. Proper use of the
sub-skills would help for the developing a purposeful and
effective write up. It will also help for free, creative and
imaginative write up as well. Developing a good piece of
writing is an art which can be mastered through developing
the sub-skills.

Thought, Content, ideas

Our students fall short in their writing tasks mainly
because they grope for ideas, thought and content. The given
guideline, points or questions are not sufficient and they harp
on to using the mugged up matter. The problem is from where
I can collect thoughts and ideas so as to develop my write up.
Here are some hints using them you can get the essential
points or thoughts related to the given topic. Either from the
points provided or the guiding questions given the students
are expected to develop the write up. The given points may be
in form of an advertisement, news item, invitation card, or any
other source. After reading the given matter the student
should get enough ideas to write on. It is also considered

78

essential that the students should use some additional points.
Adding some thought of your own makes the write up your
own experience.

1. Always remember to relate the topic with the text lessons
and poems. The experience given through the textual matter
is to create sufficient background which would help for
writing. The words, phrases or even some lines from the
poems can be used to develop your writing. The textbook is
like a guide which would provide the material that you need.
You can use the vocabulary, phrases, idioms from the text.
The lessons and the poems give you an example of good write
up that you can consider for developing your own write up.

2. Use of the basic skills: Write up cannot be developed all of
a sudden, since the writing skill involves other skills also. Give
proper scope to listening, speaking and reading skill. Before
developing any write up give time to listen about the topic
with the friends. Give time for speaking, discussing about the
topic with your friends or partners. Listening skill, speaking
skill and reading skill helps for developing writing. This can be
done at least while you are learning to develop a write up.

79

3. Take help of wh-questions: Ask questions like what, when,
why, who, where, how that are related to the topic which
would help you to expand the ideas given. The moment you ask
questions to your mind it will immediately prompt you with
several responses. Try to collect more information from your
previous knowledge. The questions make us think and give us
many ideas.

4. Past, Present and Future: Another key to get ideas is to
consider every issue of writing from the three different angles.
Every problem can be discussed with past, present and future.
Think of the past of the topic, think of the present condition
and imagine about the future. Looking at every topic from the
three different angles will help to develop your write up. This
will provide all the dimensions to your writing.

5. Problem, effects, reasons and solutions: Think of any topic as
a problem. Every problem has some effect. When you think of
the problem you can also think of the probable reasons of the
problem. Consider the probable solutions to solve the problem
as well. Looking at the topic from all these angles would
definitely give new dimension to your write up.

80

6. Advantages and disadvantages: Think of the two sides of a
coin. Consider all the points of advantages with familiar
examples. Consider all the points of disadvantages with fitting
examples.

7. Related words: As soon as you listen to any topic try to
recollect as many words as you can. Make a chain of thoughts,
ideas in form of different words. This can be also done as time
pass activity or a class competition. Later on develop a
sentence using any of the words that you have remembered.

8. Personalise your writing: Give your own examples. Narrate
your own experiences. Newspaper reading may add to what
you want to say. While putting your ideas think whether you
agree or disagree with some reasons. Find some parallel
examples.

Layout and presentation:

After collecting essential thoughts and ideas you can
sit to develop your write up. Prepare a rough draft. Consider
the following points while you actually write.

1.Technique of presentation: How to present the matter is
very important along with the effective ideas and thoughts.

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Make your writing more effective and impressive. Layout of
the write up should be impressive. Think of the beginning,
middle and end. Attractive beginning, middle full of
explanation and example and concluding remarks at the end
would make your write up complete.

2. Tense: Look at the topic and consider which tense you will
use for your writing. Stick to the proper use of tense. Do not
mix up tenses. Pay attention to the sequence of the tenses.
Improper use of tense may change the meaning.

3. Structures: Make use of variety of grammatical structures
as grammar is not to be studied for the sake of grammar. Try
to use variety of construction like, interrogation, exclamation,
comparative sentences, dialogues, unless, if…not, as soon as,
no sooner… than, active and passive, hardly… when, .. A long
list of different type of sentences can be given. Bring variety
of sentences in your write up.

4. Use of typical words: Make your writing more stylish by
using words that are vivid in their expression. Be selective
about the words, always think of using a better word. Make
use of a dictionary or better thesaurus. This will help you to

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select proper words.

5. Organisation of thoughts and ideas: Presenting ideas as
they come to your mind will confuse the reader Arranging of
thoughts as per the beginning, middle and end. Giving some
order to the thoughts What should be written first and what
should follow.

6. Paragraph forming: Know the various structures and
features of paragraphs. You must have reasons for forming a
paragraph. Be clear about the layout of a paragraph. Decide
on the number and size of a paragraph. Give proper heading,
title to the paragraph which would make your write up self-
explanatory.

7. Handwriting: Avoid scratching Legible and readable Avoid
rewriting Form proper habits of writing. Writing on a line and
not in between. Writing should not show any confusion.
Follow the techniques of highlighting the ideas like writing in
big size or capital.

8. Punctuation marks: Pay attention to the use of capital
letters. Make use of commas, question marks, inverted

83

commas, dashes, deliberately. Show that you know the use of
different kinds of punctuation marks. Improper use of
punctuation marks change the meaning of sentences

9. Discourse markers: Use of linking words. The sentences
must be joined together by using proper connective words. The
sentences should not stand apart from each other. There has to
be logical connection. Make use of the following words
deliberately- Nevertheless, however, moreover, though,
although, but, yet, still, in spite of, etc. This will bring
cohesiveness in your write up.

10. Use of Adjectives: Make your writing appear stylish by
using more and more adjectives, that is describing words.
Whenever you use nouns think of some words that would
describe it more further. Follow some techniques of describing
and narrating that would expand your ideas. Use suitable
comparisons which would make your writing interesting.

Right efforts are needed to develop the skill of writing.
The sub-skills help to make your write up effective one.
Systematic efforts are needed to reach to the excellence.

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12. Testing the Skill of
Interrogation Differently

Traditional way of testing interrogation
Traditionally very rarely the grammar question used to

contain a testing item on framing an interrogative sentences.
Only recently the skill of interrogation was given more
importance than answering a question. All the questions are
normally answered but very rarely the students are trained in
forming interrogation. In a real life situation the skill of
questioning is more important as it helps to know more.
Limitation of traditional question

There are limitations for the transformational way of
framing test items in grammar. Moreover, transformational
instruction only seeks the knowledge of changing the
structure and it rarely tests the application or use part of the
sentence type. The traditional test items used to stress on the
structure. Only the verbal or inversion interrogation was given
priority for testing. The traditional setting of test items
overlooked the major point of application. Use of
interrogative type of sentence or the function of such
sentences were never tested.

The students used to learn the rules of inversion by

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heart even they used to be perfect in using a verb at the
proper place but they lacked in using the interrogatives in
their write up. Areas of mistakes were not considered.
Feedback was not considered hence, the students used to
learn grammar for the sake of learning. The word order was
the only point of checking in framing of an interrogative
sentence.

In a real life situation asking question forms a major
part. We are expected to ask questions on different occasions.
If you ask then only you get the required information
otherwise it turns out to be hard to get to know what you
want.

Type of activities for testing interrogation

Type One: Look at the answers/responses below. Write
down the questions to which the following answers are
given.

1. My English teachers considered my handwriting very
graceful and fluent.

2. The number of sparrows is fast degrading due to the
mobile towers.

3. The word cereal comes from Ceres.

4. The boys were returning home.

5. Forests supply the fuel for cooking.

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Expected answers:
1. Who considered my handwriting very graceful and

fluent?
2. Why the number of sparrows is fast degrading?
3. Where does the cereal come from?
4. Where were the boys returning?
5. What do the forests supply us?
Type Two: You want to know/find out/ looking for, frame
proper Wh– questions :
1. I want to know your birthday.
2. I want to know people attending.
3. Celebrations
4. The place
5. The time
6. The decoration
7. The plans
8. Photos
9. Enjoyment
10. Age
Expected answers:
1.When is your birthday?

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2. Who is going to attend the birthday?

3. How are you going to celebrate it?

4. Where are you going to arrange the celebration?

5. When are you going to arrange for the celebrations?

6. How are you going to decorate?

7. What are your plans for the programme?

8. Who is going to take photos?

9. What are your plans for enjoyment?

10. How old will you be?

Type Three: Match questions and answers

AB

What is your name? I am 15 years old.

What is your age? I like blue colour.

Which colour do you like? I want to be a
doctor.

Where do you stay? I stay at Pimpri.

What do you want to be? My name is Kishor.

Type Four: Put the following words in proper order to frame
a meaningful question.

1. What qualities are found in Saina?

2. What a book about Dr. Shiva is?

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3. Should we eat local food why?
4. Processed food is why not good for health?
5. What old people do like to about to talk?
Type Five: Frame a question as per the instruction given in
the brackets.
1. He was called Mahatma Gandhi. (What)
2. Ancient civilisations worshipped the rain, the sun, and

mother earth. (Who)
3. She called up the police. (Who)
4. At 2.30 in the afternoon, Antara was taking a bath.

(When)
5. She tried to retreat to her bedroom. (Where)
Expected answers:
1. What was he called?
2. Who worshipped the rain, the sun and mother earth?
3. Who called up the police?
4. When was Antara taking a bath?
5. Where did she try to retreat?
Type Six: You are planning to visit Mahableshwar. Frame ten
questions of enquiring.
1.Which is the best season to visit Mahableshwar?

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2.What is the climate of Mahableshwar like?
3.How far is Mahableshwar from Pune?
4.What is the route to reach Mahableshwar?
5.Where can I stay in Mahableshwar?
6.What are the sites for the visit?
7.What kind of food is available there?
8.What is the historical importance of Mahableshwar?
9.What is famous in Mahableshwar?
10.Is there MTDC hotel?
Type Seven: Frame ten questions to interview your teacher
who has received the best teacher’s award.
1. Why have you been selected for the award?
2. When are you going to receive the award?
3. How long have you been serving in this institution?
4. Who is going to award you?
5. Who will you give the credit of your award?
6. What is the nature of the award?
7. What is your reaction on receiving the award?
8. What is your advice for the upcoming teachers?
9. What are your future plans?
10. What are the reactions of your family members?

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Type Eight: Look at the following situations and frame wh
questions:

1. Admission college

2. Required papers

3. College open

4. Type of fees

5. Documents attach

Expected answers:

1. When does the admission to the college begin?

2. What are the papers required?

3. When does the college open?

4. What are the type of fees?

5. What kind of documents to be attached?

Type Nine: Frame a question so as to get the underlined part
as the answer.

1. We saw the unexpected beauty of Andman and Nicobar
islands.

2. We travelled through the Mangroves Canopy on foot.

3. Bartang island is located near Wrafters Creek.

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4. I was frightened to go to the adventure sports.

5. Sea shore of Andman is untouched and unspoiled.

Expected answers:

1. What did we see of Andman and Nicobar islands?

2. Where did we travel?

3. Where is Bartang island located?

4. Why was I frightened?

5. How is the sea shore of Andman?

Type Ten: Read the following paragraph and frame any five
questions based on it. Remember the answer must be in the
paragraph.

Ganpatipule is a small village, serene, sedate and
unspoilt. The beach here is still as natural and pristine as ever.
And travelling by road is an experience by itself. The vast
“Konkan” stretch abounds with scenic greenery. There are
narrow mud-roads, the earth is red and the roofed houses
with clean courtyards add a quaint touch to the panorama .
The local vegetation includes fruit bearing trees like mango,
betelnut, banana, jackfruit, coconut, etc. the entire western
coast is covered with these trees. The locals are as warm and
cheerful as their surroundings. Ever ready to chat with the
visitors and make them feel at home.

The teachers will have to be innovative while setting a

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test item and test both the structural part as well as the
functional part of the type of grammar that they want to test.
It is this variety that will help the teachers to find out whether
the students have really understood the type. It is also true
that the way in which we test can be the way in which we can
teach. Therefore, while the students are learning they should
be given variety of experiences.

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13. Question Paper to Activity Sheet:
A Paradigm Shift in Testing

Issue

‘Educational scenario in a classroom is directed by the
evaluation system.’ This is by now an established and
inevitable fact and workable solution or alteration is not
plausible. Even the roles of teachers and students are directed
by the system of examination. It is the kind of test items set,
type of question paper, questions and the answers expected
decide what a teacher is expected to do in a class and, in turn,
what he/she expects from the learners. Taking this as a
springboard, it was decided to introduce innovative step in
the test type which would force the teachers change their
approach towards classroom transaction.

Methodology

As an alteration, the Maharashtra State board of Secondary
and Higher Secondary Education contemplated on to bring
about a change in this very system. For being innovative one
has to experiment with the early conceived ideas, strategy
and then to establish it as an approach in testing.

Considering the suggestions as envisaged in NCF 2005 and
other documents like ‘Learning without Burden’, MSCF 2010,
it tried to design the course books of English of Standard IX

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and Standard X in activity based design. To begin with, the
innovative practice the course books introduced activities
based pedagogy. Since, the course book has introduced
activity as a base for providing the teaching and learning
experience, the question paper design, test items were also
given a different look. It is the presentation of the test items
that create an impact on the minds of the examinee,
therefore, the activities are presented in an attractive manner.
Various shapes are used to give a real life feeling. At the
outset, it was decided to stop calling the question paper as a
question paper, but it was replaced by nomenclature ‘Activity
sheet’. The very word ‘question’ is replaced by an ‘activity’.

Testing Through activity Sheet

When asked, ‘What is the effect of the punctuation mark ’?’
while you are in examination hall?”, the students almost
unanimously agreed that it creates fear. Fear out of
uncertainty about the answer. They get a feeling that they
might go wrong, whether they will remember that correct
answer or not, they may not be able to write properly, the
tense and the structure may go way ward. This kind of
thought leads to tension and stress All this is due to the series
of interrogatives which form the very dominant position in a
question paper. “?” are responsible for the rising heart beats.
Can we really get rid of them through at least the question
paper?

An interrogative form often tends to test understanding of the

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given content and give rise to testing of memory. It doesn’t
go beyond this basic form of the educational activity. Mere,
comprehension and memory turns out to be one-sided
evaluation . Exceptionally ‘why’ type questions are set and,
therefore, interrogation has limited purpose. Certainly, this
limited type of questions fail to review how far the students
have developed their thinking ability, mental ability and
creative power.

Switch Over to Activity Based Testing

The State Board decided to switch over to activity based
testing. It is believed that activities can make testing
interesting and involving. The very nature and presentation of
activities in the sheet would give a feeling of an activity book
that the children enjoy at home. They won’t get a feeling
whether they are being tested or just solving an activity. The
examinee is under the impression that he/she is just
enjoying a page from the children’s magazine.

Activities often are open ended. The responses of the
students are given importance as they reflect various
impressions about the performer and provide a lot of
material as a feedback. Mere, answering a question might not
help directly for the same. The nature of activities is full of
variety and, therefore, create interest amongst the
examinees to get involved in solving.

Comprehension should not be the only purpose of any

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evaluation system, it should aim at testing Higher Order
Thinking Skills (HOTS). Language being the medium of
instruction and expression, the State Board introduced the
activity based testing for the first time in the evaluation
system. Using content as the base, the activities broaden the
scope by putting classifying, categorizing, finding similarities
and differences, selecting and deleting ordering, etc. as the
baseline. Considering the plus points of activities, the State
Board decided to introduce activity based testing for standard
IX and standard X.

Type of Activities

In the Board’s examination activity sheet was introduced in
place of a question paper. Activity sheet consisted of various
kinds of activities. It included 1. Complete the web 2.
Complete the table 3. Complete the sentences 4. Give reasons
5. True or False 6. Find proof 7. Matching 8. Categorising the
things in boxes 9. Sentence order 10. Giving evidence 11.
Personal response 12. Word puzzles, riddles, 13. information
transfer from verbal to non-verbal and vice versa 14.MCQ 15.
Word register 16. Fill in the blanks 17. Find the odd man out
18. Give one word for 19. Antonyms 20. Synonyms 21. Find
the similar meaning word 22. Replace the word and 23. Flow
chart.

An activity sheet consisted of variety in items and aimed at
testing various objectives.

Analysis of Answer Papers

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It was decide to measure the effect of introducing this
innovative method of testing and finding the achievement of
the students. Nine hundred answer sheets from the nine sub
divisions of the State Board were collected as a sample for
the study. Each bundle of 100 answer sheets received from
the sub divisions, was in the scale of 1. 0 to 27 = 20, Scale 2
28 to 40 = 20, Scale 3 41 to 50 = 20 , Scale 4 - 51 to 60 =20,
Scale 5– 61 to 80 = 20. Total 100 answer sheets from each
division and at the State level 900 answer sheets were made
available for the study. The objectives set was to find out the
strong areas of the students, to find out the weakness of the
students, to find out the areas where the students need
more support, to create a background for the teacher
training. The objectives were especially designed to find out
the impact of the changed pattern of testing.

Ouctome

1. Switching over to the activity based testing helped to
make testing more informal and natural. Interrogations
often aim at the hypothetical position and always put the
examinee in the cage of a court waiting for the judgment.
The activities were formed in such a way that the
formality of examination would vanish and would be
replaced by the real life situations giving purpose for
testing.

2. Activities helped to eradicate the fear factor of ‘0’. The
misnomer that the students don’t know anything will no

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more be there if the students are asked to do the activities
which are involving, interactive and informal by nature.
The expressions of the students are not controlled by any
boundaries but liberate the examinee from giving the right
answer.

3. The outcome of testing through activities helped to
diagnose and arrange for remedial learning, because
activities aimed at integration of skills. Testing of the
linguistic skills like listening, speaking, reading and writing
was made possible through activities.

4. As a finding, it was observed that the students have
welcomed the change in general. The number of students
attempting all the activities is fairly good. The achievement
level of students was also considerable. It was also
observed that the students showed better development of
the linguistic skills, especially silent reading,
comprehension and writing.

5. The examination reform of its kind has brought about a
change in the very approach towards teaching and testing.
Feel good atmosphere was found amongst the students,
parents and the teachers. The change also noticed by
teachers of other language subjects and even at the
governmental level by the Minister of Education at the
state level. It was suggested that considering the positive
effect of introducing an activity sheet as a mode of testing
why not introduce the pattern for all other language

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papers. As marching ahead the innovative practice of
replacing a question paper with an activity sheet is going
to be introduced for all the language papers. This speaks
for the success of the innovative practice in evaluation
system at the State Board’s level.
(Published in COBSE Journal on the 44th Conference, Pune as
the First National Awardee essay)

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