Italian Beginners 2019 HSC exam pack

Conversation

Students should:

• be prepared to talk about a variety of topics relating to their personal world
• answer the question asked rather than presenting pre-prepared responses
• provide information, express ideas and comment on their personal world
• be prepared to respond to questions from a different perspective
• be prepared to respond to questions that relate to past, present and future aspects of their personal world
• avoid the repetition of the same vocabulary, phrases and expressions
• manipulate the language to fulfil the requirements of the question
• respond using the correct tense required in the context of the question
• be prepared to be interrupted by the examiner
• use Italian to ask for repetition and/or clarification of the question.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use grammatical structures such as modal verbs, possessive adjectives, verbs, connectives and pronouns to construct complete coherent sentences
• use past, present and future tenses as well as conditional and imperfect
• maintain effective communication without frequent pausing
• use appropriate vocabulary and avoid irrelevant formulaic expressions to articulate ideas and opinions
• apply correct pronunciation and intonation to communicate in an effective manner
• organise their ideas coherently to converse on a range of topics relating to their personal world.

Areas for students to improve include:

• practising correct stress, intonation and pronunciation to help clarity of meaning
• using accurate grammatical structures and vocabulary for the context of the question
• responding to the tense in the question by conjugating past, present, future, imperfect and conditional appropriately in the response
• revising interrogatives, for example dove, quando, con chi
• answering comparative questions using correct sentence structures
• using a variety of connectives to allow responses to sound more fluent and authentic
• avoiding frequent pauses in the delivery of responses.

Students should:

• read each question carefully
• make notes in the Candidate’s Notes column on the right-hand side of the page
• transcribe their response on to the lines, using the space provided for each question
• use the lines provided as a guide to the length of the response required
• ensure their responses are clear and address all parts of the question
• use their own words and respond in English
• avoid translating text as part of their response
• not make assumptions based on vocabulary alone, but place it in the context of the question.

In better responses students were:

• able to provide all the details required to address all parts of the question
• able to recognise key vocabulary and key structures to ensure correct interpretation of meaning
• able to identify the correct meaning of the more challenging vocabulary such as scultura and pittura (Q4)
• able to justify their responses with relevant details when required
• understand the concept of surprise and party with family (Q10b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• knowledge of correct vocabulary, recognition of the verbs and tenses used
• taking note of what is required by the question, for example, to compare
• demonstrating their knowledge of basic vocabulary such as days of the week and not confuse words which sound similar in English, for example, in Question 9 camera (room) was translated as the English word "camera"
• drawing the correct inference from the text, for example, in Question 5 identifying two different feelings (confusion and happiness)
• linking details in their responses, for example, in Question 8 broken leg and hair on fire to events described in the text, and avoid including information irrelevant to the question
• focusing on vocabulary which is repeated in the text, for example, in Question 9 idea of cutting the grass.

Students should:

• read the whole text(s)
• address all parts of each question
• use the lines, table and chart allocated for the response
• provide all necessary details to respond to the question fully
• support their responses with evidence from the text where required
• use their own words rather than giving a literal translation
• use their dictionary appropriately to find the correct meaning of the word(s) in context, for example, the meaning of scarpe da ginnastica does not mean "shoes for gymnastics"
• respond to questions in their own words and not just translate from the text.

In better responses, were able to:

• identify key information, vocabulary and expressions related to syllabus topics
• identify all necessary details in their responses, particularly in Questions 11 and 12
• identify the relevant verbs to understand how the mother's actions have affected the family, for example ha trascurato, ho dovuto rinunciare (Q13b)
• provide concise responses, addressing the relevant details required by the question and avoiding repetition (Q14)
• avoid literal translations of vocabulary and provide a clear explanation (Q14c, 15c)
• demonstrate a thorough knowledge of vocabulary and language structures.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a wide range of vocabulary by reading texts of interest
• ensuring the dictionary is consulted for unfamiliar words to avoid misunderstanding as in the case of  false friends (Question 13 rumorosi was mistaken for "rumours")
• understanding the meaning and use of prepositions to identify the difference between them for example in Question 13b  some prepositions hindered appropriate comprehension of text
• reading the whole text before attempting any questions and in particular the higher mark questions  (Q14b).

Students should:

• read the question carefully and address all the required aspects
• write to the word length
• address audience, purpose and context required by the question
• apply the conventions of the type of text indicated in the question
• use correct register throughout the response
• use a range of tenses, sentence structures and a variety of vocabulary
• conjugate verbs correctly
• avoid repeating the same expressions throughout the response
• use the dictionary carefully to access vocabulary and expressions that are meaningful in the context of their response
• avoid listing
• edit their work.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use the dictionary correctly and provide the suitable word for the context, for example, consumare instead of usare and presente  instead of regalo (Q16)
• use a variety of tenses including modals, infinitives,  past and future tenses
• organise their responses and answer all elements of the question
• use authentic and/or idiomatic expressions, for example, non vedo l'ora (Q16)
• provide necessary and well-organised details in responses (Q17)
• provide a creative response in Question 18,19.

Areas for students to improve include:

• include the appropriate opening address, for example, Cara nonna (Q16)
• having agreements in singular and plural
• signing off the note in Question 16, for example, baci da...., ti voglio bene
• avoiding listing of vocabulary
• using the correct verb, for example, portare instead of prendere for "to take"
• avoiding the inclusion of inappropriate content (Q18)
• using and conjugating the verb divertire
• using the correct spelling, for example, diario.