Tips for Irish Oral

miabella

Here's a thread for anyone worried about the Irish oral!:cool:
I'll post the topics I've covered and that mainly come up every year.
Feel free to post any I havn't thought of.

Me Fein
-data breithla,ainm,

Mo chlann
-Ce mhead? Inis dom faoi do chlann(cupla abairt faoi gach duine)?

Ait chonaithe
-Mo theach, Aiseanna sa cheantar,(gruaigre, siopa, banc)
-fostaiocht sa cheantar.

An scoil
-ce mhead abhar?
-abhar is fearr leat?cen fath?
-aiseanna sa scoil. Spoirt?Saothlann Eolaiochta?
-na rialacha?
-Clar ama
-am lon?
-da mbeifea i do priomhoide, ceard a dheanfa?(modh cionniloch)

An bhlian seo chugainn?
-Ollscoil;cursa;pointe
-Post?

an samhraidh seo chugainn?(Ba mhaith liom, Beidh me)
-saoire, post?

Caitheamh Aimsire?
-spoirt
-Ceol?
-Idirlion?

An deireadh seachtaine?/Saol soisialta
-staidear?
-scannan?
-fon poca?buntaiste/mibuntaiste
-fadhbanna ag daoine oga

An bhlian seo chaite(Bhi, thainig, chonaic, Rug, Rinne, Shiuil)
- An raibh tu sa Gaeltacht?
-Post? pe san uair
-Saoire?thar lear

Hope it gives you an idea.

mmcnicholas

where could i get an examiner for a mock oral irish exam?

Seinas

mmcnicholas wrote:

where could i get an examiner for a mock oral irish exam?

Ask your teacher to give you a mock oral exam, most of them do it anyway. Ask him/her do they have a free class at a time you have a free class. If not, they usually use some of your lunch time...then again, its only 15 minutes

AdMMM

Most teachers think it's crucial to offer you a mock oral beforehand! We've been getting classwide ones every day of the week for the last two weeks and we'll be getting a few proper ones during the week of the oral

me2gud4u

má tá aon cheisteanna ag aon duine a bhaineann leis an mbéaltriail bheinn sásta cabhair a thabhairt daoibh agus freisin má tá suim agaibh tá gearmáinis agam chomh maith!Tá fáilte roimh aon saghas rud, ceist gramadaí nó a leithéid!go n-éirí libh ar fad!

Steve01

If you're looking for the A, here are the first words you should utter when you enter the room:
'Dia duit a striapach'

She'll be impressed by your vocabulary and give you extra marks.
And if the examiners a guy, even better

me2gud4u

i would advise against doing that!

JC 2K3

Topics don't "come up" in the Irish oral as they do on the written test. You can talk about whatever you like as long as you keep a natural conversation going.

For example, you go in wanting to talk about music, but the examiner asks you if you like sport:
"An dtaitníonn spórt leat?"
"Taitníonn spórt liom. Is maith liom bheith ag féachaint ar chluichí shacair agus rugbaí, ach b'fhearr liom go mór an cheol mar chaitheamh aimsire....."

AdMMM

I know it's long shot, but would anyone be willing to post up what they have prepared for their oral exam? I'm constantly being told not to worry about it because it's meant to be a test about what I already know but I can't help but fear that I don't know enough and can't find anywhere that will help me prepare because they all assume that I can already put together reams of material!

Corruptedmorals

Em, me, my family, my school, Leixlip, my house, pastimes- music etc, college, job etc, part time job, environment, politics, leaving cert system.

Learning off those lovely phrases that imply fluency atm.

Aard

Had an Irish mock oral today, and it went great. Just keep talking until the examiner tells you to stop; it's an artificial convo after all. You might have good irish but too many ums and ers and you'll probably be marked down faster than somebody who isn't as great but keeps the flow.

Call Me Jimmy

write each letter of the alphabet on the little red corvette with yer tongue.

Selphie

Corruptedmorals wrote:

Em, me, my family, my school, Leixlip, my house, pastimes- music etc, college, job etc, part time job, environment, politics, leaving cert system.

Practically the same, except Cork rather than Leixlip. There's a couple of conditional tense questions too that you'd do well to have prepared... what would you do if you won the Lotto/were Principal/were Minister for Education, that kinda stuff.
This might help??
http://www.skoool.ie/skoool/homeworkzone.asp?id=666

yurmothrintites

Be careful because they ask questions like how do you make a cup of tea, look out the window and what do you see and trick questions. Also, Inis dom faoi do chlann wont be asked as it should be inis dom do do mhuintir? so unless you have kids yourself be prepared for that!

Selphie

yurmothrintites wrote:

Be careful because they ask questions like how do you make a cup of tea

Seriously??? Is "mála tae" tea bag as Gaeilge so???

JC 2K3

Cup of tea? LMAO

And there are no trick questions.

genericgoon

It would have to be a cruel examiner to try and trick you. Most would (hopefully) try to be as helpful as possible while still challenging you. Not trying to find you out with trick questions.

Mackleton

Anyone know any nice gnathcaite and modh coinneallach phrases? General ones please

Corruptedmorals

Modh coinniolach is the future+ alternative ending, and you'll only need it to say 'If I' not any other you,he,she. You start off by saying 'Dá mbéadh'

I'm pretty sure that to say 'If I was the principal, I would change...' is 'Dá mbéadh mé i mo priomhoide, d'athróinn....'

What do you mean by gnathchaite? Ordinary past....an aimsir láithreach?

Mackleton

gnathcaite = action done continuously in the past, ie. we did X eveyday last summer.

Stirling

Lads - I got an A1 in Higher Level Irish many moons ago and any time I see people talking about the difficult questions that can be asked I get worried. The oral is the real make or break point in languages and it has less to do with anticipating the hard questions and how to deal with them than it is about taking control of the converstion before the examiner gets a chance to ask them. If you take control of the conversation right from the off and throw in the odd phrase showing that you know the Modh C or whatever before they get the chance to ask you an awkward question about it and they're satisfied because you showed knowledge independently and more importantly initiative. I never actually got past four basic topics - as in me, my family, school and my friends and my Oral took twice as long as anyone elses in my class. The key to the whole thing is taking control - lead don't be led!!

Mackleton

God a higher A1 in Irish is very impressive thats one of the hardest subjects to do well in I think! Any tips for us lesser mortals?

Selphie

Corruptedmorals wrote:

I'm pretty sure that to say 'If I was the principal, I would change...' is 'Dá mbéadh mé i mo priomhoide, d'athróinn....'

For first person, dá mbeadh mé becomes dá mbeinn -> "Dá mbeinn i mo phriomhoide, d'athróinn....."

Hopkirk

Regarding the Ordinary Level Irish Oral,

I know the examinier doesn't know your level; so does that mean that Higher and Ordinary Students get the same Oral; i.e. Marked The same. Surely people in Ordinary wouldn't be expected to go into the same detail of expression and depth of discussion when talking about similar issues.

By the way I'm doing pass and couldn't possibly(even after nearly 16 yrs) use the Modh C. On topics like Area, Family, School, I can give out a fairly comprehendible paragraph but of course the quality isn't up to my higher level Counterparts. Does this mean I'm essentially screwed or does the Exam Commision have some way of evening this up?

Mackleton

Hey, Im in Honours Irish myself but my teacher has been an oral examiner for many years and she says that while the examiner might not initially know your level, the questions begin the same for both levels and within 2 or 3 mins she said they will know what level you are. So for honours, or for just generally good candidates she says she will check out what they are able for by asking more in depth questions, seeing if you can give a good, logical response, they arent trying to trick you or any such thing. She says that once she know the person is pass, she will focus on the basics and try and help you out. Also if you are worried that learning stuff off will sound too staged, dont because she says that if the examiner sees you have made some kind of effort then they will try their best to give you the marks. But she says for any level, the past, present and future have to be nearly perfect to get a decent mark. Re. the conditional and gnathcaite, these will only ever be asked when the candidate proves to be of a very high standard. Also she says if you dont have time to display all you could do or that you felt it was too easy then, chances are you did well. Also, something important I learned yesterday was that there is no marking curve in the orals so if they show the ability, everyone can get 100%

miabella

gnathchaite is Bhiodh..
Bhiodh orainn an rud X a dheanamh i rith an tsamhraidh an bhlian seo chaite

Tula

this probablt won't be of much help but there's some new guidelines been given to examiners stopping them from asking you directly about your family. however its a piss easy topic so i'm gonna work it in there somewhere

Mackleton

Serious? Aw Il make a point of shoving it in there somewhere, too much stuff learned off to waste Im afraid, and Im certainly not changing my routine this late in the game either. I got a list of all the questions that are "askable" so to speak from my teacher who examines orals every year if anyone wants me to post them? There are 20 odd of them so I wont bother unless Im asked...

Hopkirk

Mackleton wrote:

Serious? Aw Il make a point of shoving it in there somewhere, too much stuff learned off to waste Im afraid, and Im certainly not changing my routine this late in the game either. I got a list of all the questions that are "askable" so to speak from my teacher who examines orals every year if anyone wants me to post them? There are 20 odd of them so I wont bother unless Im asked...

Ya Post them up please!!

Wouldn't mind getting a better idea of the more specific type of questions, Instead of just a general vague area,

Spank

Mackleton wrote:

Serious? Aw Il make a point of shoving it in there somewhere, too much stuff learned off to waste Im afraid, and Im certainly not changing my routine this late in the game either. I got a list of all the questions that are "askable" so to speak from my teacher who examines orals every year if anyone wants me to post them? There are 20 odd of them so I wont bother unless Im asked...

Post please!

I'm wanting to cry. My mock orals went terrible, got around 60% for both and I have ZERO confidence speaking languages, not to mention nerves on top of that. I'm not bad at Irish really, I just freeze when in an examination situation. These orals are my worst nightmare at the moment, plan on devoting the 2 weeks of Easter to them, ugh! Although I find studying for them hard as I cringe at the thought of having to do them!

JC 2K3

Don't worry, they're only 25%. Orals are hard to work on. Focus on other aspects of the courses if you feel your oral will be weak.

Selphie

Mackleton wrote:

I got a list of all the questions that are "askable" so to speak from my teacher who examines orals every year if anyone wants me to post them? There are 20 odd of them so I wont bother unless Im asked...

We got a list too....there's fifty of them tho!!

jenj293

hey lads, i'm heading into my second irish oral after easter, i'm repeating my lc but im not in school. i can tell you exactly what was asked to me and people in my year.

The passages that you have to read are a piece of cake if you have read them with your teacher, i cannot stess enough not to forget about them. i stole a glimpse at the score sheet when i was shaking the examiners hand and the sheet is split up into grids for each student. marks out of 30 for the reading and marks out of 120 for speaking. i could see about 4 people before me and they all got 30 or 28 out of 30, and they weren't all excellent students or anything!

I got asked about myself first, then i said i was the oldest in my family and then i talked about my family. i was able to dictate the convo for about 4 or 5 mins. my sister was in transistion year so she asked me what was the ty system in our school. i didnt have a lot prepared on that so i steered it towards the subjects that i was doing now. i got one weird question in the whole thing and that was what was my teacher's name. i got asked about what i had to do as a prefect (i was wearing my badge so it was obvious that would come up), about my plans for the summer and college. when the tape was stopped she told me i had done very well and had great spoken irish.

some people in my class got weird questions, one got asked what she ate for dinner, another was asked what her cat ate, another was a twin and although its supposed to be impartial she asked "oh, so do you share a room with your twin?" although she hadn't mentioned the fact that she was a twin.

i dont think that i was lucky with my questions, its all about tactics, make the examiner ask what you want. there's nothing wrong with saying "le bheith fíreaneach, níl a lán suim agam i gcursaí reatha, ar ndóigh tá fhios agam faoi ... mar tá sé i gconaí sna meán cumarsáide."
the examiner will prob be very impressed if you somehow make it naturally veer towards what you want to say.

lastly, since i've done it already, my nerves are gone! there is NOTHING to be afraid of, it flies and is just like talking to your teacher!!

Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh!

johnjim

Hey lads.

Just found this nice lil page that helps with the oral. Got this good recording of an examiner telling you what to do its actually prety good. They also have live sessions you can practice your irish and go over what you should know! Give it a look! http://www.gaeltalk.ie/launchpad.html

justbringit89

hey just wondering if there is anywebsite were i can listen to the reading passages or download them because i need the practice at them!! please help

PS. I know gaeltalk.ie has some but they only hav 5 of them

balzarywex

defo take control of the conversation lads! had learned s**t loads about the education system so, with the second question being tell me about your area, I brought up school and mentioned the word 'bru' so off he went on a tangent for several minutes. However, I made the mistake of passively mentioning what I thought were minor issues which lead to full blown questions involving people on trollies in hospitals, health system, war in Iraq, Irish economy, immigration and the time JFK came to Ireland!:o Didnt get one normal question after what's your name! Just make sure whatever he asks you attempt to answer and if you have to think in your head first, use the classic 'hmmmm ceist mhaith, fan go bhfeice me...'

suprisingly enough I got an A1 in hl!

Dumbfr3ddi3

Phew....my Orals are tomorrow morning, thanks alot...this thread helped me!

ZorbaTehZ

Selphie wrote:

For first person, dá mbeadh mé becomes dá mbeinn -> "Dá mbeinn i mo phriomhoide, d'athróinn....."

For me, that sentence is a disaster.

If I was in the oral I would say:
"Dá mbeinn mar (an) phríomhoide ar an scoil seo, dheanfadh me iarracht. . ."
or
"Dá mbeinn ag feidhmiú mar (an) phríomhoide. . ."

Selphie

Each to their own, I suppose. They're both correct, aren't they?

ZorbaTehZ

Dá mbeinn i mo phríomhoide translates into something like 'If I was my own principle'. I suppose maybe it might be right in Munster or something - all I can say is that if you said something like that in Conamara, you wouldn't be understood properly.

Mushy

Well, I left my oral stuff down the country in what is turning out to be the biggest F up in my life anyway. Everything Iv "learned" was in that copy, and wont get it back till Wednesday...so thats one whole day to look at all that, and then I've to re-do it now tomorrow and Tuesday. Anyone else prioritising the orals these two weeks ie. not actually studying much else really, but just perfecting them? Now back to work on it

JC 2K3

"Dá mbeinn i mo phríomhoide" means "if I was a principal".

"Bhí sé ina mhúinteoir" = "He was a teacher" etc.

It's perfectly correct and widely used AFAIK.

Corruptedmorals

I wrote out what I'd say for the topics of me, birthday etc, family, house, area, school, jobs of parents and siblings, family relationships, leaving cert pressure etc, summer, job last year- job for this year, future travel, pastimes, politics, environment, sport, Ghaeltacht, music, concerts, problems in Leixlip- underage drinking blah blah blah and my room (o_0- was asked it in mock oral though)

Learning it off now. I threw i some M.C too. Think I'm pretty much covered...it's on Tuesday

gaeilgegrinds

Any questions...just ask. I've done them before and am doing them again this year. Don't worry, it's YOUR Oral!

ninebeanrows

My oral (pass) is on Tuesday morning!

Oh dear, haven't done anything! Downloaded those skoool.ie podcasts and have a few sheets which im just going to cram tomorrow.

The sliocht should see me pass it anyway:D

It'll be good practice for the French Oral

ethernet

We were warned not to say "an bhlian seo" for "this year". It seems it's actually "i mbliana".

JC 2K3

^tomayto, tomahto

Dede_Mc

Hi guys, firstly i'm a First Year student studying Irish at Queen's Uni in Belfast!
Don't stress out over the exam's (although it's v. hard not too)
I'm from up North for I done A-Level's, which is on par level with your Leaving Cert, I have only been stuyding Irish for the past 6-7 years so if I can pass anyone can.
I'll give ye a wee run down of what to expect from the Oral exam and what questions I had prepared last year.

Mé féin, class agus cairde

1. Cad é mar atá tú? (Just basic question's to break you into convo.)
2. Inis dom rud béad fút féin. (Your name obv., age, year you were born, where your from etc.)
3. Cén sort duine thú? (This is directed at your personality, say what you think your personality is, what other's percieve you to be.) Use phrases such as "Deirtear liom gur duine (?)mé" "Is duine (?) mé" "Dé réir mo thuismitheoirí/cairde tá claonadh agam a bheith..." (According to my parent's/friends I have a tendency to be.."
4. Inis dom faoi do theaghlach? (Be able to go through each fam. member and describe who they are - steer away from physical appearance. Talk about their personality and whether you get on with them or not. Also focus on whether you the oldest or youngest and the búntaistí and míbúntastaí a bhaineann leis sin (advantages and disadvantages associated with that) Also, tell the examiner if you dependant/independant of your parents, perhaps bring in whether you have a job or not?
5. Cad é mar c chaiteann tú d'am saor / an deiread seactaine? (Firstly perhaps state that you haven't got alot of free time with the exams coming up. But then just describe you casual routine, out at the weekend, cinema, clubs, bars, partying, shopping etc.
6. An bhfuil suim agat sa spóirt? Cad is fiú spórt a dhéanamh? (Whether your interested in sport or not, just lie, aslong as you can talk them your sorted! Bring in tenses, perhaps say that you *used to* play sport but now you dont and that you *would like to* take it up again. You'll get goods marks for varying your tenses. Explain how sport is good for you, keeps you fit and healthy, helps you meet new people perhaps?
7. An duine sláintiúil thú? An itheann tú bia sláintíuíl? (Say whether you are healthy or not. And give the benefits of being health!)
8. An bhfuil suim agat sa cheol? (Say whether your interested in music. What type of music. Name a few bands or artists, say whether you have seen them in concert etc.)
9. Cad é is maith leat ar an teilifís? (Say what you like to watch, whether you do or dont. At this stage in the convo. you could bring in TG4, and explain the benefits of that. "Amharcaim ar TG4 ó am go ham ... silím go bhfuil sé .... Bíonn claracha maith ann, cosúil le ..... Mothaím ....! Another great phrase to throw in at the end . . . "Thig leat fheabhas agus snas a chur ar do chuid Gaeilge ma amharcann tú ar TG4, agus mholfáinn é do duine ar bith" --- You can improve and polish your Irish if you watch TG4, I would reccomend it to anyone"
10. An bhfuil post páirtaimseartha agat? (State whether or not you have a job, whether you like it or now, why? What is it you work as, your hours, rate of pay, advan. agus disadvan. etc.

Do Cheantar
These perhaps are questions where marks would perhaps be higher, as it is a step up from GCSE, or if your from Down South from your Junoir Cert. ....

1. An bhfuil tú i do chonaí sa chathair/faoin tuath?
2. Inis dom faoi do cheantar / Cad iad na buntáistaí le do cheantar féin? Say about the facilities in your area. What young people do, during the day and at night. Whether you like where you are living, are you close to all local ammenities? Perhaps give a bit of history about your area.
3. An bhfuil fadbhanna ar bith le do cheantar? Cad é atá de dhith i do cheantar? Talk about the positives first, never start with a negative! Drugs, alcohol abuse, crime, joy riding, bugarly, theif etc. A nice phrase could me . . . ."Tá a lán míbuntaistaí a bhaineann le mo cheantar féin, ach creidím go bhfuil *Báile Athá Cliath* cosiúil le cathair ar bith éile in Éirinn - tá fadhbanna seo achan áit. -- There is alot of disadvan. associated with my area, but I believe that *Dublin* is like every other city in Ireland - these problem are everywhere" And throw a wee M.C in aswell, Dá mbeadh .. .
4. Arbh fearr leath bheith i do chónaí faoin tuath/sa cathair?

Oideachas
1. Cad iad na habhair ata tú a dhéanamh? State your subjects, which you prefer which you dont and your reasons. Talk about J.C in comparison to L.C etc.
2. Cad é a shileann tú den litríocht? Talk about the literature, poem and short stories you are studying. Which you like, which you dont. Perhaps give a short decription of each, and how you think you'll do in the exam etc.
3. An bhuil rún agat cúrsa ollscoil a dhéanamh? Cén cursa? Déan cur síos air. Cad é a ba mhaith leat a dhéanamh nuair a bheas tú réidh leis an scoil?
Talk about where you want to go if you get the grades, what course. How long does it last. Do you have a placement year, if so perhaps talk about where you intend to go. Put in séanfhocal's - "Níl aon tintean mar do thintean féin" if your staying at home for eg. And talk about what job prospects there is, what you want to do after Uni. Whether you want to go travelling first etc?
4. An rachfá ar ollcoil i Sasain? Cad chuige nach rachfá?
5. Cá háit a ndearna tú n taití oibre s'agat? Inis dom faoi
6. Déan cur síos ar an scoil seo. Cad é do bharúil ar an scoil seo? Be expected to list of the facilities and ammenties in your school (as gaeigle ar ndóigh) Talk about what time school starts/finishes, breaks! Perhaps your frees and what you spend your time doing in them. Perhaps that you'll miss you school when you leave? "I mo bharúil fein faigheann tú oideachas den chéad scoith anseo agus caithfidh mé a adhmháil, beidh bron orm ag imeacht an bliain seo as socair go bhuil barríocht cuimnhe agamsa anseo" - In my opinion you recieve a 1st class education here and i have to admit that i'll be sad leaving this year because i've alot of memories here. Also throw in M.C once again. What would you change about your school if you had the chance?

Cúrsaí Gaeilge
1. An raibh tú riamh sa Ghaeltacht? Explain which Gaeltacht, how many times you attended, what house you stayed in. What course, the name of the college etc. Explain the surroundings, and talk about the daily routine. Explain why its beneficial to go to the Gaeltacht and about meeting friends etc. If you've been to two diff. courses or two diff. Gaeltacht, be prepared to be able to compare and contrast.
2. An sileann tú go bhfuil cúrsaí Gaeilge láidír/lág sa cheantar féin?

Leathanta Saoire
1. An raibh tú riamh thar lear?
2. Cá hait a raibh tú ar leathanta saoire anuairaidh?
3. An bhfuil buntaistí/míbuntaistí an taisteal?
4. An bhfuil rún agat dul ar leathanta saoire i mbliana?
5. Cad é a dhéanfaidh tú i rith an tsamhraidh?

Ábhar Éile?
1. An bhfuil tiomáint agat?
2. Cad é a sileann tú faoi foréigean tí (domestic violence)?
3. Cad é an buntastaí/míbuntaistaí ag baint le Oxegen/T-in the Park/Glastonbury?


I sincerly hope this help's all who are to sit the Oral exam, just practice your answers out loud! Record your on your phone and listen back to perfect answers! Ádh mhór agus Slán

Professional Griefer

Just a wee bit late(i think in anyways).:o
Maybe the people from next can use it though..something I coulda done with, how bad sure:D

aoife_bennett

It's now December of Leaving Cert year. The oral is most likey in MArch or April?? All we have done is the basics. No politics, no modh choineallach. NOTHING.

To say I'm crapping it already is a bit of an understatement.

Aard

@Aoife Bennett:
The only way to get better at speaking is to speak! No amount of vocabulary learning will help you on the day if you've never used those words in regular conversation. Try to participate as much as possible in Irish class, asking questions about just what you said -- politics, grammar, etc. You'll feel more comfortable using words, even if they're just filler words.