Even though they are sometimes left in the background in favor of mathematics or ESH and HGGMC, languages can be a real asset in the competition to gain places. It is common to be discouraged by the many bilinguals in the competitions, but with a few hours per week, it is possible to improve a lot.
Vocabulary is one of the major assets of translation
Linguist DA Wilking said, “Without grammar, you can’t say much, but without vocabulary,y you can’t say anything at all.”
Vocabulary is a formidable weapon in translation because it will allow you to better understand the subject of the text in version but also to avoid being blocked in theme. Moreover in the ECRICOME theme, it could earn you bonus points It is therefore not something to neglect.
Here are some books that might be useful to you
- Le Bled anglais vocabulaire ” and ” Le Bled espagnol vocabulaire “: in these works we find vocabulary sheets by lexical field such as the economy, transport, emotions, the house, etc. It is useful because learning vocabulary by theme is easier than several words that have no meaning to each other. In addition, every night, before going to sleep, you can try to memorize a few terms on basic themes such as body parts or emotions. Indeed, it is not uncommon to come across these words in competitions.
- Le Gandrillon ” (for English): this book is also organized by lexical field. However, it is more useful in the context of civilization because the lexical fields are more focused on current events such as the environment or the internet.
- Thanks to the way it is organized, this book can be used for three things: first, on the left page, we find vocabulary words from the most explicit to the most implicit in connection with the lexical field. Learning them allows you to enrich your vocabulary. Second, on the right page, we find sentences in English, translated into French just below, with the vocabulary words from the left page. This then constitutes a good exercise in memorizing words but also a training exercise for the theme Third, regarding civilization, you can write these sentences in your cards to learn them, reuse them, and enrich your essay
Learn more about expressions to improve your essays here
- Your vocabulary notebook: If a vocabulary book seems too impersonal to you and you want to organize it your way, we advise you to make your notebook. Some teachers recommend starting it in the first year so that it follows you during the two years. There are two ways to organize it: first of all, you can write down each word that you do not understand one after the other with their translation next to it. But, in this case, it is possible that all the words do not make sense with each other. Or, you can make word cards with a common theme, which also requires organization. But, to each his own!
Grammar practice and time
Grammar is not the students’ favorite part when it comes to learning a language. However, it will also allow you to gain points quickly if you practice. So here are two books that can help you love grammar a little more.
- The English grammar theme in cards “Optimum:” this book covers, in about sixty lessons, the main points of English grammar or those that pose problems. Perfect if you did not understand your teacher’s lesson. To accompany the lessons, grammatical themes are proposed. Do them several times to understand your mistakes, and you will improve very quickly.
- Own notebook of mistakes (valid for each language): once again, making your notebook can be interesting when it comes to listing your mistakes. Take each DS and write down your grammar mistakes. You will see that some are recurrent. By learning them, as well as their corrections, you will improve. And if you are not sure of your corrections, you can always ask your teacher to check.
- Mister Prep’ration: if a manual and a notebook are not enough for you and you need interactions to better understand the language, know that Mister Prépa offers you Mister Prepa’ration. These are completely free private lessons with students who have excelled in certain subjects including languages. This can be a real plus in your learning because the student who gives you a personalized course can suggest new methods if you are struggling to work.
To finish
There are many ways to improve your language skills, but to do so you have to try to do more than the course you are given. Books and private lessons are a good way to progress.