SL-E1 Using spoken Standard English effectively Quiz: AQA English Language, Unit 4

The 20 questions

1. What does 'using spoken Standard English effectively' mean?

   • Using only regional dialect words, so that the speaker's identity is shown clearly to the audience
   • Using texting abbreviations and slang, so that speech matches the way young people often communicate
   • Using the standard grammar and vocabulary of English in speech, in a way that suits the setting and purpose
   • Speaking as quickly as possible, so that the audience has less time to notice any errors of grammar

2. Which of these is an example of Standard English in speech?

   • I didn't see it, so like, I dunno if it was that good, innit, like everyone says it was
   • I ain't seen that film, so I can't say whether it was as good as everyone reckons it was
   • I did not see the film, so I cannot say whether it was as good as everyone claims it was
   • Me and him never seen the film, so we can't say if it was good or not like they said

3. Which is the best use of Standard English in a formal presentation about a school trip?

   • We went to the museum and the guide was like, explaining all the history stuff to us all
   • We visited the museum, and the guide explained the history of the collection to the group
   • We was at the museum, and the guide, like, done a talk on the history, which was well good
   • Us lot went to the museum, and the guide telled us all about the history of it, so yeah

4. Which verb form is standard in the sentence 'The team ___ the match yesterday'?

   • had won them
   • won
   • wun
   • winned

5. Which sentence uses standard subject-verb agreement in speech?

   • The results of the survey shows that most pupils prefers the new timetable
   • The results of the survey show that most pupils prefers the new timetable
   • The results of the survey show that most pupils prefer the new timetable
   • The results of the survey shows that most pupils prefer the new timetable

6. Which of these is the most appropriate in a formal spoken setting?

   • I got three points, innit, and you lot can ask me whatever after, yeah?
   • OK so three things, and then, like, you can ask whatever you want, cool?
   • Right, so, like, three things I wanna say, and then you can ask me stuff, yeah
   • I would like to make three points, and I will take questions once I have finished

7. Which of these is a feature of effective spoken Standard English?

   • Clear use of standard grammar, with precise vocabulary and sentences that are complete enough to follow
   • Use of a dialect form in every sentence, so that the audience can tell where the speaker is from
   • Use of non-standard double negatives, such as 'I did not see nothing', for emphasis in the talk
   • Use of filler words such as 'like' and 'you know' in every sentence, so the speech sounds natural

8. What is the best way to use standard verb forms in speech?

   • Use any verb form that comes to mind, since the audience will understand whichever form is spoken
   • Choose the standard past tense and past participle forms, such as 'saw' and 'seen' in the right places
   • Use the present tense for all events, so that the audience feels as though they are there in the room
   • Use a mixture of verb forms in the same sentence, so that the speech sounds lively and varied overall

9. Which of these shows the correct use of 'fewer' in standard spoken English?

   • There was fewer people at the event than we had expected for the first day of the festival
   • There were less people at the event than we had expected for the first day of the festival
   • There were fewer people at the event than we had expected for the first day of the festival
   • There were lesser people at the event than we had expected for the first day of the festival

10. Which is the most appropriate spoken choice when speaking formally about a problem?

    • The thing was there wasn't no money, so we couldn't do nothing much at all, really
    • Basically the big issue was no cash, and that meant we couldn't really do much at all
    • The main difficulty was the lack of funding, which limited what we could achieve
    • The main problem was like, the money thing, which kinda stopped us doing stuff, yeah

11. Which of these is a non-standard form that should be avoided in formal spoken English?

    • The books are on the table, so you can take any one of them when you leave the room
    • These books are on the table, so you can take either one of them when you leave the room
    • Those books are on the table, so you can take one of them when you leave the room
    • Them books are on the table, so you can take one of them when you leave the room

12. Which pronoun is standard in 'Between you and ___, the plan is good'?

    • me
    • I
    • mine
    • myself

13. What is the effect of using the standard form in the sentence 'She and I went to the library'?

    • It maintains a formal, accurate tone that suits a speech in front of an audience
    • It makes the sentence sound more casual, so the audience relaxes and the speaker seems less formal
    • It makes the sentence sound childish, because standard subject pronouns are only used by young children
    • It makes the sentence wrong, because two subjects can never be used in a sentence in standard speech

14. Which is the best description of 'Standard English' in spoken language?

    • A dialect spoken only in one region of the country, which is used by the most educated speakers in it
    • The informal speech used by people in their own homes, which is the most natural form of English
    • A slang form of English used by a particular group of young people in a particular city area
    • The variety of English that is widely understood and used in formal settings, such as education and public speaking

15. Which of these shows effective use of Standard English for a formal presentation's introduction?

    • Morning. Right, the project, yeah, so I'll go through the stages, which, like, were three
    • Alright then, today's project talk, which is about three stages, and you lot can just listen
    • Good morning. Today I will explain the three stages of the project and what each one achieved
    • Hiya everyone, so today I'm gonna talk about the project and all the stages and stuff, yeah

16. Which spoken phrase uses standard grammar to make a suggestion?

    • We should of thought about the hall for the event, as it would've give us more space
    • We could considered holding the event in the hall, which would give us more space, yeah
    • We could consider holding the event in the hall, which would give us more space
    • We could of considered holding the event in the hall, which would've gave us more space

17. A speaker says 'there was less students than expected'. What is the standard alternative?

    • There was fewer students than expected
    • There were fewer students than expected
    • There were less student than expected
    • There were lesser students than expected

18. Why does spoken Standard English matter in an assessed presentation?

    • Because it is a rule that applies only to written English, so spoken English may be informal
    • Because it makes the presentation shorter, so that the examiner has more time to mark other students
    • Because it removes the need for any structure, since spoken English does not need organisation at all
    • Because it helps the audience understand the speaker clearly and suits the formal setting

19. Which sentence is the most appropriate for a formal spoken answer to an examiner?

    • I believe the argument is persuasive, although it relies too heavily on one example
    • The argument is cool, but it only uses one example, so like, it's a bit weak really
    • Honestly, the argument's sound, but it's dead reliant on one example, innit, like
    • I reckon the argument's well good, though it's kinda reliant on just the one example, yeah

20. Which of these shows a standard use of 'who' and 'whom' in spoken English?

    • The candidate that the prize was given has now left the school for a new post at all
    • The candidate who the prize was given to has now left the school for a new post
    • The candidate to whom the prize was given has now left the school for a new post
    • The candidate whom the prize was given to has now left the school for a new post

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