VCE English Language - Sample Spoken Transcript & Questions!
In today's post, I'd like to present to students a sample informal spoken transcript along with some questions that I have created for you. I found the transcript online through a UK website and from this I formed my own questions.
Hint: go to Google and type in 'spoken transcript examples' and find some examples online of transcripts. This can be a great way for you to practice should you have run out of practice pieces! If you want to go a step further, you can even make your own questions for these pieces you find online 🙂
With many schools conducting their first SAC for the English Language as short answer questions shortly, I believe this post will help many students! Make sure that you ask your teacher when and in what format your first SAC is - never leave this to the last minute. Even if you first SAC isn't a short answer piece, you can still practice as undoubtedly this will help you for the exam, or just for understanding metalanguage!
I want you to look at this transcript and ask yourself first and foremost, "why is this transcript informal?". Think about that for a few moments and then move.
"Why is this informal?"
What makes it informal? To give you some hints, have a look at:
- The spontaneity of the dialogue such as false starts...
- The efficiency of speech such as elision...
- The spoken discourse features such as pause fillers...
- The lexical features such as colloquialisms...
Okay, that's enough. But use that as food for thought 🙂
Example questions
Answer the following short answer questions, paying close attention to the marking!
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How does the language used to reflect the informal context in which this conversation takes place? Refer to the subsystems of lexicology and phonology in your response. (6 marks)
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How are the syntactic choices here informal? Refer to two different examples. (4 marks)
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Choose two different discourse particles and discuss the function of each in the text. Provide line numbers. (4 marks)
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Online 11, an overlap can be seen. Is this a cooperative or uncooperative overlap? Explain why. (2 marks)
Short Answer Tips
- Look at the marks! This will give you an indicator as to how much you need to write. You don’t want to write too much, or even too little. This will mean you will run out of time, or have too much time left over and will compromise on quality answers.
- Look for plurals in the question (does it say ‘features’ or ‘choices’?).
- Do not list or write dot-points. This is an English subject.
- Try and knock this out ASAP when you get into the exam. More marks are allocated to the commentary and an essay section. However, this doesn’t mean you compromise on quality.
- This section is a great test of your metalinguistic knowledge. If you fail to know your metalanguage then this section will be very difficult to complete indeed!
- Pay attention to the timing!
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