Examination Criteria and School-Based Assessment Outcomes: Units 3 and 4
How you are assessed
The Units 3–4 assessment has two connected parts: school-based assessment (SACs) and the external examination. School-based tasks in Units 3 and 4 typically cover the three outcomes - communicating information, ideas and opinions in Tamil; analysing and using information from written and spoken texts; and producing original texts for specified purposes and audiences. The examination mirrors these outcomes: a listening and responding component, a reading and responding component, a grammar and vocabulary section, and a writing component in Tamil, often with a short English-language or analysis element where the study design requires it.
What the criteria reward
Markers reward relevance (you answer the actual question), accuracy (grammar, spelling, case markers, verb agreement), range (varied vocabulary and sentence structures), organisation (paragraphing, linking words, clear structure for the text type) and cultural appropriateness. In analysis tasks, they reward close reference to the text over general comment.
Traps in assessment tasks
Common losses: writing far more than the word limit and drifting off task; ignoring the stated audience or purpose; giving a list of points with no linking; translating an English idiom literally into Tamil; using a formal letter format for an informal message; and in reading tasks, copying a whole paragraph instead of selecting the relevant sentence. In listening tasks, candidates often answer from the first thing they hear rather than waiting for the speaker's conclusion.
Rule of thumb
Use a three-pass method in the exam: plan for two minutes (purpose, audience, three main ideas, key vocabulary), write, then reserve three minutes to check verb endings, case markers and agreement. In SACs, read the task sheet's criteria before drafting, because the criteria tell you exactly what earns marks.
Worked example: for a 120-word formal letter of complaint about a service, plan three points (state the problem, give evidence, request action), use formal opening and closing formulas, keep one register, and check that every verb agrees with its subject.
Key points
- SACs and the exam test the same three outcomes, so prepare once and apply everywhere.
- Answer the question asked; relevance outranks length.
- Accuracy in case markers and verb endings is a reliable source of marks.
- Match format, register and tone to the stated purpose and audience.
- In analysis, quote or closely refer to the text rather than generalising.
- Always reserve time to proofread your Tamil.