Estonian Upper-Secondary English Exam cheat sheet

Question types on the Estonian upper-secondary exam: true/false with justification, multiple choice, gap-fill from a word bank, matching headings to paragraphs, and short open answers in Estonian or English depending on the task instruction.

Skim for structure first: title, subheadings, first and last sentence of each paragraph. Estonian informational texts typically place the main claim in the opening paragraph and the conclusion or recommendation at the end.

Scan for the exact wording of names, numbers, dates and place names; distractors usually reuse text vocabulary but alter one detail (a year, a negation, a comparative).

A statement is false only if the text contradicts it; if the text is silent, the correct label is 'not stated' rather than 'false' when that option is offered.

For gap-fill tasks, decide the missing word's part of speech and grammatical form (tense, number, case ending) before choosing from the bank; the bank often contains two words of the same meaning but different form.

Inference questions ask what the writer implies, not what the reader believes; the answer must be supported by at least one explicit sentence in the passage.

Vocabulary-in-context items: substitute each option into the sentence and check that the surrounding clause still makes sense; Estonian prefix and suffix patterns (e- , -lik, -mine) signal meaning shifts.

Time allocation guide: roughly 1.5 minutes per item plus 3-4 minutes to read each passage; leave open-ended answers for last because they take longest to phrase.

Typical task formats: multiple choice with three options, true/false statements, matching speakers to statements, and completing notes or a table with a few words.

The audio is usually played twice; on the first listening identify the topic and the speakers' attitudes, on the second confirm specific numbers, names and negations.

Distractors are built by mentioning an option and then rejecting or correcting it ('I thought it was Tuesday, but actually the deadline is Thursday'); the correction is the answer.

Numbers, prices, times and dates are frequently self-corrected; note both the first and second figure and choose the one the speaker settles on.

Signal words mark the answer location: however, actually, in fact, the problem is, what matters is, on the other hand, so, therefore, to sum up.

Note-taking shorthand: use abbreviations and symbols (↑ increase, ↓ decrease, ≠ not, → leads to) rather than full words, so writing does not compete with listening.

Read the questions before the first playing and predict the expected answer type (a place, a reason, a number); this primes recognition of the relevant phrase.

Speaker-attitude items turn on intonation and hedges (probably, I suppose, not really); a flat 'That's great' can signal sarcasm or disappointment.

Two main task types: a transactional letter or e-mail (asking for information, complaining, applying, inviting) and an opinion or argument essay of roughly 150-200 words.

Register rule: formal writing avoids contractions, slang and exclamation marks, uses full forms (do not, I would like) and a neutral closing (Yours sincerely / Best regards).

Letter structure: greeting, opening sentence stating purpose, body paragraphs each covering one point, closing sentence with a request or next step, sign-off.

Essay structure: introduction with a clear thesis, two body paragraphs each with a topic sentence plus support or example, conclusion restating the position without new arguments.

Cohesion is assessed: use a range of linkers (however, moreover, whereas, consequently, in addition, on balance) but avoid starting every sentence with the same connector.

Grammar accuracy counts more than ambition: controlled complex sentences (relative clauses, conditionals, passive) score higher than long sentences with broken agreement.

Estonian-influenced errors to check: article use (a/the), present perfect versus past simple, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions after verbs (depend on, interested in).

Word-count discipline: staying within about 10 percent of the required length; under-length answers lose content points even when the language is correct.

Tense choice rule: present perfect for past action with present relevance or unspecified time; past simple for a finished time (yesterday, in 2019, last week).

Conditionals: zero (if + present, present), first (if + present, will), second (if + past, would), third (if + had + past participle, would have + past participle).

Passive formation: be + past participle, with the tense carried by 'be' (is made, was made, has been made, will be made); the agent takes 'by'.

Reported speech backshift: present becomes past, will becomes would, can becomes could; pronouns and time expressions shift (today becomes that day, tomorrow becomes the following day).

Word-formation items test prefixes and suffixes: un- , dis- , in-/im-/ir- for negation; -ment, -tion, -ness, -ity for nouns; -ful, -less, -able, -ive for adjectives; -ly for adverbs.

Collocation is the main vocabulary discriminator: make a decision, do research, take part in, pay attention to, heavy rain, strong argument, highly likely.

Countable versus uncountable: information, advice, news, furniture and research take no plural -s and no 'a'; use 'a piece of' or 'some' instead.

Prepositional patterns: good at, afraid of, responsible for, succeed in, insist on, apologise for, look forward to + -ing form.

Gap-fill strategy: read the whole sentence first, identify the grammatical slot, then eliminate options that fail agreement, tense or collocation before judging meaning.