Languages: English, Amharic, Affan Oromoo, and Tigrigna
The language paper assesses reading comprehension, grammar and usage, vocabulary, and written expression. English and the Ethiopian languages share the same demands - precise reading and controlled sentence construction - but each has its own grammar and script.
Reading comprehension
- Identify the main idea, supporting detail, inference, and the writer's tone. Reference questions ('it', 'they') require the nearest grammatical antecedent.
- Do not import outside knowledge; the answer must be defensible from the passage.
Grammar and usage
- English: subject–verb agreement, tense/aspect, conditionals, reported speech, relative clauses, prepositions, and punctuation. Third conditional: 'If she had studied, she would have passed.'
- Amharic: verb conjugation marks person and gender; word order is subject–object–verb; respect registers (እርስዎ) matter.
- Affan Oromoo: Latin script with gemination and vowel length distinctive; subject–object–verb order; focus markers affect meaning.
- Tigrigna: Ge'ez script; verb agreement and tense/aspect are central; possessive suffixes attach to nouns.
Vocabulary and writing
- Use context clues and word formation (prefixes/suffixes) rather than guessing from similarity to English.
- In writing, cohesion comes from connectors (however, therefore, in addition) and consistent register. A paragraph needs one controlling idea.
Worked example
Choose the correct form: 'Had the committee reviewed the proposal, it ______ it by Friday.' A) approves B) would approve C) would have approved D) had approved. The inverted 'Had...' replaces 'If the committee had reviewed...', so this is a third conditional: if + past perfect, then would have + past participle. Answer C. The reasoning is the unreal past, not the word 'by Friday'.
Traps
- Choosing an answer that is true in general but not stated in the passage.
- Matching a word by appearance rather than meaning (false friends).
- Ignoring a negative or a qualifying word ('not', 'rarely', 'only').
- In Amharic, Affan Oromoo, and Tigrigna, translating English word order literally.
- In writing, listing ideas without linking them.