IEO is the International English Olympiad. It is organized to test the English grammar and language skills of students at the school level. The SOF or science olympiad foundation conducts it. This test is conducted on an international level. The exam has different levels- school, city, zonal, regional and international level. There are two levels of this exam, level 1 and level 2.
Once the results are declared after the exam, a student performance report is also released. This report elaborates on the detailed performance of the student. It also highlights the strong and weak areas of the student. It ranks the students at school, city, zonal and regional levels.
Based on their performance students are awarded and acknowledged. It helps the students compare their knowledge with other students from different levels.
Eligibility criteria for the English olympiad
For level 1 of the English Olympiad exam students from classes 1 to 12 can participate. There is no minimum mark or any age limit for this exam. Students who perform well in the level 1 exam are allowed to participate in the level 2 exam.
The paper pattern for the English olympiad
The question paper has been divided into four sections of, word and structure knowledge, Reading, Spoken and written expression, and achievers section. The total number of questions asked from the first three sections will be 45 and the achievers section will have 5 questions. Hence, the total number of questions asked in this test will be 50. Also, the 45 questions from word and structure knowledge, reading, spoken, and written expression sections are asked for 1 mark. The 5 questions from the achievers section are asked for 3 marks each. The total marks for this exam will be 60. This olympiad is conducted only in the English language.
Syllabus Division of IEO Class 7 Exam
The syllabus has been divided section-wise for this exam. The syllabus division is given below:
For Section 1
Spellings, Collocations and Words related to Travel, Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Adverbs, Adjectives, Articles, Prepositions, Synonyms and Antonyms, Analogies along with Spellings, One word, Conjunctions, Punctuation, Tenses, Voices and Narration, etc. Locations, Activities, Homonyms and Homophones, etc. Phrasal verbs, Idioms, Modals, and auxiliaries.
For Section 2
Look for and retrieve information from different types of texts like News stories, Brochures, advertisements, Letters- both formal and informal. Biographies, Notices, and Messages, etc. Understanding and finding information from News reports, Brochures, itineraries, etc., Looking for specific details in the given narratives.
For Section 3
Ability to state intent and expression, etc. and to understand functions like request
For Section 4
From the topics given in sections 1,2, and 3 higher-order thinking (HOTs) type questions will be asked.
How to prepare for the English olympiad?
1. Practise Previous Years’ Question Papers
Previous year question papers are very important for a student to acquaint themselves with the exam, its paper pattern, syllabus, marks distribution, level of difficulty of questions, etc. This exam is quite different from the exam and tests a student gets to give in school. This is why knowing about the exam should be the first step for a student in starting the preparation. IEO English Olympiad Previous Year Question Paper Class 7 2015 provides access to the previous year’s question paper and collection of sample papers for class 7 English olympiad.
2. Read from the prescribed textbooks
Studying the English language will require the student to develop a reading habit. Students who read more and read different texts from books other than their prescribed school textbooks are more likely to score better in this exam. Students should be well aware of grammar rules, idioms, parts of speech, synonyms and antonyms, figures of speech, etc. They should have a deep understanding of all the English language concepts, which are a part of their syllabus. Knowing the concepts that are a part of the syllabus is important but students should know the lines of the syllabus.
3. The preparation must be beyond NCERT
While finding material for preparation NCERTs are enough to give an idea of how much a student should prepare. But the students must think beyond just covering the syllabus or reading on the topics given in the syllabus. Reading complex text that is slightly higher in level will prepare students. To successfully read complex texts, students should- analyze them, read into them and try to find the hidden meaning. Constantly preparing notes will be helpful for students.
4. Test Your Grammatical Skills
Students should test their knowledge of grammar through tests and exercises. Enough exercises will help them identify their mistakes and weak areas and make changes in their preparation accordingly. To master the reading section, a regular reading habit will make all the difference. Fast reading will help not just in the reading section but also in surmounting the time constraints. To practice this, students can perform reading while timing them.
5. A good command of vocabulary
A strong set of vocabulary will help students save time and score good marks in this exam. Regular reading habits help in building vocabulary. Looking up new words as and when a student comes across one builds up the vocabulary over time.
6. A Thorough Revision of the Syllabus is Important
The revision will make a big difference in this exam. It is advised for students to start their preparation for the olympiads from early on. During the revision, they must pay enough attention to concepts and rules that they need to remember. Adding sample paper practise will allow students to access themselves better. Students should feel encouraged about receiving guidance from teachers specifically for this exam and should use various resources available in the form of textbooks and workbooks.
Conclusion
The English olympiad can be a great platform for students to test themselves and compete against students of different levels. The experience provided in taking this exam can offer helpful insight to the student on their level of knowledge. Students who are passionate about this subject can find that this exam will present them with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge. The learning and preparation part of the exam will teach them concepts and skills that they might not get to learn just by studying and testing school texts.