Diary - When we was in secondary school preparing

[Maybo]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

When we was in secondary school preparing for the public exam with our English teacher, he told us that he got an A in Maths in that exam. Every students were amazed by his grade, and asked him how he did that. He said he only did the classwork and homework assigned by his teacher, and didn't even do any past paper. Hearing that, we jaw dropped because it's a convention for Hong Kong students to drill themself for exam skills by doing past paper. I envied his smartness very much. If I were smarter, I could have a lot of job options now.

 

[Tarheel]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

When we WERE in secondary school preparing for the public exam with our English teacher, he told us that he got an A in Maths in that exam. ALL THE students were amazed by his grade, and asked him how he did that. He said he only did the classwork and homework assigned by his teacher, and didn't even do any past paper. Hearing that, OUR jawS dropped because it's a convention for Hong Kong students to drill THEMSELVES TO PREPARE FOR EXAMS BY doing past paper. I envied his smartness very much. If I were smarter, I could have a lot of job options now.

I'm not sure what a past paper is.

 

[Maybo]

I'm not sure what a past paper is.

It should be past exam paper.

 

[Tarheel]

Two things.

1. The word "maths" is not a proper noun.
2. Say either "all the students" or "every student".

I'm guessing that what they do with previous exam papers is review them to work on correcting any mistakes.

I fixed the error in my post.

 

[Maybo]

I'm guessing that what they do with previous exam papers is review them to work on correcting any mistakes.

They also looks for the trend for the topics. If some topics has been tested a few times, students speculate that these topics will not appear in the coming exams. Or, if a particular topic is tested every year, then they will put emphasis on it.

 

[Tarheel]

They also LOOK for the trend for the topics. If some topics HAVE been tested a few times, students speculate that these topics will not appear in the coming exams. Or, if a particular topic is tested every year, then they will put emphasis on it.

OK

 

[teechar]

Every All the students were amazed by his grade, achievement and asked him how he did that.

Note that "every" goes with singular nouns.

Hearing that, we our jaws dropped because it's a convention standard practice for Hong Kong students to drill themself for exam skills by doing do (lots of) past papers when preparing for exams.

They also look for the trending for the topics. If some certain/particular topics has been tested came up a few times, students speculate that these topics will not appear in the coming exams. Or, if a particular topic is tested comes up every year, then they will put emphasis focus on it.

See above.

 

[emsr2d2]

When we was in secondary school preparing for the public exam with our English teacher,

They also looks for the trend for the topics. If some topics has been tested a few times,

Come on, Maybo. Your English is normally better than this!

 

[Tarheel]

@Maybo There's one thing I don't quite understand. If a certain topic has been tested a few times I would think they would expect to see some questions about that on the final exam.

 

[Maybo]

@Maybo There's one thing I don't quite understand. If a certain topic has been tested a few times I would think they would expect to see some questions about that on the final exam.

Usually they review the past ten years exam paper. If they saw a pattern like this: a topic came up in 2010,2011,2012, (no 2013), 2014, 2015, (no 2016), 2017, 2018, 2019.
Students in 2020 would speculate that the topic will not come up in that year because it seems to come up every two to three years.

 

[Tarheel]

Do students in Hong Kong keep their exam papers for several years?

I don't think I kept from one year to the next -- not on purpose. One thing is you're likely to have entirely different subjects the next year.

 

[Maybo]

Do students in Hong Kong keep their exam papers for several years?

I don't think I kept from one year to the next -- not on purpose. One thing is you're likely to have entirely different subjects the next year.

The government issues the book of exam paper for each subject each year after the exam (for applying to a university). Students can buy it or teachers provide it. We usually don't do that for school exams.

 

[emsr2d2]

Usually they review the past ten years' exam papers.

If they saw a pattern like this - a topic came up in 2010, space here 2011, space here 2012, (not 2013), 2014, 2015, (not 2016), 2017, 2018, and 2019 - students in 2020 would speculate that the topic will not come up in that year because it seems to come up every two to three years.