Short version: about 30 minutes. Reading and language use.
Text: Library opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed on Sundays. Students can borrow up to 8 books for three weeks. Late returns cost 20p per day. Computers are free for 30 minutes.
1Reading: Read the notice and tick the right answer by writing the letter.
Find the number in the text, then check the answer.
a)On Saturday the library opens at … a) 9 b) 10 c) 2
b)You can borrow books for … a) one week b) two weeks c) three weeks
c)If you are two days late, you pay … a) 20p b) 40p c) 2 pounds
d)The library is closed on … a) Sunday b) Saturday c) Monday
2Language use: Circle the correct word.
One grammar rule per sentence.
a)She (has lived / lives) here since 2015.
b)If it rains, we (will / would) stay in.
c)The film (was / were) made in 2020.
d)He asked me where I (live / lived).
e)I enjoy (to read / reading).
3Writing: Write four sentences to a friend about your weekend plans.
Hi …, at the weekend I'm going to …
a)Use going to twice and will once.
Short version: about 30 minutes. Reading and language use.
Text: Library opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed on Sundays. Students can borrow up to 8 books for three weeks. Late returns cost 20p per day. Computers are free for 30 minutes.
1Reading: Read the notice and tick the right answer by writing the letter.
Find the number in the text, then check the answer.
a)On Saturday the library opens at … a) 9 b) 10 c) 2b
b)You can borrow books for … a) one week b) two weeks c) three weeksc
c)If you are two days late, you pay … a) 20p b) 40p c) 2 poundsb
d)The library is closed on … a) Sunday b) Saturday c) Mondaya
2Language use: Circle the correct word.
One grammar rule per sentence.
a)She (has lived / lives) here since 2015.has lived
b)If it rains, we (will / would) stay in.will
c)The film (was / were) made in 2020.was
d)He asked me where I (live / lived).lived
e)I enjoy (to read / reading).reading
3Writing: Write four sentences to a friend about your weekend plans.
Hi …, at the weekend I'm going to …
a)Use going to twice and will once.Own text. Check: two going to, one will, greeting.
The MSA English exam has four parts: listening, reading, language use and writing (plus a speaking exam). This sheet trains reading, language use and writing. Time: about 60 minutes.
Text: Volunteers wanted! Greenfield Animal Shelter is looking for young people aged 14 to 18 to help at weekends. Tasks include walking dogs, cleaning cages and helping visitors. No experience is needed, but you must love animals and be reliable. Volunteers work one Saturday or Sunday a month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We offer training, a free T-shirt and a certificate for your CV. Interested? Email volunteers@greenfield-shelter.org before 30 April.
1Reading: Read the text and answer the questions with a few words.
Short answers are enough. Take the information from the text.
a)Who can apply?
b)Name two tasks.
c)How often do volunteers work?
d)What do volunteers get? Name two things.
e)What is the deadline?
2Language use: Fill in the correct form.
Grammar from Year 7 to 10: if-clauses, tenses, passive, reported speech, gerund, comparison.
a)If I … (have) more time, I would volunteer.
b)The shelter … (open) in 2005.
c)Dogs … (walk) every morning by the volunteers. (passive)
d)She said she … (want) to help.
e)I'm looking forward to … (work) there.
f)He is … (good) at this than I am.
3Writing: You want to volunteer at the shelter. Write the email (100 to 120 words).
Dear Sir or Madam, … Yours faithfully, … — formal email: no slang, full forms (I am, I would like).
a)Introduce yourself, say why you are interested, mention your experience with animals, ask two questions (e.g. about the training or the dates).
The MSA English exam has four parts: listening, reading, language use and writing (plus a speaking exam). This sheet trains reading, language use and writing. Time: about 60 minutes.
Text: Volunteers wanted! Greenfield Animal Shelter is looking for young people aged 14 to 18 to help at weekends. Tasks include walking dogs, cleaning cages and helping visitors. No experience is needed, but you must love animals and be reliable. Volunteers work one Saturday or Sunday a month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We offer training, a free T-shirt and a certificate for your CV. Interested? Email volunteers@greenfield-shelter.org before 30 April.
1Reading: Read the text and answer the questions with a few words.
Short answers are enough. Take the information from the text.
a)Who can apply?Young people aged 14 to 18.
b)Name two tasks.Walking dogs, cleaning cages, helping visitors (two of these).
c)How often do volunteers work?One Saturday or Sunday a month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
d)What do volunteers get? Name two things.Training, a free T-shirt, a certificate (two of these).
e)What is the deadline?30 April.
2Language use: Fill in the correct form.
Grammar from Year 7 to 10: if-clauses, tenses, passive, reported speech, gerund, comparison.
a)If I … (have) more time, I would volunteer.had
b)The shelter … (open) in 2005.opened
c)Dogs … (walk) every morning by the volunteers. (passive)are walked
d)She said she … (want) to help.wanted
e)I'm looking forward to … (work) there.working
f)He is … (good) at this than I am.better
3Writing: You want to volunteer at the shelter. Write the email (100 to 120 words).
Dear Sir or Madam, … Yours faithfully, … — formal email: no slang, full forms (I am, I would like).
a)Introduce yourself, say why you are interested, mention your experience with animals, ask two questions (e.g. about the training or the dates).Own text. Check: formal greeting and ending, who you are, why you want to help, experience, two questions, 100 to 120 words, no contractions.
Long version: about 90 minutes, like the real MSA written exam. Reading, language use and writing.
Text: Teen inventor wins national prize. Sixteen-year-old Aisha Rahman from Leeds has won the Young Engineer of the Year award for a device that turns the movement of a school bag into electricity. „Students carry heavy bags for hours," she explains. „That energy is wasted." Her small generator, fixed to the strap, produces enough power to charge a phone during a normal school day. Aisha developed the idea in a school club and tested it with 30 classmates for six weeks. The prize includes 10,000 pounds and a work placement with a technology company. She wants to make the device cheaper so that schools in poorer countries can use it for lamps. „Not everyone has electricity at home to do homework," she says.
1Reading: Read the text and answer the questions in a few words.
Look for the key words from the question in the text. The last question needs your own explanation.
a)What does Aisha's invention do?
b)Where did she get the idea and how did she test it?
c)What does the prize include? Name both parts.
d)What is her plan for the future, and why?
e)Explain the sentence „That energy is wasted" in your own words.
2Language use: Fill in the correct form of the word in brackets.
Grammar from Years 7 to 10.
a)The device … (invent) by a student. (passive)
b)If she … (not / join) the club, she would never have had the idea.
c)She said that she … (want) to help poorer schools.
d)It is one of the … (useful) inventions this year.
e)Students are used to … (carry) heavy bags.
f)By next year, she … (finish) the cheaper version. (future perfect)
g)The generator, … was tested for six weeks, works well. (relative pronoun)
h)She has been working on it … two years. (since / for)
3Writing: Choose one task and write 150 to 180 words.
Plan first (two minutes), write, then check tenses, -s, word order and spelling.
a)Task 1: Write an article for your school website about a student project at your school (real or invented). Headline, W-questions, quotes, outlook.
b)Task 2: Write a comment: Should schools have more time for practical projects like Aisha's? Introduction, two arguments, counter-argument, conclusion.
Long version: about 90 minutes, like the real MSA written exam. Reading, language use and writing.
Text: Teen inventor wins national prize. Sixteen-year-old Aisha Rahman from Leeds has won the Young Engineer of the Year award for a device that turns the movement of a school bag into electricity. „Students carry heavy bags for hours," she explains. „That energy is wasted." Her small generator, fixed to the strap, produces enough power to charge a phone during a normal school day. Aisha developed the idea in a school club and tested it with 30 classmates for six weeks. The prize includes 10,000 pounds and a work placement with a technology company. She wants to make the device cheaper so that schools in poorer countries can use it for lamps. „Not everyone has electricity at home to do homework," she says.
1Reading: Read the text and answer the questions in a few words.
Look for the key words from the question in the text. The last question needs your own explanation.
a)What does Aisha's invention do?It turns the movement of a school bag into electricity to charge a phone.
b)Where did she get the idea and how did she test it?In a school club; she tested it with 30 classmates for six weeks.
c)What does the prize include? Name both parts.10,000 pounds and a work placement with a technology company.
d)What is her plan for the future, and why?She wants to make it cheaper so that schools in poorer countries can use it for lamps, because not everyone has electricity at home.
e)Explain the sentence „That energy is wasted" in your own words.Students produce energy when they carry bags, but nobody uses it — it disappears.
2Language use: Fill in the correct form of the word in brackets.
Grammar from Years 7 to 10.
a)The device … (invent) by a student. (passive)was invented
b)If she … (not / join) the club, she would never have had the idea.hadn't joined
c)She said that she … (want) to help poorer schools.wanted
d)It is one of the … (useful) inventions this year.most useful
e)Students are used to … (carry) heavy bags.carrying
f)By next year, she … (finish) the cheaper version. (future perfect)will have finished
g)The generator, … was tested for six weeks, works well. (relative pronoun)which
h)She has been working on it … two years. (since / for)for
3Writing: Choose one task and write 150 to 180 words.
Plan first (two minutes), write, then check tenses, -s, word order and spelling.
a)Task 1: Write an article for your school website about a student project at your school (real or invented). Headline, W-questions, quotes, outlook.Own text. Task 1: headline, who/what/when/where/why, at least one quote, outlook. Task 2: clear position, two arguments with examples, counter-argument answered, conclusion. 150 to 180 words.
b)Task 2: Write a comment: Should schools have more time for practical projects like Aisha's? Introduction, two arguments, counter-argument, conclusion.
The parts of the exam
The written MSA English exam has listening, reading, language use and writing; speaking is tested separately. Reading and language use bring quick points if you work systematically; writing needs a plan.
Reading strategy
Read the questions first, then the text. Underline the key word of each question and find it in the text. Short answers are enough unless the task says „in full sentences".
Writing strategy
Two minutes of planning: what type of text, who reads it, which points must be in it. Then write. Then check: -s after he/she/it, tenses, word order, capital letters, greeting and ending in emails.