Scrúdú Béil – Oral Exam

The Oral Exam is a very important part of the Irish Exam since it accounts for 40% of the total marks. The good news is that is relatively easy to get high marks if you are prepared for it.

The exam is divided into 4 sections.

1. Fáiltiú – The Welcome.

Here you will be asked 5 questions,

Cad is ainm duit?

Cén aois thú?

Cad do sheoladh baile?

Cad é data do bhreithlá?

Cad é do scrúduimhir? ( You can have this written down, no need to learn it)

2. Dán a léamh – Read a poem.

You will be asked to 10 consecutive lines from one of the 5 poems on your course. This is the easiest 35 marks on your course. If you are unsure of some pronunciations go on You Tube and you will find people reciting the poems. Marcus Lambe for example.

3. Comhrá – Coversation

The conversation lasts approximately 8 minutes and most of the questions are predictable. Remember it is a conversation not an interrogation!! You will only be asked things that you know about.

Ten very common questions.

(i) Your local area and facilities

(ii) Your family

(iii) Your hobbies

(iv) Your subjects

(v) The school, facilities, uniform

(vi) What will you do next year?

(vii) Where do you go on holidays?

(viii) Describe your house

(ix) Did you ever have a summer job?

(x) What do you do on your phone/ Social Media?

If you haven’t got anything to say on a topic just say, Níl suim agam san ábhar sin or níl eolas agam faoin ábhar sin. Remember saying one of these, you are still talking in Irish.

4. Sraith Pictiúr – Picture sequence

Here you will be asked to talk on a series of pictures.

Try to give 4/5 sentences per picture if you are doing honours, 2/3 if you are doing the ordinary level. If you get stuck just go on to the next picture. At the end you ask the examiner 3 questions based on the pictures and then the examiner will ask you 3 questions.

Overall, it is all about the preparation, the more you have prepared the easier it will be. The examiners always try to help you and will only stay on topics if they think you can talk about them. Don’t worry about making mistakes most of the marks are for your ability to keep talking.

Go n-éirí libh!