Just to share my experience

[Crystalclear]

Hi everyone. Most of you might not know me but some of you might still recognize me. I stopped posting messages for awhile because I was devastated and brokenhearted when i received my April TSE result. I was saying before that I will received 50 for my April TSE because of my confidence to God and confidence that I got from the help of this forum. I saw the test in advance here for April and performed well that it even makes me more confident that I will get 50 without a doubt.

 

When I received the 45 again for that test date, I was depressed but at the same time I thought I have to do something. I wrote a letter to ETS about the result because I think it's worth fighting for. I waited for more than a month for their answer. I received their answer the same time I received my June result because I took the June TSE also. It's another strange situation just like other people here shared that they received 50 in the test they are least expected to be graded 50. I got 50 in my June test but for my April test, their answer is that there was no change in my score. I think that TSE does not have any standard grading system. It's all about subjective scoring and more likely about meeting their quota for the month that will pass the TSE. It's not about individual performance or capability at all.

 

The bottomline is, TSE is an unfair and unjust test. Eventhough TSE is over or almost over in other parts of the world, it still has left behind so much hurts to most of us. Our only hope is in our God. We have to keep trusting Him because He knows the best for us. He will answer our prayers not in the time that we wanted but in His perfect time. For those who will continue to Toeflibt, I wish you all the best and may all God's graces be with you. Toeflibt may be totally different from TSE but keep in mind that you are still dealing with the same institution... ETS. Please be careful. One suggestion, if you know that you've achieved something or passed a test already, fight for it. Let ETS know you and recognize you above all but not in a bad way. Dont give them a chance to perceive you as a below average person. Eventhough we are foreigners in this land, we still can shine. Show them yourself as a professional and confident individual either in communicating with them by phone or by letter. I can share the "complaint" letter that I wrote to ETS if there would be anyone who will be interested in reading my letter. Just let me know. Maybe it's still not too late to make it as an example for you to write a complaint to ETS or follow up if you are trying to request for a rescoring for June if there's need for anyone.

 

Once again, I would like to thank all the members of this forum. Thank you to the creator of test magic. Thank you to the unselfish and just plain good people here who share their love, care and affection. Not the least, I thank and praise God for His blessings.

 

With prayers,

Crystalclear

 

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising everytime we fall."

[wishtopass]

Hi Crystal:

 

congratulationsfor passing TSE. Would you mind to tell me what materials and courses did you take to pass TSE? Did you attend the Bruno hill on-line 3 months- course ? Or did you take any pronounciation or grammar course? Or did you take take Jack Rose course?

 

Can we speak slowly and clearly but without finishing the responses within the time limit for most of the questions, as long as grammar and pronounciation are correct?Or we must try to finish the responses except for one or two questions? It is very hard to say the stress, intonation and pause like a native speaker, as I am a non-native speaker.Does the rater look at stress, intonaton and pause other than pronounciation and grammar?

 

Have you taken TOEFL-iBT before? Did you find TSE or iBT speaking easier?

I need to get TSE 50 or iBT speaking 26.

 

thanks if you can let me know.

 

 

wishtopass

[Crystalclear]

Hi wishtopass. Thank you for your greetings.

 

To answer your questions, I never had a chance to take a course offered for TSE. I just learned about the Jack Rose course when I was searching the internet for reviewers for TSE. I just purchased the Jack Rose book with cd's and studied it thoroughly. I live far from California to go for the lecture. I dont know much about the Bruno Hill course. I just read something about it from the links posted here by Knok (member here who posts important and useful information about TSE) I also used the Toward Speaking Excellence book by PapaJohn. Another one is the book called Mastering the new Toefl Speaking & TSE. I dont know the name of the author. I just learned this book from one of the posted messages here in the forum and asked around to my friends and borrowed the xerox copy of the book from my friend. Those books that I mentioned are my resources in studying the test. I did not attend any pronounciation or grammar class but I tried to speak English all the time.

 

Based on my experience, I cant tell you what the raters really are looking for to grade us 50. I believe you have to speak slowly and clearly but not very slow. Avoid long pauses. If you were not able to finish your answer I guess its ok as long you were able to speak and say your comment or at least give one answer about the question. For me, it's easy to answer the questions when I follow the format in answering the types of questions in TSE suggested in the review books. There will always be a difference in speaking between a non-native and a native speaker of English but I guess we just have to try our best to minimize our native accent in speaking English. That's why its very important to always speak in English wherever you are and whoever you are talking with. One thing I know for sure, TSE is a very unfair and unjust test that its hard to know what are the things we really have to do in order to get 50. Just like in my June test, I know I made a lot of mistakes there but I got 50 but in my April, I was spontaneous in answering the questions. I was able to prepare for it better and answered the questions competently but you know what I got in that test, 45. About the toeflibt, I have not taken it before so I cant tell you the difference between the two.

 

I just wish all the best for you. I hope that you will receive the scores that you need either for TSE or Toeflibt. God bless.

 

Crystalclear

[grtse2006]

Hi crystalclear,

can you please share the letter that you wrote to ets.thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi everyone. Most of you might not know me but some of you might still recognize me. I stopped posting messages for awhile because I was devastated and brokenhearted when i received my April TSE result. I was saying before that I will received 50 for my April TSE because of my confidence to God and confidence that I got from the help of this forum. I saw the test in advance here for April and performed well that it even makes me more confident that I will get 50 without a doubt.

 

When I received the 45 again for that test date, I was depressed but at the same time I thought I have to do something. I wrote a letter to ETS about the result because I think it's worth fighting for. I waited for more than a month for their answer. I received their answer the same time I received my June result because I took the June TSE also. It's another strange situation just like other people here shared that they received 50 in the test they are least expected to be graded 50. I got 50 in my June test but for my April test, their answer is that there was no change in my score. I think that TSE does not have any standard grading system. It's all about subjective scoring and more likely about meeting their quota for the month that will pass the TSE. It's not about individual performance or capability at all.

 

The bottomline is, TSE is an unfair and unjust test. Eventhough TSE is over or almost over in other parts of the world, it still has left behind so much hurts to most of us. Our only hope is in our God. We have to keep trusting Him because He knows the best for us. He will answer our prayers not in the time that we wanted but in His perfect time. For those who will continue to Toeflibt, I wish you all the best and may all God's graces be with you. Toeflibt may be totally different from TSE but keep in mind that you are still dealing with the same institution... ETS. Please be careful. One suggestion, if you know that you've achieved something or passed a test already, fight for it. Let ETS know you and recognize you above all but not in a bad way. Dont give them a chance to perceive you as a below average person. Eventhough we are foreigners in this land, we still can shine. Show them yourself as a professional and confident individual either in communicating with them by phone or by letter. I can share the "complaint" letter that I wrote to ETS if there would be anyone who will be interested in reading my letter. Just let me know. Maybe it's still not too late to make it as an example for you to write a complaint to ETS or follow up if you are trying to request for a rescoring for June if there's need for anyone.

 

Once again, I would like to thank all the members of this forum. Thank you to the creator of test magic. Thank you to the unselfish and just plain good people here who share their love, care and affection. Not the least, I thank and praise God for His blessings.

 

With prayers,

Crystalclear

 

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising everytime we fall."

[Crystalclear]

Hi grtse2006. I enclosed the complaint letter in my message that I posted in the thread that's entitled, "May 13th result from the Philippines". Just try to find it there.

 

I will try if i could copy and paste the letter from that thread to this thread.