Successful Study Habits

It is that time of year again! Final exams are approaching us soon. Do not be afraid because I have some tips for you to use when you begin studying for your exams. Before you start studying find a place where you will not be disturbed. When you are disturbed while you are studying, you lose your train of thought, which will lead to very ineffective studying. It is a stressful time but when it is well planned, you will feel a little more relaxed. You may delay starting your studying because you think you have more time than you do. A delay in studying is called "procrastination." If you procrastinate for any reason, you will find it difficult to get everything done when you need to. You may rush to make up the time you wasted getting started, resulting in careless work and errors. If you try to do too much studying at one time, you will be tired and your studying will not be very effective. Space the work you have to do over shorter periods of time. Taking short breaks will restore your mental energy. Simplifying studying without direction is not effective. You need to know exactly what you need to accomplish during each study session. Before you start studying, set a study session goal that supports your overall academic goal. For example, memorize 30 vocabulary words in order to ace the vocabulary section on an upcoming English test. Reviewing your notes will help as a guide to what will be on the test. In the end, you are being tested on what you have learned in class.
Remember:
1) Find a place that is comfortable for you and your need to concentrate
2) Do not do too much studying at one time.
3) Have a planned studying time.
4) Review your notes.
5) Have a specific goal.


Vocabulary:

ineffective- not producing results; incapable
stressful- mental, emotional, or physical strain or tension
delay- to put off to a later time; defer
procrastination- the act or habit of procrastinating; putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention
effective- adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result
restore- to bring back into existence or use
ace- to be successful on a test

Vocabulary exercise:

Match the antonym (the word opposite in meaning) of the vocabulary word below.

ineffective----------------------destroy
stressful-------------------------speed
ace------------------------------- strong
procrastination----------------- useless
restore--------------------------progression
effective------------------------easy
delay----------------------------unskilled

Grammar Point:

Possessive Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun or another pronoun. The word or word group to which the pronoun refers is called its antecedent.

A possessive pronoun shows ownership. The pronouns: mine, yours, hers, his, its, ours, and theirs can be used in place of nouns.

For example: This sandwich is mine.

The pronouns: my, your, her, his, its, our, and their are used before nouns.

For example: This is my sandwich.

Be Careful: Many spelling errors can be avoided if you watch out for its and their. Don’t confuse the possessive pronouns its and their with the contractions it’s and they’re.

Tip: To decide which pronoun to use in a comparison, such as “He likes it more than (I or me),” fill in the missing word(s): He likes it more than I do.

Grammar Exercise

Fill in the blank with the correct possessive pronoun below:

Remember to use these possessive pronouns: mine, yours, hers, his, its, ours, and theirs

1) It belongs to me, it's ___
2) It belongs to my father, it's ___
3) It belongs to her, it's ___
4) It belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, it's ___
5) It belongs to me and my wife, it's ___
6) It belongs to my mother, it's ___
7) It belongs to him, it's ___
8) It belongs to you, it's ___
9) It belongs to the dog, it's ___
10) It belongs to them, it's ___

For more practice and to help you study your grammar and vocabulary in English use this website Activities for ESL to help you: http://a4esl.org/

If you follow this advice, you will be on your way to success!!