[BBC News] Record year for A-level results

[girl89]

Didn't teach you the correct use of the apostrophe though eh?

 

Oh wow, I missed out a bit of grammar. Those posts were quite good considering I was drunk!

[RC-Drift.com]

So we can expect a 96.2% pass rate next year then, obviously kids are more intelligent these days and we adults are mere dunderheads

 

...Maths exams without a calculator - now there's a novelty

[Tugger]

So we can expect a 96.2% pass rate next year then, obviously kids are more intelligent these days and we adults are mere dunderheads

 

...Maths exams without a calculator - now there's a novelty

 

Weren't you always allowed a calculator in Maths A level? I think it was just O level where you needed to take your log tables in for one of the two exams.

[ans]

Didn't teach you the correct use of the apostrophe though eh?

 

Oh wow, I missed out a bit of grammar. Those posts were quite good considering I was drunk!

 

Just pointing out that boasting about passing the English Language A-level exam, while making basic errors, probably isn't the best way to strengthen your argument that it's not getting easier.

[b4mbi]

Didn't teach you the correct use of the apostrophe though eh?

 

Oh wow, I missed out a bit of grammar. Those posts were quite good considering I was drunk!

 

Just pointing out that boasting about passing the English Language A-level exam, while making basic errors, probably isn't the best way to strengthen your argument that it's not getting easier.

 

 

@ the irony. Not the toastery though. That's an appliance too far.

 

I've just started reading "Eats, shoots and leaves" so will not be making any punctuation mistakes in any of my future posts. Honest.

 

Hwoveevr, I may mkae a few seplinlg msikeats.

 

[RC-Drift.com]

Weren't you always allowed a calculator in Maths A level? I think it was just O level where you needed to take your log tables in for one of the two exams.

Calculators were invented after I left school, have you heard of slide rules and log tables, or even good old pen & paper?

[Miss Take]

Didn't teach you the correct use of the apostrophe though eh?

 

What did she get wrong? "Uni's" is only wrong if it's a plural of "uni", not if it's a shortening of "universities".

[Albert Tatlock]

Didn't teach you the correct use of the apostrophe though eh?

 

What did she get wrong? "Uni's" is only wrong if it's a plural of "uni", not if it's a shortening of "universities".

I think you'll find the plural is unis. Like dogs not dog's. Apostrophes are used to show something belongs to something or to show letters have been missed out. That said we don't write sha''n't - only one apostrophe is used - so I suppose in theory it is possible to use uni's to show letters have been left out in 'universities'.

[Mr. Sausages]

Which is just a longwinded way of saying the same thing that Miss Take said.

[Albert Tatlock]

Which is just a longwinded way of saying the same thing that Miss Take said.

Whilst I would seem to agree with most of your analysis on that, and tend to go more and more to the affirmity of your statement, I am happy to ratify your declaratory comment.

 

Or - you're right - I was agreeing.

[ans]

What did she get wrong? "Uni's" is only wrong if it's a plural of "uni", not if it's a shortening of "universities".

 

Considering she already accepted she was wrong, I think it's safe to assume she used it as a plural.

 

Can we get back to ridiculing the results again?

[sarahc]

What did she get wrong? "Uni's" is only wrong if it's a plural of "uni", not if it's a shortening of "universities".

 

Considering she already accepted she was wrong, I think it's safe to assume she used it as a plural.

 

Can we get back to ridiculing the results again?

 

 

Ooh yes please.

 

I did sod all work for mine and got BCCD. So to take into account the differences in the marking systems, by today's standard I'd get 3 A*s and a B. Or something.

[Pragmatopian]

I got 4 As and a B ten years ago, although in the interests of full and frank disclosure one of the As was in General Studies and the results were attained before my brain had been addled by work and booze.

[feelslikeitshould]

Just pointing out that boasting about passing the English Language A-level exam, while making basic errors, probably isn't the best way to strengthen your argument that it's not getting easier.

 

I don't remember reading her boasting or arguing that A levels aren't getting easier.

 

I don't think the people who choose to take A levels should be mocked. They have clearly worked hard for them, you can argue that they haven't worked as hard for them as someone did 25 years ago, or even 5 years ago but that's hardly their fault is it? You can only answer the questions you're given. The whole education system must be getting "dumbed" down if A levels are getting easier, which is nothing to do with the kids who have passed them.

 

In 10-15 years time when your children (not necessarily yours ans, this is directed at all the cynical, miserable bastards!) get their results and come bounding up to you "Dad, I got 4 A*s!" Are you going to say, "Don't get over excited, it was much harder when I did it. In fact, 4 A*s is hardly an achievement at all. You may as well have not bothered."? What about when they qualify as a doctor? "It was harder to become a doctor in my day, I wouldn't want you operating on me."

 

We do this every year. Depending on what you want to do in the future, sometimes A levels and a degree is the only way to go. It may also provide a big short cut to getting to the career position you want or a professional qualification. It's the way the system works, everyone deserves congratualting if they have done well, not beating down because "It was harder in my day".

 

Stop talking shite, you can't expect these kids to roll over and agree with everything you say because I'm sure to them it was 2 years of hard work. By all accounts, 2 years doing A levels is much more intense and stressfull than a degree, which came from a good friend of mine who did a maths degree and got a 1st and the vast majority of his peers agree.

[VinnieK]

So we can expect a 96.2% pass rate next year then, obviously kids are more intelligent these days and we adults are mere dunderheads

 

Passing an A-Level isn't the same as doing well at an A-Level. An E is classified as a pass, which represents getting something like 20% of the marks - in other words, not that brilliant.

 

...Maths exams without a calculator - now there's a novelty

 

A calculator is redundant piece of equipment for most maths exams at A-Level (with exceptions of statistics and applied maths) since most questions are revolve around algebraic manipulation and using what has been taught to prove certain mathematical statements. As such, where a numerical answer is sought it usually represents a small proportion of the marks of that question compared with those attributed to the method the student applies. Actually calculating things is for dunces and physicists

 

In any case, using a calculator is little different in principle to using a slide rule or log books - they are both simply tools to aid and simplify calculations and the ability or lack of it to effectively use a slide rule has nothing to do with a student's mathematical ability.

 

On another matter, I was interested to read in the joint council for qualification's report regarding A-Level results that despite many criticising and complaining about "soft" and new A-Levels, these very subjects tend to have the lowest proportion of students achieving grade A: only 18% of students taking Business studies, for instance, get an A whilst for Classics and Chemistry the proportion is over 30%, which kind of scuppers the argument that they're to blame for the rise in Grade A results.