Vocabulary and Phrases: Laethanta Saoire

• Caitheamh aimsire (pastime): Be confident with common pastimes and associated verbs, such as snámh (swimming), ag léamh (reading) or ag siúl (walking).
• Turgnamh/Láithreacha suimiúla (excursions/interesting places): Recognise words associated with excursions or interesting sites like árasán (museum), páirc spraoi (playground) or caisleán (castle).
• An aimsir (the weather): Terms describing weather conditions are often used, such as té (hot), fuar (cold), tirim (dry), fliuch (wet).
• Teanga (language): Be familiar with phrases discussing language, like beagánín Gaeilge (a little Irish) or fluirseach Gaeilge (fluent Irish).

Understanding and Responding

• Practice extracting key information like cén t-am a bhfuil sé (what time is it), cá bhfuil sé (where is it), and cén sórt lae atá ann (what kind of day is it).
• Pay attention to the use of past, present and future tenses, as answers may depend on time frames. Phrases like bhí mé ag (I was), tá mé ag (I'm doing), beidh mé ag (I will be) will indicate the tense.
• Notice language indicating personal feelings or opinions, such as is maith liom (I like), ní maith liom (I don't like).

Competency in Accent and Pronunciation Differences

• Different dialects of Irish can vary in pronunciation. Identifying key common words in each can be beneficial: For example, 'you' is thú in Connacht, tusa in Munster, and tusa/ tú féin in Ulster.
• Pay close attention to the rhythm and intonation of the speaker.
• Familiarise yourself with various accents by listening to a range of dialects in both formal and informal contexts.

Preparation and Practice

• Regularly listen to Irish language radio, watch Irish language TV, or use Irish language digital applications to familiarise your ear with the language.
• Practice past exam papers to familiarise yourself with the format, question types and topics covered.
• Work alongside your class notes or textbook to review key vocabulary and phrases, and regularly self-test.

Remember, in a listening comprehension exam, the key is not to understand every single word but to get the overall gist of the conversation or text.