Monday 1 June

Hello.

Here is a brief summary of what we did today, plus homework for next time.

Focused on Listening and Speaking practice.

Objective PET, p. 126-127 (Grammar, verbs followed by -ing/to).
Pronunciation work, p. 127, ex 1, 2 and 3.
Workbook, Happy families, pages 40-41.
Objective PET, Unit 24, discussing old inventions and how things haver changed for some products (page 154 + listening).
Objective PET, Exam folder 20, page 134 (track 2/38).
Objective PET, page 137, formal and informal language in phone calls.

Homework: pages 174-175, all exercises.

See you in class!

Some listening practice

Here is an intermediate level listening activity from BBC Learning English.

You can read the text of the interview as well.
You can learn some vocabulary about wildlife conservation, which could be a topic on your Preliminary exam.

If you have any questions, we can talk about them in class.

Does English sound like this to you?

Here is a short film in which two people speak a language that could be English.
(But perhaps it isn't!)

Does English sound like this to you when you listen to it?

Another reminder about a Preliminary English Speaking resource

Here is a reminder about another video to help you think about the Preliminary English Speaking test.

If you have any questions, we can talk about them in class.

Just another reminder ....

If you need to refresh your memory about the Preliminary English Speaking test, you can watch the official video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE7saDZrYOw

If you have any questions, we can talk about them in class.

Just a reminder ...

Here is a reminder that you can find some useful practice exercies on the Flo-Joe site:

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/preliminaryenglish/index.htm

If you have any questions, we can talk about them in class.

Some useful advice

Today's lesson: 11 May 2015

We spent a lot of time doing Listening practice today.

Listening practice: exam folder 22, p. 146.
Completed all exercises and discussed what strategies to adopt for Listening Part 4.

Continued listening practice with unit 23, p. 149, ex 1.

Homework: p. 149 Listening: ex 2, 3; Language focus, relative clauses 1, 2, 3, 4 (see also summary on p. 212).

Some extra grammar practice

{GRAMMAR}

Follow the link to some extra grammar practice.

The points covered are:

- ways of expressing the future

- prepositions of movement

- too / enough

- zero, first and second conditionals

- when / if / unless + present / future

- so do I / neither do I

- relative pronouns and relative clauses.

Enjoy!

If you have any more questions, we can talk about them in class.

Cambridge English: Preliminary - Listening - sample 2

{Cambridge English: Preliminary - Listening}

{Exam Practice}

1) Please download this file, if you haven't already. It is a copy of the answer sheet for the Listening paper of your Preliminary exam.

I think it would be a good idea to print four copies of the answer sheet.

2) Next, you need to get hold of this file, which contains the second sample Listening test you are going to complete.

3) Then you need to get the audio tracks for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

4) Try to complete the Listening paper under exam conditions: no interuptions, no help from dictionaries or internet, finish in the maximum time allowed.

We can discuss your answers in class.

A quick revision exercise - grammar

{GRAMMAR}

Here is a very quick revision exercise.

Look at these verbs:

avoid     look forward to     choose     suggest     apologise for     imagine

manage     intend     remind     offer     persuade     miss

Now organise them into two groups:

1) verbs that are followed by a full infinitive (for example, "to do")

2) verbs that are followed by the -ing form (for example, "doing")

After you have made your two lists, why not write an example sentence for each verb?

If you like, you can write your example sentences in the comments below.

See you in class.

Cambridge English: Preliminary - Speaking

{Cambridge English Preliminary: Speaking}

{Exam preparation}

Here is a video which you can find on the usual video sharing site.

It demonstrates the Speaking part of your Cambridge English: Preliminary exam.

Watch the video. 

Make a note of the different steps in the Speaking test: what does the interlocutor do? 

When do the candidates speak individually and when do they speak together? 

Think about the language they use.

Would you say the same things? Do you know some other expressions that you could use during the different parts of the test?

If you have any questions, we can talk about them in class.

Cambridge English: Preliminary - Listening - sample 1

{Cambridge English Preliminary - Listening}

{Exam Practice}

1) Please download this file. It is a copy of the answer sheet for the Listening paper of your Preliminary exam.

I think it would be a good idea to print four copies of the answer sheet.

2) Next, you need to get hold of this file, which contains the first sample Listening test you are going to complete.

3) Then you need to get the audio tracks for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

4) Try to complete the Listening paper under exam conditions: no interuptions, no help from dictionaries or internet, finish in the maximum time allowed.

We can discuss your answers in class.

Some vocabulary practice

Hello.

I prepared some Quizlet cards to practise vocabulary used by our Preliminary for Schools candidates.

However, I thought you might like to test your vocab recall as well.

Here are the links:

http://quizlet.com/72158552/cpfs-unit-1-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/72159730/cpfs-unit-2-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/77560128/cpfs-unit-3-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/72810797/cpfs-unit-4-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/77556272/cpfs-unit-5-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/77584029/cpfs-unit-6-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/77587609/cpfs-unit-7-flash-cards/

http://quizlet.com/77615413/cpfs-unit-8-flash-cards/

Copy and past the links into your browser bar.

Have fun!

For film fans and cinema buffs!

Adverbs of frequency

{GRAMMAR}

Here is a nice exercise from Flo-Joe to help you practise adverbs of frequency.

Before you do the exercise, why not refresh your memory of how we use them by consulting the grammar summary in your Objective PET Student's Book?

We can talk about your answers in class.

A handy visual guide to sequencers and linkers

{VOCABULARY BUILDING}

At Preliminary level (B1), you will find that you don't need to use many of the expressions listed below.
However, I think you can still have a lot of fun including some of them in your speaking and writing tasks!



(How did this picture get here? I borrowed it from the TLTalk Google + page.)

Want to know more about the computer-based Preliminary exam?

As we mentioned in class, you can find more information about what to expect in the computer-based (CB) Preliminary English Test on the official Cambridge English site.

You can link to the Listening sample here.

You can link to the Reading and Writing sample here.

REMEMBER: you need to use the Firefox browser to use these resources. (This is a requirement imposed by Cambridge English, not by us.)

Dates for Cambridge English Preliminary exams.

As we mentioned in class, here are the dates for the upcoming PB and CB sessions of the Cmbridge English Preliminary exams at Giga IH.


Remember, we still need to do our full exam simulation before we can decided about taking the exam.

Also remember that you can find information about exam dates on the Giga IH web site.

Please ask at Reception for detailed information. They are the best people to ask.

(Paper-based exams)

(Computer-based exams)

A listening challenge from the BBC

{LISTENING practice}

Do you want a listening challenge?

Try this podcast from the BBC.

Before you listen, read this article and think about some of the vocabulary you will hear.

Listen to the podcast. Some parts might be difficult, so you can listen another time if you like. You will hear the word "survey". You can check the definition and pronunciation here.

Try not to read the text of the podcast first. Listen a few times and then check your understanding with the text.

In class we can talk about how important "body image" is in your country, for men and women.

Vocabulary practice - describing people

{Vocabulary for Writing and Speaking}

Do you want to test your knowledge of the kind of vocabulary we use to describe people?

Have a look at this nice little exercise from Flo Joe.

We can talk about it in class.

Preliminary Reading Part 4 - exam practice

{EXAM PRACTICE}

Here is a sample of Preliminary Reading Part 4 to help you practice for the exam.

<<<Sample 1>>>

Your best option might be to download the sample directly to your device.

We can talk about the answers in class.

Preliminary Reading Part 5 - exam practice

{EXAM PRACTICE}

Here are two sample tasks to help you practice Preliminary Reading Part 5.

<<<Sample 1>>>

<<<Sample 2>>>

The best option might be to download the tasks directly to your device.

We can check the answers in class.

Some SPEAKING practice

{Speaking Practice}

Look at the picture below.

Think of at least five things you could say about the picture. You can talk about the physical aspect of the scene, as well.

Now, imagine you are a real estate agent, and your job is to make this property attractive to a potential buyer.

How would you convince the client to buy the property?

Make some notes about your ideas and we can talk about them in class.

Movie Night - UPDATE

{UPDATE}

There is a new date for the Movie Night!

It is now scheduled for Wednesday, 25th March.

Watch, and talk about, a film in English!

Do you wish you knew more about "wish"?

Would you like to know more about how we use "I wish ..." in English?

Have a look at these videos, available from the usual video sharing site. (Look at them in reverse order, from No 3 to No 1.)

<<<Video 1>>> (I am not totally convinced by all the things the tutor says in this video.)

<<<Video 2>>>

<<<Video 3>>>

You might like to explore more of the Johnny Grammar lessons from the British Council on their online video channel.

See you in class!

Confused about what Cambridge English results mean?

Take a look at this post about the Cambridge English Scale to learn more about Cambridge English grades.

Happy birthday!

(Update: I'm so sorry. I mixed up the dates. Asmaa's birthday is 3/6, not 6/3.)

Many happy returns to our course mate, Asmaa.
Best wishes!

Answers to exercises in Workbook Unit 11 Facts and Figures

Hello.

Here are the answers to the workbook exercises.

Come back soon for more blog posts!

Meet me? Meet us? Meet each other? Hmmm ...

In  Preliminary Writing Part 2 (the short communicative message), we often have to make arrangements, or suggest a time and a place, to meet someone.

I have noticed that sometimes you are a little confused about what to say or write.

For example:

"Let's meet me at two o'clock".

"Why don't we meet us at the cinema?"

"We can meet each other before the match".

Are these sentences correct?
Can we say and write something different?

(You know that if I'm asking then the answer is "Yes"!)

Why not try to answer the example task above?

You can write your version in the comments below.

More on the PASSIVE

In our lesson on Thursday 26 February, we looked at the passive form.

Based on what you did in class, I think you understand the meaning, form and use of the passive very well.

If you would like to review what you know, how about looking at these online resources?

- From BBC Learning English.

- From EnglishGratis.com.

And if you would you like a little challenge to push your understanding further, you could watch this video.

We can talk about the passive again in class.

(Remember: always be careful and pay attention when you use online/internet resources.)

SAY vs TELL

As we discussed in class, here are links to some more explanations about the different ways to use the verbs SAY and TELL.

Have a look at some or all of the resources below and then we can talk about it in class.

- From the BBC World Service.

- From Cambridge Dictionaries Online.

- From EnglishGratis.com (with exercises).

- From Perfect English Grammar.com (some exercises).

- From English lessons with Alex (online video).

- From Learn English with Let's Talk (online video).


There are many more resources, of course. The ones above should be enough to start with.

(Remember, always be vigilant and careful when you use any online/internet resources.)

A rather different way to explain the Present Perfect!

Here is a ... different way to explain the Present Perfect.

Please don't ask me to do this in class.
I am totally unmusical and the results would be very embarrassing!

Feel free to try it for yourselves!

Come and chat in English!

Advise? Recommend? Propose? What should I say?

We are often a little confused about what is the correct form to use when we want to make a recommendation, or to suggest our friends do something.

Here is an interesting video that may help clarify any confusion you have about how to make recommendations and suggestions in English.

The instructor speaks quickly and gives some examples that are not appropriate for PET level.
However, I think his explanation is helpful.

See you in class!

Take the 3-minute challenge! Each other or a reflexive pronoun?

Read the following sentences and decide if you need "each other" or a reflexive pronoun to complete them.

Try to take no more than 180 seconds to finish the task!

1. I cut .................. when I was cooking last night.

2. My father and I never understand ....................... .

3. We are going to paint the house .................... . It will be cheaper than paying for a professional painter.

4. My sister and her husband aren't talking to ..................... .

5. He looked at ................... in the mirror before he left the house.

6. You work too hard, Karen. You never have any time for .......................... .

7. The lights in the office turn .................................. off automatically.

(Source: adapted by Patrick McKeown from New English File Intermediate Workbook p. 10
(c) Oxford.)

Now listen carefuly!

Would you like some extra listening practice?

Of course you would!

Follow this link to some listening materials.

<<<Listen to me!>>>

But you have to be quick.

The link will disappear in a few days.

Take the 5-minute challenge! Grammar 1 - Present perfect simple vs Past simple

When you finish, why don't you compare answers with your partner?

Take the 5 minute challenge! Vocabulary 1 - Food adjectives.

Some great videos about idiomatic language!

Are you interested in exploring some idiomatic language?
Do you enjoy watching videos as a  way to learn new expressions?

Then I'm sure you will enjoy the challenge of this series of videos from our friends at International House Barcelona!

The link will take you to the International House Barcelona channel on the usual video sharing site.

See you in class.

More marvellous modals!

Here's another reminder about those marvellous modals that we can (and should, no, have to) use as we talk and write at Preliminary level.

Why don't you see how many you can use naturally in conversation and writing tasks, in and out of class?

Some help with Preliminary Paper 3: Speaking

How many parts are there in the Speaking test?

- 4

Here is a little help from our friends at Flo Joe to practise the first part of the Speaking test, the Interview.

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/preliminaryenglish/speaking/pet_speaking_part_1_practice_test.htm

Try this at home and then we'll practise together in class.

Have you tried the practice exercises for the present perfect that I mentioned in an earlier post?
Not yet?
Well, try and find some time to do these exercises, then.

See you in class.

Let's explore!

Once you've done all the exercises in your Student's Book and Workbook, you might like to explore this website:

http://www.autoenglish.org/

It contains a number of resources that you might find interesting and useful.

(This is not an International House resource.)

All the best!

More practice with the Present Perfect.

(Source: www.flo-joe.co.uk)

Not tired of practising the Present Perfect yet?

Good!

Why not try out this exercise on the Flo-Joe for some more practice and feedback?

The tasks will help you think about the correct use of the Past Simple and the Present Perfect.

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/preliminaryenglish/grammar/present-perfect-or-past-simple.htm

(This is not an International House resource.)

At last! The Present Perfect!

Today we reviewed how to formulate questions in the past, using A S I C and Qu A S I C.

We also looked over the exercises in the Workbook (Unit 6, p. 14-15). We learned that there are no Agatha Christie fans in the class!

We started Unit 8 in our Student Book and learned some interesting facts about our views on traditional weddings.

And we finally got to practise the Present Perfect!

Now we need to re-read the Reading text on p. 55 and answer the questions (exercise 3), so we can consolidate our understanding of the form and use of the Present Perfect.

If you like, you can review the grammary summary on p. 208.

After that, please continue with the exercises on pages 56 and 57.

See you on Thursday!