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.)