Month: February 2017

Posted in Exam Preparation Class, Vocabulary Classes

78 CAE Key Word Transformation Expressions

Posted on by Tim Warre

Resultat d'imatges de cae

Image credit: Cambridge English

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

Before you use these materials why not check out or podcast for learners and teachers alike, it’s called 2Ts in a Pod, follow the link below to listen:

This is a list of 78 expressions from key word transformations in the CAE exam. The expressions are taken from the fantastic quizlet set that someone made. Have students study 10-15 of the expressions for homework and the use the quizlet set to test them in class; great for intensive preparation courses when you’re pressed for time. Download the handout below:

cae-key-word-transformation-expressions

Quizlet set – 82 key word transformations

Expressions

Study the expressions carefully, focus on the prepositions and patterns (gerund/infinitive etc.)

  1. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU undo your seatbelt during take-off.
  2. A new manager HAS TAKEN OVER THE running of the finance department.
  3. THERE IS NO KNOWING what’s going to happen in the next few days.
  4. The burglar must HAVE GAINED ENTRY/ACCESS through the bathroom window.
  5. An ant IS CAPABLE OF carrying ten times its own body weight.
  6. The news that my favourite teacher was leaving CAME AS A DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME.
  7. Sometime I feel as if my children TAKE ME FOR GRANTED.
  8. I need TO GET MY PASSPORT RENEWED before our trip to Greece.
  9. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE willing to donate some money to our cause.
  10. I SEE NO POINT IN asking Tina for help, she always refuses.
  11. Playing video games is JUST AS MUCH FUN AS playing sports.
  12. The defendant DENIED HAVING SEEN the woman before.
  13. Everyone’s opinions must BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT before a decision is made.
  14. It’s IN YOUR INTEREST to take good notes during class, you’ll need them for the final exam.
  15. I really need to GET that broken window REPAIRED.
  16. MUCH TO THEIR DELIGHT, Jon and Ana didn’t have to pay to get in.
  17. The cat REFUSED TO COME down from the tree.
  18. Georgina SAID SHE WOULD NOT WEAR the yellow dress her mother had chosen for her.
  19. Don’t FORGET TO KEEP IN TOUCH while you’re travelling.
  20. You need to be ON THE LOOKOUT FOR pickpockets in this area.
  21. Plans ARE BEING DRAWN UP for a new shopping centre on the outskirts of the city.
  22. MUCH TO OUR HORROR, when we got back to the hotel all our stuff had been stolen.
  23. Would YOU RATHER I HAD NOT told them about the party?
  24. LET ME KNOW if you can come to the party, I need to buy the food tonight.
  25. Andrés WAS AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN why he was late for class again.
  26. Failure to show a valid ticket is LIKELY TO RESULT IN you having to pay a fine.
  27. It is HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE FILM WILL win several awards.
  28. Quick ACTION ON THE PART OF the ambulance crew saved the little girl’s life.
  29. How can I GET IT ACROSS TO HIM that I’m just not that into him.
  30. Don’t be silly, there IS NO SUCH THING as vampires.
  31. I’m so sorry I’m late, I(COMPLETELY) LOST TRACK OF TIME!
  32. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT that the plane lands on water, lifejackets are stored under your seats.
  33. Katy HAS BEEN MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR the sales department, she’s a bit nervous but very excited.
  34. Gerald has been PUT IN CHARGE OF finding a catering company for the Christmas party.
  35. I WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE/ WAS TAKEN ABACK when they asked me to take over from Jon as finance manager.
  36. Bob is IN DANGER OF GETTING SACKED/FIRED if his bad behaviour continues.
  37. In the end they PLACED THE BLAME ON a group of local teenagers for the vandalism to the church.
  38. Sorry but I HAD THE IMPRESSION/WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION that this was a permanent contract.
  39. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE that the salary would be €2000 a month.
  40. The runner who finished second told the press that she had NO INTENTION OF RETIRING and that she’d be back to compete next year.
  41. It’s really difficult TO COME UP WITH GOOD IDEAS in such a short space of time.
  42. The young actress STANDS EVERY CHANCE OF BEING offered a big role soon.
  43. Dinner WILL BE FOLLOWED BY a performance by the school orchestra.
  44. No FEWER THAN THREE PEOPLE ARE REQUIRED to operate this machine.
  45. Please don’t HESITATE TO CALL (US)/ HESITATE TO GIVE US A CALL if you have any questions or doubts.
  46. John’s failure to answer all the interview questions COST HIM THE JOB.
  47. We SPENT HALF AN HOUR LOOKING for a parking space in the city centre.
  48. The pay rise CAME AS A SURPRISE TO me.
  49. THERE’S NO DENYING MY disappointment at not being given the job.
  50. Looks as IF TONY HASN’T BEEN sleeping well
  51. I’m not going TO PUT UP WITH your behaviour anymore.
  52. I’m really not SURE HOW I WOULD HAVE REACTED in that situation.
  53. Novak Djokovic BROKE DOWN IN TEARS AS he was given the trophy.
  54. Would you HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO ME taking the rest of the day off?
  55. Her LACK OF EXPERIENCE might AFFECT her ability to do the job.
  56. It (HAD) NEVER OCCURED TO ME to ask my grandfather for help with my history project.
  57. Oh dear, I think we might HAVE TAKEN THE WRONG TURNING/TURN a few miles back.
  58. We WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CARRIED / WOULD HAVE LIKED TO CARRY ON playing for a few more hours but it started raining.
  59. The project will GO AHEAD ACCORDING TO PLAN.
  60. You really need to MAKE UP YOUR MIND about which uni you want to go to.
  61. IT’S HIGH/ABOUT TIME YOU GOT your hair cut.
  62. The school IS HIGHLY SPOKEN of in the local area.
  63. He was ON THE POINT OF LEAVING the restaurant when she finally turned up.
  64. I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF they didn’t win this match, they’re far better than the other team.
  65. I am IN NO DOUBT that event will be a resounding success.
  66. I’m sorry but I don’t HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF meeting you before.
  67. We had TO PUT IN a claim with our car insurance company.
  68. They have NO CHANCE OF WINNING after that red card.
  69. The students TOOK NO NOTICE OF what the teacher was saying.
  70. The police have almost GIVEN UP HOPE OF FINDING any more survivors.
  71. It’s just A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE that car breaks down, it’s so old.
  72. I really can’t SEE THE POINT IN/OF LEARNING Latin anymore.
  73. The cat MADE A FAST RECOVERY after its operation.
  74. I DIDN’T USE TO LIKE olives when I was a kid but I love them now.
  75. He’s really MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF in the fashion world.
  76. We CAN AFFORD THIS HOLIDAY AS LONG AS we save up €100 a month.
  77. I HANDED IN MY NOTICE at work last week, 4 more weeks until I become my own boss!
  78. I haven’t got 10 cents, LET ALONE 1 euro.
Posted in Conversation Classes, Vocabulary Classes

Love is in the air: Love and Relationship Expressions

Posted on by Tim Warre

Resultat d'imatges de valentine's day

Image credit: Android Authority

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a lesson plan I designed for Valentine’s day so it’s a bit late but who’s to say you can’t learn about love any day of the year? Download the teacher’s notes and student handout below:

love-story-teachers-notes

valentines-day-lp

A Love Story  – Teacher’s notes

Preparation

Print out enough copies of the students’ handout for each student and enough copies of the pictures for students to work in pairs.

Step 1: Guess the Story

Give each pair a set of pictures and have them guess the order of the story. Tell them “this is the story of a relationship, you have to put it in order” you might want to put some simple sequencers on the board: “First, and then, afterwards, in the end etc.”

When they’ve finished choose a pair to tell their version of the story to the class, ask other groups if their version is different.

Step 2: Listening

Tell students that you are going to tell them the real story and they have to listen and put their pictures in the correct order. Read the story.

Step 3: Reading

Give out the handout but fold the paper so student cannot see the language focus exercise. Students read the story and check that they have the pictures in the correct order.

Step 4: Meaning from context

Have students try to guess the meaning of the expressions in bold from the context in pairs. Then go through the meanings on the board:

  • love at first sight – fall in love when you first see someone
  • check sb out – look at someone to decide if you’re attracted to them
  • pluck up the courage – be brave
  • chat sb up – flirt with sb
  • ask sb out – arrange a date
  • have a lot in common – have shared interests
  • be made for each other – a perfect match/couple
  • fall head over heels in love – fall madly/deeply in love with sb
  • go out with sb – be in a relationship
  • have a row – argue
  • have a thing for sb – be attracted to sb
  • break/split up – end a relationship
  • get back together with sb – repair a relationship
  • get down on one knee – kneel on one knee
  • pop the question – propose to sb
  • tie the knot – get married
  • be in the doghouse with sb – your partner is angry at you
  • worried sick – v. worried
  • on the rocks – in trouble, danger

Step 5: Language focus

Students turn the handout over and try to complete the expressions from memory; they mustn’t look at the text.

Students then unfold the paper to check their answers.

Step 6: Retell the story

Students turn the handout over and attempt to retell the story, using all the expressions, using the pictures as prompts.

Step 7: Personalising

If appropriate, students describe a real relationship from their lives: How did you meet your wife/husband? etc.

The Story

Work with a partner, look at the words in bold, what do you think they mean?

Tony and Tina met at a party, it was love at first sight, they were both checking each other out for a while until Tony plucked up the courage to go and talk to Tina. He chatted her up for a while then at the end of the night he asked for her number. He called her the next day to ask her out and she said yes. They went out for coffee and discovered that they had so much in common, they were made for each other! They fell head over heels in love and started going out with each other straightaway. One night, they had a huge row because Tony thought that Tina had a thing for his best friend. It was a horrible argument and they broke up but it wasn’t long before they got back together because they just couldn’t stay apart.

2 years later Tony got down on one knee and popped the question to Tina, she said yes and 6 months later they tied the knot in front of their friends and family. A few years later Tony was in the doghouse for a few weeks because he got really drunk with his friends and didn’t come home, Tina was worried sick. For a few days it looked like the marriage might be on the rocks but she forgave him eventually and they both lived happily ever after.

Language Focus

Over the story and try to remember the missing words from the expressions.

  1. It was love ____ first sight
  2. They were both c_________ each other out
  3. He chatted her _____ for a while.
  4. He called her the next day to _____ her out.
  5. They had so much in ______________.
  6. They were made ______ each ___________.
  7. They fell __________ over _________ in love.
  8. Tina had a _____________for his best friend.
  9. They ____________ up but it wasn’t long before they got ___________ together
  10. 2 years later Tony got __________ on one knee and ____________ the question to Tina,
  11. 6 months later they _________ the knot in front of their friends and family.
  12. Tony was in the ____________ for a few weeks
  13. Tina was worried ______________.
  14. It looked like the marriage might be on the _____________ but she forgave him.