This is a lesson plan to help students tackle part 4 of the use of English in the main suit Cambridge exams, the key word transformations. I use this PowerPoint in conjunction with the C1 Advanced Key Word Transformation Mega Test handout but it can also be adapted for B2 First and C2 Proficiency students. Download the PowerPoint below:
Lead students through the techniques outlined in the PowerPoint then have them do page 1 of the mega test individually as practice. Then have students compare their answers before correcting in open class. You can then work through the rest of the mega test over the next few classes and for homework. You can also share the original quizlet set with them for self-study.
This is a little mini test of 25 key word transformation questions for C2 proficiency students. Most of the questions are based around fixed expressions that often come up at this level. You will find most of them in previous lesson plans I’ve made, so the test will serve as good spaced repetition for your students. Download the handout and answer key below:
The part 2 exercise is taken from the Expert Proficiency Coursebook published by Pearson.
Students first complete the exercise from their books, compare answers with a partner and correct the task in open class. The teacher then instructs them to close their books/fold the handout over and try to complete the second “inverted” version. In this version, different words have been removed from the fixed expressions tested in the original text. Other changes have been made in order to fully exploit the text for more high level lexis such as phrasal verbs and fixed expressions. Students can then refer back to the original in order to check their answers.
You can create your own inverted cloze exercises from any text in your course book. Happy inverting!
Inverted Version
Cover the original exercise.
Complete this version.
The relationship between the modern consumer and their rubbish is a complex one. Getting (1) ……. of rubbish has come to mean a great (2) ……. more than simply consigning breakfast leftovers (3) ……. a plastic bag. With the advent (4)……. recycling, rubbish has now invaded many people’s personal lives to an unprecedented (5) ……. There was a time, (6) ……. living memory, when rubbish collection was a simple matter – but today’s household rubbish, before being (7) ……., has to be filed and sorted (8) ……. colour-coded containers (9) ……. to its recycling category.
What is (10) ……., we are brought (11) ……. in a rash of irritation by the suggestion that, if rubbish collections were to become more infrequent, people would then make the effort to (12) ……. down on shopping and recycle more. We might be excused for wondering (13) ……. this would be possible. Can people realistically buy fewer eggs or (14) ……. of toothpaste than their lives require?
Recycling is supposed to be good for us. But for some, it’s just a (15) ……. of rubbish.
This is a lesson plan for B2+ students. It is based on a text from https://www.iflscience.com/ on the subject of wild animals. It will serve as good exam practice for students preparing to take Cambridge exams and should also be an engaging topic of conversation for teenagers and adults. Download the handouts and slides below:
Show students the second slide of the PowerPoint, encourage them to guess which animal would win.
Show them the second and have them speculate about how a goat would beat a bear.
Give out handout and have students read to confirm their speculations, check in open class.
Have students complete the open cloze, they could work in pairs or individually and then check with their partner. Good practice for Cambridge exams use of English.
Lead students through the vocabulary exercises.
Discussion: Which animal could you beat in a fight? Show students the fourth slide and explain the statistics to them. Put students in groups and have them discuss which animals they think they could beat and how they would do it.
Lead a discussion on the best way to tackle certain large, dangerous animals. Have students speculate on the best thing to do in each encounter, then check on the internet to see whether or not they would have survived. Board any emergent language and exploit it for recall later.
Open Cloze Key
Apex predators make (1) IT to the top (2) BY being the most efficient hunters in their domain, but every now and (3) THEN an underdog crops up to disrupt the food chain. (4) SUCH an example played out on the mountains of Burgess Pass in Yoho National Park, where Parks Canada retrieved the body of a female grizzly bear. Such a creature would usually (5) BE the slayer rather than the slain, and most surprisingly of all the assailant turned (6) OUT to be a goat.
The battle (7) TOOK place sometime before September 4 after which Parks Canada was made aware (8) OF the presence of a carcass. Bodies such (9) AS these need to be removed as they can otherwise lure in wildlife that could put visitors to the pass (10) AT risk.
The discovery of a slain bear merits a forensic investigation to determine the (11) CAUSE of death, and so a necropsy (12) WAS conducted on the animal. During the examination, staff noticed that the fatal wounds were at the base of the bear’s neck and in (13) ITS armpits. The attack sites might sound random to the uninitiated, but to experienced park rangers, this was the work (14) OF one extremely lucky mountain goat.
“When grizzly bears attack, they tend (15) TO focus (16) ON the head, neck, and shoulders of the prey, usually (17) FROM above,” Alison Biles, Public Relations and Communications Officer for Parks Canada, told IFLScience. “In turn, the defensive response of mountain goats would (18) BE to protect themselves using (19) THEIR sharp horns.”
“Grizzly bear predation of mountain goats is relatively common and significant goat activity was observed (20) IN the immediate area. (21) IN this case, it appears that the mountain goat was (22) TRYING/ABLE to defend itself. While rare, other cases of mountain goats defensively killing bears have (23) BEEN reported in the past, (24) WHICH is not completely surprising since mountain goats are strong animals that are well-equipped to defend (25) THEMSELVES”
This is another training exercise for students taking the C1 Advanced exam. Students learn some typical fixed expressions that come up in part 4 of the reading and use of English paper. Download the handout below:
Students work together to paraphrase the fixed expressions, then flip the paper over and try to recall them using a key word as a prompt. You’ll find the 17 expressions in this set of 82 different key word transformation questions from quizlet.com
Student Handout
Version 1
Work with a partner, read the sentences, then paraphrase the expression in bold.
Sorry I’m late, I completely lost track of time.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
Leaving this door open may result in the monkeys escaping.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
He stands every chance of winning the championship this year.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
She stands a slim chance of beating her rival to the trophy.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
This evening’s performance will be followed by a question and answer session with the director.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
No fewer than seventeen people were seen breaking into the building.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
Her main problem is that she is weak at spelling.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
The project failed due to a lack of funding from the local government.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
The project is going ahead according to plan.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
She is highly spoken of in the local area. We should hire her.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
I am in no doubt that the show will be a resounding success.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
I didn’t have any recollection of seeing Julia on Saturday night until I saw her at work on Monday morning.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
The teenagers took no notice of me and carried on smoking and playing loud music.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
I left my handbag on the train, I’ve given up hope of finding it again.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
He really made a name for himself when he moved to LA in 2006.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
It’s official, I handed in my notice to my boss yesterday and I’m starting my own business next week!
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
She can’t even boil an egg, let alone cook a full meal for ten people.
Meaning …………………………………………………………………………
Version 2
Read the sentences, can you remember the expressions from version 1? Use the key word in brackets to help you.
Sorry I’m late, I didn’t realise what time it was. (TRACK)
…………………………………………………………………………
Leaving this door open may lead to (IN) the monkeys escaping.
…………………………………………………………………………
He is almost definitely going to win (CHANCE) the championship this year.
…………………………………………………………………………
There’s a low probability that she will beat (CHANCE) her rival to the trophy.
…………………………………………………………………………
After this evening’s performance there will be (FOLLOWED) a question and answer session with the director.
…………………………………………………………………………
As many as (THAN) seventeen people were seen breaking into the building.
…………………………………………………………………………
Her main problem is that her spelling is bad. (WEAK)
…………………………………………………………………………
The project failed because there wasn’t enough (DUE) funding from the local government.
…………………………………………………………………………
The project is continuing as planned (AHEAD)
…………………………………………………………………………
She has a great reputation (HIGHLY) in the local area. We should hire her.
…………………………………………………………………………
I am sure that (DOUBT) the show will be a resounding success.
…………………………………………………………………………
I didn’t remember seeing (RECOLLECTION) Julia on Saturday night until I saw her at work on Monday morning.
…………………………………………………………………………
The teenagers ignored (NOTICE) me and carried on smoking and playing loud music.
…………………………………………………………………………
I left my handbag on the train, I don’t think I will find (UP) it again.
…………………………………………………………………………
He really became famous (NAME) when he moved to LA in 2006.
…………………………………………………………………………
It’s official, I officially told my boss I was leaving (NOTICE) yesterday and I’m starting my own business next week!
…………………………………………………………………………
She can’t even boil an egg, so she definitely can’t (ALONE) cook a full meal for ten people.
If you’re working online, show the jumbled version below instead.
Students work together to reform the story with the help of the dependent prepositions and collocations.
My wife and I had been planning our trip to Japan for ages. Endless nights fantasising
about spending our honeymoon in one of the most spectacular countries on earth. We opted
for a small apartment in downtown Tokyo to get the authentic experience. When you’re weighing
up the different options, it’s worth bearing
in mind just how small the apartments in Japan are and the proximity to the other people around you can really catch you
off guard. We spent the first 5 days seeing the sights and experiencing everything the city had
to offer. However, we soon realised that we were running low
on funds and that we couldn’t afford
to spend any more time in such a pricey place. So we decided to head
for the hills and experience rural Japan. This turned out to be the by far the best decision we
made. We went on one hike to a hidden temple, it was so tranquil and was an unforgettable experience.
Jumbled Version
My wife and I had been planning our trip to Japan for ages. Endless nights fantasising
on funds and that we couldn’t afford
about spending our honeymoon in one of the most spectacular countries on earth. We opted
for the hills and experience rural Japan. This turned out to be the by far the best decision we
to offer. However, we soon realised that we were running low
off guard. We spent the first 5 days seeing the sights and experiencing everything the city had
for a small apartment in downtown Tokyo to get the authentic experience. When you’re weighing
in mind just how small the apartments in Japan are and the proximity to the other people around you can really catch you
to spend any more time in such a pricey place. So we decided to head
made. We went on one hike to a hidden temple, it was so tranquil and was an unforgettable experience.
up the different options, it’s worth bearing
Recall Exercises
Use version 1 as immediate follow-up practice, then use version 2 in the next class or a week later to see how much they have retained.
Version 1
My wife and I had been planning our trip to Japan ….. ages. Endless nights fantasising ……. spending our honeymoon in one of the most spectacular countries on earth. We opted ….. a small apartment in downtown Tokyo to get the authentic experience. When you’re weighing ….. the different options, it’s worth bearing ….. mind just how small the apartments in Japan are and the proximity ……. the other people around you can really catch you …… guard. We spent the first 5 days seeing the sights and experiencing everything the city had …… offer. However, we soon realised that we were running low …… funds and that we couldn’t afford ….. spend any more time in such a pricey place. So we decided to head …… the hills and experience rural Japan. This turned …… to be the by far the best decision we …….. We went on one hike to a hidden temple, it was so tranquil and was an unforgettable experience.
Version 2
My wife and I had been planning our trip to Japan for …… Endless nights ………… about spending our honeymoon in one of the most spectacular countries on earth. We …… for a small apartment in downtown Tokyo to get the authentic experience. When you’re ……… up the different options, it’s worth ……… in mind just how small the apartments in Japan are and the ………. to the other people around you can really catch you off …….. We spent the first 5 days seeing the sights and experiencing everything the city …… to offer. However, we soon realised that we were running …… on funds and that we couldn’t ……. to spend any more time in such a pricey place. So we decided to ……. for the hills and experience rural Japan. This ……. out to be the by far the best ……… we made. We went on one hike to a hidden temple, it was so tranquil and was an unforgettable experience.
In this lesson plan students preparing for the C1 Advanced exam develop their understanding of some key fixed expressions that often come up in part 4 of the use of English. Download the handout and homework exercise below:
Students read the expressions in bold and discuss the meaning with their partner. Encourage them to paraphrase the expression and make any notes on the grammar that might be relevant: specific prepositions, verb patterns that may follow it (gerund/infinitive etc.)
Students then flip the paper over and attempt to remember the expressions using the key words as prompts. They can check their answers by looking back at page 1. Ask students which expressions they struggled the most to recall.
Set the key word transformation worksheet for homework.
This is yet another designed to help students prepare for part one of the C1 Cambridge Advanced (CAE) writing exam. Some of the content has been rehashed from old posts but the approach is slightly different. Download the student handout below:
Give out the handout and draw students’ attention to the task on page one and the first version at the bottom of the page. Have them read the task, then the model answer, then answer questions 1-3 with their partner:
Which of the three areas (convenience, cost & enjoyment) does the writer focus on?cost and convenience
Which one do they decide has the biggest impact on where people choose to shop? cost
Give the essay a score out of 5 for:
Content (have they answered the question?)4.5 – 5 – yes, question is fully answered
Range of language2.5 – reads more like a B2 First essay
Appropriate style (formal/informal) 1.5 – too informal, not the right style: contractions, words like “stuff”, too personal (too much “I” and “we”), “first let’s look at”
Now have students look at question 4. If you’re pressed for time, you could skip this part. Have students brainstorm more formal and advanced ways of expressing the parts in bold in pairs or groups. Perhaps you could assign one paragraph to each group and have them report back in open class. Board their ideas.
Now have students flip the paper over. Version 2 essential expresses the same ideas but with more advanced language and a more appropriate register. Direct students to find the “fancy” equivalents of the underlined phrases from version 1 in version 2.
Set students the homework task by first encouraging them to discuss the topic:
Factors when deciding where to go on holiday:
Weather
Price
Cultural activities
Encourage them to use the language from version 2 and the language on pages 2 and 3 in their compositions.
Version 1
Read version 1 and answer the questions:
Which of the three areas (convenience, cost & enjoyment) does the writer focus on?
Which one do they decide has the biggest impact on where people choose to shop?
Give the essay a score out of 5 for:
Content (have they answered the question?)
Range of language
Appropriate style (formal/informal)
Look at the sections in bold, how could you express the same ideas in a more impressive/formal way?
We’re always hearing in the news about how more and more people are buying things on the internet. It’s a big problem that fewer people are going shopping in physical shops nowadays. But, what makes people decide where to shop?
First, let’s look at convenience.It’s true that shopping online is much easier than shopping in physical shops. You can buy stuff on your computer and you can sit on your sofa, you don’t need to leave your house. Also, the stuff gets sent to your house. When you go to the physical shop you have to take it home yourself.
Now I’ll talk about cost.Some people think that cost is the most important thing people think about when they decide where to shop. For example, when the sales are on people buy things in shops they don’t normally go to.But some people don’t care about the price. It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive or not.
In conclusion,looking at the facts,I think that cost is the most important thing for most people because if you don’t have enough money, you can’t buy it.
Version 2
Find and underline the ways that the same ideas are expressed in this version.
Hardly a week goes by without another news report about the recent dramatic increase in online shopping. The decline of the high street shop is undoubtedly a major issue in this day and age. However, which aspect of shopping has the biggest influence on where people shop?
The first area to take into account is convenience. It is undoubtedly the case that shopping online is much more convenient than shopping on the high street. Not only can you make a purchase with the click of a button, but also you can do it from the comfort of your sofa without setting foot outside your door. In addition, the goods are delivered directly to your door whereas when you shop in physical shops you have to carry it home yourself.
Another aspect to consider is cost. There are those who argue that cost has the biggest impact on where people decide to shop. This is illustrated by the fact that during the sales many people buy things in shops they would not normally enter. Nevertheless, for some people the cost is not an issue, they buy what they want to buy no matter the price.
In light of the above, weighing up all the evidence, it is probably true to say that cost does indeed have the biggest influence on where people decide to shop due to the fact that most of the time, if you cannot afford something then you will not be able to buy it.
(247 words)
Homework Task
Your class has had a class debate on the most important factors when it comes to deciding on a holiday destination.
Factors when deciding where to go on holiday:
Weather
Price
Cultural activities
Some opinions expressed in the debate:
“If it’s not a sunny place, then I’m not going. Why would I visit a cold, rainy city?”
“I want my money to go further. For the price of a weekend in Paris, I could spend 2 weeks in Morocco.”
“I can’t stand just lying on a beach, I need to get out and learn something about the places I’m visiting.”
Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the factors in your notes. You should explain which factor is the most important for most people, giving reasons to support your argument.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the debate but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
Language for introductions
In this day and age…
… is a hotly-debated topic that often divides opinion.
… is a growing issue in today’s society
We live in an age when many of us are…
More and more families are choosing to have only one child.
The trend nowadays is towards having smaller families.
Over the past ten years or so the media have frequently carried reports of ……………
Recent research indicates that the number of teenagers who smoke is increasing.
Hardly a week goes by without another report of …………….. appearing in the media.
Although most people would generally agree that …………… few would deny that ……..
Language for topic sentences
Second Paragraph
…. clearly/undoubtedly has an impact on…
It is common knowledge that… plays a crucial role in…
It is undoubtedly the case that…
There is little doubt that…
… is widely believed to contribute to…
It is generally considered that…
Recent research suggests that…
Studies have shown that… has an impact/influence on…
Few people would contest/dispute the fact that…
Third Paragraph
Another factor to consider is…
On the other hand/In contrast…
It is often claimed that…
All the evidence suggests that…
Language for supporting ideas
Language for introducing supporting ideas:
For example,
For instance,
An obvious example of this is…
A clear example of this is…
This is illustrated by…
As a case in point…
Paragraph Skeleton
It goes without saying that …………………………………………………………………… A clear example of this is ………………………………………………………. In addition, ……………………………………………………………………. Nevertheless, …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Overall/in summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Language for conclusions:
In light of the above, / Taking all this into consideration/account,…
As far as I am concerned, / in my opinion, / as I see it, etc.
… is the most effective way to… due to the fact that…
OR
In light of the above, / Taking all this into consideration/account,…
Despite the fact that… undoubtedly plays a role in… I firmly believe that… is more effective due to the fact that…
I’ll be giving a free webinar as part of the Exams Catalunya online conference this coming Saturday the 27th February at 11am Spain time. The talk will focus on tweaks and hacks to get the most out of materials. Sign up by following the link below, and also check out all the other great talks the conference is offering!
This is a cheat sheet/reference grid explaining the different task types that students will be required to complete in part 2 of the Cambridge C1 Advanced writing paper. Download the handout below:
