First Certificate (FCE) Grammar/Language Checklist

Posted on February 14, 2020February 14, 2020 by Tim Warre

research-checklist-blue-640x437

This is a lesson plan designed for students on preparation courses for the Cambridge B2 First (FCE) exam. In particular I think it would be good for students who are close to taking the exam. It works as a diagnostic test of a range of the grammar points that are tested, particularly in part 4 of the reading and use of English exam. Download the handout below:

First Certificate Grammar Checklist

Quizlet set

Procedure:

Self-Assessment

Give out copies of the handout, have students individually assess their grasp of each of the structures. They should fill in the box on the end with either a tick (I know this very well) a cross (I’ve got no idea about this) or a wiggly line (I more or less get this).

Have students compare with their partner. Ask them to look for differences, there should be opportunities for peer teaching here, have one student attempt to explain a grammar point to another.

Practice

Project the quizlet set of key word transformations. Put students in pairs. First students need to identify the structure that is being tested. This is a very important step, getting them to put themselves in the examiner’s shoes and not just jump straight in and answer. Check that they’ve identified the structure, then have them work together to try to complete the sentence. Encourage reflection and comparison between their initial self-assessment and then their scores and performance in the exam task.

The checklist is not exhaustive, have I missed any common structures that come up in part 4?

Grammar Structure	Examples	Self-assessment
Past simple/Present perfect	I haven’t seen John for 5 years. The last time I saw John was 5 years ago.
2^nd conditional	If I won the lottery, I would buy a mansion. If I didn’t work in construction, I would be an actor.
3^rd conditional	If I hadn’t slipped on that banana, I wouldn’t have broken my arm. If I had known you were coming, I would have baked a cake.
The passive voice	Active: The police arrested the man. Passive: The man was arrested by the police. Other example: It is said that cigarettes give you cancer. Cigarettes are said to give you cancer
Wish/If only	I regret eating so much -> I wish I hadn’t eaten so much. It was a bad idea to drink that wine -> If only I hadn’t drunk that wine.
Linkers: Despite/in spite of -> Although/even though	Despite the rain, the party was great -> The party was great even though it was raining. Although he felt ill, he still went to school. -> He still went to school in spite of his illness.
Reported speech	“I went there last year.” -> He said that he had gone there last year. “I will call him tomorrow.” -> She said that she would call him the following day.
Reported questions	“Have you been to Paris?” -> He asked me if I had been to Paris. “Where is the train station?” -> He asked me where the train station was.
Phrasal verbs	He wants to cancel the meeting -> he wants to call off the meeting. He won’t tolerate bad behaviour -> he won’t put up with bad behaviour.
Causative have/get: have/get something done	I need to get my hair cut. I need to have my computer repaired.
Comparatives/superlatives	This restaurant is better than that one -> That restaurant isn’t as good as this one. He’s not nearly as tall as me. My brother is slightly younger than me. No one is as good at football as Messi -> Messi is the best football player.
Past modal verbs: Must have Could/might/may have Should have etc.	The butler must have murdered him, there’s blood on his shirt. It can’t have been Sarah you saw at the mall, she’s on holiday in Dubai. I shouldn’t have drunk so much last night.
So/such	It was so hot that we couldn’t leave the hotel -> It was such a hot day that we had to stay in the hotel. It rained so much that the house flooded. ->It was such a rainy day that the house flooded.
Gerund/infinitive	I’m a big fan of playing water sports. I’m interested in studying history. I have decided to study biology. He spent 10 minutes knocking on my door.

CAE Speaking Part 3: Lesson Plan

Posted on September 13, 2017May 21, 2018 by Tim Warre

Image result for CAE exam

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

Before you use these materials… We’ve created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. You can download teacher’s notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉
https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/

Here’s a lesson plan I designed with the help of my friend and (ex-) colleague (sniff) Raquel Gomez. It’s based around our attempt to complete a CAE part 3 task. Download the lesson plan pack and audio below:

Lesson Plan and Audio

Students’ Handout

The task

You are going to hear two people completing the part 3 task below:

task part 3

They must first discuss the question in the middle for two minutes. Then they have one more minute to decide which job should receive the highest salary.

First Listen

Cover the transcript below, listen to the audio and answer the following questions:

Which jobs do they talk about?
What different reasons do they give for why the jobs appeal to people?
Which job do they decide deserves the highest salary?

Second Listen

Listen again, this time listen for different phrases and expressions for giving opinion and agreeing and disagreeing.

Third Listen

Now listen again with the transcript and try to fill the blanks.

Tim: Errr so _____________?
Raquel: Sure
Tim: Let’s start with surgeon. Ummm, well __________, I think being a surgeon appeals to people probably because, __________, you’re helping people, you might be saving peoples’ lives and you’re making a big contribution to society
Raquel: _________, yeah, ______________ but, _______________? I think that at least in our society teachers should be given more.. they should be empowered maybe more than surgeons because they really can make a change in peoples’ lives.
Tim: Yeah I think _____________. They’re definitely very important and I could see why people would want to be a teacher, because of the way they can, you know, help people and educate people.
Raquel: Yeah, __________________ both professions here, I think that they are very vocational, like being a surgeon or being a teacher.
Tim: _________, yeah, yeah, ______________. Ummm what about the other ones over here? Let’s ___________ a football player, what’s ____________ that?
Raquel: Buff I’m not really sure, I don’t think that they have to… How can I put this? Umm, I don’t really like football and I think they just, they’re earning far too much and I don’t buy the idea of like their career is too short.
Tim: _____________, surely it’s good to do a job that’s something you love, surely if you’re a big fan of football then if you’re spending all day every day doing, you know, your favourite activity that must be good no?
Raquel: Yeah, _______________ and that was my idea when I was talking about vocational jobs before. But still, I think it’s a bit too much, the gap between the payment is just crazy.
Tim: Yeah __________. Well so we’ve got to… the ___________ is…
Raquel: The ____________ is we have to choose one so…
Tim: Yeah, which one should receive the most… the highest salary? Well I’m _________ maybe a surgeon and a teacher, _________________?
Raquel: Well it’s true that _____________ the surgeon might save the actual physical life whereas the teacher might just contribute to our long life _______ ummm enrichment or, you know, making people grow so maybe it’s more like long-lasting.
Tim: Well ______________ what you were saying about, yeah the contribution to society I think they’re both very important.
Raquel: Yes, it’s really difficult to choose between these too.
Tim: But maybe you know without the teachers, you wouldn’t have the surgeons…
Raquel: ___________
Tim: Who’s going to teach the surgeons? So, _____________ teacher?
Raquel: Ok, alright.
Tim: Ok, perfect.

The Expressions

Check your answers and then put the different expressions below into the boxes based on their meaning.

1. As I see it,

2. Shall I start?

3. What’s your take on that?

4. You know

5. How can I put this?

6. What do you reckon?

7. Yeah I’d go along with that.

8. Coming back to what you were saying about…

9. I’m torn between… and…

10. At the end of the day…

11. Sort of/kind of

12. I take your point but…

13. Shall we go with…?

14. Exactly/definitely

15. It’s also worth bearing in mind that…

16. You’ve got a point there

Starting	Giving Opinion	Agreeing	Disagreeing

Asking opinion	Adding + Referring	Fillers/time-buyers	Reaching a conclusion

Work with a partner; try to add at least one more expression to each box.

Pronunciation

Look at the expressions below, listen to the expressions and try to take notes about how they’re pronounced. Then try to reproduce them with a partner.

Shall I start?
What do you reckon?
How can I put this?
As I see it,
Yeah, I’d go along with that.
It’s sort of, like a pizza but different.
Shall we go with teacher?
Coming back to what you were saying about teachers…

Scripted Role-play

Decide who is going to be Tim and who is going to be Raquel. Use the transcript on the previous page to recreate the conversation, play close attention to the pronunciation of the expressions.

Your Turn

Find an example of a part 3 task in your textbook and complete it with your partner. See who can use the most expressions, keep count while your completing the task, the winner is the one who uses the most.

Teacher’s Notes

First Listen

Cover the transcript below, listen to the audio and answer the following questions:

Which jobs do they talk about? Teacher, surgeon and football player
What different reasons do they give for why the jobs appeal to people? Help people, contribute to society, a vocation, doing something you love
Which job do they decide deserves the highest salary? A teacher

Complete Transcript

Tim: Errr so shall I start?
Raquel: Sure
Tim: Let’s start with surgeon. Ummm, well as I see it, I think being a surgeon appeals to people probably because, you know, you’re helping people, you might be saving peoples’ lives and you’re making a big contribution to society
Raquel: Absolutely, yeah, you’ve got a point there but, how can I put this? I think that at least in our society teachers should be given more.. they should be empowered maybe more than surgeons because they really can make a change in people’s lives.
Tim: Yeah I think I’d go along with that. They’re definitely very important and I could see why people would want to be a teacher, because of the way they can, you know, help people and educate people.
Raquel: Yeah, it’s also worth bearing in mind that both professions here I think that they are very vocational, like being a surgeon or being a teacher.
Tim: Exactly, yeah, yeah, I couldn’t agree more. Ummm what about the other ones over here? Let’s move on to a football player, what’s your take on that?
Raquel: Buff I’m not really sure, I don’t think that they have to… How can I put this? Umm, I don’t really like football and I think they just, they’re earning far too much and I don’t buy the idea of like their career is too short.
Tim: I take your point but, surely it’s good to do a job that’s something you love, surely if you’re a big fan of football then if you’re spending all day every day doing, you know, your favourite activity that must be good no?
Raquel: Yeah, you’ve got a point there and that was my idea when I was talking about vocational jobs before. But still, I think it’s a bit too much, the gap between the payment is just crazy.
Tim: Yeah definitely. Well so we’ve got to… the bottom line is…
Raquel: The bottom line is we have to choose one so…
Tim: Yeah, which one should receive the most… the highest salary? Well I’m torn between maybe a surgeon and a teacher, what do you reckon?
Raquel: Well it’s true that at the end of the day the surgeon might save the actual physical life whereas the teacher might just contribute to our long life sort of ummm enrichment or, you know, making people grow so maybe it’s more like long-lasting.
Tim: Well coming back to what you were saying about, yeah the contribution to society I think they’re both very important.
Raquel: Yes, it’s really difficult to choose between these too.
Tim: But maybe you know without the teachers, you wouldn’t have the surgeons
Raquel:
Tim: Who’s going to teach the surgeons? So, shall we go with teacher?
Raquel: Ok, alright.
Tim: Ok, perfect.

The Expressions

Starting	Giving Opinion	Agreeing	Disagreeing
Shall I start?	As I see it,	Yeah I’d go along with that. Exactly/definitely You’ve got a point there	I take your point but…
Asking opinion	Adding + Referring	Fillers/time-buyers	Reaching a conclusion
What’s your take on that? What do you reckon?	Coming back to what you were saying about… It’s also worth bearing in mind that…	You know How can I put this? Sort of/kind of	I’m torn between… and… At the end of the day… Shall we go with…?

Pronunciation Notes

Shall I start? – Focus on very weak “Shall” | ʃəl ˈaɪ stɑːt |
What do you reckon? – Waddaya recken | ˈwɒdə jə ˈrekən |
How can I put this? – weak “can” focus on intonation
As I see it – intonation, stress “I”
Yeah, I’d go along with that. – Elision/disappearance of “d” in I’d go, very weak “with” connecting with “that” | wɪðæt |
It’s sort of, like a pizza but different. – “sorta-likea” | sɔːtə ˈlaɪkə|
Shall we go with teacher? – weak “shall” connected with “we” | ʃəwi ɡəʊ |
Coming back to what you were saying about teachers… – weak “were” in “what you were saying” all connected – | ˈwɒtjuwə ˈseɪɪŋ |

Exam Preparation Class, Uncategorized, Writing Classes

CPE/Proficiency Writing Part 1: Phrase Sheet

Posted on April 6, 2017April 6, 2017 by Tim Warre

Imatge relacionada

Image credit: qvictorias.com

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

I’ve recently started teaching CPE again so I decided to make a phrase sheet for my students to help them tackle part 1 of the writing paper, the formal essay. Download it below:

CPE Writing Part 1 Phrase Sheet

Summarising Texts

The first text/passage/extract outlines the benefits/drawbacks of…
The second text argues/claims that…
The first text advocates… +…ing (supports)
The second text puts forward the idea that…
It then goes on to espouse the viewpoint that… (say)
The text sheds light on the issue/topic of…
The text brings the topic of… to light.
The writer of the first text is a firm believer in…
The writer/author of the second text is highly critical of…
Both writers seem to agree that…, where their ideas deviate however is on the topic of…
The second text makes bold statements in support of…
Not only does the first text state that…, but it also claims that…
In addition to the aforementioned point, it also claims that…

Critical Examination

One thing the writer fails to mention is…
A glaring omission from the first text is…
While the writer makes some valid arguments in favour of…, she ignores the fact that…
One area which the writer seems to have overlooked is…
While I am generally in agreement with the majority of the first writer’s points the obvious hole in their argument is…
Were I to pick holes in the writer’s arguments, I would start by pointing out that…
I feel it must also be pointed out that…
When it comes to the topic of…, the text seems to be lacking somewhat
One major weakness in the writer’s argument is that…
The text neglects to mention that fact that…
The writer seems to have gone overboard in their praise/criticism of…

Expressing Opinion

I am of the opinion that…
In my humble opinion…
My thoughts on the matter are that…
As far as I am concerned,
As far as my opinions on the matter are concerned,…
My initial reaction to the opinions outlined in the text was…
I am a firm believer in…
On the whole, I tend to agree with… due to the fact that…

Exam Preparation Class, Vocabulary Classes

78 CAE Key Word Transformation Expressions

Posted on February 28, 2017May 21, 2018 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.)

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

Conversation Classes, Exam Preparation Class

CAE Speaking Part 3+4: Phrase Worksheet

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Tim Warre

Image credit: aliciateacher2.wordpress.com

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a gap-fill worksheet for CAE students to teach phrases for the collaborative parts of the speaking exam. Download the gap-fill and key below.

CAE speaking phrases part 3+4 gap-fill

CAE speaking phrases part 3+4 key

Key

Starting

What shall we do first?

Shall I start?

Do you mind if I start?

We could start by talking about…

Let’s talk about .. first.

Shall we start with this picture

Opinion

As far as I’m concerned,

As I see it,

From my point of view,

In my humble opinion,

I’d say that…

Giving yourself time

That’s a big question!

I haven’t given it much thought until now.

Let me see

How can I put this?

Well, it’s difficult to say really.

That’s an interesting question.

Rephrasing

What I mean is…

What I’m trying to say is…

In other words

To put it another way

Basically what you are saying is…

Agreeing

We see eye to eye.

Yeah, I’d go along with that.

Absolutely!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

I couldn’t agree more.

You have a point there.

I’m with you 100% on this one.

Disagreeing

We don’t see eye to eye.

I take your point but…

I tend to disagree with you there.

That’s not always the case

I beg to differ

Isn’t it more a case of…

Starting to make a conclusion

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

The bottom line is we have to choose one…

It’s a tough one, I’m torn between … and ….

Shall we go with ….?

Asking for opinion

What’s your take on….?

Where do you stand on….?

In my opinion…., would you go along with that?

What are your thoughts on this?

Personalising

Speaking from personal experience,…

For me personally,..

This is a topic that is particularly close to my heart…

It’s funny I was just thinking about this the other day.

My gut/initial reaction is…

If I were to choose one of these situations (part 2 pictures), I’d go with… because…

Impressive structures

Another point I’d like to add about … is…

It’s also worth bearing in mind that…

Coming back to what (Javi) was saying about …. I’d also like to point out that…

I think it’s important not to forget that…

The vast majority of people tend to think that…

At the end of the day…

When all’s said and done…

Tips

Eye-contact

Active listening

Open body language

Speak up

Don’t dominate

Asking for repetition

I beg your pardon, I didn’t catch that.

Sorry would you mind repeating that?

Could you repeat the question please?

Gap-fill

Starting

What _____ we do first?

_______ I start?

Do you _________ if I start?

We could start _______ talking about…

________ talk about .. first.

________ we start with…?

Opinion

As ________ as I’m concerned,

______ I see it,

From my ________ of view,

In my __________ opinion,

I’d _________ that…

Giving yourself time

________ a big question!

I haven’t given it much ________ until now.

Let me ________

How _______ I put this?

Well, it’s difficult to say really.

That’s an ____________ question.

Rephrasing

What I ________ is…

What I’m trying to ________ is…

In other __________

To put it another __________

___________ what you are saying is…

Agreeing

We _______ eye to eye.

Yeah, I’d _______ along with that.

Absolutely!

You took the ________ right out of my _______.

I ____________ agree more.

You have a ___________ there.

I’m with you 100% _______ this one.

Disagreeing

We _________ see eye to eye.

I take your ________ but…

I _________ to disagree with you there.

That’s not always the ___________.

I __________ to differ

Isn’t it more a __________ of…

Starting to make a conclusion

Let’s ________ down to the nitty gritty.

The bottom ________ is we have to choose one…

It’s a tough one, I’m torn ___________ … and ….

_________ we go with ….?

Asking for opinion

What’s your take _____….?

Where do you ______ on….?

In my opinion…., would you go along with that?

What are your thoughts on this?

Personalising

Speaking ________ personal experience,…

_______ me personally,..

This is a topic that is particularly close to my __________…

It’s funny I was just thinking _________ this the other day.

My gut/initial __________ is…

Impressive structures

Another point I’d like to add about … is…

It’s also worth bearing in _______ that…

Coming _______ to what (Javi) was saying about …. I’d also like to point ______ that…

I think it’s important not to forget that…

The ______ majority of people tend to think that…

At the _______ of the day…

When all’s said and ________…

Tips

Eye-contact

Active listening

Open body language

Speak up

Don’t dominate

Asking for repetition

I beg your ________, I didn’t catch that.

Sorry would you ________ repeating that?

Could you __________ the question please?

Writing Classes

CAE Informal Letter Task: An Exotic Holiday

Posted on February 20, 2016February 20, 2016 by Tim Warre

Image credit: www.afripotsafari.com

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a writing task for CAE students in which they write an informal narrative letter describing an exotic holiday. It is a follow up lesson to my Travelling: Expressions and Discussions lesson as it gives students the opportunity to use the expressions in context. It was designed with students in the latter stages of their studies for the exam in mind as it contains revision of advanced grammar structures such as inversions, participle clauses and cleft sentences. Download the students’ handout, worksheet and teacher’s notes below you will also need the two quizlet sets to revise the vocab:

Informal narrative letter update – students’ handout

Informal Letter Worksheet – students’ worksheet

Narrative Informal Letter Teachers notes

Quizlet sets: Travelling expressions + Travelling collocations

Narrative Informal Letter – Exotic Holiday Teacher’s Notes

Lead in

Write on the board:

What’s the most exotic place you’ve ever been to?
What did you do there?
Would you recommend it? Why? Why not?
What advice would you give to someone who was going there for the first time?

Students discuss in pairs. Go to open class, students share exotic destinations, activities and advice.

Task Analysis

Give out student handout. Students read task and underline the 4 things they must include in their letter

Task

You have recently been travelling in an exotic country. Your friend has written to you because they are thinking about visiting the same place. Write them a letter describing the highlights of your trip, you should also mention any problems you encountered, say whether or not you would recommend the place and give your friend advice for their trip.

Students complete paragraph plan

Paragraph Plan

Standard informal email opening
Describe highlights
Mention problems
Recommend or not + give advice
Sign off

Brainstorm – Informal letter opening + sign off

As a class brainstorm standard opening and closing expressions for informal letters:

Opening

Closing

It’s wonderful to hear from you again.

It’s been ages since we last saw each other.

How have you been?

What have you been up to?

Sorry for not writing back sooner, I’ve been snowed under with schoolwork/exams/work.

So you wanted to know about…. Well…

Anyway, I’d better get going as I have an early start in the morning.

Well, it’s getting late and I’ve gotta get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow.

Hugs and kisses

Lots of love

Send my love to ….

Briefly run through the language on the handout for sequencing etc. Students read and field any questions or doubts they might have. We will look at the advanced grammar next.

Worksheet – Collocations and Advanced Grammar

Collocations

Give out the worksheet. Students match the collocations. Use the quizlet set to drill/reinforce with games.

Key: 1-h, 2-b, 3-d, 4-a, 5-e, 6-f, 7-g, 8-c

Advanced Grammar

This section is revision of several advanced grammar structures that can be used in compositions with a narrative element.

Key:

Just as we had got on the helicopter it took off.

No sooner had we got on the helicopter than it took off.

As soon as we had left the jeep we were surrounded by different types of monkeys!

Hardly had we left the jeep when we were surrounded by different types of monkeys.

We went scuba diving and spear fishing.

Not only did we go scuba diving but also spear fishing.

We had no idea that there were man-eating sharks in the water.

Little did we know that there were man-eating sharks in the water.

I enjoyed the safari the most.

What I enjoyed most was the safari.

It was the safari that I enjoyed most.

I had never seen such a spectacular sunset before.

Never before had I seen such a spectacular sunset.

The road was so wet that we had to turn back and go a different way.

So wet was the road that we had to turn back and go a different way.

The gorilla was so strong that he broke the window of the jeep!

So strong was the gorilla that he broke the window of the jeep!

Revision – Travelling expressions

Use the quizlet sets to recap the travelling expressions using the scatter game.

https://quizlet.com/122267420/travel-collocations-flash-cards/

https://quizlet.com/122237779/travelling-expressions-flash-cards/

Students’ Handout

Task

Paragraph Plan

Standard informal email opening
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
Sign off

Past narrative tenses

Past simple – finished actions in the past, actions in sequence.

I breathed in deeply and stepped out of the plane into the air.

Past continuous – descriptions/actions in progress interrupted by past simple actions.

The pale winter sun was shining through the leaves of the trees, the birds were singing happily and the wind was whistling past.

As the balloon was rising into the sky I looked down at the people below me.

Past perfect – actions that happened before a specific moment in the past.

I looked out over the landscape, I had never seen such a beautiful sight before.

I took the map out and checked our location. I had marked all the most important places on it the night before.

Past perfect cont. – duration of time for an action that happened before a specific moment in the past.

When we finally reached the summit of the mountain we had been walking for over 6 hours.

I had been dreaming about taking to the skies in a hot air balloon since I was a child.

Sequencing

At first/To start with/In the beginning…………..

Then/next/after that/…………………

The next thing that happened was…………….

The next thing I knew was………………

Seconds/Minutes later………………

Later on/Some time later……………..

It wasn’t until much later that…………..

After some time/what seemed like years…………

Finally/In the end……………..

At last,…………..

I was just about to (infinitive) when……….

I was on the point of (gerund) when………..

Sudden/unexpected events.

Out of the blue……………

Like a bolt from the blue………

Completely unexpectedly……………

Just as I was least expecting it…………..

Looking back

In retrospect……………

When I think back to that day………..

Looking back on that day………….

Rapid events

In the blink of an eye………….

As quick as a flash…………..

Simultaneous events

Meanwhile, In the meantime……….

While all this was going on…………

Ways to say exciting/excited:

exhilarating/exhilarated

adrenalin rush

thrilling/thrilled

Scary/scared

petrifying/petrified

terrifying/terrified

frightening/frightened

Nervous

on edge

I had butterflies in my stomach

nerve-racking/nail-biting (to describe the activity)

Difficult

Tough

Hard

Challenging

Phrasal verbs:

take up a challenge (accept)

set off on a journey/adventure (start)

freak out (get very scared and nervous)

Describing the weather:

A scorching summer day

A freezing winter day

A crisp winter day

A howling wind was blowing

A light breeze was blowing

The sun was beating down on us

It was pouring with rain

The heavens opened (it started to rain very hard)

Grammatical Range – SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW!

Inversions:

No sooner had I got on the board, than I fell off.

Hardly had the plane left the ground when I started to feel sick.

Only when/Not until two days later did I appreciate how much danger I had been in.

On no account must you leave the car during the safari.

Little did I know that there were man-eating sharks in the water.

At no time did I stop screaming with fear and delight.

Never before had I seen such breath-taking views.

Never before had I felt so alive.

So + adjective/adverb + verb + subject

So clear was the water that you could see right to the bottom.

So delicious was the dessert that we went back for seconds.

Participle clauses:

Being a strong swimmer, I had no problem in the strong currents.

Having studied French at school, I was able to get by speaking to the locals.

Seeing the Lion running towards me, I panicked and got back in the jeep.

Cleft Sentences

I liked the rollercoasters the most.

What I liked most was the rollercoasters.

It was the rollercoasters that I liked the most.

Inverted conditionals

Were I to go again, I’d pack more warm clothes.

Had I known it was going to be so cold, I would have packed warmer clothes.

Had I not seen the warning sign, I would have jumped into the crocodile lake.

Had it not been for + noun

Had it not been for the guide, we would have got completely lost!

Students’ Worksheet

Impressive Vocabulary

Match to make impressive collocations

1. Breath-taking /Jaw-dropping/mind-blowing

2. Mouth-watering

3. Mile upon mile of

4. Death-defying

5. Baffling/bewildering

6. Crystal clear/ice-cold

7. Densely-populated/Bustling

8. World-famous/internationally-renowned

a. Activities/sports

b. Local delicacies

c. Monuments/attractions

d. Golden sands/rolling hills

e. Local traditions/customs

f. Water

g. City/metropolis

h. Views/landscape

Impressive Grammar

Transform the sentences to use impressive grammar structures

Just as we had got on the helicopter it took off.

No sooner _________________________________________________________

As soon as we had left the jeep we were surrounded by different types of monkeys!

Hardly__________________________________________________________

We went scuba diving and spear fishing.

Not only _____________________________________________________________

We had no idea that there were man-eating sharks in the water.

Little___________________________________________________________

I enjoyed the safari the most.

What________________________________________________.

It____________________________________________________.

I had never seen such a spectacular sunset before.

Never before _______________________________________________________.

The road was so wet that we had to turn back and go a different way.

So____________________________________________________________

The gorilla was so strong that he broke the window of the jeep!

So______________________________________________________________

Conversation Classes, Vocabulary Classes

Peer Teaching: Compound Personality Adjectives

Posted on February 11, 2016February 11, 2016 by Tim Warre

Image credit: www.theglobeandmail.com

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This is a lesson plan for B2+ students in which they teach each other some compound adjectives to describe personality and use them in a discussion. You will need the students’ hand-out, teacher’s notes and link to the quizlet set below:

Compound Personality Adjectives teacher notes

Compound Personality Adjectives sts handout

https://quizlet.com/120973139/compound-personality-adjectives-flash-cards/

Teacher’s Notes

Lead in

You can use the quizlet set to introduce the concept of compound adjectives. Pick out a few students and ask them the following questions, ask them the question with the compound adjective first and elicit the meaning.

Are you blonde-haired? Are you a person with blonde hair?

Are you blue-eyed? Are you a person with blue eyes?

Are you hard-working? Are you a person who works hard?

Are you a 16-year-old girl? Are you a girl who’s 16 years old?

Are you self-centred? Are you a person who only cares about themselves?

Peer Teaching

Now tell students they are going to teach each other some more compound adjectives. Give out the hand-out, put students in pairs and assign them A or B. A’s are not allowed to look at B’s questions. A should first ask B the first question on the list, they must start with the question with a compound adjective, then ask the question with the definition. For example:

A: Are you tight-fisted?

B: Am I what????

A: Are you a person who doesn’t like to spend or give money?

B: No. I’m very generous.

A: So you’re not tight-fisted then.

Students take it in turns to ask a question and teach the compound adjective. When they have finished they should test their partner to see what they remember.

Test a few students in open class to see how well they’ve been taught.

Student A

Read the questions and answer them yes, no or sometimes (Y/N/S)

Are you tight-fisted? Are you a person who doesn’t like to spend or give money?
Are you thin-skinned? Are you a person who is sensitive to criticism or insults?
Are you easy-going? Are you a relaxed and tolerant person?
Are you quick-witted? Are you a person who thinks and responds quickly?
Are you big-headed? Are you a person who thinks they are better than other people?
Are you self-assured? Are you confident in your own abilities and character? Are you a person who doesn’t worry about what other people think of you?

Now ask them to your partner and see what you have in common.

Student B

Read the questions and answer them yes, no or sometimes (Y/N/S)

Are you thick-skinned? Are you a person who isn’t affected by criticism or insults?
Are you laid-back? Are you a person who is relaxed and casual about everything?
Are you absent-minded? Do you often lose or forget things?
Are you bad-tempered? Do you tend to get angry often?
Are you level-headed? Are you a responsible person who doesn’t get anxious in stressful situations?
Are you self-conscious? Are you nervous or embarrassed about what other people think of you?

Now ask them to your partner and see what you have in common.

Matching Exercises

Students complete the matching exercises in pairs.

Definition match

Positive/negative

Picture match

Sentence match

1. C

2. G

3. I (i)

4. H

5. D

6. J

7. K

8. L

9. B

10. E

11. F

12. A

Positive:

Level-headed

Thick-skinned

Quick-witted

Easy-going

Self-assured

Negative:

Self-conscious

Bad-tempered

Thin-skinned

Absent-minded

Big-headed

Laid-back (could be both)

Tight-fisted

a. Tight-fisted

b. Thin-skinned

c. Absent-minded

d. Self-conscious

e. Laid-back

f. Bad-tempered

g. Big-headed

h. Self-assured

1. Self-conscious

2. Bad-tempered

3. Level-headed

4. Thin-skinned

5. Absent-minded

6. Thick-skinned

7. Big-headed

8. Laid-back

9. Quick-witted

10. Tight-fisted

11. Easy-going

12. Self-assured

Discussion

Students complete the discussion in pairs giving reasons for their answers: “A good teacher should be easy-going so that the students don’t have to do so much homework” encourage them to agree and disagree using the language in the boxes.

Which compound adjectives would you use to describe the people listed below? Discuss in pairs.

A good friend

A bad friend

A good teacher

A bad teacher

A good boss

A bad boss

Good parents

Bad parents

A policeman

A footballer

Agree

Disagree

Ask for opinion

Express opinion

Absolutely.

I couldn’t agree more.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

Uh-huh.

Yep, I’m with you on that.

Totally.

You’re absolutely right.

You can say that again!

Hhhmm, I’m not so sure.

I take your point but…

I see what you mean but…

I agree with you up to a point but…

You must be joking.

Are you kidding?

What do you think about ….?

Where do you stand on…?

What do you reckon to…?

For me personally,

As far as I’m concerned,

In my opinion,

I reckon that…

I’d say that…

Students’ Hand-out

Student A

Read the questions and answer them yes, no or sometimes (Y/N/S)

Are you tight-fisted? Are you a person who doesn’t like to spend or give money?
Are you thin-skinned? Are you a person who is sensitive to criticism or insults?
Are you easy-going? Are you a relaxed and tolerant person?
Are you quick-witted? Are you a person who thinks and responds quickly?
Are you big-headed? Are you a person who thinks they are better than other people?
Are you self-assured? Are you confident in your own abilities and character? Are you a person who doesn’t worry about what other people think of you?

Now ask them to your partner and see what you have in common.

Student B

Read the questions and answer them yes, no or sometimes (Y/N/S)

Are you thick-skinned? Are you a person who isn’t affected by criticism or insults?
Are you laid-back? Are you a person who is relaxed and casual about everything?
Are you absent-minded? Do you often lose or forget things?
Are you bad-tempered? Do you tend to get angry often?
Are you level-headed? Are you a responsible person who doesn’t get anxious in stressful situations?
Are you self-conscious? Are you nervous or embarrassed about what other people think of you?

Now ask them to your partner and see what you have in common.

Definition Match

Match the compound adjective (1-12) with the definition (a-l)

1. Tight-fisted

2. Thin-skinned

3. Easy-going

4. Quick-witted

5. Big-headed

6. Self-assured

7. Thick-skinned

8. Laid-back

9. Absent-minded

10. Bad-tempered

11. Level-headed

12. Self-conscious

a. Someone who worries what other people think of them.

b. Someone who always forgets or loses things.

c. Someone who hates spending/giving money.

d. An arrogant person.

e. Someone who frequently gets angry.

f. A responsible person who stays calm in stressful situations.

g. Someone who is sensitive to insults/criticism.

h. Someone who thinks and responds quickly.

i. A relaxed, tolerant person.

j. Someone who is confident in their abilities.

k. Someone who isn’t affected by criticism.

l. Someone who is relaxed and casual about everything.

Which ones are positive and which are negative?

Positive

Negative

Which compound adjective does each photo represent?

a	b	c	d
e	f	g	h

Put the 12 compound adjectives from the other page in the sentences.

I felt really _______________ on the first day of school. I didn’t know if the other kids would like me.
My Maths teacher is so __________________, he gets so angry about the smallest things.
When negotiating it’s really important to be ____________________ if you get stressed you can ruin the deal.
My best friend is so ____________________, sometimes I make fun of her just for a laugh and she runs off crying.
You’re so __________________ Mani, you left your bag and all your books on the bus.
In politics you have to be ____________________ you can’t let all the insults or criticism affect you.
Lots of Hollywood stars are so ____________________ they make one good movie and they suddenly think they’re better than everyone.
Sometimes Arnau can be too _____________________, he has 3 exams tomorrow and he hasn’t even started studying yet.
To be a comedian you have to be really ____________________, it’s hard to think of good jokes quickly.
My parents are so ___________________they never give me any pocket money!
Our new teacher is really __________________ he lets us eat sweets in class.
In a job interview it’s important to act __________________, otherwise they won’t give you the job.

Discussion

Which compound adjectives would you use to describe the people listed below? Discuss in pairs.

A good friend

A bad friend

A good teacher

A bad teacher

A good boss

A bad boss

Good parents

Bad parents

A policeman

A footballer

Agree

Disagree

Ask for opinion

Express opinion

Absolutely.

I couldn’t agree more.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

Uh-huh.

Yep, I’m with you on that.

Totally.

You’re absolutely right.

You can say that again!

Hhhmm, I’m not so sure.

I take your point but…

I see what you mean but…

I agree with you up to a point but…

You must be joking.

Are you kidding?

What do you think about ….?

Where do you stand on…?

What do you reckon to…?

For me personally,

As far as I’m concerned,

In my opinion,

I reckon that…

I’d say that…