use of English part 4 – Tim's Free English Lesson Plans

C2 Proficiency: Key Word Transformations – Mini Test

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Tim Warre

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:

c2-proficiency_-part-4-mini-test Download

c2-proficiency_-part-4-mini-test-key Download

c2-proficiency_-part-4-mini-test-1 Download

Here’s a quizlet study set that students could use at home to revise the expressions.

Exam Preparation Class, Proficiency, Vocabulary Classes

C2 Proficiency: Use of English Worksheet & Conversation

Posted on January 25, 2022October 26, 2022 by Tim Warre

C2 Proficiency: Exam Technique – Reading Part 7 – Tim's Free English Lesson Plans

This is a lesson plan for students preparing to take the C2 Proficiency exam. Students look at some typical phrasal verbs, collocations and dependent prepositions that often come up in the exam and put them into practice in conversation. Download the handout, key and accompanying slides below:

c2-proficiency_-use-of-english-part-2 Download

c2-proficiency_-use-of-english-part-2-key Download

c2-use-of-english-training Download

Here is a link to a quizziz game you can use for spaced repetition:

https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/635960fbd051f0001d04ea21?source=quiz_share

Procedure

First of all students have to choose from two prepositions to complete the phrasal verbs so that it fits the context of the sentence. Then have them match the phrasal verbs to the definitions in the box below. You could then have students test each other, one says a definition, the other has to recall the phrasal verb.

Show students slide 2 of the presentation and instruct them to turn their handouts over and attempt to recall the missing words in the questions from memory. In this exercise they are required to recall the verb, rather than the preposition. Once they have completed the exercise, have them ask and answer the questions in pairs or small groups and then share any funny/interesting discoveries in open class.

Students then repeat the process for the dependent prepositions. However, in this case, rather than matching definitions, they match synonyms of the collocations to transform the sentence. I most cases they are direct synonyms that fit the same grammatical pattern but in a couple of cases they will need to make changes to the sentence, instruct them to check carefully if the synonym fits.

Slide 4-5 have a similar gapped questions task to the first one for students to complete in pairs. The final exercise contains more expressions and phrasal verbs with prepositions. Have students complete the exercise in pairs, then after checking in open class, have students come up with gapped questions for their classmates to complete. Tell them that their questions must be open-ended and designed to spark conversation, for example:

Are there any things that you’ve done so many times that you can now do ….. auto-pilot?

Feel free to post any of your students’ questions in the comments! Let me know how it goes!

Exam Preparation Class, Proficiency, Vocabulary Classes

C2 Proficiency/CPE: 99 Key Word Transformation Expressions

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Tim Warre

I found this document with 99 expressions from CPE key word transformations lost in the depths of my onedrive account, I could have sworn I’d already posted it but couldn’t find it anywhere, so here goes. Download it below:

cpe-key-word-transformation-expressions-1 Download

CPE Key Word Transformation Expressions

John needs to step up to the plate and start doing his share of the work.
There’s nothing I’d like more than to spend the rest of the day on the beach.
The kids took absolutely no notice of what the teacher was saying.
Only as a last resort will the company employ inexperienced workers.
When darkness falls the animals come out to hunt.
A great deal of care and effort went into preparing the wedding.
There was a lack of clarity in the teacher’s explanation.
The wind and rain made it difficult to see where we were going.
But for the GPS on my iPhone, we would have got completely lost.
Prompt action in putting out the fire saved hundreds of lives.
There’s every likelihood/chance/possibility that it will rain tomorrow. (it’s likely)
We were left with no choice but to pitch our tent and wait for the storm to pass.
When I lived in England I got into/developed/acquired the habit of drinking tea.
Hundreds of people were taken in by the email scam.
The last thing I want is for her to feel uncomfortable when she comes to visit.
The company has sustained heavy losses this month.
Maybe it would have been better if I hadn’t invited him.
My friend lives in Australia but we keep in touch/contact via Skype and Whatsapp.
There’s no change to/in his condition so he’ll have to stay in hospital for now.
She’s very reliable; I’ve no reason to suppose that she will let me down.
At no time were there fewer than 3 teachers looking after the children.
On no account are passengers to stand up during take-off.
We were at a loss to understand/know how the burglars got into the house.
She has no intention of giving up her independence.
I will do everything in my power to ensure that everyone is safe and happy.
It’s nothing short of a miracle that nobody was hurt in the bus crash.
I don’t think you were justified in speaking to the boss in that way.
The kids made such a fuss when we told them we couldn’t go to Disneyland.
We have a lot of problems to contend with at the moment.
All of a sudden, a band appeared and started singing happy birthday to me.
Messi was instrumental in Barça winning the match.
As long as we stick to a plan/agreement, everything will work out fine.
Had I known it was going to take this long, I would have gone a different way.
Spare a thought for people who are less fortunate than you.
After trying to open the jar for ages he admitted defeat and asked his Dad for help.
My spirits rose/were lifted when I saw my parents waiting for me at the school gate.
The ship’s crew finally caught sight of land after 10 weeks at sea.
The fans waited outside the concert hoping to catch a glimpse of the band.
A week’s holiday would do wonders for your health.
The project is going really smoothly.
Someone should take a note of everyone’s feedback so the same mistakes are not repeated.
The company was deluged with calls the day after their advert was broadcast.
The way he conducted himself in the meeting was very unprofessional.
Failure to pay on time will result in your booking being cancelled.
You must conform to the standards laid out in the course handbook.
Such was the confusion caused by the accident that no one knew what to do.
Little did he know what lay in store for him just around the corner.
The problem with my girlfriend has been preying on my mind all week.
Michael Jackson rose to fame/stardom in the early 1980s.
The pursuit of profits often comes at the expense of the environment.
Could you do me a favour?
John kept me waiting for over two hours.
I was waiting for the best part of an hour.
She didn’t agree immediately as she wanted to keep her options open.
He’s so indecisive and finds it hard to make his mind up.
What sets our hotel apart are the breath-taking views.
The crisis had serious repercussions for people’s quality of life.
He was determined to succeed and let nothing stand in his way.
The meeting was meant to finish at 15.00 but to all intents and purposes it was over by 14.00.
To my mind the biggest threat to the planet is global warming.
He regretted treating her badly and went to great lengths to make it up to her.
She was on the point of going to bed when the phone rang
His reaction came as no surprise to me
It makes no difference whether we go out to dinner or stay in
His interview was a success and he made an impression on the interviewer.
After thinking about it we came to the conclusion that it was best to cancel the meeting.
He found her impossible to put up with
His son is a source of great pride for him
It took him a long time to come to terms with the reality of his illness
Had it not been for his behaviour, they wouldn’t have been asked to leave.
It was bought to my attention that some of the employees were not happy.
Provided that nobody has any objections, the meeting is postponed until Monday.
There was no reoccurrence of the phenomenon, to everyone’s relief.
How can we account for the drop in sales?
There has been a marked rise in violence since last year.
They decided not to say anything for fear of insulting him.
It was raining so we had no choice but to cancel the picnic.
He didn’t want to but we talked him into coming with us.
It never crossed my mind to ask for help.
He was on the verge of giving up when suddenly help arrived.
It’s up to you to decide what we have for dinner tonight.
The chances of Jane succeeding are slim
The lecturer drew a clear distinction between external and internal motivation.
George wasn’t alone in thinking that her excuse didn’t sound plausible.
It’s high time we went home.
Entrance to the VIP area is restricted to those is possession of a bracelet.
George never tires of hearing the story of how his parents met.
The company is rumoured to be bankrupt.
Sara looked everywhere but the keys were nowhere to be seen
He’s quite tolerant but he draws the line at letting his children go out during the week.
The couple put their success down to hard work
He bought her flowers to make up for forgetting her birthday
Contrary to popular belief pigeons are quite intelligent.
There’s little prospect of Greece recovering from the financial crisis.
The museum is well worth a visit
Customers are under no obligation to make a purchase
It goes without saying that you can stay as long as you want
Complaints are taken seriously at our company.
Entrance is restricted to visitors with special authorisation.

Advanced C1, Exam Preparation Class

C1 Advanced: Key Word Transformation Training #4

Posted on October 19, 2021 by Tim Warre

2. Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) Preparation

This is another worksheet designed to help introduce students to typical expressions that are tested in part 4 of the reading and use of English paper. Download the handout below:

c1-key-word-transformation-training-4-2 Download

Use this Quizizz game for space repetition of the expressions: https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/616ed396bccf36001d65cf8e