MARCH 12

Look at these signs. What do they mean? How can you explain these signs to foreigners?

No Smoking

Do not smoke

You are not allowed to smoke here

You must not smoke here

Warning / Danger of death

Don't touch / enter

Keep away

Don't speed

Drive slowly

You must reduce your speed

You should drive slower

Wash your hands

You can wash your hands here

You should wash your hands

Here we see that we can give commands / orders in three ways

1. Using the imperative

For a positive command use the verb in the base form without subject

Walk! Come! Enter!

For a negative imperative, add Do not or Don't

Don't smoke!

Do not enter!

You can see examples of imperatives you can find around the home on Page 6, exercise 1 of Insight Into PET.

2. Using modal verbs

must - FOR ME, IT IS NECESSARY - I must call my mother

have to - THE LAW OR THE RULES SAY IT IS NECESSARY - You have to have a passport to go to the USA

In the negative form these verbs have a different meaning

must not - IT IS FORBIDDEN-  You must not smoke in public places

don't have to - IT IS NOT NECESSARY - I don't have to work on Sundays

Try to use these verbs to complete these phrases about life in Italy

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslUzFPVEpGb2VJV1E/view?usp=sharing

There is more information about modals of obligation on Page 110 of Insight Into PET.

Try also Exercise 15.

3. Using alternative phrases such as - It is allowed / forbidden etc

To practice using these alternatives look at exercise 2 on Page 6 of Insight Into PET.

These terms are important in the PET exam because in the Reading Test you can asked to understand signs and short messages, many of which include modal verbs.

Try the test on Page 10 of Insight Into PET.

In the FCE, there are no direct tests on modals but they are important in paraphrasing exercises and using them in the writing or speaking tests can earn you extra points.

FEBRUARY 5 2016

A good way to learn new words is to practise describing a photo.

What can you see in the photo?

When describing a photo you can think of different elements.

You can find them here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIsleU15QlFXakhKSFE/view?usp=sharing

You describe what the people are wearing, what they are holding and what they are doing. You can use the present continuous.

For more information on the present continuous see Page 104 of Insight Into PET.

  

To  review prepositions of place see Page 82 of  Insight Into PET

To give your opinion about events in a picture you can use expressions with look . See Page 84 of
Insight Into PET.

You can listen to people describing a picture with exercises on Page 85 of  Insight Into PET, exercise 5. 

Try to describe the photos on Pages 89 and 90.

FEBRUARY 4 2016

How do you learn new words?

To improve your English it is important to learn new words. To remember new words it is important to be organised. Putting words into categories according to subject or word type can help you to find the words again, and memorize them through word association.

Try to put these words into categories and then add more words to each category.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIsleURIQlM2SUI0SG8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslWVBYbzZkRlpGRW8/view?usp=sharing

You can do this in a list form or in a more visual way.

List form - http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blwordgroups_weather.htm

Visual - http://esl.about.com/library/lessons/nblvocabtrees.htm

Let's make an example with the subject of food.

For food we can think of four sub categories - ingredients, methods of food preparation, adjectives to describe food and kitchen equipment.

Use the menu on Page 19 and 20 of this document to find examples of different ingredients and methods of preparation and add more.

 http://www.ujaz.feec.vutbr.cz/texty/practical_english.pdf

Here are some adjectives to describe the taste of food with a quiz.

http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/adjectives-describe-tastes-foods

On this website you can find lots of words for actions and tools in kitchen.

http://www.say-it-in-english.com/inthekitchen.html

For the PET exam there is are lists of vocabulary that you should know. You can find them here.

https://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw/Cambridge/MS/Handbook/PET/en/pet_vocablist.pdf

For FCE, there is no list, but the following books can help you to increase your vocabulary in some common areas.

PET - https://ymerleksi.wikispaces.com/file/view/Check+your+vocab+for+PET+Book.pdf

FCE - http://vk.com/doc243798239_300780464