THURSDAY 28 JULY 2016

When you don't know or don't remember a word, you may need to explain what you mean in other words. This skill is useful in cases of misunderstandings. For this reason it is also an important element of English language exams.

You may know the game 'Taboo'. Playing this game can help you practise the skill of paraphrasing. You are given  a word on a card to explain to other players and you must do so without using the words on your card. You can play an online version here.

http://taboogame.net/?

When you do a reading exercise, you should first read the questions and try to explain it in different words. This will help you focus on the words you need to look for in the text. Try the reading exercise on Page 24 of PET Result. Highlight the key words in the questions and the corresponding answer in the text. This will help you to recognize the paraphrasing.

NAME	QUESTION	ANSWER	TEXT
Kaito	Ancient history	F	archaeology
	Two or three days		weekend
	With other people		Work as part of a team
Mario and Lucia	Creative together	D	Drama group
	regularly		On Mondays
	During the day		Between 12 and 2
Olivia	Very busy	A	When you have time
	At home		Online
	Artistic		draw
Michael	job	H	keeper
	Wildlife and nature		Animals, giraffe, cats
	Short course		For a day
	Useful experience		Work with a keeper
Ella	Loves socializing	C	party
	Friends over for dinner		Cook Japanese food
	In the evenings after work		Wednesdays and Fridays from 6pm – 9pm

WEDNESDAY JULY 27 2016

Before an important meeting or conversation, we can imagine what type of words or phrases we will hear, for example if you have an interview you can think about the questions the interviewer can ask you and you can prepare some answers. You can use the same skill for English.

Here you can read some information about how PREDICTION can help you to understand better.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslV0lLLW1nQnVQTWc/view?usp=sharing

You can try out this skill on listenaminue.com.

http://www.listenaminute.com/a/autumn.html

Before trying the listening gap fill exercise you can guess which words may be missing from the text based on your knowledge of the situation or of grammar and vocabulary.

Then compare your answers with the tape script. You will understand that it is not always neccesary to understand all the words to understand the general sense.

There are some interesting elements in the text including the use of 'such' and the expression 'one of the + superlative adjective + plural noun.

You can practise these structures here.

http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/sosuch.html

http://www.azargrammar.com/assets/beginning/BEGTeacher-CreatedWorksheets/Worksheets16/BEGCh16UsingOneOf+Superlative+PluralNoun.pdf

The weather and the seasons is a common conversation subject in Cambridge exams.

You can also learn more words related to weather.

http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blwordgroups_weather.htm

And consider the questions here

http://simpleesl.com/esl-conversation-questions-weather-seasons/

You can practise predicting and then listening on  Page 41 of  PET Result, exercise 1 and 2. 

TUESDAY 26 JULY 2016

Listening is a difficult skill but you can prepare for different common situations by learning words and phrases for particular situations. It is also important to predict the phrases and vocabulary you will hear. 

Because English and Italian are very different languages, it can be useful to create a phrase book of useful phrases and words to use in everyday situations.

On this website there is also the translation in Italian and audio.

http://it.speaklanguages.com/inglese/frasi/

In Part 1 of the Listening Test you will hear short dialogues or monlogues in common situations.

On this site you can find pdfs that will allow you to learn several words and phrases associated with everyday situations.

http://englishpower.jp/moodle/course/view.php?id=224

Look in particular at the moderate section.

Here is a document about taking a taxi

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4EN8MtjAE4dTGprMFBoNldQQ3M/view

Try the listening exercises on Page 80. Looking at they key phrases in the questions and analyze the differences bewteen the pictures before listening to predict what you will hear and make understanding easier.

THURSDAY JULY 21 2016

Thinking of synomyms for words that we commonly use is a great way to build your vocabulary.

When you learn a new word, think of words that are in the same family. Are there any related verbs, nouns, adverbs, adjectives, synonyms and antonyms?

Look at this example with the verb employ.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslWktZNUg0M3I1Qmc/view?usp=sharing

and try to do the same with the word friend.

Here there is a lot of information about prefixes and suffixes. They can help to discover the meaning of a new word by seperating it into parts.

http://www.esl-galaxy.com/prefixsuffix.html

You can find more exercises here

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/word_formation.htm

This is also useful for the Use of English Part 3.

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/fce/students/strategy/p3pt5a.htm

In one exercise, 'Dress Code' there are similar verbs about clothes.

See here for an explanation

http://www.slideshare.net/inmadom/wear-put-on-and-dress

WEDNESDAY  JULY 2016

What word can we use use to complete ALL three of these phrases?

Do you _________ if I smoke?

- Which do you prefer? Tea of coffee? - I don't _______.

- Sorry I can't come. - Never ______. Maybe next time.

Many words in English have more than one meaning. so it can be interesting to focus on one word and investigate it's different uses.

See here for more examples with mind.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslcV9Yd2JUUEpBZW8/view?usp=sharing

See here for another example with the word change.

http://www.tefl.net/esl-lesson-plans/TP_All-Change.pdf

Mind is also used in many idiomatic expressions.

See here for more examples

http://recursostic.educacion.es/multidisciplinar/wikididactica/images/Idioms_mind.pdf

 Knowledge of common phrases and idioms are tested in PET Writing Part 1 and FCE Reading and Use of English Part 4 Key Word Transformation.

WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH 2017

Although we understand how important it is to practise English outside the classroom, it can be difficult to find the time. However, thanks to our smartphones we have access to English practise, whenever we have 5 minutes.

Two recommended apps are aba english and BBC Six Minute English.

We looked at one programme about useful phrases to avoid or cope with misunderstandings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2014/01/140116_6min_business_misunderstandings.shtml

One good strategy when you don't understand is to repeat in your own words.

You can find other strategies here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslemx6c0UwWlh1ZUk/view?usp=sharing

Ability to paraphrase is also tested in the PET exam in Writing Part 1 and in the FCE in the Use of English Part 3.

In both exams there is an exercise where you have one complete phrase and a second phrase with some words missing. You have to complete the second phrase so that it has the same meaning as the first, but expressed in different words.

In PET, you can choose a maximum of three words of your choice.

In FCE, you can use a maximum of five words, one of which must be the word given in bold capital letters.

Try these exercises

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslRk4tdjJxYlZ1TE0/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslekI4RkdUUUtHQ1k/view?usp=sharing

As you practise, it is a good idea to note the phrases that you use for this part of the exam, because you never know you may meet the same expressions again.

Here are some examples of phrases that you may find.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslZi1HRGlWY25RWHc/view?usp=sharing

MERCOLEDI 15 MARZO 2017

I verbi can e could possono essere utilizzati in tante situazioni practiche, anche in classe.

Provate a formulare delle domande utilizzando i suggerimenti qui

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslcUZoSnZOc3podG8/view?usp=sharing

Per i verbi essere, have got e modali, per fare la forma negativa basta aggiungere not e per la forma interrogativa invertire soggetto e verbo.

I am English
He is not Italian
Are you French?

I have got a car.
She has not got a pen.
Have you got a rubber?

I can play the piano.
You cannot stay here.
Can I come in?

Per  altri verbi bisogna aggiungere l'ausiliare do.

I work.
He doesn't drive.
Do you speak English?

Vedere Essential Grammar in Use Unit 6 e 7.

Per fare practica con le domande, si puo fare un gioco chde si chiama 20 questions.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslanJwVTA5ejE1NUU/view?usp=sharing

MONDAY 18 JULY

we looked at a dialogue between two people arranging to meet.

When they talk about their future plans they use the present continous.

You can read about these here

http://esl.about.com/od/grammarstructures/a/future_forms.htm

and click on the link for the quiz.

There are also exercises on Page 81 of PET Result.

Look at these questions about future forms.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslM2xEYVZjMXFlaUU/view?usp=sharing

There are also two other forms of the future

1. Future continuous - will + be + verb + ing

To talk about something that will in progress at a particular time in the future.

At 10 o'clock tomorrow I will be working.

2. Future perfect - will + have + past participle

To talk about something that will already be in the past before a certain time in the future.

By this time next year I will have finished my studies.

Englishpage.com is great for grammar explanations.

See here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_B2HZ_bIslM2xEYVZjMXFlaUU/view?usp=sharing