Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Modal verbs that you ought to know.

25th July 2020

Modal verbs and when to use them

These Are The Most Tubular Slang Words From 1940 to Today | Best Life

History of the OED | Oxford English Dictionary

can / could / have to / may / must

ought to / should / will

Modal verbs are used for:

Permission // Possibility // Obligation

Request // Speculation // Suggestion

Cab Calloway's Hepster's Dictionary: A Guide To The Language Of ...

Sounds confusing ? Don’t worry – English is meant to be USED, not just studied and so, without further ado, some examples:

Can I get a bus to Ben Thanh Market ?

Can I get a bus to Main Street from here ?

This means is it possible to get a bus from here ?

Your Comprehensive Walk-through of Ben Thanh Market | Cmego Travel ... — Sai Gon’s iconic Ben Thanh Market

London's 10 Best Bus Routes | Londonist — Can I get a bus to Big Ben from here ?

Can you hit the lights, please ?

A request to turn on / off the lights.

Turn Off Unneeded Lights – Air Conditioning Appreciation Days -

We use can to ask if something is possible and to request help.

Who’s that ? It could be Peter. Speculation, a guess

You have to get over 60% or you will fail. Obligation

Oh, you must see the new Quentin Tarantino film. Suggestion

Will you help me with my tieng Viet ? May I go to the party ? Request

You musn’t use your phone when riding a motorbike. Permission

You ought to stop drinking so much coffee. Suggestion

You should all read English books. Suggestion

Exercises:

can // could // have to // may // must

ought to // should //will

[answers at end of exercise]

First, decide which of the six classes is needed (permission, request etc). The first two are indicated, after that, you’re on your own.

… I use my mobile phone in class ? Request

You … answer all three questions. Obligation

It’s too heavy; … you help me lift it ?

Don’t wait too long, he … not come.

… I buy an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy ?

Apple and Samsung mediation to take place on May 21st and 22nd

May I use my mobile phone in class ?

You have to answer all three questions.

It’s too heavy; can you help me lift it ?

Don’t wait too long, he may not come.

Should I buy an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy ?

Do all Quentin Tarantino's movies actually take place in the same ...

IELTS Speaking Practice: Making complaints, writing blogs

24th July 2020

Making complaints

Drop Dead”: Why Harassment By Customers is Spiking in Japan | by ...

You buy a T-shirt from a shop, but when you get home, you see the quality is very bad.

How do you feel ? You feel terribly …

What would you do ?

When you return an item to the shop, what do you need in your country ?

Use this video for help. Listen out for new vocabulary or expressions as well as copying her accent.

Vocabulary

I am sorry to have to say this but …

I’m sorry to say this but I am really quite upset/angry/disappointed

Perhaps there was a misunderstanding but …

There appears to be a problem here …”

I’m sorry but I’d like to make a complaint about …”

Could you help me with …?

PRACTICE

One student is an shop assistant, the other an upset customer.

You have bought a dress but it is very bad quality.

How would you complain ? [Be polite, speak calmly and politely].

How to Deal with Difficult Customers: 11 Proven Tips for Retailers ...

How about in this situation:

You go to a restaurant to celebrate a special event. When the bill arrives the amount is much, much more than you expected. It looks like you were charged for extra items you did not order.

What would you do ?

Angry Bagel Shop Customer To Fight Other Viral Video Star | Putnam ...

Speaking practice

Try to speak in long sentences. Tell me about something you like – say why you like it, but also something negative. Remember to use good discourse markers.

EXAMPLE:

I love Highland Coffee because I need damn fine coffee every morning and Highlands has a good choice as well as great quality. I can choose all different types of coffee, some hot, some cold, some with added flavour, and they come in different sizes. In addition, the chairs are comfortable, not to mention the free wifi and no-smoking policy. Having said that, it is rather expensive, especially compared with Milano however I feel the extra cost is worth it.

Now … your turn

Subjects – to help you, talk about smartphone // video games // sport // your pet // shopping // cooking // your best friend

Comparatives and superlatives.

Big / bigger / biggest

interesting / more interesting / the most interesting

Blog writing:

Your apartment block is starting a chat-site for working parents. They invite anyone to join who has both a job and children. They ask you to send a photo and give some brief information.

Your apartment block is starting a chat-site for people who want to practise English

Write a short introduction about yourself for a blogpage.

What information do you need to add ? What is unimportant ?

What kind of photo would you add ?

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Street crime.

23rd July 2020

Have you witnessed any crimes ? Have you been a victim of crime ?

What crimes are there in your city ?

What can you do to protect yourself ?

Listening exercise:

Listen to non-native speakers talk about crime-prevention in a big city.

listen for:

snatch and grab // petty theft // tip // during // dynamic // pay attention

What should you do with your bag ?

What shouldn’t you do with your phone ?

Vocabulary:

procedure // happened // suddenly // officially // relatively // contents // grabbed

I was walking with a friend along Pham Ngu Lao, around 4 in the morning. The street was ………….quiet, just some tourists and a little traffic.

I was wearing a small bag, strung across my shoulder. A security guard was behind me, talking to a person in a car. …….., a motorbike came towards me on the pavement. He stopped, …………..my bag strap, then drove away.

Naturally, I shouted but it was too late; he was gone. My friend was worried but I told her it was OK, nobody was hurt. The ………of the bag were really worthless: pens, some medicine, a book, but also my designer glasses.

The security guard was comical in his incompetence. He shook his head, mouth open wide, and said, “It all ………. so quickly, there was nothing I could do.”

I should, …….. , have reported it to the police, that was the ……….. but people told me the thief would never be found. What I learnt from this unfortunate experience was to be very careful and never walk around with valuables.

Could you be a good witness ?

Tell me about the first criminal – height, weight, hair, features …

What was the second man wearing ?

Who stole the motorbike ?

IELTS: Introduce your answers, and speaking review.

21st July 2020

I Think I'll Go Home and Mull This Over Before I Cram It Down My ...

A good introduction is not just beneficial but imperative for an impressive IELTS response. Therefore, this blog will mainly, although not exclusively, focus on a strong opening gambit, an attention-grabbing prologue.

Useful expressions

If you need some time to think, employ one of these ‘time-buying’ expressions:

That’s a very interesting question

Well, there is so much to say about that subject, where shall I start ?

It’s funny you put that question to me because earlier today I was just thinking about …

Let me think …

How can I put it …

Well, I would say …

Quick warm up: What do you do in your free time ?

I meet my friends for coffee

One of my favourite things to do, if I have some spare time, is to hang out with my closest friends

Which answer do you think would impress the examiner ?

Now … your turn

Where would you like to visit in Viet Nam (or your own country) ?

DON’T answer immediately; introduce the answer by repeating or rephrasing the question:

Vietnam has many beautiful places but my choice would be Hoi An.

Vietnam is famous for it’s beautiful beaches, vibrant cities and amazing nature but for me, Hoi An is the one place I would love to explore.

1 Tell me about your hometown

Thank you for letting me introduce to you my hometown which is Da Nang, one of the biggest cities in Vietnam, although it is much smaller than Ha Noi or Sai Gon.

2 Talk about a film you like

Talk about cinema or films in general DON’T immediately talk about your favourite film.

Watching films and going to the cinema is one of my passions, so choosing just one film is going to be terribly difficult, not to say impossible. However, if I have to select one film, it would be ‘Lost in Translation’, with Scarlett Johannsson.

3 Do you use computers at work or school ?

Laptops are an incredibly useful piece of technology. They can be used for work, hobbies, music and to stay in touch with friends.

Practice: try forming introductions for these questions

Home

Do you live alone or with friends / family ?
How long have you lived there ?
Is there anything you don’t like about living there ?
What sort of accommodation would you like to like in ?

Shopping

Do you like going shopping for clothes
Is fashion important to you ?
Do you have to wear a uniform at school or work ?
Where do you normally buy your food and why there ?

Free Time

Do you do any sporting activities ?
What do you like to do at weekends ?
What would you change about your daily routine ?

Nanci Griffith - Once In A Very Blue Moon (1986, CD) | Discogs — Once in a VERY blue moon by Nanci Griffith

Review … from my recent classes, make sure you have learnt these words and expressions:

Keep your nose to the grindstone' - meaning and origin. — Put your nose to the grindstone

endeavour (to try) // outcome (the result) // ubiquitous (everywhere) // tedious (boring) // fascinating (very interesting) // sky-high (expensive)

once in a blue moon (very rare) // put my nose to the grindstone (work especially hard) // achieve on merit (to get something by working for it) // burn the candle at both ends (work day and night) // give or take (about, approximately) // big time ! (absolutely, totally, very much) // I’ll mull it over (I’ll think about it) //

although // additionally // therefore // moreover // having said that // on the other hand

Rewrite the following using IELTS-language:

English grammar is (adverb) boring and I spend about two hours a day studying grammar. I work all day, and go to evening class and then study. I study all day and night.

I almost never have any free time. If I have free time, I go to drink coffee. Coffee shops are everywhere but in some the prices are not cheap.

My friend Tom never studies. His uncle will give him a job, but I want to deserve my job. Tom is (adverb) lazy. I tell him to try to study grammar, to work very hard / but / he never listens. He thinks video games are very interesting. He (adverb) says he’ll think about it but nothing changes

so the result will be a ‘FAIL’

AE 456 - Expression: Burn the Candle at Both Ends - Aussie English

Unique coffee spot La Viet in Da lat, Central Vietnam | Coffee ...

Coffee shops in Sai Gon are ubiquitous although in some, the prices are sky-high.

Finally, if you did well :

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Three English poems and some Shakespeare

19th July 2020

W.H. Auden

1907 – 1973

Reading the Maps: Yesterday the struggle: EP Thompson, Auden, and ...

Are you there ?

Each lover has some theory of his own
About the difference between the ache
Of being with his love, and being alone:

Why what, when dreaming, is dear flesh and bone
That really stirs the senses, when awake,
Appears a simulacrum of his own.

Narcissus disbelieves in the unknown;
He cannot join his image in the lake
So long as he assumes he is alone.

The child, the waterfall, the fire, the stone,
Are always up to mischief, though, and take
The universe for granted as their own.

The elderly, like Proust, are always prone
To think of love as a subjective fake;
The more they love, the more they feel alone.

Whatever view we hold, it must be shown
Why every lover has a wish to make
Some kind of otherness his own:
Perhaps, in fact, we never are alone.

John Betjemin

1906 – 1984

John Betjeman was a mediocre poet – but he wrote one brilliant poem

This poem is about a small industrial town, outside of London. The poet criticises the place for its lack of culture and atmosphere, and the people for being mediocre. The place is pronounced ‘sl – owl’ to rhyme with ‘cow’ and ‘now’.

Slough

Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough!
It isn’t fit for humans now,
There isn’t grass to graze a cow.
Swarm over, Death!

Come, bombs and blow to smithereens
Those air -conditioned, bright canteens,
Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans,
Tinned minds, tinned breath.

Mess up the mess they call a town-
A house for ninety-seven down
And once a week a half a crown
For twenty years.

And get that man with double chin
Who’ll always cheat and always win,
Who washes his repulsive skin
In women’s tears:

And smash his desk of polished oak
And smash his hands so used to stroke
And stop his boring dirty joke
And make him yell.

But spare the bald young clerks who add
The profits of the stinking cad;
It’s not their fault that they are mad,
They’ve tasted Hell.

It’s not their fault they do not know
The birdsong from the radio,
It’s not their fault they often go
To Maidenhead

And talk of sport and makes of cars
In various bogus-Tudor bars
And daren’t look up and see the stars
But belch instead.

In labour-saving homes, with care
Their wives frizz out peroxide hair
And dry it in synthetic air
And paint their nails.

Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough
To get it ready for the plough.
The cabbages are coming now;
The earth exhales.

Slough

Philip Larkin

1922 – 1985

Toads

Why should I let the toad work
Squat on my life?
Can’t I use my wit as a pitchfork
And drive the brute off ?

Six days of the week it soils
With its sickening poison –
Just for paying a few bills!
That’s out of proportion.

Lots of folk live on their wits:
Lecturers, lispers,
Losels, loblolly-men, louts-
They don’t end as paupers;

Lots of folk live up lanes
With fires in a bucket,
Eat windfalls and tinned sardines-
they seem to like it.

Their nippers have got bare feet,
Their unspeakable wives
Are skinny as whippets – and yet
No one actually starves.

Ah, were I courageous enough
To shout Stuff your pension!
But I know, all too well, that’s the stuff
That dreams are made on:

For something sufficiently toad-like
Squats in me, too;
Its hunkers are heavy as hard luck,
And cold as snow,

And will never allow me to blarney
My way of getting
The fame and the girl and the money
All at one sitting.

I don’t say, one bodies the other
One’s spiritual truth;
But I do say it’s hard to lose either,
When you have both.

William Shakespeare

1564 – 1616

Hamlet, Act II, Scene II

Ham. I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation prevent your discovery, and your secrecy to the king and queen moult no feather. I have of late,—but wherefore I know not,—lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o’erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form, in moving, how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me; no, nor woman neither, though, by your smiling, you seem to say so.

William Shakespeare quote: What a piece of work is a man, how noble...

133 Best Withnail And I images | Withnail and i, Paul mcgann, Film — From ‘Withnail & I’

Third conditional

A compilation of exercises and examples

18th July 2020

Third conditional We talk about something that happened to us in the past and how we would have changed it IF we had known some information.

A basic example: A visit a friend and it is her birthday, but I didn’t know.

If I had known it was her birthday, I would have bought her a present.

To illustrate: my friend Richard …

… is married to Ms Linh. Yesterday was their wedding anniversary … but he forgot. Ms Linh was …

She was absolutely livid (extremely angry, disappointed and heartbroken)

If he had remembered it was his anniversary, he would have bought her a present, some flowers and taken her out to a romantic restaurant.

However, it is too late NOW ! He’s in the doghouse (in trouble).

Notice all the past tense verbs. Furthermore, would is commonly used in conditional sentences.

If + Subject + had + past participle (verb 3) …… subject + would (or wouldn’t) have.

Now – your turn.

Make a story about my friend Tom, who came to Sai Gon on holiday:

My friend Tom, from London

Tom came to Sai Gon, and wanted to go to a nice bar. He heard about the Skybar in Bitexco. The bar is quite luxurious.

Panoramic views over the Sai Gon skyline.

Image result for friendly viet bar girls

Tom began to make friends, and invited them for cocktails. However, when the bill came …

And …

What do you think happened ?

Write a sentence, in the third conditional to explain Tom’s situation.

Project work

These people also came to Sai Gon. Write third conditional sentences to encapsulate their situation

Try to use some of these words or phrases:

typical / typically / obvious / obviously / insist / suggest / essential

Why didn’t she (he, they) … have a good time ?

If (he/ she / they) had known it was so (expensive, noisy, boring …)

Emma, 19 Backpacker. Likes shopping, dancing, eating street food. She didn’t book ahead and was too tired and hot to walk around looking for a cheap hotel so she had to stay in a four-star hotel and spend nearly all of her money.

Japanese family. Like family activities, souvenirs and quiet nights. They stayed in the noisy backpacker area, with shouting and screaming and drunken karaoke all night.

Young men wanting a ‘Stag Night’ party, here to have a last hurrah ! They chose a quiet town in the Mekong Delta, but there was only one bar and it closed at 8.00 pm.

(a stag night is a wild party for a man before he gets married. There is normally a lot of drinking … and other activities)

Jewish students. They do not eat pork, or shell-fish. Want to see history and temples. Their guide keeps taking them to eat sea-food and pork restaurants because the guide only speaks Vietnamese and Chinese, and the students only speak Hebrew and English.

If these visitors came to your city or town, could you recommend places for them to visit ?

What are your suggestions?

Remember, Emma wants somewhere fun but cheap, the family want someone quiet but close to family attractions, the young men want lots of bars and clubs, while the Jewish students have strict dietary rules.

Now … some more exercises:

I was very hungry but too lazy to cook, so I went out to grab a bite to eat.

I thought I’d try the new restaurant.

I, obviously, ordered pho, (traditional Vietnamese food).

However, after I had eaten

I saw the chef !

If I had known the chef was so filthy, I wouldn’t have eaten there !

This is the 3^rd conditional.

Something that happened in the past BUT you can’t change it now.

If I had known the film was so bad, I never would have gone !

If he had bought his wife flowers, she wouldn’t have been angry at him

If they had studied English, they would have passed the test.

Finally …

… a true story that my history teacher told me back in London.

My teacher was a somewhat dishevelled gentleman in his mid-30s. Let’s call him Mr Bowditch:

Mr Bowditch, history teacher at an east London school

Mr Bowditch lived in a bedsit, which is basically renting one room in a large house and sharing the kitchen and bathroom with other tenants. His room was not particularly comfortable:

One night, Mr Bowditch was in his room and began to feel a little hungry. He wanted some chocolate so decided to go to the off-license and buy some sweets (an off-licence is a shop that sells basic food and sweets but also alcohol and cigarettes. It used to be open until 11.00pm when most shops would close around 6.00 pm). He decided to buy, among other items, some ‘Fry’s Turkish Delight’ a sort of jelly covered in chocolate:

OK, so far so good. However, Mr Bowditch lived in a rather bad part of London, it wasn’t always safe to walk alone at night. Unfortunately, on the way home, Mr Bowditch meet the following young men:

They called out to Mr Bowditch and stopped him walking. They demanded:

Mr Bowditch had none, as he had just spent his money on sweets (candy). They didn’t believe him and began to search him. He showed them:

That was all he had … a few pounds, about 100 000 VND. The men became very angry and aggressive. Suddenly, they heard a police car siren. The men tried to drag Mr Bowditch into the tunnel, away from the road but he is very tall and stopped them. As the police car got closer, the men ran away. Mr Bowditch has never eaten ‘Fry’s Turkish Delight’ again.

There are several instances of the third conditional in the above story.

If Mr Bowditch had bought sweets on his way home, he wouldn’t have gone out later and been mugged (mugged means being robbed, often with violence or the threat of violence).

If Mr Bowditch had gone to a different shop, he wouldn’t have meet the muggers.

If the police car hadn’t been passing, Mr Bowditch might have been seriously hurt.

If Mr Bowditch hadn’t been so tall, he would have been dragged into the tunnel and maybe beaten or worse.

The structure: the first clause starts with ‘If’ then using a comma before completing the sentence. The first verb can be positive or negative (in the examples, I use ‘had’ and ‘hadn’t’).

We use this to talk about things that DIDN’T happen.

IELTS Speaking Practice: “Lend me your ears,” and take a tip from Thay Paul

16th July 2020

Julius Caesar Quote: “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ... — A quote from Julius Caesar by Shakespeare

Words and expression to use, tips, phrases and idiomatic language

Recap: to pass IELTS with flying colours, you will needs to demonstrate a command of everyday English, the ability to express it with stress and intonation, as well as being able to link your ideas with appropriate discourse markers.

I need to hear nouns described by interesting adjectives, verbs intensified by adverbs and conversation enlivened by low-frequency vocabulary.

Piece of cake, right ?

Low – frequency words (LFW)

Boring: tedious // forgetful: absent-minded // expensive: sky high // what will happen: predict // everywhere: ubiquitous.

Activity 1: Make sentences using the above five LFW

Introduce your answer by:

Let me think // How can I put it // Well, that’s an interesting question

Useful expressions:

In my opinion // From my perspective // For me // Allow me to explain // By which I mean //

Discourse Markers:

as well as // furthermore // additionally // on the other hand // having said that // however // although // despite that

Activity 2: Give each student a discourse marker and they have to use it in a sentence

EXAMPLE ‘in addition’

I have a busy life; I have to study, work my part-time job and help my family. In addition, I go shopping for my neighbour because he is too old to go out.

NOTE: use of ‘because‘ to explain why you do something … and therefore construct a longer sentence.

Idioms:

It’s raining cats and dogs // It costs an arm and a leg // piece of cake // I’m burning the candle at both ends.

Activity 3: Who can use these idioms correctly ?

Relative pronouns – who / which / where / whose

Activity 4: Use the correct relative pronoun:

We arrived at a nice beach ______ we could swim and lie in the sun.

A man ______ mobile phone was ringing did not know how to switch it off.

The patient, ______ had a serious disease, was taken to hospital immediately.

Smithsfield is a small village ______ people live a quiet life.

This dress is made of silk, _____ is a very expensive and delicate material.

Buying time:

Could you repeat that, please // I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that // Would you mind rephrasing the question

Model answer: What do you do in your free time ?

One of my favourite things to do, if I have some spare time, is to hang out with my closest friends and just catch up on our news, maybe hit a mall because they are air-conditioned and have a wide array of amenities such as shops, cafes and, if I may say, bathroom facilities, as well as services like ATM machines and free wifi. My closest friends are Sheila, who is from Japan and studies here in Sai Gon, and Kerry, who is a gorgeous Thai lady. As we all come from different countries, there can be issues. Allow me to explain; we have to communicate in English, however Kerry is just starting her studies, so we have to use Google translate frequently. Having said that, it’s such tremendous fun to be with my best friends. It helps me forget about the pressure and stress of work.

Use this an a plan – now tell me what YOU do in YOUR free time … DO NOT just copy the above example !

Now … Your turn

Conversation Practice: In pairs or small groups, ask each other these questions. If the answer is too short, ask the person to tell you more, to explain with more details.

How Dialogue Teaches Critical Thinking and Empathy

Family questions

Ask each other about your families

How many siblings do you have ?

[You can give names, ages, jobs, what and where they study, what they look like, what their personality is like, if you have something or nothing in common with them]

Do you live with your parents and grandparents ?

Do you often meet your cousins ?

Who is the youngest member of your family ?

Who is the oldest ?

Who is your favourite person in your family and why ?

Useful expressions

Can you tell me more ? // In what way ? // Why do you say that ? //

Oh, that’s interesting … // well, // actually // in fact …

on the other hand // having said that // although

Keep the conversation going

Oh, really ? Tell me more Why do you say that ?

Could you explain what you mean ? Why did you do that ?

Three students talking to each other outdoor in a college ...

Final Review:

Coffee shops in Sai Gon are _________________________ .

I always forget my keys, I’m so __________________ .

In an IELTS listening test, we can sometimes _______________ the answer.

We wanted to stay at the Hotel California but the prices were _____________ .

The meeting was so long and extremely _____________________ .

Subject Index

Seahorse Productions: my films, theatre and writing

Ao Tuong (dreams) 2020 // short film // Seahorse Productions 30th April 2020

Bad Faith 2005 // short film // Seahorse Productions 6th May 2020

Inferno 2007 // short film // Seahorse Productions 25th May 2020

Shadow Sonata 2014 // short film // Seahorse Productions 8th June 2020

Steppenwolf (2008) 2014 // short film // Seahorse Productions 15th May 2020

Waiting Fo(u)r Godard // one-actor play / Royalty-free // Seahorse Productions 5th September 2020

Cinema

The Cranes Are Flying // USSR, 1957 (Dir: Kalatozov) // Cinema // 13th June 2020

Distracted // UK, 2018 (Dir James Devereaux) // 9th August 2020

Harold Lloyd // Hooray for Harold Lloyd // 28th June 2020

Noirish Project // UK, 2018 (Dir James Devereaux) // 11th July 2020

Subject // Lesson // Date

Ancient Egypt // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

Ancient Greece // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

Apple iPhones // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Apple workers in China // IELTS // 30th July 2019

April 30th Vietnam // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Arabian Nights // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 24th January 2020

Area 51 // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

Architecture // Adult professionals // architecture

Architecture: Burj Khalife & Willis Tower // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Architecture: giving opinions // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 9th April 2020

Art // Adult C, L 1 // 12 & 19 December 2018

Art: giving opinion // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Art // 13th April 2020

Art: DaDa & Surrealism // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Dali, Dada & Surrealism // 23rd April 2020

Australia // IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019

Bad Day – create narrative // IELTS, Lesson 3 // 19th January 2019

Banks // Adult Speaking Class, L2 Part 2

Beginners’ English

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/11/beginners-english/

The verb ‘to like’ // Beginners’ English // 24th June 42020

Grammar exercises // Beginners’ English // 23rd June 2020

Grammar past continuous // Beginners’ English // 2nd July 2020

How was your day ? // Beginners’ English // 26th May 2020

Introductions // Beginners’ English: dialogues // 5th June 2020

Introducing Yourself // Beginners’ English: dialogues // 25th June 2020

Past continuous // Beginners’ English: I was reading your blog // 2nd July 2020

Past tense pronunciation // Beginners’ English: The past is passed // 7th July 2020

Sentence building & irregular verbs // Beginners’ English // 27th May 2020

Sentence building // Beginners’ English // 5th June 2020

Sentence building // Beginners’ English // 24th June 2020

Useful sounds ‘en’ and letter ‘g’ // Beginners’ English // 20th May 2020

Vowels and it’s a / it’s an // Beginners’ English: vowels // 20th May 2020

What did you do yesterday ? // Beginners’ English // 26th May 2020

What’s it for ? // Beginners’ English // 25th June 2020

Bonfire, Guy Fawkes // Adult Class, Level 3 // 5th November 2019

Bonfire Night // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Bonfire Night // Young Learners, Level 4 // Safety First // 29th October 2020

Boys’ Night Out // Adult C, L 3 // 3rd December 2019

Bristol, UK // Young Teens // 21st February 2019

Business English

Accountancy // Business English: Accountancy // 6th May 2020

Business chat and idioms // Business English: Office chat // 29th April 2020

Business email writing // Business English // email writing // 8th March 2020

Business icons // Adult C, L 3 // 5th November 2019 (S. Jobs, M. Zuckerberg, Pham Nhat Vuong)

Business meetings // Business English: Time management // 29th April 2020

Cars // Adult pros // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Castles in Europe // Adult C, L 1 // 2 January 2019

Character building // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Character development // 18th June 2020

Christmas food in UK // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020

Cinema choice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Cinema // 9th May 2020

Cities (UK) and areas // IELTS // 31st December 2018

Clothes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020

Coffee in Viet Nam // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Coffee in Viet Nam // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Complaining // Adult C, L 3 // 18th March 2019

Complaints // IELTS: Making complaints // 24th July 2020

Computers // Adult C, L 1 // 20th February 2019

Concorde // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Corona Virus in Vietnam // IELTS 4 – 5 // Implementing precautions // 25th March 2020

Corona Virus: news from UK // Listening Exercises, Corona Special // 6th April 2020

Countries (Brazil, Canada, Sth Korea, Egypt) // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

Countries (VN, UK, Mexico, Russia) // Young Learners 3 // 7th September 2019

Countries // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019

Cracking codes // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling // 29th March 2020

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling part 2 // 30th March 2020

Crime and punishment // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Culture shock // Adult C, L 3 // 15th January 2019

Easter // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st January 2020

Emotions // Young Learners 3 // 6th July 2019

English for engineers, mechanics, science: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/adult-professionals/

Enigma machine // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Entropy // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Environment // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Explorers // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Family // Adult C, L 3 // 6th November 2019

Flea markets // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Gift of the gab // 10th May 2020

Food

Food (Korea, Germany, UK Christmas, Vietnam traditional) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Theme: food https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/22/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-food/

Food (healthy or snack) // Young Learners 3 // 13th July 2019

Food (Sweden) // Young Learners 2 // 18th May 2019

Food (4 countries) // Young Learners 3 // 6th July 2019

Food // Sai Gon street food // Sai Gon General Notes // Street Food Summer 2020 // 22nd Sept 2020

Food (what do you want ?) // Young Learners 2 // Review and Buster Keaton // 30th October 2020

Food // British Food // IELTS // 28th September 2020

Fortune telling // Adult Class, Level 1 // 30th January 2019

Fortune telling // Young Teens // 31st January 2019

Friction // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Germany // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th February 2020

Greece – land and myths // Young Learners 5 // 6th October 2019

Greek Myths – Theseus // Public Speaking for Young Learners // 17th August 2020

Hair styles // Adult C, L 1 // 19th October 2019

Hang Soon Dong cave // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Health // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019

Health // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th January 2020

Hotels // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Hotels // 8th February 2020

How was your day // Adult Speaking Class, level 1: How was your day ? // 5th April 2020

Idioms

Idioms & expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Idioms: food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020

Idioms: a piece of cake // Teaching Notes // 1st June 2020

Idioms: are you pulling my leg ? // Teaching Notes // 2nd June 2020

Idioms: everyday idioms, everyday // Teaching Notes // 3rd June 2020

Idioms: part 3 extended idioms use // Teaching Notes // 4th June 2020

IELTS: Mindset Introduction // IELTS // 23rd June 2020

IELTS: Mindset 2 Introduction // Language I expect // IELTS // 15th July 2020

India // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020

Insults and disrespect // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Causing offence // 3rd Feb 2020

Internet // Adult C, L 1 // 20th February 2019

Internet use by area and gender // Adult C, L 1 // 20th February 2019

Information from poster // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: information // 16th April 2020

Japan // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020

Jazz music // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Job interviews // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Job interviews // 12th Feb 2020

Kindle // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

Landmark 81 // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020

Letter ‘t’ // KG 1 // 5th May 2019

Listening exercises:

Teaching clips and exercises: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/23/listening-skills-tips-and-links/

Listening to native and non-native speakers: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/30/listening-skills-real-english-native-and-non-native-speakers/

Listening to Photography and photos descriptions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, // 25th April 2020

Listening: real-life clips //20th April 2020

Listening TOEIC practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3

Listening to computer safety // Listening exercises // 13th May 2020

Listening to COVID 19 news / Listening Exercises, Corona Special // 6th April 2020

Listening to Having a meal // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Recent review // 28th June 2020

Listening to London guide // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 22nd May 2020

Listening to Taiwan news stories (WHO) // Taiwan: Listening Extra 12th April 2020

Listening to Top Gear // Top Gear Special: What can go wrong ? // 28th April 2020

Listening to UK news // Adult pros// Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Listening to UK train prices // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 5

Listening to UK TV // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Listening to USA children speak // Adult C, L 1 // 20th February 2019

News with Vietnamese subtitles // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 11th March 2020

Loch Ness Monster // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

London

London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020

London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London Part 2 5th March 2020

London directions and Leytonstone // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 29th June 2020

London history and architecture // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 18th April 2020

London plan an itinerary // Young Learners, Level 6 // 26th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/26/young-learners-level-6-london-itinerary/

London street market // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

London tourism // Adult C, L 3 // 21st November 2019

London: what to see // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 22nd May 2020

London: unusual buildings // IELTS / Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 6th September 2020

Love and dating // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage

Love and marriage // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2

Love, marriage, children // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 3

Love, marriage // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // Married Life, phrasal verbs // 19th Sept 2020

May Day – history, myth and politics //Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: May Day // 5th May 2020

Making excuses IELTS // Speaking exercises // small talk & making excuses // 12th May 2020

Manufacturing in Vietnam // IELTS // 30th July 2019

McDonalds // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Mobile phones // Adult C, L 3 // 8th January 2019

Money // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Money // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3

Murder mysteries // Adult C, L 3 // 12th November 2019

Neighbourhoods // new vocab and idioms // IELTS // There are places // 6th October 2020

Olympics (London, Beijing) // Adult Professionals // 10th February 2019

Orion constellation // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

Personality adjectives // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Personality adjectives // 7th June 2020

Photography and photos // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Photography and photos descriptions (advanced) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, // 25th April 2020

The plague // Adult C, L 1 // 12 & 19 December 2018

Poland salt mine // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Politics // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3

Presentation skills // Teenagers // 20th January 2019

Pyramids // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

QI – Quite Interesting facts // Teaching Notes // 27th July 2020

Reading practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Robots in industry // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Rolex // Adult C, L 3 // 14th November 2019

Russia // Adult C, L 3 // 4th December 2019

Sai Gon for kids //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Schools in UK // IELTS: UK school system // IELTS // 17th September 2020

Shinkanshen (Bullet Train) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Shopping

Shopping // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Shopping // Adult Speaking Class Level 2: Deciding what to buy // 11th May 2020

Shopping, haggling, role – play // Adult Speaking Class Level 2: Going shopping // 7th April 2020

Shop work (role-play) // Young Learners 3 // 3rd August 2019

Shopping (role-play) // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019

Shops and shopping // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019

Shopping // Adult C, L 3 // 14th November 2019

Shopping // IELTS-level exercises //IELTS, theme: shopping // 5th August 2020

Signs, symbols, icons // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/21/signs-symbols-and-icons-information-and-worksheet/

Small talk // Adult C, L 3 // 26th November 2019

Smoking and No Tobacco Day // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th Jan. 2020

Solar system & space // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Street crime // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Street crime // 23rd July 2020

Stereotypes // Adult C, L 3 // 19th August 2019

Stereotypes // Adult Class, Level 3: Generally speaking // 28th April 2020

Stories in basic English // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 // 24th January 2020

Sweden // Young Learners 2 // 18th May 2019

Switzerland // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme:Travel // 11th February 2020

Taiwan // Taiwan: Listening Extra 12th April 2020

Tallest, longest, biggest // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Technology (old) // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Tet Holiday // Adult C, L 1 // 30th January 2019

Tet Holiday // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Travel

Around the world in 80 minutes // Adult L 1 / Young Learners 5 // 26th July 2020

Holiday plans (Buenos Aires, Nairobi, Copenhagen, Moscow) // A. S. C. Level 2 // 20th May 2020

Holiday projects : Bangkok, Munich, Ha Noi, Egypt, London // A.S.C. Level 3 // 9th June 20202

IELTS Project // Holiday language, prepare an advert, plan a day // IELTS // 16th June 2020

Tourism (Thailand, VN & project) // Teenagers // 20th January 2019

Traffic and travel // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Traffic

Traffic in Vietnam // Adult C, L 3 // 25th December 2018

Travel: airport to city centre (HCM) // IELTS // 10th February 2019

Travel USA: planning // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: USA sun, surf, sand // 18th May 2020

Travel USA: 3 cities // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: San Fran, Boston, Chicago // 18th May 2020

Tuareg people // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme:Travel // 11th February 2020

Turbulence // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020

UNESCO // Young Teens // 31st January 2019

UNESCO // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Van Heusen shirts // Adult C, L 3 // 14th November 2019

Vietnamese cities // Adult C, L 3 // 21st November 2019

Vietnamese places // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019

Vietnamese food // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Vietnamese law and police // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019

War Museum, Sai Gon // Adult Class // 17- 19th December 2019

War Remnants Museums, Sai Gon // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: War Museum

Weather: snow and floods // Beginners’ English, Part 2

Workplace: issues & problems // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Work-place problems // 5th February 2020

Yoga & exercise // IELTS writing practice // 25th April 2020

Dialogues

Accountancy & business chat // Business English: Office chat // 6th May 2020

Afternoon plans // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Beginners‘ short conversations // Beginners’ English: Short dialogues // 8th April 2020

Introductions // Beginners’ English: dialogues // 5th June 2020

Black Friday shopping // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Calling a friend at work // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Catching up // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 5

Canada holiday // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Cinema tickets // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Coffee shop // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 5

Coffee shop chat // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Coffee shop // 11th June

Eating out // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

English course //Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Dialogue practice // 14th June 2020

Environment // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

General review: // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: dialogue practice // 4th June 20202

Germany // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th Feb 2020

The gym and keep fit // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th January 2020

Idioms & grammar // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Long time, no see // 12th June 2020

Idiom practice // Cat got your tongue ? // Teaching Notes // 6th June 2020

Law, embezzling // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Low-frequency words and phrasal verbs // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 24th Jan. 2020

McDonalds ordering food // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Money // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3

New boss // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Office small talk // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 15th May 20202

Phrasal verbs & collocations // Teaching Notes // 15th June 2020

Phrasal verbs & idioms // Teaching Notes // 15th June 2020

Poland holiday // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Present perfect exercises // Adult Class, Level 2 // 4th July 2020

Reflexive verbs // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Russian meets Englishman // Adult C, L 3 // 4th December 2019

Short scenarios // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Short scenarios // 10th June 2020

Small talk, idioms, dialogue practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 8th July 2020

Symbols // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Tet Holiday // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Traffic // Adult C, L 3 // 25th December 2018 //Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Traffic

Famous Quotes

Inspirational quotes https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/02/quotes-for-the-classroom/

Bible “Whatever a man sows …” // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

David Bowie “Ground control” // Young Learners 4 // 8th June 2019

Chaucer “Time & tide …” // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

Ho Chi Minh “need to work much harder” // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020

Shakespeare “All that glisters …” // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: luxury day // 12th March 2020

Shakespeare “More things in Heaven … ” // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13 Mch 2020

Shakespeare “To be or not to be” // Adult C, L 2 // 27th May 2019

Shakespeare “We are such stuff …” // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019

Shakespeare “Neither a borrower …” // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Shakespeare “All the world’s a stage” // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020

Tarantino “Shutting your butt down.” // Adult C, L 3 // 26th November 2019

Twin Peaks “Damn fine coffee,” // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Lao-Tzu ‘Give a man a fish …” // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

Andy Warhol “Famous for 15 mins” // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Wittgenstein “Limits of my language …” // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Films, TV & Theatre

Around the World in 80 Days // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019

Big Bang Theory // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Blind Date // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage

Candid Camera: Buster Keaton // Food (what do you want ?) // Young Learners 2 // 30th October 2020

Car Share // IELTS // 19th February 2019

Chungking Express // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019 /// IELTS // 16th April 2019 /// IELTS // 4th March 2019

Dead Poet Society // Adult C, L 3 // 7th November 2019

Dracula // Adult C, L 1 // 2nd January 2019

Dragon’s Den (US Shark’s Tank) // Adult C, L 3 // 18th March 2019

Far Flung Floyd // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Far Flung Floyd // Vietnamese Party Food // 19th May 2020

Four Weddings and a Funeral // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2

Holidays from Hell // IELTS // 10th February 2019

Ing … // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Inglorious Besterds // Adult C, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Live and Let Die // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Lost in Translation // IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020

Man Who Fell To Earth // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Most Haunted // Adult C, L 1 // 2 January 2019

Nosferatu // Adult C, L 1 // 2 January 2019

The Owl and the Sparrow (Vietnam) // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Psycho // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

Rebel Without A Cause // Adult C, L 3 // 15 August 2019 12 November 2019

Reservoir Dogs // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

Social Network // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019 /// Adult C, L 3 // 5th September 2019

Star Wars The Last Jedi // IELTS // 14th January 2019

Summer Holiday //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Take Care of my Cat (South Korea) // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Tokyo Story (Japan) // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Top Gear // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Top Gear / Vietnam / Porsche challenge / Tesla car / Break for the border /

Twin Peaks // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

2001: A Space Odyssey // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Waiting For Godot // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019

Grammar

Adjectives // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Adjectives // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1 // 14th October 2019

Adjectives // Adult C, L 1 // 14th October 2019

Adjectives: order // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020

Adjectives: clothes and materials // Adult Speaking Class, L 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020

Adjectives: describing people // Adult Speaking Class, L 3: Describing people // 27th May 2020

Adjectives: personality // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: What type of person ? // 19th June 2020

Adjectives: personality // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Extended exercises // 20th June 2020

Adjectives: personality // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: // 21st June 2020

Adjectives // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Personality adjectives // 7th June 2020

Adjectives: people and hair // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1 // 14th October 2019

Adverbs // Young Teens // 21st February 2019

Adverb + adjectives // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Adverbs of degree // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Adverbs of degree // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Adverbs of frequency // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Quick review // 7th June 2020

Adverbs of frequency // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1, How often do you … ? // 16th August 2020

Adverbs & expressions // // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Adverbs // 26th June 2020

Adverb exercise // IELTS: use adverbs frequently // 3rd July 2020

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling part 2 // 30th March 2020

As … as // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 5 // 4th February 2020

Auxiliary (helping) verbs // Beginners’ English: Sentence Building // 16th March 2020

Can, could, be able to // Adult C, L 3 // 12th December 2019

Collocations // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/18/adult-speaking-class-level-2-collocations/

Collocations // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: More collocations // 16th May 2020

Contractions (video) // Beginners’ English, Part 2

Discourse Markers // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019 /// IELTS // 7th January 2019 //// IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

First & second conditional // Adult C, L 3 // 22nd April 2019

Future plans Signs // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019

Future plans // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Future plans // Adult Speaking Class, level 1: What will you do ? // 24th April 2020

Future tense // Adult C, L 3 // 6th November 2019

Have to or must ? // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 20th December 2019

Have to or must ? // Beginners’ English // 1st July 2020

Idioms // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

Idioms // Adult Speaking Class / IELTS: Right up your street // 26th August 2020

Idioms // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: In order to improve // 30th June 2020

Idioms, expression practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // New slang // 15th July 2020

IELTS

Pre-IELTS challenge: creative writing, plan a day, pronunciation // Adult Class L 3 // 30th May 2020

IELTS: Adverb exercise // use adverbs frequently // 3rd July 2020

IELTS: Mindset first day warm up // IELTS: Mindset // 23rd June 2020

IELTS: warm up games // https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/25/ielts-warm-up-games/

IELTS: vocabulary building // IELTS: Vocabulary activities // 24th April 2020

IELTS // idioms and vocabulary games // Preparing for speaking test // 15th May 20202

Modal verbs // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 25th July 2020

‘ness’ or ‘ment’ ? // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Past continuous // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

Past continuous // Adult Class, Level 3 // 23rd September 2019

Past continuous exercises // Beginners’ English, Part 2

Past perfect // Adult Class, Level 3 // 23rd September 2019

Past simple // Adult Class, Level 3 // 23rd September 2019

Past simple & past continuous exercise // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1 // 16th August 2020

Past Tense // Exercises, common verbs, pronunciation omnibus // 21st October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/21/past-tense-various-exercises-2/

Past tense // Beginners’ English // Beginners’ English Part 4

Past tense exercise // Adult Speaking Class, L2 Part 2

Past tense exercise // Beginners’ English, Part 2

Past tense past continuous exercises // Teaching Notes // 12th July 2020

Past tense pronunciation // Beginners’ English: The past is passed // 7th July 2020

Past tense & past continuous // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Grammar quiz // 27th June 2020

Past tense & past perfect/ // Adult Speaking Class, L 2: Grammar – perfect form // 25th May 2020

Phrasal verbs // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 3

Phrasal verbs & collocations // Beginners’ English Part 4

Phrasal verb exercises // Teaching Notes: Phrasal verbs // 16th June 2020

Possessives // Young Learners 3 // 7th September 2019

Present continuous (house plan) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Present perfect exercises // 6th September 2020 // Beginners’ English // Adult Speaking Class Level 1: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/06/present-perfect-exercises/

Present perfect exercises // Adult Class, Level 2 // 4th July 2020

Present perfect exercises // Beginners’ English

Present perfect // Adult Class, Level 3 // 23rd September 2019

Present perfect (have you ever ?) // Adult C, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Present perfect (for & since) // Adult C, L 3 // 21st November 2019

Present perfect review // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019

Regular & irregular verbs // Beginners’ English Part 4

Reflexive verbs // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 Part 2

Relative clauses // Adult Class, Level 3 // 5th November 2019

Relative pronouns // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019 / // Adult C, L 3 // 5th November 2019

Relative pronouns quiz // IELTS Review // vocabulary, discourse, sentence building // 25th June 2020

Relative pronouns // IELTS // 1st July 2020

Reported Speech // Adult C, L 3 // 8th October 2019

Reported Speech // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 5 // 4th February 2020

Review (irregular verbs, adverbs) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Quick review // 7th June 2020

Sentence correction (basic) // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Similes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 5 // 4th February 2020

Tag questions // Adult C, L 3 // 15 August 2019 12 November 2019

Third Conditional // Adult C, L 3 // 22nd October 2019

Third conditional // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3

Third Conditional exercise // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Third Conditional 23 Jan 2020

15 most common verbs // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019 // Beginners’ English Part 4 //

Verb ‘to have’ & Viet translation // Young Learners 1 // 16th March 2019

Verb ‘to have’ // Young Learners 1 // 26th May 2019

Verb ‘need’ // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1:What do you need ? // 21st May 2020

Verb ‘want’ Food // Young Learners 2 // Review and Buster Keaton // 30th October 2020

What do they like ? // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1:What do they like ? // 22nd June 2020

Which one ? // Young learners, Level 4 // 10th November 2020

Games

Adult level activities (compilation) // Adult C, L 3 // 27th November 2019

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/27/adult-class-level-3-games-without-frontiers/

Activity sheet for young learners // Young Learners 2 // 25th August 2019

Activity sheet (3) // Young Learners 3 // 14th December 2019

Activity sheet (4) // Young Learners 4 // 7th December 2019

Anecdotes // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

Birthday horseshoe // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

Blind Date // Adult C, L 1 // 20th February 2019

Break a code // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Call My Bluff // Teenagers // 12th January 2019

Call My Bluff // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

Call My Bluff // Adult C, L 3 // 26th November 2019

Can you see … (a frog ?) // Young Learners 1 // 24th April 2019

Chinese Whispers // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Countries // Young Learners 3 // 7th September 2019

Describe an everyday object // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020

Describe the people (photo back to board) // Adult C, L 3 // 8th October 2019

Desert Survival // Adult C, L 3 // 27th November 2019

Exchanging information // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020

Eyewitness // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Family Fortunes // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Family Fortunes // Adult C, L 3 // 6th November 2019

Family Fortunes // Adult C, L 3 // 27th November 2019

Food – organise a work party // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 5 // 4th February 2020

Fortune Teller // Young Teens // 31st January 2019 (// Adult C, L 3 // 12th December 2019)

Four People (likes, dislikes etc) // Young Teens // 21st February 2019

Friends (hobbies and creativity) // Young Learners 4 // 1st May 2019

Friends (job and personality) // Adult C, L 3 // 27th November 2019

Friends (men) // Teenagers // 12th January 2019 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/28/friends-men-teaching-sheet/

Gather information (countries) // Young Learners 5 // 29th August 2019

Guess the countries (pictures) Signs // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019

Guess the music (countries) // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019

Horseshoe Birthday // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

Interview your (famous) partner // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Introduce yourself // Speaking practice, warm up games // 7th October 2020

Just a Minute // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Just a Minute // Adult C, L 3 // 21 November 2019

Magic bag // Young Learners 2 // 26th April 2019

Make a presentation (famous people) // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

Match the image to the fact // Young Teens // 31st January 2019

Mime // Young Learners 3 // 7th September 2019

Mr Paul’s Wonderful Store // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Gift of the gab // 10th May 2020

New Persona // Adult C, L 3 // 21st November 2019

Picture description // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 6 // 8th February 2020

Plan a day for visitors // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Plan a day out (children) //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Plan a luxury day // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: luxury day // 12th March 2020

Presentation: Vietnamese cities // Adult C, L 3 // 21st November 2019

Role-play: Job markets and interviews // Business English: Role-playing 6 – 8 May 2020

Role-play: shopping// IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

Role-play: shopping // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Role-play: shopping & haggling // Adult Speaking Class Level 2: Going shopping // 7th April 2020

Run and Write (past tense) // Young Learners 5 // 29th August 2019

Run and Write (personal likes) // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

Run and Write // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Runaround // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Runaround (space) // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Runaround // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Screen Test //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Sentence rewrite // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

Shopping on a budget // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019

Sticky ball (animals) // KG Safari 1 // 2nd March 2019

Stop the Bus // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

travel:plan a luxury day //Adult Class, L 3 // 14th November 2019

True or false (3 statements) // Teenagers // 12th January 2019

True or false (4 photos) // Teenagers // 12th January 2019

TV talkshow interview // Young Learners 4 // 1st June 2019

What difference (definitions) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

What do you see (cartoon picture) ? // Young Learners 2 // 25th August 2019

What happened next ? (video clips) // Young Teens // 31st January 2019 ( Adult C, L 3 // 12th December 2019)

What my friends can so in Sai Gon / / IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019

What happens next (video clips) // Adult C, L 1 // 30th January 2019

What would you do IF … // Adult C, L 1 // 2 January 2019

What’s My Line // Adult C, L 3 // 3rd December 2019

What’s the story (Tom Cruise) // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

What’s the Story (Chinese film) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 11th September 2019

Where am I going ? (info gathering) Signs // Young Learners 4 // 15th June 2019

Where am I going ? //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Whisper run ‘n’ write // Young Learners 3 // 13th July 2019

Word bomb (hobbies) // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

Young Learners, warm-ups games and surveys // 2nd August 2020

Young Learners classroom games // Word Battleship, Snakes & Ladders // 24th August 2020

Young Learners, Level 2 // Classroom Activities // 26th September 2020: (Mid Autumn Festival video) https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/26/young-learners-level-2/

Student surveys

Are you able to ? // Adult C, L 3 // 12th December 2019

Future activities // Adult C, L 1 // 30th January 2019

General questions // Adult C, L 3 // 8th January 2019

Hobbies // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

Young Learners, warm-ups games and surveys // 2nd August 2020

IELTS introduction // IELTS // 31st December 2018

Internet survey // Adult C, L 1 // 20th February 2019

Mobile phone survey // Adult C, L 3 // 21st November 2019

What did you do / like // Young Learners 4 // 1st May 2019

Where do you want to go ? // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Music

Abba ‘Mamma Mia’ // Young Learners 2 // 18th May 2019

The Archies ‘Sugar, Sugar’ // KG 1 // 5th May 2019

Louis Armstrong ‘Hello Dolly’ // Young Learners 2 // 26th April 2019

Louis Armstrong ‘Wonderful World’ // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

The Bangles ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

The Beatles ‘I’ll Be Back’ // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Beatles ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

David Bowie ‘Changes’ // IELTS // 16th April 2019

David Bowie ‘Space Oddity’ // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Bucks Fizz ‘Making Your Mind Up’ // Adult C, L 2 // 27th May 2019

Chic ‘Good Times’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

The Coasters ‘Poison Ivy’ // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

The Deep Six ‘It’s Happening’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Bob Dylan ‘Times They Are A-Changin’ // Adult C, L 3 // 3rd December 2019

Eifel 65 ‘Move Your Body’ // KG Safari 1 // 2nd March 2019

Flying Lizards ‘Money’ // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Human League ‘Don’t You Want Me ?’ // IELTS: Going for a song // 21st August 2020

James ‘Sit Down’ // KG 1 // 24th January 2019

Gene Kelly ‘Singing in the Rain’ // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019

Gladys Knight ‘Baby, Don’t Change Your Mind’ // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Kraftwerk ‘The Model’ // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Kraftwerk ‘We Are The Robots’ // KG 1 // 24th January 2019

Ali Hassan Kuban ‘Habibi’ // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

Led Zepplin ‘Whole Lotta Love’ // Adult C, L 1 // 12 & 19 December 2018

John Lennon ‘Starting Over’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019

John Lennon ‘Imagine’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Lykki Li ‘Little Bit’ // Young Learners 4 // 1st May 2019

Don McLean ‘Vincent’ // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Men At Work ‘Down Under’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019

Paul McCartney ‘Another Day’ // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Kylie Minogue ‘can’t get you’ // IELTS // 21st January 2019

Nirvana ‘Teen Spirit’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Ohio Express ‘Yummy, Yummy, Yummy’ // KG 1 // 5th May 2019

Otis Redding “Dock of the Bay’ // IELTS // 16th April 2019

REM ‘Stand’ // KG 1 // 24th January 2019

Cliff Richard ‘Summer Holiday’ // Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Russian National Anthem (2 versions) // Young Learners 3 // 7th September 2019

The Sonics ‘Have Love, Will Travel’ // IELTS // 10th February 2019

Spice Girls ‘Tell Me What You Want’ // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Steppenwolf ‘Born To Be Wild’ // Adult C, L 3 // 22nd April 2019

Stray Cats ‘Strut’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Sweet ‘Love is like Oxygen’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Talking Heads ‘Once In A Lifetime’ // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Tchaikovsky ‘Swan Lake’ // Adult C, L 3 // 4th December 2019

Tuareg music // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme: Travel // 11th February 2020

10cc ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Hank Williams ‘I’m so lonesome’ // IELTS // 21st January 2019

‘Run, Rabbit, Run’ // KG 1 // 24th January 2019

People

Alice in Wonderland (book and picture) // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Archimedes // Adult Professionals. Mechanics. Theme: Archimedes // 26th February 2020

Buzz Aldrin // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Louis Armstrong // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

Art: Dali, Dada, Surrealism // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Dali, Dada & Surrealism // 23rd April 2020

Asian salesgirls (mobiles) // Adult C, L 1 // 20th February 2019

David Bowie // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Isabard Kingdom Brunel // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020

Fillipo Brunelleschi // Adult professionals // architecture

Robert Capa // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: War Museum

Captain Cook // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Tom Cruise // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

Salvador Dali // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Salvador Dali // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

Dali & his art // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Dali // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Dali, Dada & Surrealism // 23rd April 2020

Charles Dickens // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3

Fyodor Dostoevsky // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Nguyen Du (‘Tale of Kieu’) // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

Le Duan // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Bob Dylan // Adult Class, Level 3 // 3rd December 2019 /// Adult Class, Level 3 // 19th August 2019

Guy Fawkes // Adult Class, Level 3 // 5th November 2019

Guy Fawkes // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Alfred Hitchcock // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

Sherlock Homes // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

Lê Hoàng Hùng // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

James I // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

The Joker (Heath Ledger) // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Pham Nhat Vuong //Adult C, L 3 //5th Nov 2019

Scarlett Johannsson // IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020

Kenny Jones // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Franz Kafka // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

Franz Kafka // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Dr Henry Kissinger // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Stanley Kubrick // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Christopher Lee // Adult C, L 1 // 2 January 2019

Bela Legosi // Adult C, L 1 // 2 January 2019

John Lennon // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

John Lennon // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Wyndham Lewis // Adult C, L 1 // 12 & 19 December 2018

George Mallory // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Sir Ian McKellen // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019

Man from Taured // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

Ho Chi Minh // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

Ho Chi Minh // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Wei Minzhi // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Kim Phuc // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Peter O’Toole on Letterman // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

Marco Polo // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Elvis Presley // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

REM // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: information // 16th April 2020

Mies van der Rohe // Adult professionals // architecture

Shakespeare // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3

Ringo Starr // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019

T-ara // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

Tchaikovsky // Adult C, L 3 // 4th December 2019

Theseus & the Minotaur // Young Learners 5 // 6th October 2019

Tsai Ing-wen // Taiwan: Listening Extra 12th April 2020

Alan Turing // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Vlad The impalor // Adult C, L 1 // 2 January 2019

Christop Waltz // Adult C, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Ludwig Wittgenstein // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Natalie Wood // Adult C, L 3 // 15 August 2019 12 November 2019

Photos

Alcimbado // Young Learners 1 // 26th May 2019

Animals // KG 1 // 2nd March 2019

Architectural styles // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 9th January 2020

Art // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Art // 13th April 2020

Asian icons // Adult C, L 3 // 15th August 2019

Bad note-taking // Teenagers // 12th January 2019

Basquet // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

John Bercow // Young Learners 1 // 13th April 2019

Siddharta, the Buddha // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020

David Carradine (Kill Bill) // Young Learners 1 // 24th April 2019

Henri Cartier-Bresson // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Marc Chagall // Young Learners 1 // 26th May 2019

Marc Chagall // KG 1 // 7th December 2019

Kalpana Chawla (Indian astronaut) // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020

Child proteges // Young Learners 4 // 1st June 2019

Chimp feeding tiger // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1:What do you need ? // 21st May 2020

John Constable // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

Christmas, Germany // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Christmas, UK // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Christmas, UK – food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020

Corona virus in Vietnam // IELTS 4 – 5 // Implementing precautions // 25th March 2020

Countries // Young Learners 5 // 29th August 2019

Cute Japanese cafe Travel talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Travel talk // 5th May 2020

Cute McDonalds girl // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Benedict Cumberbatch photobomb // Teenagers // 20th January 2019

Daisy & Anna // Beginners’ English Part 4

Julie Delpy // Adult Class, Level 3: Generally speaking // 28th April 2020

Dynamo (magician) on bus Travel talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Travel talk // 5th May 2020

Families // Adult C, L 3 // 7th November 2019

Food: English breakfast // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Food (UK, USA, Korea, Sweden) // Young Learners 3 // 13th July 2019

Gandhi // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020

Gym equipment // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th January 2020

Hamley’s toy shop // Young Learners 2 // 26th April 2019

Kitchen items // Beginners’ English Part 4

Kraftwerk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020

Interesting buildings // Young Learners 3 // 13th July 2019

Jazz stars // Young Learners 1 // 24th April 2019

Jun Ji-hyun // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

Las Vegas hotels // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: information // 16th April 2020

London history and architecture // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 18th April 2020

Lost in Translation // IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020

Wyndham Lewis // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020

May Day – Nigeria, Hawaii, USSR, UK //Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: May Day // 5th May 2020

Nelson Mandela // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020

‘Man Pointing’ // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Market research call centre // Adult C, L 3 // 8th January 2019

Mike the Monkey as animals // KG 1 // 7th December 2019

Ho Chi Minh’s house // Adult C, L 3 // 4th December 2019

National Museum, Seoul // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: information // 16th April 2020

Noble laureates // IELTS // Writing exercises // re-arrange poor writing // 12th May 2020

Kim Phuc // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Ngo Than Van (Veronica Ngo) // IELTS // 14th January 2019

Nicholas ‘Elvis’ (friend) // Young Learners 4 // 1st May 2019

Robert de Niro // Beginners’ English, Part 2

Pete (friend) on bass // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019

Pete with Kenny Jones // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Poland (Krakow) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Ms Quynh (friend) // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Rock stars // Adult Speaking Class, L 3: Describing people // 27th May 2020

Ronaldinho // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

Russia // Adult C, L 3 // 4th December 2019

Seurat ‘Sunday Grande Jatte // Young Learners 1 // 16th March 2019

Shops // Young Learners 3 // 3rd August 2019

Shopping – compound nouns // IELTS // 7th January 2019

Shopping in Viet Nam // IELTS // 10th April 2019

Signs (Indonesia) // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019

Signs (Singapore) // 21st August 2019

Sleeping student // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019

Sleeping student // Young Learners 5 // 25th August 2019

Nicola Sturgeon // IELTS 4 – 5 // Implementing precautions // 25th March 2020

‘t’ words // KG 1 // 5th May 2019

Tutankhamun // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

UK (beach, breakfast, pub) // Adult C, L 2 // 27th May 2019

Vietnam // Young Learners 5 // 25th August 2019

Vietnam – famous Vietnamese // IELTS // 14th January 2019

Vietnamese folk painting // Young Learners 1 // 26th May 2019

Vietnamese karaoke // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019

Vietnamese police stopping cyclists // Adult C, L 1 // 5th March 2019

Vietnam traditional industries // IELTS // 30th July 2019

Vietnam war and related // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Wedding dresses // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2

Mark Wiens // Young Learners 2 // 25th August 2019

Harri Won // IELTS // 7th January 2019

Thay Paul photos

Bangkok (Al & Alison) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Berlin 1990s // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Drinking coffee (Singapore) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Driving (fairground) // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Elephant // Young Learners 3 // 7th September 2019

Elephant // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Elephant // Young Learners 5 // 25th August 2019

Playing guitar // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

With friends // Young Learners 4 // 7th December 2019

With Martin (London) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

With students (Ha Noi) // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019

With students (Ha Noi) // Adult Class, Level 3: Generally speaking // 28th April 2020

Reading exercises

Arabian Nights // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 24th January 2020

Reading practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Sherlock Holmes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020

Sentence building

Adult class exercises (various) // Adult Class // 17- 19 December 2019

Bad Day – create a narrative // IELTS, Lesson 3 // 19th January 2019

Basics // Adult Speaking Class, level 1: Sentence building // 27th June 2020

Beginners: helping verbs // Beginners’ English: Sentence Building // 16th March 2020

Character // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Character development // 18th June 2020

Coffee in Viet Nam // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 /// Adult C, L 3 // 8th October 2019

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling // 29th March 2020

// Adult Class, Level 3 // Relationships // 26th May 2020

Describing people // Adult Speaking Class, L 3: Describing people // 27th May 2020

Describing photos (Vietnam War) // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Describing photos (police etc) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Tell what you see // 23rd April 2020

Discourse Markers activity // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Expressions // Adult Class, Level 3 // 3rd December 2019

Expressions // Adult Class, Level 2 // 28th June 2020

Film review // Adult C, L 3 // 12 November 2019

Fixed expressions // Adult C, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Food (most unusual) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020

General // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 Part 2

Giving directions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 29th June 2020

How was your day ? // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: sentence building // 27th June 2020

IELTS Level

IELTS sentence building // IELTS //22nd July 2019 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/22/ielts-sentence-building/

IELTS basic sentence building // IELTS // 28th January 2019 // // IELTS // 14th January 2019

IELTS making complaints // 24th July 2020

IELTS complex sentences // IELTS, Mindset: Complex sentences // 30th April 2020

IELTS complex sentences // It’s not that complicated // 24th May 2020

IELTS complex sentences // Sentence building:piece of cake // 16th August 2020

IELTS describe a film // IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020

IELTS describe a gadget // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

IELTS // Quick-fire talking // Part 2 questions // 12th May 2020

IELTS // Review // vocabulary, discourse markers, sentence building // 25th June 2020

IELTS // Sentence building; a piece of cake // IELTS // 16th August 2020

Narrative structure // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Past time expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 2

Photography and photos descriptions (advanced) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, // 25th April 2020

Sentence building plan // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Ideas for sentence building // 6th June 2020

Travel and holidays

Travel talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Travel talk // 5th May 2020

Travel: holiday plans // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // Holiday Plans // 20th May 2020

Travel review // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Travel language revisited // 22nd June 2020

What is happening // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Word order // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 2

Speaking exercises

Buying a motorbike // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Characters // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3

Coffee drinking in Viet Nam // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // IELTS sentence building

Contractions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Conversation practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Describe a friend // Adult C, L 3 // 7th November 2019

Describing people and clothes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Easter // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st January 2020

Electronic devises // IELTS // 4th March 2019

Everyday expressions // IELTS / Adult Speaking 3 // Everyday expressions // 28th August 2020

Everyday expressions database // IELTS / Adult Speaking 3 // 25th August 2020

Expressions // Adult Class, Level 3 // 15th January 2019

Film and acting reviews // Adult Class, Level 1 // 5th March 2019

Free speaking exercises // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

General review: // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: dialogue practice // 4th June 20202

General speaking tips // Adult C, L 3 // 16th September 2019

Grammar

Adverbs of frequency // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: How often do you ? // 16th August 2020

Past Tense // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1 /// Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019 /// Adult C, L 3 // 16th September 2019

Past-time expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 6 // 8th February 2020

Third Conditional: Mr Bowditch // Adult C, L 3 // 22nd October 2019

Holidays // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme: Travel // 11th February 2020

IELTS // intonation and stress // speaking exercises // 31st August 2020

IELTS // Replace standard English with IELTS language // 19th August 2020

IELTS // Quick-fire talking // Part 2 questions // 12th May 2020

IELTS // Speaking exercises // small talk & making excuses // 12th May 2020

IELTS // Speaking exercises // idioms, relative pronouns, LRW, discourse markers // 17th July 2020

IELTS // Speaking practice // IELTS language // IELTS // 10th August 2020

IELTS // Preparing for speaking test // 14th May 20202

IELTS // Speaking Test Part 3 // IELTS: How to nail it // IELTS // 12th September 2020

IELTS // Speaking Test preparation // Last Chance Saloon // IELTS // 8th September 2020

Introduce yourself // Speaking practice, warm up games // 7th October 2020

Introductions Queen Elizabeth II (Christmas 2015) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 15th May 20202

Job interviews // Adult Class // 17- 19 December 2019

Job interviews // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Job interviews // 12th Feb 2020

Music // Small talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Small talk and music // 31st July 2020

Not the …… man in the world // Adult C, L 3 // 3rd December 2019

Olympics in Vietnam ? // Adult C, L 3 // 10th February 2019

One of those days // IELTS // 14th January 2019

Pronunciation quiz // Adult Speaking Class, L2 Part 2

Public speaking // Public speaking for young learners // 31st July 2020

Shopping // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Small talk exercises: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/09/vocabulary-building-exercises/

Small talk // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

Small talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 3

Small talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Review // 11th May 2020

Small talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Small talk and music // 31st July 2020

Telephone conversation // Adult Speaking Class, L 2 Part 2

Travel

Tet Holiday // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Travel (key words) // Adult C, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Travel: airport to city centre // IELTS // 10th February 2019

Travel in two minutes // IELTS // 19th February 2019

Travel // Hotel vocabulary // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 18th September 2020

Travel // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019

Travel: my stay in Bangkok in pictures // IELTS // 10th February 2019

Travel: Nha Trang // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Travel: one day in Sai Gon // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019 / // Adult C, L 3 // 7th November 2019 // // Adult C, L 3 // 22nd October 2019

Travel: recommend a holiday // IELTS // 4th March 2019

What’s the story (lazy student) // IELTS // 7th January 2019

Work – new staff // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 6 // 8th February 2020

Work party – organise the food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 5 // 4th February 2020

Work problems // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Work-place problems // 5th February 2020

Video Clips

ABC song // KG Safari 1 // 10 March 2019

ABC (Richard Scary) // KG Safari 1 // 2nd March 2019

Airport – passport control // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: // sun, surf, sand // 18th May 2020

Angry Vietnamese woman // Adult Class, Level 3: Generally speaking // 28th April 2020

Archimedes screw pump. Theory & in practice // Adult Professionals. Mechanics. Theme: Archimedes // 26th February 2020

Australian hero – Aussie slang // IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019

John Bercow ‘Order !’ // Young Learners 1 // 13th April 2019

Black Friday // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Blind Date TV dating show // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage

Blur (‘Parklife’) // Young Learners 1 // 16th March 2019

Boy wiggles ears // Adult C, L 3 // 12th December 2019

Adrian Brody as Dali (Woody Allen) // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

George W. Bush leaves room // Young Teens // 31st January 2019

Chicago, Willis Tower // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Chimpanzee tea-party (1955) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPD_m2laITc

Christmas UK // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Class Rules // Young Learners 1 // 16th March 2019

Complaints // IELTS: Making complaints // 24th July 2020

Concorde // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Cooking Vietnamese food // Vietnamese Party Food // 19th May 2020

Corona Virus Government video // IELTS 4 – 5 // Implementing precautions // 25th March 2020

Benedict Cumberbatch (voices and accents) // Listening: real-life clips //20th April 2020

Customer complaints // Adult Speaking Class, L2 Part 2

Damn fine coffee // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Dickens ‘Christmas Carol’ // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3

Robert Downey Jr awkward interview // Adult C, L 3 // 26th November 2019

Dragon’s Den pitch (beard grooming) // Adult C, L 3 // 18th March 2019

Dumb criminals // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Street crime // 23rd July 2020

Dynamo magic // Adult C, L 3 // 12th December 2019

Easter traditions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st January 2020

Ancient Egypt (for children) // Young Learners 2 // 1st June 2019

Engineering fails // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020

Entropy // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Eyewitnesses // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Four Weddings bad vicar speech // Adult Speak Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2

Friction // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Funny animals // Young Learners 1 // 26th May 2019

Germany: Top Attractions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th Feb 2020

Germany: Top Ten Facts // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th Feb 2020

Germany: Krautrock // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th February 2020

Greek dancing // Young Learners 5 // 6th October 2019

How couples meet // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage

Inbetweeners (Jay on motorbike) // Adult Class // 17- 19 December 2019

Internal combustion engine // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020

Introductions – what’s your name // Beginners’ English, Part 2

iPhone in a vacuum // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Job interviews // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Job interviews // 12th Feb 2020

Karaoke (noise pollution) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Buster Keaton GIF // Young Learners, Level 5 // 6th June 2020

Kicked out of Starbucks // Adult C, L 3 // 18th March 2019

Kids guide to London // Young Learners 5 // 25th August 2019

Kids guide to HCMC //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Kids’ parade USA // Young Learners 4 // 1st May 2019

Japan: 3 days in Tokyo // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020

Japan: 7 cool things // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020

Japan: 10 facts // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020

Japan:Shinkanshen (Bullet Train) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Joker (H. Ledger GIF) // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Last Jedi trailer // Beginners’ English

David Letterman // Young Learners 4 // 1st June 2019

London cost of living // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020

London street trader // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

London Top 10 Attractions // Teenagers // 16th December 2018 /// // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd march 2020

London getting around (Oyster Card) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020

London Tube (busy) // KG Safari 1 // 2nd March 2019

London Tube (rush hour) // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Traffic

London Tube guide // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Traffic

McDonalds ordering fast food // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Making a video // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Milk box fail // Adult C, L 3 // 18th March 2019

New Zealand Haka // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019

Not One Less // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Olympics (Beijing) // Adult Professionals // 10th February 2019

Paris love-locks // // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Adverbs & expressions // 26th June 2020

Peter O’Toole // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

Phrasal verbs (family) // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 3

Poland beer review // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Poland tourist guide // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Politicians attacked // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3

Pulp Fiction coffee shop // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Queen Elizabeth II (Christmas 2011) // Listening: real-life clips //20th April 2020

Queen Elizabeth II (Christmas 2015) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 15th May 20202

Queen Elizabeth II (corona address) // Listening Exercises, Corona Special // 6th April 2020

Rain forest // Young Learners, Level 5 // 6th June 2020

Richard III // Listening: real-life clips //20th April 2020

Romeo and Juliet // // Adult Speaking Class, level 3

Jerry Seinfeld GIF //Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: What type of person ? // 19th June 2020

Social Network // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Ringo Starr being knighted // Adult Class, Level 1 // 5th March 2019

Snow // Beginners’ English, Part 2

Sir Kier Starmer (Labour leader, UK) // Listening Exercises, Corona Special // 6th April 2020

Supersize Me // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Taiwan (four videos – WHO dodge, Tsai Ing-wen) // Taiwan: Listening Extra 12th April 2020

Quentin Tarantino awkward interview // Adult C, L 3 // 26th November 2019

Tarantino on Chungking Express // 16th April 2019 /// IELTS // 4th March 2019

Nikola Tesla // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020

Theseus & the Minotaur (Lego) // Young Learners 5 // 6th October 2019

Top Gear: Vietnamese driving school // Adult C, L 3 // 25th December 2018 // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Traffic

Top Gear Vietnam // Top Gear Special: What can go wrong ? // 28th April 2020

Train videos compilation for listening skills:https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/12/train-kept-a-rollin-train-videos-for-listening-and-vocabulary/

Train, high-speed in China // Adult pros // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Train song // KG Safari 1 // 2nd March 2019

President Trump news (Viet subs) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 11th March 2020

Tuareg people // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme: Travel // 11th February 2020

Universeum, Sweden // Young Learners 3 // 14th December 2019

USA – San Francisco // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: San Fran, Boston, Chicago // 18th May 2020

Vietnam – country in transition // IELTS // 30th July 2019

Vietnamese culture (weird) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 24th January 2020

Vietnam (first impressions) // Teenagers // 12th January 2019

Vietnam – 5 weird things // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Vietnam – 7 fun facts // Beginners’ English

Vietnamese beer review (Sai Gon Red) // IELTS // 21st January 2019

Vietnamese beer review (Sai Gon Red) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKr6Cj-Xr9g&list=LLfquznE0joCgmA3v1PIQ0CQ&index=8&t=1s

Vietnam (safety in Sai Gon) // Teenagers // 20th January 2019 /// Adult Class, Level 3 // 5th September 2019 // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Street crime // 23rd July 2020

Vietnamese cop on speeding bus // Adult C, L 3 // 25th December 2018// Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Traffic

Vietnam (unexpected things vlog) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019

Vietnamese urban myths // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 24th January 2020

Vietnam largest cave // Young Learners, Level 5 // 18th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/18/young-learners-level-5-what-are-you-doing-how-do-you-feel/

Christoph Waltz ‘Inglorious’ // Adult Class, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Wedding fails // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage

Wedding language // Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2

Wedding parties (Jewish & Mexican) // Adult Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2

Arsene Wenger zipper fail // Beginners’ English, Part 2

What happened next ? (video clips) // Young Teens // 31st January 2019

When the band comes marching // Young Learners 1 // 26th May 2019

Mark Wiens eats VN breakfast // Young Learners 2 // 25th August 2019

Mark Wiens Kolkata, India // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020

(// Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019) // Adult C, L 3 // 8th October 2019

Workplace fails // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Work-place problems // 5th February 2020

Vocabulary building

Adjectives // Beginners’ English

Adult class (various) // Adult Class // 17- 19 December 2019

Asking about jobs // Young Teens // 21st February 2019

Business meetings // Business English: What’s on the agenda ? // 5th May 2020

Cinema choice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Cinema // 9th May 2020

Cities, areas, descriptions // IELTS // 31st December 2018

Clothes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020

Coffee shops // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Colour association Signs // Young Learners 4 // 1st June 2019

Come or go // Beginners’ English Part 4

Computer phrasal verbs // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019

Crime and punishment // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Cultural differences (Ha Noi) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 24th April 2020

Drama films // Adult C, L 3 // 12th November 2019

Driving expressions // Beginners’ English

Emotions // Young Learners 2 // 6th July 2019

Emotions //Beginners’ English: How do you feel ? // 17th March 2020

Expressions and phrases // IELTS // 19th February 2019

Expressions // Adult C, L 3 // 18th March 2019

Expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Film vocabulary // Beginners’ English /// Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Film for IELTS // IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020

Food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

General // IELTS: Final Review // 5th March 2019

Friends and occupations (photos) // Adult C, L 3 // 5th September 2019

General // IELTS // 19th February 2019

General // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

I live in a … // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Idioms (sweets) // IELTS // 19th February 2019

IELTS // Preparing for speaking test // 14th May 20202

IELTS language // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

IELTS vocabulary & expressions review // IELTS: The story so far // 7th July 2020

Job and interviews // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Job interviews // 12th Feb 2020

Like or dislike // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Low-frequency words // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 2

Low-frequency words // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 3

Low-frequency words // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Money and shopping // Adult C, L 3 // 14 November 2019

Money expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: luxury day // 12th March 2020

Music // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Music // IELTS 5-6.5 // 11th September 2019

Music // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Phrases // IELTS // 21st January 2019

Shopping // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Opinion phrases // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

Opinion phrases // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Art // 13th April 2020

To what extent … ? // Adult C, L 3 // 19th August 2019

Tourism language // Teenagers // 20th January 2019

Travel advert language // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Holiday of a lifetime // 9th June 2020

Travel with new expressions // Adult C, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Vietnam War // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020

Vocabulary review // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Young Learners, Level 1: Fast, slow, noisy, quiet // 22nd August 2020

Vocabulary exercises:

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/09/vocabulary-building-exercises/

How was your day ? // Adult Speaking Class, level 1: How was your day ? // 5th April 2020

Match new vocabulary with definitions then practice.

Personality adjectives

Phrasal verbs & expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Married Life // 19th September 2020

Small talk responses

Small talk, idioms, dialogue practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 8th July 2020

Tourism presentation // Teenagers // 20th January 2019

Travel with new expressions

Travel – hotel guide

Travel – life in Sai Gon

What Difference Does It Make – definitions of similar words

Writing exercises and reading exercises and links

Business job interview // Business English: What’s on the agenda ? // 5th May 2020

Condensing text (‘1001 Nights) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 24th January 2020

Correcting texts & emails // Writing corrections (all levels) // 15th May 2020

Creative writing // Adult Class, Level 3 // Relationships // 26th May 2020

IELTS cultural differences // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 24th April 2020

IELTS // Writing exercises // re-arrange poor writing // 12th May 2020

IELTS // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

Yoga & exercise // IELTS writing practice // 25th April 2020

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling // 29th March 2020

Reading

Short stories (Sherlock Holmes) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment

Using a thesaurus // Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling part 2 // 30th March 2020

Bible (Tower of Babel) Genesis 11 // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 9th January 2020

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: New Slang (when you notice the stripes). Idioms & expressions

15th July 2020

I recreated the shirt from the New Slang music video : TheShins — The US band The Shins with their song ‘New Slang’

Notes, new idioms & slang

Why the long face ? Someone looks miserable or unhappy.

She can talk the hind legs off a donkey ! Talking non-stop !

The tip of the iceberg.

The Unusual Meaning and Origin of the Idiom 'Tip of the Iceberg ...

Piece of cake No problem, easy, no trouble

Same thing, day in, day out everyday is exactly the same, very boring.

On the lookout looking for something

Cooking the books cheating with the company accounts. Writing false information.

Insurance Company Broker Caught Cooking the Books - Workers ...

Pros and Cons of Utlizing a Traditional Grading Scale

A bright spark someone who is very clever

You’re pulling my leg ! joking but pretending to be serious.

The boot’s on the other foot the situation has changed.

You can’t miss it you will certainly recognise it when you see it, when you are there.

Big time ! (US modern popular culture) Absolutely, totally, very, very much

Brass monkeys it’s extremely, painfully cold

Once in a blue moon something that happens extremely rarely

Bob’s your uncle there you are ! No problem, all fixed ! (UK slang)

Now … your turn

Practice using these saying in everyday conversations … answers, as per usual, at the end of the blog.

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1) I love the beach. but I rarely go, just ……………………………….

2) If you’re late for class again, the teacher will be furious …….

3) You look so sad ……………………… ?

4) I’m freezing ! It’s ……………………. in here

5) Seriously ? You can marry three wives in UK ? No, you’re ……..

6) Oh, my job is so tedious, …………………………

7) She wouldn’t shut up ! She ….

8) It’s no problem; I’ll clean your laptop, remove the virsus and Trojans and ………

9) I used to earn more than my wife but she got a big promotion, so now …………. She earns more than me !

10) I need a new pair of shoes. I’m ………………… for some high quality Italian leather.

11) The accountant was sacked. He was ……… but that was not all ! That’s just the …………………… He was also stealing computers and selling them.

12) This lesson was a ………………… for me because I’m such a ……………….

13) I didn’t use ‘you can’t miss it.’ Write your own sentence.

Top 6 Most Difficult Courses To Study in Nigeria

Answers

1) once in a blue moon

2) big time

3) why the long face ?

4) brass monkeys

5) pulling my leg

6) Same thing, day in, day out

7) can/could talk the hind legs off a donkey.

8) Bob’s your uncle

9) the boot’s on the other foot.

10) on the lookout

11) cooking the books / tip of the iceberg

12) piece of cake / bright spark

Well, if you’re such a bright spark, write you own sentences and test your partner.

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Past tense, past continuous: Various exercises

12th July 2020

Various exercises for you to practise grammar, both past simple and past continuous. Answer follow the photos.

Past Tense exercises

Past simple: most common way of talking about the past.

Regular verbs just add –ed e.g. walk = walked / look = looked / play = played

Past continuous: was / were + verbing e.g. I was playing / We were looking

Irregular verbs not used in past continuous e.g. we were seeing a film OR we saw a film NOT we were sawing a film.

Present perfect– talk about an action that happened in the past

subj + have/has + verb3 (past participle).

Past perfect – talking about two actions, both in the past, one before the other

e.g. I had listened to the CD before I saw the band play live.

Subj + had + verb3

The verb ‘to be’

I am / I was // you are / you were // he, she, it is / was // they, we are / were

Past tense / Shakespeare exercise

Change these lines into the past:

1 In Act One, Romeo ….. (is) in love with _________

2 Benvolio ……… (try – past continuous) to stop the fight.

3 The Prince ………. (demand – past perfect) to see Capulet before seeing Montague.

4 Romeo, Mercutio & Benvolio ……. (are) in the street talking.

5 The two families …… …. (be, present continuous) been fighting for years.

6 Romeo ….. (ask) the Nurse who Juliet is.

7 Mercutio & Benvolio …… (do, not) know Romeo was in love with Juliet.

8 The famous ‘balcony’ scene … (take) place in Act 2.

9 The Friar ……. ……. (go, past perfect) out collecting flowers.

10 At the end of Act 2, Romeo and Juliet …… (are) married.

Which is the best screen version of Romeo and Juliet? Don't look ...

ANSWERS

1) was (Rosaline) 2) was trying 3) had demanded 4) were 5) have been 6) asked 7) did not (didn’t) 8) took 9) had gone 10) were

Past tense exercise

Change the verb form – can be:

past simple (think about regular & irregular verbs)

past continuous (verb + ing)

present perfect (subject + have/has + verb3)

past perfect (subject + had + verb3)

It is …. a hot, Sai Gon night. The wind blow …….. up from the river, but the humidity drive ….. me crazy. Sweat pour ……… down my back.

I were walk …………. by the Old Town, lanterns were light ……. and sway ….. in the breeze. I … visit …….. an old friend before I decide ………. to take this long, steamy walk. I …. live ……….. here over two years, but everyday, I am almost

kill ……. by crazy motorbikes. I need …. .. a coffee and see …… a cafe over the road. As I were cross ……………….. the street, a motorbike race …….. towards me. If I ……. jump ……… aside, he would …present perfect…. hit …. me. But that were …… his idea.

He turn ….. around and pull …… out a gun, aim …… and fire ……… . I ……. ……….(be) present perfect shot at more times than I care to remember, I know …….. the score; duck and run. I run …… .I ………did, (negative) have time to think. I can … think later – if I am still alive. I make …. it into the coffee shop, and were look ……. out the window across the street.

The shooter were dress …… all in black and keep …… his helmet on. He were walk …………. this way. Quickly, I look ……. around. Were there another exit ? Can …. I escape by a back door ? Yes ! I ……. be (past perfect) ……here…before. I remember ………. a fire exit on the first floor. I leap …… for the stairs, just as the shooter were about to open the door.

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Answers: was / blew / drove / poured // was walking / lit / swayed / visitid / decided / lived // killed / needed / saw / was crossing / raced / jumped / have hit / was // turned / pulled / aimed / fired / I have been shot at / knew / ran / didn’t / could / was / made / looked // was dressed / kept / was walking / looked / was / Could / had been / remembered / lept

Here are 7 verbs in the PRESENT. Choose the correct verb AND use it in the correct tense.

teach / live / go / see / drink / am / have

Harry (1) …….. drinking tea yesterday, when he (2) ……. an idea. I haven’t (3) …….. my neighbours how to drink tea. I am sure they will be happy. They have not (4) …… to the UK yet. I have (5) …. in many cities in England. Now I am in Viet Nam. I have (6) …. many wonderful sights, but I have never (7) …… a cup of good, English tea.

Beautiful Young Woman Drinking Hot Tea With Nature Green ...

Answers: 1) was 2) had 3) taught 4) been 5) lived 6) seen 7) drunk

Put the present tense verbs into past continuous

EXAMPLE Linh drinks tea – Linh was drinking tea

1 Tina watches TV

2 Sam shouts, ‘Oh, no!’

3 My father plays football

4 Bella designs a beautiful dress

5 The cat sings karaoke all night long !

6 Paul listens to The Beatles

7 Anna buys an Apple.

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Answers: 1) was watching 2) was shouting 3) was playing 4) was designing 5) was singing 6) was listening 7) was buying

75 % of verbs are REGULAR – just add -ed to form past tense

visit visited // watch watched // talk talked // walk walked

BUT

Others are IRREGULAR – you just have to learn them !

Go – went // see – saw // is – was // sleep – slept // spend – spent

Put the verbs into the simple past:

Last year I (go) …………to England on holiday.
It (be) ……..fantastic.
I (visit)…… lots of interesting places. I (be) ….. with two friends of mine .
In the mornings we (walk)…… in the streets of London.
In the evenings we (go) ….. to pubs.
The weather (be) …… remarkably pleasant. (nice)
We (watch) …… a great Korean film.
But we (see) …… some beautiful rainbows.
Where (spend / you) ……. your last holiday?

Answers: 1) went 2) was 3) visited & went 4) walked 5) went 6) was 7) watched 8) saw 9) did you spend ?

Grammar exercise simple past tense form of the verb.

1. I …………………………. him yesterday.

a) saw b) was seeing c) had seen

2. I ………………………. his letter yesterday.

a) received b) was receiving c) had received

3. She ……………………….. school last year.

a) will leave b) leave c) left

4. Last night I …………………………….. sleep well.

a) don’t b) didn’t c) hadn’t

5. He ……………………………. asleep while he was driving.

a) fell b) falls c) was falling

6. I ………………………… a new bicycle last week.

a) bought b) had bought c) have bought

7. We ………………………….. our breakfast half an hour ago.

a) finished b) have finished c) had finished

8. When I was in the US, I …………………………….. Chicago, Boston and California.

a) visited b) was visiting c) would visit

9. I …………………………….. an old classmate of mine at the library.

a) had seen b) was seeing c) saw

10. She ………………yesterday that she would not go.

a) says b) said c) had said

Lesbian Travel Guide to San Francisco, California - Lez See the World

Answers: 1) a 2) a 3) c 4) b 5) a 6) a 7) a 8) a 9) c 10) b

Put into simple past

Last year I (go) went to England on holiday.

It (be) fantastic.
I (visit) lots of interesting places. I (be) with two friends of mine .
In the mornings we (walk) in the streets of London.
In the evenings we (go) to pubs.
They (hear) strange music.
It (not / rain) a lot.
But we (buy) some beautiful clothes.
How much money (spend / you) in the shops ?

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Answers: 1) was 2) visited & was 3) walked 4) went 5) heard 6) did not [didn’t] 7) bought 8) did you spend

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The verb changes form in the PAST tense. Regular verbs add -ed, but many verbs are irregular e.g.

walk = walked / jump = jumped push = pushed (regular verbs)

begin began // bring brought // find found // come came // do did //

drink drank // eat ate // get got // make made // speak spoke

A good list is here:

http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/list-of-irregular-verbs/