IELTS: The story so far. Vocabulary review and speaking tips

7th July 2020

LUYỆN THI IELTS TẠI HẢI PHÒNG - huyenielts

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, time to take stock and make sure the students have absorbed the information and are au fait (French for well informed, know the point) with the vocabulary so far. With that in mind, here’s a quick warm up. Replace the high frequency words with low-frequency ones, then use your newly-acquired discourse markers to construct longer sentences.

Let’s kick off with some common or garden IELTS subjects:

What do you do in your free time ?

I drink coffee with my friends. There are many coffee shops in my hometown

School keeps me very busy, but if I can find some time for myself, I enjoy hanging out with my friends in coffee shops, which are ubiquitous in Sai Gon.

TIP: The question here is about free time, so don’t just talk about coffee shops – mention at least two other different activities – even if you DON’T do them, just talk about them !

Example, playing music, watching films, listening to music, sports, shopping, helping family, reading – thing you enjoy NOT to do with studying or work

Now … Your Turn: [tips at the end]

Remember, you should be able to speak in complex sentences with a low-frequency word or two, some idiomatic language, contractions and discourse markers, all spiced up with a liberal sprinkling of adverbs and adjectives. Furthermore, try to introduce the answer, rather than stating it outright.

I don’t like English grammar. I am boring with it.

A lot more people go to China than Viet Nam.

She forgets everything.

Thai food is good.

I think Barcelona will beat Real Madrid on Sunday

I like to go to cinema and go to shopping and go my friend house and sleep.

I don’t go out now. It rains all day.

The examiner asks you a question but you didn’t understand

What ?

I didn’t hear you.

Errrrrr, I don’t know

OK, yes I like it

The examiner asks you a question but you need time to think of an answer.

UUuhhhmmmmmm.

Hahhahahahaha

I don’t know.

Yes.

Tell me about your city

It very dirty.

I was born here. I love it.

We can do many things here.

Has many traffic jam. Yes. people nice.

Do you like to eat ?

Of course !

Yes. I eat with my family. I eat with my friends at school. I eat after school. I eat at night with my family

IELTS Speaking Tips: Introduction & Interview | St George ...

Things to do (and not to do) on the IELTS test day, and the days ...

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

Low – frequency words

Boring: tedious // forgetful: absent-minded //

expensive: sky high // what will happen: predict // everywhere: ubiquitous.

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

In my opinion // From my perspective // For me //

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

Allow me to explain // By which I mean //

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

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

Relative pronouns – who / which / where / whose

Thai Blends Greenbelt 3 Cinema - Home | Facebook

One of my favourite things to do, if I have some spare time, is to hang out with my closest friend and just catch up on our news, maybe hit as 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 India 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.

11 Things You Should Know About Thai Culture — Keep studying !

Beginners’ English: Past tense exercises

7th July 2020

Grammar: verbs

Good list of 100 verbs in 3 forms at: https://www.linguasorb.com/english/verbs/most-common-verbs/

Grammar – verb practice

Let’s start to use more verbs. Here’s the 15 most common:

infinite / present / past / past participle (verb 3)

1 to be am / was / been

are / were / been

2 to have have / had / had

3 to do do did done

4 to say say / said / said

5 to go go / went / gone

6 to get get / got / gotten

7 to make make / made / made

8 to know know /knew / known

9 to think think / thought / thought

10 to take take / took / taken

11 to see see / saw / seen

12 to come come / came / come

13 to want want / wanted / wanted

14 to use use / used / used

15 to find find / found / found

Past Tense Exercise

1. He (walk) to school yesterday.

He WALKED to school yesterday.

2. They (do) their homework last night.

They ——-  their homework last night.

3. You (are) lazy last week.

You ——- lazy last week.

4. That woman (buy) a new book this morning.

That woman  ——– a new book this morning.

5. The janitor (clean) the blackboard yesterday.

The janitor ——– the blackboard yesterday.

6. My mother (cook) food yesterday.

My mother  ——– food yesterday.

7. This morning my teacher (teach) English.

This morning my teacher ———- English.

8. I (am) hungry yesterday.

I  ——- hungry yesterday.

9. The gardener (cut) the trees last month.

The gardener ———— the trees last month.

10. She (drink) milk this morning.

She  ——— milk this morning.

11. Last month the man (ride) a horse.

Last month the man ——–  a horse.

12. Sam (go) to Hong Kong last year.

Sam ——- to Hong Kong last year.

13. The birds (fly) in the sky this morning.

The birds  ——— in the sky this morning.

14. I (know) Tom’s sister last year.

I  ——– Tom’s sister last year.

15. The joiner (make) tables and chairs yesterday.

The joiner  —— tables and chairs yesterday.

16. The farmer (grow) rice last year.

The farmer ——– rice last year.

17. Two weeks ago the boy (has) a new bicycle.

Two weeks ago the boy  ——- a new bicycle.

18. He (feel) happy yesterday.

He  ——- happy yesterday.

19. We (work) hard last week.

We  ——– hard last week.

20. The students (meet) in the hall last week.

The students ——– in the hall last week.

Asian female drinking milk stock photo © WONG SZE FEI (szefei ... — She drank milk

Sing On, Cowboy: Head to Old Town Scottsdale to See the Singing ... — He rode a horse and played guitar

Where to Find Girls in Hong Kong (Plus 9 Dating Tips) - Global Seducer — They went to Hong Kong

NOW make short sentences or stories from these exercises.

A. Complete the sentences, put the verb into the correct form, positive or negative. (simple past tense)

1. It was warm, so I  off my coat. (take)

2. The film wasn’t very good. I it very much. (enjoy)

3. I knew Sarah was very busy, so I  her. (disturb)

4. I was very tired, so I  to bed early. (go)

5. The bed was very uncomfortable. I  very well. (sleep)

6. Sue wasn’t hungry, so she  anything. (eat)

7. We went to Kate’s house but she  at home. (be)

8. It was a funny situation but nobody  (laugh)

9. The window was open and a bird  into the room. (fly)

10. The hotel wasn’t very expensive. It  very much. (cost)

11. I was in a hurry, so I  time to phone you. (have)

12. It was hard work carrying the bags. They  very heavy. (be)

Slight Hitch after birds tern on the island twitchers | UK | News ... — In this film, many birds flew into a room

B. Complete the exercise with the verbs inside the box. (simple past tense)

buy	catch	cost	drink
fall	hurt	sell	spend
teach	throw	win	write

1. Mozart more than 600 pieces of music. Mozart WROTE more than 600 pieces of music

‘How did you learn to drive?’ ‘My father ——- me.’

3. We couldn’t afford to keep our car, so we ——– it.

4. I was very thirsty. I  the ——– water very quickly.

5. Paul and I played tennis yesterday. He’s much better than me, so he ——–

easily.

6. Don ——– down the stairs this morning and  his leg.

7. Jim  ——– the ball to Sue, who ——– it.

8. Ann ——– a lot of money yesterday. She ——– a dress. It   ——– 100.

Past Tense

What did you do last night ?

Last night, I listened to music and played computer games.

Regular verbs add -ed:

Verb+ed For example: want+ed→ wanted work+ed→ worked	Verb, ending in –e+d For example: dance+d→ danced live+d→ lived
Verbs, ending in –y: y → i + ed (* There are exceptions (for example played) ) For example: cry→ cried try→ tried	One vowel verb: double the consonant For example: stop → stopped blog → blogged

Good verb list here: https://www.linguasorb.com/english/verbs/most-common-verbs/

Black Young Man Listening Music and Dancing by Stockland on Envato ... — Last night he listened to music and played computer games

irregular verbs – no rules.

Present – Past / Present – Past / Present – Past

I am – I was / begin – began / have – had

eat – ate / go – went / drive – drove

tell – told / hear – heard / catch – caught

buy – bought / write- wrote / see – saw

Listening: How many past tense verbs ?

Yesterday, I went to visit my friend. We played badminton then walked in the park.

After, we ate lunch and drank beer. Later, I bought coffee and wrote some emails.

Corrections: Write in the past tense

I (am) born in London and (arrive) in Viet Nam in 2015. I (work) as teacher in District 1 and 3 but I (want) to work near my home. Last week, my friend (have) a party. She (dance) all night and I (hear) her singing. In the morning, she (catch) a plane and (go) to Thailand.

Chut Thai: Thailand's Beautiful Traditional Dress — Welcome to Thailand

IELTS: It’s all relative – relative clause practice

1st July 2020

As I continuously tell my students, being able to form complex sentences, and then say them fluently, is key to passing IELTS.

One way to make longer sentences, as well as introducing subordinate clauses, is to become a master of …

Relative Pronouns

Academic Calendar & Bulletin - AUW | AUW

This lady, who wants to work in Australia, is studying hard for her IELTS.

who For people: This is the man who sold me the fake Rolex !

which For things: We tried fish and chips which is delicious.

where For places: Let’s go to the shop where we saw the great bargains.

Whose Possessive: That’s the singer whose record we heard last night.

The Italian car, whose driver was young, won the race.

Young Tasmanian racing driver Alex Peroni on track for European ...

Exercises

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

A man ______ mobile phone was ringing did not know what to do.

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

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

The boy ____ sister is in my class was in the bank at that time.

I know a person ____ can speak seven languages.

We visited the church _____ is in the middle of the square.

It is a protected area of land _____ you can see a lot of interesting wildlife.

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

A police officer, _____ car was parked at the next corner, stopped and arrested them.

Silent Era : Progressive Silent Film List

Go that extra mile – extra practice

IELTS, which can be very challenging, tends to be rather formulaic by which I mean it follows a pattern. Students can pretty much predict, with a fair degree of certainty, the type of subjects they will be expected to encounter.

With that in mind, try making complex sentences about these people:

Is this what the west is really like?' How it felt to leave China ...

Name: Ms Chen // Age: 19 // From: China // Lives: London // Studies: Business.

Ms Chen, who is studying Business in London, is 19 and originally from China.

Originally from China, Ms Chen, who is 19, is currently living in London, studying Business.

NOW … YOUR TURN

Meet The 42 Most Popular Men On JSwipe – The Forward

Name: Adam // Age: 24 // From: Israel // Lives: New York // Job: Writer for a magazine and blogger

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor t-ara boram kpop wiki

Name: Boran // Age: 34 // From: South Korea // Likes: drawing manga // Job: singer, rapper and dancer

Close Up Cool Young Black Guy Listening To Music With Headphones ...

Name: David // Age: 28 // From: Leicester, UK // Passion: Music // Plans: To live in LA and record a CD

Beginners’ English: ‘Have to’ or ‘must’ ?

1st July 2020

Two Asian College Girls Doing Stock Footage Video (100% Royalty ...

‘must’ or ‘have to’

‘have’ is a main verb, ‘must’ is a modal auxiliary verb

have can be followed by to + verb, and can be used in different tenses

e.g. I have to go home

He has to do his homework

I had to write two reports (past tense)

A lot of fear': Asian community a target of racism amid ... — We have to wear a face mask

‘must’ is an auxiliary verb so:

is followed by a main verb

is never used with ‘to’

I must exercise NOT I must to exercise

Why exercise is best medicine | The Guardian Nigeria News ... — They must keep fit, they must exercise

‘have to’

an obligation made by someone else

‘must’

an obligation made by yourself

I have to get a visa to enter China OR not allowed into China

New Entry-Exit Measures Issued for Foreigners Traveling to China ...

I must do more exercise [This is MY choice, not forced.]

Rapid rise in obesity in India: Facts and reasons - Education ... — I must do more exercise … I must do A LOT more exercise. I must stop eating pizza and pasta !

‘have to’

Sub + have to + infinite

POSITIVE: She has to try harder

NEGATIVE: He does not have to work tomorrow

QUESTION: Do you have to be so noisy ?

‘must’

Sub + must + base verb

I must sleep soon

You must go shopping

He must be nicer to his sister

Negative: Students must not (mustn’t) cheat in class

Question: Must we visit your family ?

Exercises: (answers at end of blog)

1. Yesterday I ________ finish my geography project.

must
mustn’t
had to

2. She will ________ wait in line like everyone else.

must
have to
has to

3. All employees ________ on time for work.

must be
mustn’t
have to

4. We ________ forget to take the chicken out of the freezer.

have to not
must
mustn’t

5. If you are under 13 you _____ to get your parents’ permission.

have
must
musn’t

6. Your daughter may ________ try on a few different sizes.

have to
had to
must

7. You _____ get here as soon as you can.

must
mustn’t
have to

8. Do you _____ work next weekend?

have to
must
mustn’t

9. Bicyclists _____ remember to signal when they turn.

mustn’t
must
has to

10. Angela, you _____ leave your clothes all over the floor like this.

mustn’t
must
have to

Not In My House! When You Can't Take the Mess in Your Teenager's Room

ANSWERS

1 had to // 2 had to // 3 must be // 4 mustn’t // 5 have // 6 have to // 7 must // 8 have to // 9 must // mustn’t //

Adult Class Level 2: Recent review – once in a blue moon

28th June 2020

Coffee ~ ologist | Jun ji hyun, Korean actresses, Asian beauty — How often do you drink coffee with a beautiful Korean actress ?

To review recent expressions

once in a blue moon / not as much as I use to / not as much as I’d like to / from time to time / now and then / occasionally / only in my dreams !

How often do you:

Watch foreign films ?

movie 2003] Lover's Concerto 연애소설 - k-dramas & movies - Soompi ...

See your boss smile ?

Play badminton ?

Rent Badminton Game in Lagos Nigeria - Fontt Enterprises

Hang out with friends ?

Cheerful asian young women sitting in cafe drinking coffee with ...

Go to the movies ?

Movie Theaters for Kids in the San Francisco Bay Area

Get a pay rise ?

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese: 6 Tips to Help You Get a Pay Raise

Linking words:

and / as well as / and also / along with

These link positives or negatives:

I like tea as well as coffee He plays football and also badminton

Big C is quite cheap and also has a great choice

but / however / having said that / on the other hand

These link positives to negatives / negatives to positives:

Jet Mart is convenient. Having said that, it is (it’s) extremely expensive.

Czech beer is not easy to find in Sai Gon, however it’s fantastic quality.

‘therefore’ is a conclusion word:

Bài Ca Thịt Nướng King BBQ Hari Won - YouTube

King BBQ is outstanding and has a magnificent salad bar. Mr Park is reasonable (so-so) quality, but more expensive. Therefore, we will eat at King BBQ in future.

Theme: coffee in Sai Gon

Beautiful young asian woman drinking coffee in the terrace of a ...

People Drink Coffee On Street At Old Quarter In Hanoi, Vietnam ...

There are so many choices in Sai Gon. Tran Nguyen has the best quality but is very expensive. On the other hand, Milano is incredibly cheap and very convenient however, many people smoke there. Highlands is really popular. Having said that, it is not cheap. Street coffee is extremely cheap but terrible quality !

Listening exercise:

http://esol.britishcouncil.org/content/learners/skills/listening/having-meal-restaurant

Mamma Mia - Italian Restaurant & Bar ở Quận Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội ...

Last Friday, I went out for dinner with Claire and Helen. Helen’s got a new job so we went out to celebrate. Claire booked a table for 7.30pm at her favourite Italian restaurant in town. When we arrived, the waiter showed us to our table, gave us some menus and took our drinks order. We were really hungry so we decided to have a starter and a main. We placed our order and chatted for a while. Our garlic bread soon arrived. We were hungry, so it disappeared very quickly! Next, the waiter brought our mains. He said, “Buon Appetito!”, which is Italian for ‘Enjoy your meal!’. Claire and Helen chose pasta and I had pizza. The food was delicious, but I couldn’t manage a dessert! Claire and Helen had some ice cream, but I just had a coffee. I can’t wait to go again!

Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: Sentence building

27th June 2020

With Jewish-Asian marriages on the rise, academic couple takes on ...

How was your day ?

Today, I was very successful at work because I got my salary as well as a bonus (extra money).

When do you get your salary ? When do you get paid ?

Salary = career, professional job – usually once a month

Paid – for a job, can be daily, weekly, monthly – low-income job

Building longer sentences:

I teach at public school which can be extremely tiring because there are many students who, I feel, do not want to learn. Having said that, there are also many wonderfully gifted students who make me feel happy.

Relative pronouns– who (person), which (thing), where (place).

Adverbs– add information – extremely, wonderfully

Opinions– I feel, I believe, in my opinion, from my point of view.

Turn and link – although, despite, however …

VOCABULARY

gifted – talented, skilled- natural talent

You have a gift for …. music, laughter (laugh – larf), accounting, singing

Noun there was laughter NOT there was laugh

For example – we had karaoke – there were many people singing; some were extraordinarily gifted while others were … not so talented ! There was a laugh of smiling and laughter.

Extraordinarily – very special

Now … Your Turn

Tell your neighbour or the class about your job

Where you work
The good things
Anything bad
How do you feel

Wages Are Unequal Between White and Black Men Even When Other ...

I went to the office where I work and I had a very busy day. However I think it’s good because I can finish my task. I was really excited and happy because today is the last day of the month so I got my salary and holiday bonus. I want to spend my salary for traveling or on clothes.

GRAMMAR

I can finish subject + modal verb (can, could, might) + main verb

I got my salary I was paid so we use past tense ‘got’.

I want to spent subject + helping verb (want, like, need) + infinite (to + verb)

A Shoe Shop The Souq Or Market In The Old Town In The City Of ...

The Heat of the Indo-Chinese Wok Master's Kitchen on a Very Busy ...

Today, I went to my company where I met everyone in the office. After, I worked with my customer, who is very pleasant, and we spoke about payment. Later, I went to the bank where I withdrew a little money from the company account. It was an ordinary day but interesting because today is payday !

The 30 Best Korean Movies of the 21st Century - Fort Worth Weekly — This Korean lady does NOT have an ordinary job !

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Grammar, past and present continuous and quiz

27th June 2020

art pepper Archives - Jerry Jazz Musician

The Jazz musician Art Pepper was in his room, playing saxophone.

Grammar

Mixing continuous with the past tense

This can be confusing – mixing two different tenses, but it is very common in English. Look at these examples:

Yesterday, I was reading a great book.

She was reading a magnificent story

Reading Girl | Free Stock Photo | A beautiful African American ...

This is past continuous:

I was doing something (was + verb ing).

But it can be more complicated:

Last week, we were in the garden, drinking tea and laughing.

Normally, this is used to say that SOMETHING HAPPENED to disturb an action in the past.

Example:

She was playing video games when the phone rang.

She had to stop playing her game BECAUSE her phone rang.

She was studying in the library when she suddenly remembered she had to help her mother with the shopping.

They have trouble asking for help': Japanese schools on suicide ...

Try these:

ELEPHANT ATTACK: Chasing the truth with Andrew Ucles - Ucles vs ...

He was walking in the jungle when …

1,319 Pickpocket Photos - Free & Royalty-Free Stock Photos from ...

She was sending a text when …

Now … Your Turn

What happened today at work or school ?

I was teaching a class when a student arrived 15 minutes late.

Grammar Quiz

1 I watch a movie FUTURE TENSE = I will watch a movie (tonight, later etc)

2 I fly a kite PRESENT CONTINUOUS

3 They is rides a bicycle. CORRECT THE GRAMMAR

4 Leo eats a pasta CORRECT THE GRAMMAR

5 I look at photographs PAST TENSE

6 Hank are surfing the internet CORRECT THE GRAMMAR

7 We is chatting with a friend CORRECT THE GRAMMAR

8 I was text my friend when my bag is stolen

9 I like take photographs CORRECT THE GRAMMAR

10 She has a picnic FUTURE TENSE

11 Tomorrow I ….. read a magazine FUTURE TENSE

12 Say ‘I have a blue cookbook in my black backpack’.

13 Jane and Susan like to dance PRESENT CONTINUOUS

14 Tomorrow I ate a cheeseburger CORRECT GRAMMAR

15 I see with my eyes, I ….. with my ears.

16 Yesterday I was watch a movie. CORRECT GRAMMAR

17 We were eat lunch when my friend to arrive.

18 You were sleep last night and didn’t heard the thunder.

IELTS Review: The basics you should know before your test.

25th June 2020

IELTS

Useful words and expressions

All IELTS students should have these words and expressions in their vocabulary, and be able to use them confidently and correctly.

Adjectives

absent-minded / eye-catching / mouth-watering / second-hand

ubiquitous / sky-high / visually stunning / spectacular /

10 Best Korean Restaurants in Singapore: BBQ, Bibimbap & Fried ... — How would you describe this Korean food ?

THE BEST Tiong Bahru (Singapore) Hotels with Free Parking of 2019 ... — The prices at this Singapore hotel are …

19 Best Coffee Shops in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - Back Of The ... — Coffee shops in Sai Gon are …

Adverbs

quite / rather / somewhat

considerably / significantly / remarkably / undeniably

Asia's Most Visited Countries — The number of tourists visiting China is … more than those visiting Vietnam

Discourse Markers

Additionally / as well as / furthermore / moreover

Therefore / consequently

On the other hand / having said that / although / despite

Top 10 Most Beautiful Korean Girls In The World — Describe this Korean lady using at least two discourse markers.

Expressions / chunking phrases

At the end of the day / Am I pronouncing that correctly ?

Turn a blind ear / it fell on deaf ears

Friends and family / According to …

Same thing, day in, day out / You get what you pay for / a waste of money

Bored Office Worker, Annoyed Businessman At Workplace Stock Photo ... — How does this man feel about his job ?

Like / Dislike

Like:

I absolutely love … / I’m crazy about … / I (really) like / I’m into / I haven’t heard (seen/read) this before, but I think it’s great / I’m a big fan of … / I’m quite keen on /

No strong opinion:

I don’t mind / I have mixed feelings about …/ It’s OK / I don’t really have any strong views / feelings either way

Dislike:

I hate / I can’t stand / I don’t really like / I think it’s awful / I detest / I’m not a big fan of … / I’m not that keen on …

What do you think of:

India Capable Of Winning All ICC tournaments, Says Brian Lara ... — The sport cricket

Everyday items, Street litter 3D Models 2nd_World — Litter, trash, rubbish on the streets

To buy time

Photo of thinking young asian beautiful woman posing isolated over ... — Remember … never leave silence; use these time-fillers:

That’s a good / interesting question

Let me think …

Well, I would say …

How can I put it … ?

Sentence building

Use adjectives to describe nouns

adverbs to describe adjectives and verbs – give more information

opinion phrases

linking words to connect positive to positive or positive to negative

reasons why an action is being done

I like coffee

Winston the Wolf enjoys Jimmie's coffee as Jules and Vincent look ...

I like coffee so much because it tastes great and makes me wake up although too much will stop me from sleeping at night but, in my opinion, the benefits far out weigh the disadvantages.

Using Relative Clauses

who For people: This is the man who sold me the fake Rolex !

which For things: We tried fish and chips which is delicious.

where For places: Let’s go to the shop where we saw the great bargains.

Whose Possessive: That’s the singer whose record we heard last night.

The car, whose driver was young, won the race.

Exercises

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

A man ______ mobile phone was ringing did not know what to do.

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

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

A boy ____ sister is in my class was in the bank at that time.

I know a person ____ can speak seven languages.

We visited the church _____ is in the middle of the square.

It is a protected area of land _____ you can see a lot of interesting wildlife.

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

A police officer _____ car was parked at the next corner stopped and arrested them.

Listening Websites: A list with links can be found on this page:

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

IELTS: Mindset, introduction lesson

23rd June 2020

Preparation Offline | IELTS Asia | British Council

A new class, so I have to assess their ability, motivation and potential.

Let’s kick off with a Family Fortune game – I give writing boards to the class, arranged in small groups, and ask for four answers to basic questions.

Example : Four places I’ve been to in Viet Nam / Four things I love about Viet Nam / Four things I hate / Four instruments I can play / Four languages I can speak. To test general knowledge, Four countries in Asia or capital cities / Four countries in Europe / Four cities in the USA

Next up, I want to get the class speaking as soon as possible so, they can interview each other asking basic questions. No one speaks alone, so this helps to cover any shyness as all the class are speaking at the same time.

Why are you studying IELTS ? /

Do you think IELTS will be difficult ? / Why ?

Do you use English at school or work … how ? /

What do you do in your free time ? /

What do you do or what do you study ? /
Would you like to live in USA or UK ?

Moving on, time to explain the importance of sentence building. We would expect new IELTS students to be able to speak quite fluently, in reasonable long sentences. If students answer in four words or under, or even single words, then the teachers know we have a ‘difficult’ class.

To give an example, I’ll introduce a standard IELTS-style question:

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

Example Answer:

I show them a plan:

Introduction / First good point / second good point / something bad / conclusion.

I choose Hoi An

Hoi An: Vietnam's most charming city - Exoticca Blog

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

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

First Good Point:

Firstly, Hoi An is a historical city with a wonderful Japanese bridge and lovely old shops. At night, the shops use romantic lanterns.

Second Good Point:

Hoi An is close to Da Nang, so I can fly there easily and quickly. There are many things to see and do in the local area.

Now, something negative

However, Hoi An is very small and can be extremely crowded in summer. Maybe it will be difficult to find a hotel or a table at a good restaurant.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Hoi An is a very special place to visit because it is a town of Vietnamese culture.

How to build sentences:

Use adjectives to describe nouns (beautiful, historic, romantic)

adverbs to describe adjectives and verbs – give more information (very, easily)

opinion phrases (in my opinion)

linking words to connect positive to positive or positive to negative – discourse markers (however)

reasons why an action is being done (because)

Now – your turn:

Where do you want to visit ? This can be in Vietnam or anywhere.

Women wearing Vietnamese ao dai granted an imperial favor — Hue

Getting Around Hanoi [2019] Guide to Get Around Hanoi for ... — Ha Noi

Finally, to test knowledge of occupations and personality adjectives, I will show the class photos of five friends and elicit their opinions. https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/28/friends-men-teaching-sheet/

At IELTS level I would expect the students to form basic sentences such as:

“In my opinion, he is … “

“For me, he looks like … “

“He seems to be a … “

It will probably be a mixed-ability class, so I shall encourage the top learners, asking them to describe the photos, using as many adjectives and adverbs as they can.