Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Holiday plans

20th May 2020

Holiday plans

Where would you like to go ?

Look at the four photos. What do you know about the four places ?

What do you need to think about ?

They are all capital cities … will that make them cheap or expensive ?

Do they speak English there ? What is the temperature in winter and summer ? How would you find information ? What do you like to do on holiday ?

Extra activity – describe the photos in as much detail as you can. Use adjectives and make your voice sound excited (or unhappy).

WoW BUENOS AIRES — WOMEN OF WEARABLES — Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina

Supermodel Trish Goff's Guide to Nairobi | Departures — Nairobi, capital of Kenya

How Moscow has changed in the 2010s (PHOTOS) - Russia Beyond — Moscow, capital of Russia

Visiting Copenhagen on a budget – On the Luce travel blog — Copenhagen, capital of Denmark

Work in pairs – write or talk about these points:

Before I go – what do you need to do ?

While I’m in ________________, I’m going to _____________

Are there any places you don’t want to visit ? Why not ?

Pros and cons (good and bad points)

Buenos Aires:

Very colourful city with interesting buildings. Cheaper than some western cities.

In South America – could be a long flight (my class is in Vietnam). Language is Latin – American Spanish.

Nairobi:

National parks and museums. Some great food and can be cheap. English spoken.

Not very safe at night. Insects and bugs plus bad hygiene in some places.

Moscow:

Amazing culture and architecture. Generally safe for tourists. Lots to see and do.

Can be very expensive. Can be bitterly cold in winter. Most people have just basic or no English.

Copenhagen:

Friendly people, small city can be explored on foot. Great beer and healthy, fresh food. High quality standards. English widely spoken, like a second language. Safe.

Is notoriously expensive. Can be very cold and wet in winter. Very long flight (from Viet Nam).

Ask each other what they like best, where they would probably go, where they probably won’t go !

Advanced levels:

To practise complex sentences, make your own answers

The four cities are all interesting in their own way, but if I had to choose just one, I think I would probably select Nairobi in Kenya.

Firstly, I have never been to Africa and it look so different to Europe and Asia. Seeing those beautiful giraffes just walking past the window must be an amazing, unforgettable experience.

Secondly, I know that English is widely spoken in Kenya, so there should be no language barrier even though I expect a lot of culture shock.

However, I expect the heat will be a serious issue, so I must pack a lot of powerful sun cream, sunglasses and a hat. Additionally, i don’t really know much about the city, so I will have to read up.

In conclusion, I feel all cities offer something amazing but my choice would be Nairobi. I’m sure I will have an incredible time in Kenya.

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: USA … sun, surf & sand.

18th May 2020

Holidays Stateside

Surfin' USA! On the trail of the Beach Boys in the sun-kissed ... — The Beach Boys exemplified the American dream of fun, fun, fun !

You are going to the USA. How will you prepare ?

Before you go

What do you need to do ? Use the following words to build long sentences with linking words (also, as well as) and adverbs (extremely, absolutely, quite):

research // compare // vaccination // insurance // thermal underwear // sunblock // visa // traveller’s cheques // adapter // currency // medication reservation route // travel books (fiction and/or guides)

EXAMPLE: Before I book my ticket, I will need to research flight prices online as some airlines charge considerable more than others.

Look at this website:

http://www.gapyeartravelstore.com/blog/top-20-travel-gift-ideas-2016/

30 Inspiring Gap Year Travel Ideas — Meeting the locals is part of the travel experience

[A ‘gap – year’ is when young people travel before, or during, their university studies. It creates a gap – a space – between school and university or between the three or four years of study.]

Make a short presentation – what do you think of the items ?

Which do you consider to be:

essential / useful / unnecessary / a waste of space ! / totally useless

You are allowed to choose five items – which would you choose and why ?

GRAMMAR

‘Have to’ and ‘must’

When packing, which items do you HAVE TO bring ? Which items MUST you bring ?

Remember: have to = requirement // must = personal choice

EXAMPLE: to travel, I have to bring my passport and I must buy some shampoo.

Travelling to USA

Usa Tourism Map - Tourism Company and Tourism Information Center

Make a list. Be sure to include paperwork, important personal items and non-essential personal items.

I have to bring // I must bring

At passport control

You will hear questions like these. Write them down. Practise asking and answering: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=RFV0hZpmmr4&index=1&list=PL97HViQblvdEM3zsauRxnIg1baFTNmsDM

However, where to go ?

The USA is enormous, stretching from the sun-kissed Hawaiian Islands to the bitter winters of New England.

Tahitian woman making the traditional welcome gesture. Polynesian ... — Aloha from Hawaii

5 Winter Activities in Portland Maine That Will Get You in the ... — Winter in Maine

In the next blog, we’ll focus on three cities: Boston, Chicago & San Francisco … what do you know about them ?

Have a good day 🙂

I miss you already

Always See You Later Never Goodbye SVG, JPEG, High Definition, DXF ...

Adult Speaking Class, level 2: More collocations

16th May 2020

Collocations

First lesson as a writer – make sure you grab the reader’s attention.

As previously mentioned in my first post about collocations – link here: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/18/adult-speaking-class-level-2-collocations/

these are a great way to build up your English skills; not only will you learn new phrases, but you will also develop linking skills in speech and thereby acquire a more natural speech pattern.

Yes, I know it takes time and a lot of practice … but it’ll be worth it.

The previous post focused on the verb ‘make’. Today, we’ll turn our attention to the verb:

Take

Do you know these collocations ?

turns speaking // it up with the manager // up my trousers a little //

a good look at yourself // a hike ! // medicine // a deep breathe

Which would you use for:

1 You have a complaint at work.

2 You buy some clothes but they are too big.

3 You want to tell someone to go away !

4 try to be calm and relax.

Moving on, some everyday collocations

What do these collocations suggest ?

Widely available // routine check-up

disperse the crowd // boost employment

catch up with the news // catch up with friends

Which would you use for:

1 We hope the new factory will …

2 Police were called to … because there were too many people.

3. I’m going to my old university and …

4. Let me watch BBC and CNN, I need to …

Street food in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Saigon Food Tours — fresh fruit and vegetables are widely available in Sai Gon and Vietnam

Find longer definitions for these collocations.

Adequate supplies to meet demand

Revised edition

Cause insurmountable difficulties

Major turning point

Set realistic aims

1) Enough things so that everyone that wants one can have one

2) Know what you want to do but it must not be too much for you to be able to do it.

3) Make problems which people will not be able to solve or cause problems that people are not able to work properly.

4) A very important moment when things changed completely

5) A new book, similar to the old one but with more up-to-date information, or mistakes have been corrected.

The Apple Store Is No Longer Called A Store Anymore, It's Just Apple — New iPhone on sale at the Apple Store … but will there will adequate supplies ?

Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Conversation practice

15th May 2020

How to introduce yourself

Hello, my name is Peter. I am 31. My job is teacher.

Link sentences to make longer, more interesting sentences and use contractions

Hello, my name’s _______, I’m ___ and I work as a _________________ .

[Culture note – in English, we usually say our age only – don’t say ‘years old’ e.g. I’m 25, not I’m 25 years old]

I am = I’m // you are = you’re // he is = he’s // she is = she’s // they are = they’re // we are = we’re

Tell me about the other members of the group or class.

Example – Her name’s Ms Thanh, she’s 22 and works as a nurse.

Grammar note: In the third-person, he add an -s to the verb

1^st person I work

2^nd person you work

3^rd person he / she / it / name works (Ms Thanh works)

Work Dialogue: two friends are at the office

Dealing with work stress? Why mindfulness in the office can help ...

This is a natural conversation, with expressions, idioms and contractions.

New expressions:

same old, same old = doing the same thing all day, every day.

bear with me = wait for me a very short time

A: Hello, how’s it going ? How are you ?

B: Great, thanks. What have you been up to ? What have you been doing ?

A: Oh, same old, same old. Nothing new. Same as everyday. Are you busy ?

B: A little. Bear with me a moment … there, finished. Wait a little, please.

A: Do you want a hand ? (Dya wanna hand ?) Do you need some help ?

B: That would be wonderful. Would you like a coffee ?

A: Absolutely ! Yes, very much !

The weirdest excuses office workers give for the tea round | Daily ...

Conversation practice:

Pretend you are just meeting. Introduce yourself to your partner. Remember to ask:

Name, job, company ? Do they like their job ? Where do they work ?

Are they married ? Children ?

Where do they live ? Do they live alone or with family ?

What do they like to do in their free time ? What are your hobbies ?

Queen’s English

Practice saying the following three sentences as if you were the Queen, or King, of the UK.

My Husband and I are delighted to meet you

The weather is frightfully hot for the time of year

Do give my best to your family

Now listen to the Queen speak:

IELTS Mindset: Preparing for the speaking test.

14th May 2020

As usual, I use bold font to highlight words, expressions and idioms that students can learn and then use in their everyday speech. Remember, some expressions are only used in some situations, but an IELTS instructor will always notice an attempt to use a wider variety of English.

Những lầm tưởng về IELTS Speaking - AMERICAN STUDY

Next week, one of my IELTS classes has their speaking test therefore this blog will help, I sincerely hope, to prepare them, and enable them to achieve a commendable result.

With that in mind, tonight’s class will just be practice, practice and … more practice.

I try to relax my students by telling them that passing IELTS is easy (that normally gets their attention). I have to elaborate; IELTS is easy because they

TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR

Namely, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and para linguistics (body language, eye contact, stress, intonation, rhythm) and fluency (the ability to speak without overlong pauses) as well as answering the question relevantly.

Let’s break that down:

Vocabulary: low-frequency words // idioms // expressions //

Structure: complex sentences employing discourse markers and clauses

Let’s kick off with complex sentences. Here’s a link to a previous blog regarding just that subject; there are a number of exercises for students to practise:

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/30/ielets-mindset-complex-sentences/

Now some tips on using various expressions and phrases to introduce and close your speech. Again, this is from a previous blog (IELTS 12th May 2020):

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/12/ielts-quick-fire-talking/

The above blog gives an example of answering a question about laptops, then allows students to compose their own response on subjects of their choice.

Finally, here are some expressions that can be used to ‘spice up’ a student’s talk as they are all everyday phrases though some will be UK-specific as they are part of the common culture:

Not my cup of tea = a polite way of saying you don’t like something.

I can take it or leave it = have no strong feelings about something.

I’m really into it = like or love something very much.

It does what it says on the tin = something that does the job, no more, no less (this is from a UK TV commercial).

Vocabulary game:

To pracise using low-frequency words, put students in teams, giving each team a set of IELTS words (or phrases, idioms). They have a set time, maybe a minute, to use as many as they can, speaking about any subject they choose.

Some students may prefer to be given a set topic, so choose typical general subjects such as shopping, food, their city or country, free time etc.

Words and expressions are:

ubiquitous // somewhat // not my cup of tea // significant or significantly // I can take it or leave it // exhausting // challenging // miserable // having said that // I’m keen on // all in all // consequently // allow me to explain // eventually // thrilling // put up with

Vocabulary booster

Find low-frequency words for these adjectives:

boring // repetitive // tiring // interesting // relaxing

Break A Leg: What Does "Break A Leg" Mean? | Useful Example ...

IELTS: Writing correction

12th May 2020

Writing practice

Review: 'Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am' Charts Her Life Through ...

Rewrite the following texts using new vocabulary, phrasal verbs or idioms, where appropriate. Feel free to change verbs into continuous. Correct the mistakes and use better syntax (sentence structure).

Tips:

Use clauses to combine sentences about the same subject.

Use ‘however’, ‘having said that’ etc in place of ‘but’.

Incorporate any new language style you have learnt on the course e.g. negotiation language, polite language, and see if you can use alliteration (words beginning with the same letter).

Warm up: Here’s a short exercise. Try to rewrite using as few sentences as possible, which will entail employing complex sentences, linked by discourse markers. An example answer follows.

My friend will come to visit me. In HCM. I will show him city. In my city is many things to show him. Him like market. I show him market. And restaurants. And museums. Many museum in HCM. I hope he will likes.

Remembering The Strong Voice of VS Naipaul - Bold Outline ...

My friend will soon pay me a visit here in Ho Chi Minh City and there is such an abundance of things to see and do, for example my friends enjoys markets therefore I shall take him to several, followed by some great local food in one of the countless restaurants. Additionally, he adores museums and we are spoilt for choice here with many fascinating exhibitions.

Now … your turn.

Firstly, this is one large chunk of text, no paragraph breaks, so organise the writing.

Avoid repeating the same word or words. Use a thesaurus to search for synonyms.

I’ve started you off with two example sentences however, the rest is up to you.

My name is Tony. I am 23 years old. I am a accountant. I very much don’t like my job. It is not exciting. Because I do the same thing every day. All day. I like travel. I like Thailand. I very want to go there. At there I can eat food spicy. I like football. I don’t like baseball. Sometimes I watch on TV football. I like very much listen music. I play piano. I play recorder. My friend asked me to be in his band but his music I don’t like. He is my friend. His music is horrible. He is very bad guitar man. I live in HCM. I don’t like sometime. Now it rain every day, very heavy. We have to live with bad rain. Every day. The traffic is bad. Much motorbikes. Air very not good. I like to shopping. I buy shirt. I have many shirt but I buy more shirt because I like shirt, I have red blue green yellow shirt and black. Today I gets email. Email is from friend. I have not see friend for long time. I was surprise.

My name is Tony and I am 23 years old. By profession, I’m a accountant. However,I don’t like my job very much . I do the same thing everyday so It is not that exciting.

I like travelling and I really want to visit Thailand where I can eat spicy food as well as seeing golden temples.

Who knows … maybe if you keep writing, you will become a Noble laureate like our writers

Toni Morrison

V. S. Naipaul

Mo Yan

Bob Dylan

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Review – small talk and clothes

11th May 2020

Speaking Practice: Small Talk

Best 10 Apps for Meeting New People - Last Updated May 10, 2020 ...

Ask about:

Job – // What do you do ? // What line are you in ? // where they work

where they live

how long they have lived there (present perfect)

are they married ? If so, do they have children ? How old are they ?

the weather- // Do you think it will rain later ?

NOT about money, religion, why NOT married, or don’t have children.

To answer:

Oh, really // You don’t say right ! // That sounds interesting // Tell me more

Wow, fascinating // Do you like your job ? // How long have you been married ?

How old are your children ? Do you have a photo ? // What are you studying ?

Practice:

In a new class, ask each other some general questions. This is best done in pairs, so students don’t feel embarrassed speaking in front of the class. See how long you can keep the conversation going.

Fell free to add new questions.

Meet Your Family's Future at a Family Meeting | Psychology Today ...

Clothes

Which clothes do you like ?

Express what you feel about these clothes, whether or not you would buy them, or do you know someone who would like them ?

Vocabulary:

I choose the because it’s …

stylish // cool // beautiful // colourful // great quality // chic // really suits me

fashionable // trendy // so modern // really with it // I feel a million dollars //

however, you may feel it is …

expensive // ugly // gaudy // bad taste // not my style // old-fashioned // hideous //

I wouldn’t be caught dead in that !

60s Mod Jacket Mens Fancy Dress British Flag Union Jack Adult ...

Adult Speaking Class, level 2: The gift of the gab

10th may 2020

Today’s blog, or activity sheet, is about persuasion; the ability to change someone’s opinion or make them do what YOU want THEM to do. This is known as having ‘the gift of the gab.’

This skill is mostly associated with salesmen who, without cheating or lying, make their product sound so wonderful that you simply HAVE TO buy it … and then you get home and realise you have parted with your hard-earned money for something you don’t want, don’t need and will never use.

The Cowboy Market Trader: The Fly, The Dustbin, The Alien. The ...

Before we kick off, let’s roll out some new expressions:

One born every minute = negative, means that the person is an idiot, who bought something useless.

He/She saw you coming = negative, means the seller thought you would buy the poor quality item or pay too much for it.

Paid over the odds = negative, means paying too much for something.

Could sell sand to an Arab = positive, means the seller is so persuasive, he could sell anything to anyone (here, people who live in the desert do NOT need to buy sand).

Unique = positive, only one or something totally different and special.

Examples:

You paid £50 for that shirt ? He must have seen you coming !

The hotel was $75, I think I paid over the odds.

She’s such a great seller, she could sell sand to an Arab.

I can’t believe he though it was a real Rolex watch … for €30. Oh well, there’s one born every minute !

Activity

Welcome to

Mr Paul’s Wonderfully useful store

Here, you can find all sorts of incredibly useful and wonderful items.

The students have to practise their selling and persuasive skills, in order to sell these … ‘wonderful’ … items. As always, an example:

One grey sock

A truly wonderful sock (one), almost nearly perfect

Ladies and gentlemen, step right up, I have an absolute unique items for you. As you see, I have, just today ONLY, one beautiful delightful almost never-used silver-coloured sock, perfect for men, women or even children, yes, they can grow into it !

This amazing item, one of a kind, can be used for so many things, for example … have crying children ? Simply put the sock on your hand and … a PUPPET ! Guaranteed to stop all tears. Been shopping and have so many dirty, heavy coins ? No problem, simply put the coins in the sock. Having a party ? What would look better than this magnificent sock hanging proudly above the door ? Can use it for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Tet Holiday, Easter, Passover, Ramadan, Birthdays, Weddings … you name it … You CANNOT live without it …

You can have this priceless item for just £100 … OK, to you, today only … £75

Now … your turn

Write a ‘sales pitch’ for one of these items, think of some uses for it, then set a price. Try to convince your classmates to buy your unique item.

Some ideas for uses are at the end of the blog

Stormville Flea Market Cancels Opening Weekend — A flea market where people can sell … anything. One person’s junk is another person’d treasure

Tips and ideas:

teabag – mint tea – gets rid of spiders & mice : put on eyes to reduce puffiness

wine cork – floating key ring

banana skin – clean / shine shoes

broken umbrella – a dog coat !

Old T-shirt – cloth for cleaning

Transparent Dog Raincoat Pet Jacket Outdoor Puppy Clothes ...

Never judge a book book by its cover.

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Cinema … what shall we see ?

9th May 2020

Cinema Choice

A lesson designed to encourage speaking and student interaction, especially useful for upper-intermediates or IELTS students, who are expected to be able to speak for two minutes fluently, with a good range of vocabulary, a knowledge of phrases and expressions, not to mention said speech to be delivered with pacing, rhythm and intonation. Furthermore, as previously demonstrated, long, complex sentences with ideas linked together with discourse markers.

Without further ado … let’s take in a movie

(to take in a movie = to go and see a movie, as opposed to watching a DVD, streaming etc)

Why going to the movies is [occasionally] worth the money | DECU

Vocabulary

I prefer / choice / my taste / not my taste / trailer / concession stand

all-star cast / director / film studio / controversial/ family film / book online

What’s on at the cinema ? What’s playing this week ? Not my cup of tea.

ACTIVITY 1: Use some of the words or expressions to talk about these photos:

Example

Alfred Hitchcock, a famous director from London, is demonstrating to the cameraman what shot he wants. Hitchcock was born near my house in east London and went on to work in Hollywood with all-star casts. However, I prefer his early films made in the UK although the famous or infamous film ‘Psycho’ is one of my favourites despite being extremely controversial.

Now … your turn

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Review | Our Kids

Cinema Program – July 2014 - Arts Margaret River

How to buy movie tickets with Siri on your iPhone and iPad | iMore

Activity 2: What types of film can you name ?

Horror // Action Stories // Sci-fi // Drama // Thriller // Romance // Biopic // Comedy // Western // Animation (Anime) // Musical // Documentary // War //

Stories about people’s lives and emotions // Space films, or films set in the future // Films about fighting and soldiers // Stories about real famous people // Loud, exciting films with explosions and fast cars // A cartoon, illustrated film // True stories with real people, not actors // Stories about police or spies or crime // Scary films about ghosts or monsters // A film about cowboys, set in USA // Love stories // Funny films // with singing and dancing

Which genres are these ?

Which do you prefer ?

Return to the 60s Movies: Where Eagles Dare (Richard Burton Blog-a ...

Must Watch Documentaries About Our Environment

The Color Purple (1/6) Movie CLIP - Sisters Separated (1985) HD ...

Lon Chaney, Jr. as Kharis the Mummy | Classic monster movies ...

Prefer– to like one thing more than something else

I prefer drinking coffee to tea

He prefers living in Sai Gon rather than Hanoi

The students prefer the small room

Activity 3:

Look at an up-to-date cinema listing. Discuss what is on this week. Which films (if any) appeal to you ?

Which do you prefer ?

Going to the cinema, watching a DVD or streaming a film online ?

What are the advantages or disadvantages to each one ?

Must or have to ? Revision

The new Spider Man film may be sold out. We ______ buy tickets NOW !

I hate comedies ! Do I _____ to go ?

You _______ eat too much popcorn; it’s bad for you.

You ________to be over 18 to see this film

You don’t ____ to bring your passport to get intoa cinema in Viet Nam.

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Travel talk

5th May 2020

This blog will help intermediate students develop sentence-building skills, based around the theme of travel and how to relate your experiences or wishes.

New adjectives

stunning // playful // family-friendly // authentic // world-class

New expressions

It takes your breathe away //

The ________ is breathtaking //

An unforgettable experience //

No trip to …. would be complete without …

New verbs

create // seem // include // remember // spend // demonstrate

To warm up … use the new vocabulary to express your feelings about the following photos:

Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay) - Everything you Need to Know about ...

The Insider's Guide to Organize Family Tours in Italy - Find Your ...

Nanning Dibai 7 Star Hotel | Nanning 2020 UPDATED DEALS $40, HD ...

Where to find the best Tudor sights in England - Telegraph

Make complex sentences using these words or phrases

Example: I recently stayed in a world class, seven-star hotel which was an unforgettable experience for example; the chef created such spectacular food.

Now … your turn