One of my students has chosen the English name ‘Cherry’, so this song goes down well (especially when I try, and fail, to hit those high notes).
Now, down to business
Past tense – what is the past tense for:
eat // drink // see // become // live // travel // ride // sleep
Moving on – complete the sentence:
Last night I _____ Chinese food
Yesterday he ______ hot, sweet tea
She ______ all night
Marco Polo _______ famous for his travel stories.
He ______ from I___ to C________
In Thailand, Mr Paul _____ a large grey intelligent elephant.
Also he _____ many beautiful colourful temples
Now, past continuous
Make sentences using continuous form. Remember – verb + ing
What are they doing ? They are telling stories
Use flashcards. Have students ask and answer the questions. Call two students, one from each team and have them stand on a mark. Awards points for pronunciation as well as correct answers. Drill class to make sure everyone is taking part.
Next hand out six flashcards, three to each team.
Ask them, “What were you doing when I drank coffee ?” They must answer in the present continuous e.g. I was setting up the tent.
Finally, have a student mime an activity. Only that student’s team may answer.
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The best way to improve your pronunciation is, obviously, to listen and then to copy.
Practice, practice, practice
IELTS students in particular need to demonstrate a variety of speaking skills: intonation, stress, chunking, elongating words for emphasis, not to mention body language, eye-contact and gestures.
Therefore, without further ado, here’s a number of clips for you to practice, and don’t forget … have fun !
I want you to focus on the speech from 05:44 – 06:15
“I just want you to know it, it’s a good idea to have an answer to this question … it’s a good idea if you’re running for re-election to say, ‘Here’s what I want to accomplish.’ What did Trump say ? He got mad and walked out of the interview. He thought the questions were too tough. Too tough ! Miami, listen, if he can’t answer a tough question like, ‘What would you like to do in your second term ?’ then it’s our job to make sure he doesn’t get a second term.”
From a linguistic point of view, notice the differences between British and US English, words such as ‘interview’. Notice how President Obama paces himself … leaving space between sentences, how he stresses certain phrases (“Too tough !“). Finally, listen to the ‘music’ of the last sentence. His voice is building up to a climatic, “Doesn’t get …” which is an incredibly powerful way of speaking.
“…and ensure more products are stamped with that beautiful phrase: ‘Made in the USA.’ And next year will be the greatest economic year in the history of our country … under my leadership our economy grew at the fastest rate ever recorded, 33.1%, just announced. We created a record 11.4 million jobs in the last five months …”
Naturally, not everybody agrees with President Trump, nor his style of debating. Here’s how Vice-President Joe Biden reacted to being constantly interrupted:
Time to bring it closer to (my) home, and British politics. You saw how polished and professional President Obama was … but that is not always the case. Here is former Labour (left wing) politician, Diane Abbot who was famous, or infamous, for making mistakes in the media.
In this clip, the politician is forced to listen to a recording of a radio interview where she couldn’t answer the question. This can make you cringe.
The question was how much would 10 000 extra police officers cost ?
“Well, if we recruit the 10 000 police men and women over a four-year period, we believe it will be about £300 000 …”
Interviewer speaks …
“Haha, no, I mean, sorry, they will cost … they will, it will cost … um about … about £80 million … yeah !”
Now, the British Parliament may be regarded as an icon of modern democracy and free speech but it can get out of hand. Politicians, like children, can be noisy and in need of discipline. A strong presence is required to maintain order. Here’s Mr John Bercow, former Speaker of the House reprimanding a politician:
A collection of clips predominantly featuring western people and their views on Vietnam. I have also added some suggested sequences for pronunciation practice … and so, without further ado …
First time in Viet Nam – First impressions of Viet Nam
A vlog by Divert Living, posted just over two years ago and which has already received more than a million hits:
” … and I asked them, ‘How much is aqua (water) ?’ Aqua’s fifteen thousand, beer’s twenty thousand … of course I’m gonna get the beer, now … it’s just as expensive as the water.”
09:00 – 0913
“Fun fact, Vietnamese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world … and, to go with the food, the size of the dining tables and chairs are super small.”
This vlog was shot in Ha Noi, so let’s get their take (their opinion, view, experience) on Sai Gon:
What to expect – Saigon or HCMC
Now they travel to my neck of the woods (the area I live in or was brought up in), and they encounter, among many other delights, coconut coffee:
“Wow … that’s so strong, but it’s got a ball of coconut ice-cream in the middle … whoah !”
And the young lady who I believe is Korean adds:
“I wanna try … This is the coffee king … ahhhhhhhh !”
Talking Point:
The young travellers give their views on the environment and cleanliness of District 1 which is the city centre [UK] or downtown area [USA].
To what extent do you agree with them ?
What do Vietnamese students think of the Vlogger’s appraisal of Sai Gon ?
Let’s move on and talk about traffic which is quite a serious issue in Vietnam. Firstly, attending driving school … what can go wrong ? A clip from the world-famous motoring show from the BBC, ‘Top Gear.’
Right from the get go (from the very start) we have some great lines:
“Cheer up … this is gonna be a doodle … [Vietnamese] … it wasn’t !”
01.23 – 01:45
“How the hell … what did you just do ?”
“It was eighteen. Eighteen years old.”
“How did you know ?”
“Did you not bother learning Vietnamese before we came here ?”
“Well, no.”
“You’re screwed, then.”
Time for some food and the ubiqitous Phở My favourite TV chef, Mr Keith Floyd, who sadly passed away in 2009. He came to Asia, and visited Vietnam and now he’s going to tell you about Phở:
A major problem for students is pronunciation and also, in some classes, it can be rather tricky to get the students talking. Obviously, many learners are scared of mispronouncing and ‘losing face’ by their mistake.
This activity helps with both issues.
Arrange the class in small groups and hand each member an card. The students have to read out the information, while the other write down what they hear. Many of my students feel that work is something to be done as quickly as possible, but that will not work in this situation.
Instead, the other team members will need to check what is being said. This encourages slow, clear and careful pronunciation. To assist, use expressions such as:
Can you speak slower, please.
Would you mind speaking slower, please.
How do you spell that ?
Could you repeat that, please.
Sorry, I didn’t catch the phone number.
Let me confirm …
Is that ‘b’ as in blue or ‘p’ as in pink ?
Teachers: adapt to suit the level of your class. Add email address, specific requests etc
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If I have included your image, please accept my sincere apologies, and I shall remove the picture.
Today we’ll turn our attention to Part 2: uninterrupted speakingfor up to two minutes.
Remember, you have a minute to write notes. Use the method which works best for you, but I suggest you write a keyword that will help you recall L-FWs or an idiom.
Part 2: What problems would you have with the food if you lived in the UK ?
You should say:
what UK food you know,
if you have ever tried it
if you have ever seen it
if you think you would enjoy it … and why (or why not).
Try to speak for the full 2 minutes. By now, you should know the formula: great introduction, some positive points, some negative, an anecdote, then a conclusion.
Well, that’s a very pertinent question because recently, I have been thinking about where I would like to study, and the UK is certainly top of my list. I am sure there would be some culture shock, especially when it comes to the food.
In class, we have seen some photos of traditional food such as toad in the hole, the full English breakfast and of course, the traditional Sunday roast. I think that British people have special food at Christmas time with … let me remember … turkey and vegetables then a special pudding which they set alight. I guess they use strong alcohol to make it burn. It looks tremendous fun.
I come from a small town, so I only had local food, but now I live in a big city, I can experience more western cuisine although we mostly eat fast food. So, no, I haven’t tried British food. Not yet, but the Christmas food looks mouth-watering.
Sometimes I watch a movie and I look out for what people eat. It looks very different from my country. Oh, of course, we use chopsticks here, as well as spoons, but they use a knife and fork in the UK. I tried once. My friend Jenny, who went to London on holiday, came back with a present for me. It was a knife and fork. I tried, I really tried but I couldn’t get the hang of it.
However when I see people eat in restaurants, I am a little nervous. They look so expensive. It must cost an arm and a leg to eat there.
Would I enjoy it ? I am not sure but I think so. My favourite food is chicken and sea food so I am sure I can get those easily. Maybe the food would possibly be bland compared to Asian food because we use lots of fresh vegetables and spices. On the other hand, new food is part of the new culture. Now I start to feel hungry !
Well living in a big city, I have a wide choice of food, including American and European cuisine. Fast food restaurants are ubiquitous so I have eaten, for example, burgers, KFC and pizza, which is my favourite.
In my opinion, younger people like western food. I often hang out with my friends at a mall and then grab a bite. It can be quite quick and very tasty. The restaurants are fun because they are colourful, have music and many happy people.
Having said that, fast food, especially burgers and fried chicken, is very unhealthy. There isn’t much salad. My mother, who is a great cook, doesn’t want me eating this food but I feel that it is OK if I only eat it occasionally.
Another point is the price. As a student, I think pizza costs an arm and a leg. It is so expensive compared to local street food. When I eat at, say, Pizza Hut, I usually order the sea food because it’s, I guess, better for me that the four-meat special !
Naturally there is a lot of western food that is mouth-watering and nutritious. Unfortunately, I haven’t tried much although I did go to an Italian restaurant once, when my uncle, who lives in Ha Noi, came to visit. I had spaghetti and meat balls, with a beautiful fresh salad and … allow me to add … a small glass of red wine. I would love to eat more western food, especially in a nice restaurant but that only happens once in blue moon.
More sample answers in the next blog. Happy eating
A varied lesson plan. Firstly, we’ll (we will) start with a talk about married life. After, we’ll focus on phrasal verbs and finally we’ll conclude with some new expressions.
Naturally there will be many opportunities for you to practise, and I’ll (I will) include the answers at the end of the blog.
Married life
Conversation Practice
What advise would you give to someone getting married ?
How does life change after marriage ?
What is the normal marriage age in your country ?
Are married people expected to have children ?
How many children are expected ?
Is there pressure from family to have children ?
Is marriage ‘give and take’ ? Is it a continual compromise ?
How important are families in your country ?
Do you live in a nuclear or extended family ?
(nuclear = parents & children / extended= parents, children & grandparents, maybe aunts, uncles, nieces etc)
Phrasal verbs: coming out // look after // hang up // turn down // give up // hang out // look up to // take after // turn up
What phrasal verb means:
take care of // spend time with friends // to be like someone // stop doing something // make music louder // make music softer (quieter) // to respect someone // turn off a phone conversation // plan to go outside
Hang out with friends
Look after your young sister (Treeless Mountain, South Korea, 2008)
Now … your turn
Which phrasal verb would you use?
Many people 1) ………. Nelson Mandela.
In ‘Treeless Mountain’, a young girl has to 2) ……… of her young sister.
She looks just like her mother, she really 3) ………. her.
Learning Mandarin is too hard, I 4) ………..
Are you 5) …… tomorrow night ?
New expressions / vocabulary
unique = one of a kind, there is only one of them, very special
numerous = many
typical = normal, usual
straightaway = immediately, right now
clue = evidence (the police look for a clue.)
I haven’t got a clue = I’ve no idea !
First impressions count = the first thing you see is very important
blows your (my) mind = something so amazing, you almost can’t believe it.
Can’t judge a book by its cover = you can not tell what something or someone is like just by how it or they look.
Making a very good first impression
Now … your turn
What words or expressions would you use ?
1. Can you please send me that email …….. (now).
2. He looks so quiet and nice, but he plays very loud guitar. That proves you …………………………………….
He looks a very nice, quiet young man, but …
3. Don’t worry, there are ……. coffee shops on the main road.
4. Wow ! He knows so much, it totally ……………. (really surprises me)
5. You can’t replace that broken vase, it was …….. (only one of a kind).
6. What is 1 693 093 divided by 37 ? I …………………………. (no idea at all)
Answers:
take care of // look after
spend time with friends // hang out
to be like someone // take after
stop doing something // give up
make music louder // turn up
make music softer (quieter) //turn down
to respect someone // look up to
turn off a phone conversation // hang up
plan to go outside // coming out
look up to 2. take care of 3. takes after 4. give up 5. coming out
New expressions
1. straightaway or immediately 2. can’t judge a book by its cover 3. numerous 4. blows my mind 5. unique 6. haven’t got a clue !
If you are using these in class, the teacher will help you with pronunciation.
Remember: your IELTS score will also depend on how clearly you speak, your rhythm and correct use of intonation and stress. Therefore listen to native-speakers, copy and practice.
Enjoy your drink … this one’s on me
This one’s on me // Let me think about it // It doesn’t matter // Thanks for coming
I don’t believe a word of it // I’ll be with you in a minute // I see what you mean
It was lovely to see you // I don’t get the point // As I was saying
You look great today // I’ll be making a move then // Just looking, thanks
I’ll be making a move then … bye
Match the phrase(s) with the situation
[answers at end of exercise]
Saying goodbye after meeting an old friend
Compliment someone
You are asked a question but need time to consider
Someone tells you a story – you think it is false.
Friends drinking in a pub / bar
You go into a shop but not necessarily to buy anything
A customer arrives but you are busyfor that moment.
You don’t understand what someone is trying to prove
You understand what someone thinks (but not necessarily agree with)
There is a small problem / Someone upsets you but you want to make it OK
To continue with a conversation that was interrupted.
Ms Shu Qi – you look great today !
It was lovely to see you 2. You look great today 3. Let me think about it 4. I don’t believe a word of it 5. This one’s on me [I will pay for this drink] 6. Just looking, thanks 7. I’ll be with you in a minute 8. I don’t get the point 9. I see what you mean 10. It doesn’t matter 11. As I was saying
Expressing likes and dislikes
Like:
I absolutely love … I’m crazy about …
I (really) like I’m into // I’m a big fan of …
I’m quite keen on
I haven’t heard (seen/read) this before, but I think it’s great
No strong opinion:
I have mixed feelings about ….
I don’t really have any strong views / feelings either way
A database of common UK & USA expressions, phrases and idioms for students who want to learn more, in order to increase their command of and respect for the English language. I have provided my IELTS students with half a dozen (a dozen = 12, therefore half a dozen = 6. Having said that, a ‘baker’s dozen’ = 13 … welcome to English !) idioms, but this blog is aimed at students who are willing to go above the barest minimum.
We kick off (start) with expressions and idioms, as they are tremendous fun, then move on to collocations. How words fit together is a powerful tool in learning English … huge chunks of texts suddenly group themselves into small word blocks, enabling you to predict what will be said (especially useful in listening exercises).
Finally, we wrap up with some negotiation phrases. In the next blog, I’ll give you a chance to use these in sentences, but for now, familiarise yourself with a handful of new expressions … it could be right up your street.
Alice Sara Ott – German-Japanese pianist. I recommended her to a musician friend and he said it was right up his street.
Expressions / idioms
Ring any bells ? // do you remember //
More or less // not exactly but approximately
Get the gist // do you understand the main point ?
Right up your street // this is something you will really like
Rabbiting on // UK slang, especially in London … talking too much
Piece of cake // no problem, very easy, sure
Tongue in cheek // not being serious about something
“I think Donald Trump is the greatest US President …” Do you think President Obama would say this and be serious ?
Keep your hand in // to practise something so you don’t forget how it’s done
Bucket down / raining cats and dogs // raining very heavily
Have a go / give it a bash / give it a shot // to try something
Call it a day // to stop work and go home early
Go ahead // sure, do it
Under one roof // everything in one place
Through thick and thin // together in good times and bad times.
To spill the beans // to tell a secret, or to share some private information
I should cocoa // UK slang, old-fashioned = I really don’t believe it or you
kick-off // A sports expression from football – means to start
tied up / snowed under / rushed off our feet / flat out / up to my eyes // very busy
daylight robbery // much too expensive, very over-priced.
on your bike // go away !
to throw a wobbly // to become angry and shout and curse
Bang up to date // totally modern and new or completed all your work on schedule
otherwise engaged // busy – a polite way of saying ‘go away’
I know where you’re coming from // I understand what you are saying and how you think
to get hold of someone // try to make contact with someone by phone, in person, email etc
speak of the Devil // to talk about something and then they appear
to be into something // to really enjoy or like something or someone
to put something over someone / to pull the pull over someone’s eyes // try to trick or cheat someone
There’ll be Hell to pay // you will be in BIG trouble !
Hell breaks loose // people will be very angry and upset
I’ll give you a bell / a shout // I will call you on the phone
Knock off / to finish work
knock it off // stop doing that !
That’s proper loud // UK slang ‘proper’ meaning very – that’s very loud
Well chuffed // extremely happy
come again ? / You what ? // UK slang for say it again, please
What do you reckon ? // What do you think of something ?
Collocations
To run a business
To conduct / carry out a survey
Can I have a word with you / a quick word
Do you have minute ?
Voting with their feet
Can I put you on hold ? / to be put on hold / Hold the line
A victory for common sense
I’m none the wiser
On the button / on the money
get the hang of it
scraping the barrel
Negotiation Language
I fail to see the relevance
I don’t see how that applies
That’s as maybe
I don’t get/see your point / I think you are missing the point
Thay Paul's Notes 