IELTS: Vocabulary bank to help you ace the test.

4th May 2022

Let’s kick off with an adjective review. What adjectives have you been taught recently ? I’ll give you a clue with the first letter:

f (means to be cheeky, a little impolite but in a funny way)

u (not usual, someone acting unlike their normal self)

p (very relevant, of interest at this time)

This is a test to see who has been making notes in class, and who has been coasting.

Hhhmmmm … this is not going to be a piece of cake

The answers are facetious, uncharacteristically & pertinent. For those that didn’t know, you now have to use them in a sentence. It may be one complex sentence, which would really impress me, or three basic sentences. What are you waiting for ?

Now some vocabulary building:

computer literacy (noun) computer literate (adjective)

flexible / flexibility / flexi-hours

to adapt / adaptability / prospects / standard of living

networking / future skills / essential workplace skills

prosaic [cf with ‘run of the mill’]

cf is Latin for ‘compare’

e.g. is Latin meaning ‘for example’

i.e. is Latin for ‘that is’.

Now … let’s go to work !

Complete the sentences:

If you learn English you will increase your job ____________

Nowadays, most young people are _____________ _________________ . They are able to use programs such as Word, ___________ & ________

When selecting a university, you may have to be ______________ in case you don’t get into your first choice.

Getting a great, well-paying job is essential if you want a high ________________________ .

One student moved to Boston where the temperature can drop to below freezing. He’s really having ________ to the new culture.

My actor friend is busy 24/7, attending parties, setting up meeting, pitching ideas and Tweeting. That guy is constantly ______________ .

Phew!. The last time I wrote it was so long… | by Vaibhav Sinha | How I Learnt Piano | Medium — Phew ! Thay Paul is a Tiger Teacher

Class Game

Split class into two teams.

One team selects an idiom and the other team has to use it, correctly of course, in a sentence.

EXAMPLE:

Rickenbacker 330 Left-Handed, Jetglo at Gear4music

I would love this guitar, a left-handed Rickenbacker which is a famous American company with a very distinctive look and sound yet, to my dismay, it costs ______________________

Idioms from Semester 2

Another string to (your) bow – a new skill or learning experience

bear with me – please wait a very short time (usually spoken as opposed to written)

bit of a sore point – something that makes you sad or angry

down in the dumps – depressed, unhappy, feeling gloomy

hit the ground running – to start something immediately and with all your energy

like a madhouse – a place or area that is crazy, too noisy, too busy etc

run of the mill – ordinary, typical, normal, usual, boring

up in arms – to be very angry about something, to protest strongly

you take your life in your hands – doing something that is extremely dangerous

Idioms from Semester 1

Which you should all know by heart and be able to reel off at the drop of a hat.

it’s raining cats and dogs

it costs an arm and a leg

piece of cake

I’m burning the candle at both ends

once in a blue moon

pass with flying colours

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! | Chynna Pope: The Beacon Hellion

Remember these old chestnuts ?

without further ado // tricks up your sleeve // ace the test

pass with flying colours // do yourself proud //

you are in the driver seat (or you are in the driving seat) //

occur // inevitably // pertinent

This taxi has put me in the driver's seat of my life': Female taxi driver shares inspiring story - it s viral - Hindustan Times — Guess who’s in the driver’s seat ?

For those who really want to expand their horizons, an extensive collection of idioms, expressions and collocations can be found on this blog: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/08/25/adult-speaking-class-level-3-ielts-english-expressions/

Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.

Two birds with one stone: listening and vocabulary

11th December 2021

Two Birds with One Stone”: Transmedia Serialisation in Twin Peaks | M/C Journal

Outside of the classroom, students will often be using English with other non-native speakers. Therefore, it is good practice to listen to people speaking English to see how much, or how little, you understand.

With that in mind, here’s a short video on extending your vocabulary, learning ‘low-frequency words’, or better words. However, the instructor is from India and has an accent. To test your understanding, try listening first, then look to check if you are correct:

New Vocabulary

Instead of using ‘very’ + adjective (I am very tired), use a single word:

Try to use ‘sagacious’, ‘exquisite’, ‘colossal’ and ‘spacious’ EXAMPLES:

The classrooms in Block D are ……….. (big, plenty of room)

The furnishings are perfect, they are ………. (very tasteful)

Building an underground train network is a ………… undertaking (very big, challenging)

The old man was ………. People came to him for advice. (very clever, wise)

IELTS Mindset 1, lesson 6 Review

21st April 2021

Today is Hung King Festival, a free day in Viet Nam

Hung King Festival | All about Hung King Temple Festival 2021 — Hung King Festival (Kings’ Day) Viet Nam (Google Images)

“The holiday is dedicated to the memory of the Hung line of kings who ruled Vietnam as priestly kings for over 2,500 years up until around 250 B.C. These kings are counted as the nation’s ancient founders.” Read more on:

https://publicholidays.vn/hung-kings-commemoration-day/

New Vocabulary

Cheap as chips … very inexpensive (UK expression)

Elaborate (verb) … tell more, expand on your answer

Significant (adj) significance (noun) significantly (adv) … very important or different from the rest. Special, notable.

Simile … to compare something e.g. he drinks like a fish, she eats like a pig, our campus is like a bloody madhouse.

White collar job … professional, desk job or requires mental skills e.g. lawyer, doctor, office worker, teacher

Blue collar job … manual work, although these jobs can also need a professional qualification, and can be extremely well-paid.

May be an image of 4 people and people smiling — Good old boys from Atlanta, Georgia back in the day. Three have blue collar jobs, one is white collar … can you guess which ?

Now, on with the show. Last night was based around the typical IELTS question, “Tell me about your family,” and its derivatives. I tell classes until I’m blue in the face, just saying, “I live with my mum, my dad and my sister,” is not a great IELTS answer, not to mention being tedious in the extreme.

The students mulled it over and came up with the reasonable response that there really was nothing else to say. Au contraire (on the contrary) there is so much to say, and every journey, as my Duchess knows, starts with a single step to wit, a great introduction.

The students, somewhat perplexed, offered:

Well, I don’t know how to give an interesting answer because I just live with my mum, dad and brother …

Even that would qualify as an introduction, but how about:

Allow me to introduce my family to you. Firstly there is …

Here’s where relative clauses really come into their own. Basically, every time you mention a subject, a noun, elaborate; tell the examiner more about said subject.

May be an image of 3 people — Hold your horses, Thay Paul. Will you give me an example ? Photo in Manila.

Oh, you know I will. Let’s start with the matriarch, Mommie dearest. You could say:

My mother has a heart of gold …

…then explain why

… she’s always thinking of other people before herself, as well as listening to all my problems and trying to help me with everything.

On the other hand, your mother may want you to excel at everything …

Although I love her dearly, my mother is what they call a Tiger Mum by which I mean she always makes me study, do homework and learn piano. I really burn the candle at both ends and sometimes it can be too much for me.

Now, let’s turn to pater, Daddy;

My father, on the other hand, is firm but fair …

My father has a white collar job. He works long hours to provide for his family, he really has his nose to the grindstone …

He’s a little loud and on holidays, he loves singing karaoke with his friends, who are all blue collar workers, and he drinks like a fish.

Now, a borrowed word to describe sister …

My sister, who is younger than me, is such a prima donna, always (doing what ?) …

Conversely:

My sister is so sweet, she’s like a little angel, and she loves playing with our puppy who is just six weeks old.

How about brother ?

My brother really looks out for me, giving me advice and guidance. I totally look up to him.

On the other hand …

My brother is an absolute slacker, lazy beyond belief. He never helps in the house, or cleans his room. He does his homework once in a blue moon, preferring to play stupid computer games instead.

How was that ? Happy now ?

No photo description available. — Yes, that’s a great help, **Khob khun** (khap/ka). Two Thai friends in London.

Now … Your Turn

Last night you encountered these adjectives and occupations:

aggressive / arrogant / calm / funny (haha) / funny (crazy) / generous / honest / humorous / kind / mean / modest / polite / quiet / reliable / rude / selfish / serious / thoughtless / trustworthy /

estate agent / plumber / DJ / mechanic / bouncer / surgeon / accountant / actor / cook or chef / removal man / insurance agent / bank clerk / detective / businessperson / barista / lawyer / slacker shop manager / unemployed /

Exercise 1: Write and then present your own IELTS-style answer to the question, “Tell me who you live with ?” Use new words as well as your own ideas.

Here’s some help, should you require it:

Allow me to introduce my family to you. Firstly there is my mother who … (where is she from OR what is her job OR what is she like, by which I mean physically or in terms of personality ?).

My father, on the other hand, is …

As for my younger sister, I worry about her because she …

Now, let’s mix it up a little … say you live with an aunt, a grandparent, a cousin … impress me; I know you can do it.

For more about introductions, check out this blog: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/28/ielts-please-allow-me-to-introduce-myself/

For last night’s lesson blog, click here: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/20/ielts-mindset-1-lesson-6-speaking-speaking-and-more-speaking/

See you next week

Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Review game

11th March 2021

FIFA World Cup 1966 | England 66 | Football | Athlet.org

To review recent lessons, try these questions – answers at end of blog.

For teachers, you could add these into a computer game, assigning different points based on the difficulty of the question.

A) Name two famous artists

B) If you study hard, you will ______________ a qualification

C) Tell me two kitchen appliances that are useful but not essential

D) What kind of painting is this ?

Laughing Cavalier - Wikipedia — ‘The Laughing Cavalier’ by Franz Hals

E) What two types of electromagnetic radiation can be found in a home ?

F) English Tests can make you (a negative adjective)

G) Give your view on this work of art:

Ý nghĩa đằng sau bức tranh "Persistence of Memory" - Salvador Dalí | Almond Blossom — ‘Persistence of Memory’ by Dali

H) Hyper means: i) more than average ii) average iii) less than average. Give two examples.

I) Which is correct i) She loves reading books ii) She loves to read books iii) Both

Premium Photo | A cute asian woman is sitting reading a book on the sofa or a chair happy smiling at home during relax time

J) This young lady is in a coffee shop. Such shops are ________ in this city. What big word (low-frequency word) means ‘everywhere’ ?

K) What type of painting is this ?

Meadow with Two Large Trees by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot - Hand Painted Oil Painting | Landscape paintings, Oil painting landscape, Landscape art — By the French artist Corot, and if you can’t appreciate the beauty of art, then I feel sorry for you.

L) A student who comes to English class and then refuses to speak English is i) wasting their time ii) wasting their money iii) normal in Vietnam iV) all of the above

M) One small town in Virginia, USA has banned … what … and why ?

N) A great adjective we use when we can’t describe something that we really like.

O) A word meaning ‘to light up’. Can you give an example from Viet Nam ?

Here are some helpful Hoi An travel tips, just for you!

P) Mark Zuckerberg growed up in New York, and drop down of Harvard University … correct the two phrasal verbs.

Q) Teaching unmotivated students is boring, t_______ & m_______.

R) A term for someone who wants to be a powerful decision-maker is a ___________________________

S) An idiom meaning one has no choice

T) What type of art is this ? Give two expressions to indicate that you don’t like it

Jackson Pollock: The face of abstract expressionism — by Jackson Pollack (USA)

U) How often does Thay Paul smile in class ?

V) A nurse will hold a patient’s wrist to check the _______

W) Say this:

The brother bit the sister so the mother beat the brother

X) Time to think and use your imagination. What feelings does this painting inspire in you ?

Y) Why are you studying English ? Seriously … why ?

Z) What is the name of this effect ?

A) Picasso, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Renoit, Dali, Munch etc …

B) attain

C) blender, sieve, potato peeler, whisk, egg-timer, meat slicer etc

D) a portrait E) radio, microwave F) nervous, scared, anxious etc

G) start with ‘In my opinion …’ or ‘As far as I’m concerned …’ etc

H) i) more than: hyper-market, hyperinflation, hyper-sensitive

I) both are correct (check Cambridge Dictionary for confirmation)

J) ubiquitous K) a landscape L) all of the above

M) cell phones and WiFi as they interfere with the radio telescope.

N) ineffable O) illuminate, such as the lanterns in Hoi An.

P) grew up & dropped out of Q) tedious & monotonous

R) a mover and a shaker S) my hands are tied

T) not my cup of tea, I wouldn’t call that art, it leaves me cold, I don’t get it at all etc

U) in this class, NEVER (except at 9.00 pm)

V) pulse

X) [no irony intended … well, maybe a little] ‘Nighthawks’ is often interpreted as showing loneliness, sadness, depression, urban alienation. I could explain more, but nobody in this country gives a hoot about art.

Y) beats the hell out of me.

Z) silhouette

Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Breaking the silence.

2nd March 2021

The future of social interactions | by UV | Medium

Ôi Trời Ơi – Oy Vey! – Are you kidding me ! Last night’s class was chockablock with new, high-level vocabulary:

I don't underStand - Confused asian lady | Meme Generator

Ok, take it easy, let’s break it down. Firstly, you were not expected to learn or remember everything; I told you to … well, you tell me. Try to complete the sentences with the new words. If you need help, the vocabulary box follows the questions, while I’ll put the answers at the end of the blog.

1) I didn’t understand everything, but I got the ________

2) Light and sound travel in ___________

3) X-Rays and microwaves are a form of (type of) __________________

4) For me, trying to pronounce Vietnamese words is a real ____________

5) Can you buy twelve eggs ? Yeah, buy me ______________

6) I don’t understand the Zoom instruction video, there’s so much computer __________

7) One of y tá (nurse) Cam’s duties is to take a patient’s ________ , to measure their heartbeat.

8) They love each other dearly, but they don’t always see __________________

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - Full HD Movie For Free | hdbest.net — A scene from ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe ?’ with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor who actually were married … twice, in fact.

VOCABULARY: a dozen // gist // struggle // pulse // jargon // waves // eye to eye // electromagnetic radiation //

Types of Electromagnetic Radiation | Tnuda

Despite the jargon, there were some useful, everyday phrases that you can start to use:

lack of ..

for the sake of …

actually quite …

away from …

there’s no chance of …

NOW … YOUR TURN – complete the sentences, then make your own examples (in pairs or teams).

A) I need a holiday, I have to get ________________ the city.

B) She thought the film would be tedious but is was ____________ interesting.

C) Unless you study harder, _______________ you passing the test.

D) People can be very unhealthy due to a _________ vitamins in their diet.

E) He always agrees with his wife _______________________ peace and quiet.

Finally, for extra practice:

i) I don’t phone the UK on my mobile because it’s ___________

Been struck down by a mobile phone bill shock? – Which? Conversation

ii) If my Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting, I will ______________________

7 Tips For Dealing With a Conflict at Work, Even In Quarantine

iii) Things that can affect society and how people behave. For example, the original ‘Star Wars’ films were an incredible ____________________

Poll: Are You a Die-Hard Star Wars Fan? | StarWars.com

Answers

1) gist 2) waves 3) electromagnetic radiation 4) struggle 5) a dozen 6) jargon 7) pulse 8 ) eye to eye

A) away from B) actually quite C) there’s no chance of D) lack of E) for the sake of

i) prohibitively expensive ii) lose my mind iii) sociological phenomenon

Shopping: Vocabulary, speaking exercises, fixed prices & fixed expressions

14th December 2020

A compilation of Shopping blogs, for all levels

Vocabulary:

range of choice / quality / cost / location / crowded

store layout (what does it look like ? Is it easy to find things ?)

staff helpfulness / average (normal), put themselves out (very helpful) surly (unhappy)

value for money (good quality at a good price)/ on offer / sale /over-priced / bargains

Vocabulary for malls:

lift / elevator/ display /salesperson / free parking /restroom / lost property /receipt

credit cards / take away / fitting room / returns policy / shoplifting /Black Friday

Speaking practice:

When was the last time you went to a mall ?

Why did you go ? What did you buy ?

Did you buy more than you intended ?

Was it a pleasant experience ?

Which do you like and would you recommend them to a friend … why ?

Where would you go to buy these shirts or T-shirts ?

How much would you expect to pay ?

Can you haggle (argue over the price ?) or are they fixed price ? How would you rate the quality ?

What was the last thing you bought ? Was it for yourself, or a present ?

Don’t you love a bargain ? When is the best time to buy at discounted prices ?

In the UK, after Christmas we have the sales – many items are MUCH cheaper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSKrVh-3U3E

Black Friday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlPVAUulKZE

What do you think about these scenes ?

Are they dignified / horrific / shameful / appalling / materialism gone mad ?

Dialogue:

Ben Did you pick up anything on Black Friday

James Yeah, one or two things. I got a cool new shirt and shoes, half price.

Ben Sounds a bargain ! I was after a big screen TV but the store was crowded

James Tell me about it ! It was crazy. Apparently, it was the busiest day ever.

Ben I’m not surprised. That’s why I detest shopping; no where to park …

James People screaming and pushing, can’t even get in the lift …

Ben When you do find something, you have to queue for ages.

James I wanted to pay by credit card but the salesperson was really surly.

Ben Must have been rushed off her feet (very busy).

James She could have been more pleasant. Could have smiled once !

Ben What did she look like ?

James You decide … I tried out my new phone camera:

angry woman blowing steam coming out of ears | Canadian Contractor

Deciding what to buy

You are on a shopping trip to the USA

Which of these items would you buy ? Which appeal to you ? Which hold no interest ?

Vocabulary

That looks wonderful // I need to try it (them) on first // That’s good quality

No, that’s a rip off (too expensive) // That’s not my style // That really suits me

You must be joking ! // Brilliant ! // Wrap it up ! // Do you take credit cards ?

Subject Index: English Vocabulary: Vocabulary building & exercises.

4th December 2020

Vocabulary building

Adjectives // Beginners’ English

Adult class (various) // Adult Class // 17- 19 December 2019

Animal idioms and expressions // A – D // 3rd April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/03/animals-idioms-phrases-and-interesting-facts-a-d/

Animal idioms and expressions // A – D (Part 2) // 6th April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/06/animals-idioms-phrases-and-interesting-facts-a-d-part-2/

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, Level 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, Level 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

Food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Foot expressions // IELTS // 25th November 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/11/25/ielts-some-footnotes-to-help-you-stand-on-your-own-two-feet/

General // IELTS: Final Review // 5th March 2019

Friends and occupations (photos) // Adult Class, Level 3 // 5th September 2019

General // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

I live in a … // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Indian lady teaches vocabulary // Adult Class, Level 3 // 11th December 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/12/11/two-birds-with-one-stone-listening-and-vocabulary/

IELTS // Film for IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020

IELTS // General // 19th February 2019

IELTS // Idioms (sweets) // 19th February 2019

IELTS // Preparing for speaking test // 14th May 20202

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

IELTS // Like or dislike // 16th April 2019

IELTS // Music // 16th April 2019

IELTS 5-6.5 // Music // 11th September 2019

IELTS 5-6.5 // Music // 25th September 2019

IELTS // Phrases // 21st January 2019

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

Jobs // Asking about jobs // Young Teens // 21st February 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 Class, Level 3 // 14 November 2019

Money expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: luxury day // 12th March 2020

Opinion phrases // Young Learners 4 // 26th October 2019

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

Science jargon // Radio telescope // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st March 2021 : https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/01/adult-speaking-class-level-2-maintain-radio-silence/

Science jargon // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 2nd March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/02/adult-speaking-class-level-2-breaking-the-silence/

Semantics // New Words // 5th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/05/semantics-new-words/

Shell expressions // Teaching Notes // 3rd February 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/02/03/shell-phrases-in-a-nutshell/

Shopping // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

To what extent … ? // Adult Class, Level 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 Class, Level 1 // 26th February 2019

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

Vocabulary review // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Vocabulary exercises:

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

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

Tourism presentation // Teenagers // 20th January 2019

Compilation of exercises:

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/09/vocabulary-building-exercises/

This compilation includes:

Match new vocabulary with definitions then practice.

Personality adjectives

Relative pronouns

Small talk responses

Travel with new expressions

Travel – hotel guide

Travel – life in Sai Gon

What Difference Does It Make – definitions of similar words

Past Tense: Beginners’ exercises

17th October 2020

Young Learners, Level 5 E Up 5, Unit 1

The younglings have just started learning the past tense, so here’s a brief review lesson:

London Tourist Travel Woman With UK Flag Umbrella, Telephone.. Stock Photo, Picture And Royalty Free Image. Image 108085390.

Present tense ——– Past tense

act —— acted

go —- went

learn —— learned OR learnt

play — played

read —– read (pronounced ‘red)

ride —— rode

sleep —– slept

watch —- watched (pronounced ‘watch -t‘)

win —- won

What is the past tense ?

I act in a film. Last week I ______ in a film.

I go to London. Last year I _______________ to London.

I ride an elephant. Last month I ___________ an elephant.

I learn English. Last Saturday, we ___________ English with Mr Paul.

The monkey plays piano. Last night, the monkey _________ piano.

Piano playing monkey | Playing piano, See monkeys, Gershwin

She reads a book. Last Sunday she _____ a book.

ally gong asian girl cute mug reading book inspiration milan kundera ignorance - Ally Gong

He sleeps all day. Yesterday he _______ all day.

Sleep may trigger rhythmic power washing in the brain | Science News

I watch the amazing Spiderman. Last week I ______ the amazing Spiderman.

Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man is a great New York movie

England win the football game.

In 1966, England _______ the World Cup.

1966 FIFA World Cup England ™ - FIFA.com

New Vocabulary

plastic // brilliant // amazing // huge // freezing // expensive // however // busker

shy // wide-awake // sleepy // confident // relaxed // nervous

City centre tribute planned for Leeds busker who died in hospital - here's how to pay your respects - Leeds Live

This man is a __________

Humanitarian superpower' Sweden struggles to house refugees as harsh Nordic winter looms | The World from PRX

They are very cold, they are ____________

How did they feel ?

She felt _________ however he felt ________

10 Signs A Shy Girl Likes You - See if she likes you too!

He felt ________________ however she felt ______________

Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep? Here's How to Tell – Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

IELTS – Get your motor runnin’: fluency, stress and intonation

15th October 2020

Get Your Motor Runnin' Head Out on the Highway | Donald Trump Meme on ME.ME

Our plan for the next semester is to develop speaking skills – presentation and delivery – as well as, naturally, increasing vocabulary, colocations, phrases, idioms … in short, the whole nine yards.

New idioms

I don’t want to overburden the class with too many idioms, so these are what we’ll be using over this semester. That means using them repeatedly until they become second nature and the students, of whom I am very fond, will have another string to their bow … oh, heck – ANOTHER idiom !

Another string to (your) bow – a new skill or learning experience

bear with me – please wait a very short time (usually spoken as opposed to written)

bit of a sore point – something that makes you sad or angry

down in the dumps – depressed, unhappy, feeling gloomy

hit the ground running – to start something immediately and with all your energy

like a madhouse – a place or area that is crazy, too noisy, too busy etc

run of the mill – ordinary, typical, normal, usual, boring

up in arms – to be very angry about something, to protest strongly

you take your life in your hands – doing something that is extremely dangerous

NOW … your turn … what idioms fits ?

Lunatics Paradise: Australia's Renewables Fiasco Like Living in a Madhouse – STOP THESE THINGS

At breaktimes, all the younglings come pouring out of their classes, screaming their little heads off …

it’s ___________________________________

Students protest against tuition fees - BBC News

Students are unhappy about tuition fees

They are _____________

You still can!': Music teacher champions adult students learning violin

She can speak five languages, do karate and is now learning violin

She has added __________________________

Yawning Girl Reading A Boring Book Stock Photo, Picture And Royalty Free Image. Image 19559231.

She thought the novel would be extremely exciting.

Unfortunately, for her, it’s just a ___________________ story.

Street Photography in Austin - Assignment Chicago

Some areas of downtown are no-go areas.

You really _________________________________________ if you go after dark and alone.

Poor Buster is so funny, yet he always looks _______________________

Oh, dear …

This beautiful young lady seems to be upset about something.

Possibly something the man said is a ______________________ with her ?

Excited Motivated Multiracial Business Team Stock Footage Video (100% Royalty-free) 1037298239 | Shutterstock

We’re going to have a tremendous success with our new product which we shall be launching in Europe, the US and parts of Asia.

We’re really going to ________________________________

Excuse me, I have to take this call _______________________

Part two:

How would you describe these neighbourhoods ? I want full sentences, as complex as you can make them, bursting with idioms, expressions and Low-Frequency Words. Give your opinions – would you like to go there, or even live there ? Explain your rationale.

Old Manchester pubs and cinemas from the '60s to '90s — Manchester, north-west England

Inmueble en venta - Earls Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 | Knight Frank — Tunbridge Wells, south of London

Birmingham UK Industrial scene | Birmingham uk, Birmingham, Industrial — Birmingham in the British Midlands

Rural Retreats | Wales Cottages — Rural Wales

The Edinburgh festival is cancelled: long live the festival | Scotland | The Times — Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, during the festival

Part three:

Practice making complex sentences, with two clauses at least, from these simple sentences.

Example:

Cinema Paradiso getting Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray release in UK – Film Stories

Johnny always went to the cinema when he was a child.

As a child, Johnny always went to the cinema.

GRAMMAR NOTE – the first word after the supporting clause has to be the subject.

We always played games when we had Mr Tony as our teacher.

He speaks English well although his written work is rather poor.

The Who were formed in west London in the early 1960s. They are a very famous, influential bands despite never having a Number 1 hit single.

Asian Woman Selfie stock photos and royalty-free images, vectors and illustrations | Adobe Stock

My neighbour only works in a convenience store. She thinks she is a big star. She is constantly taking selfies.

And … to end, let’s start copying some classic movie scenes:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQBhjzqbLv-Fe17vj4O7Ep4GZ4je0erYx6AXA&usqp=CAU

The lines to copy are from 0:14 – 0.37

Here’s the first of the day, fellas … to old D.H. Lawrence … yyahhhhhhHHHHHHH … NIC, NIC, NIC, ffff, fffff … cccahhhh, indians !

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Booking a room, and hotel vocabulary.

18th September 2020

A variety of speaking exercises and pair work to help you on your travels.

Welcome to the Haiyatt; in China, it's not the hotel it sounds like

File:WGBC2018IN-Participants at hotel reception 01.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Booking a hotel room

Vocabulary:

adjoining rooms– rooms next to each other

amenities– services, shops, transport

bed and breakfast – small hotel or a room in someone’s house.

complimentary breakfast– free, included in the price.

Deposit – money paid in advance

High season / low season– popular times

housekeeping– cleaning staff

late charge– extra fee for not checking out on time.

Rate– the fee per room per night, per person.

vending machine – machine that sells snacks, drinks.

Are Hotels a Great Location for Vending Machines?

B&B Là Gì? Khám Phá Thuật Ngữ B&B Trong Nhà Hàng Khách Sạn

You are going to Bangkok and need to book a hotel. What questions would you have ?

Airplane Arriving To Bangkok Airport Travelling To Thailand by moovstock on Envato Elements

How much is the rate for 4 people ? What time is check-in / out ?

Could I book adjoining rooms ? What is in the area ?

Where exactly is the hotel ?

How do we get to the hotel from the airport ?

Approximately how much is the taxi ?

Getting Around Bangkok - A Guide to Taxis, Buses, Trains and Mobile Apps - BEAT HOTEL

Make a list.

Take turns being a tourist and working on front desk / booking.

Language to use:

Receptionist: Greet the guest / Ask for ID (passport, ID card). Check how many nights the guest(s) are staying / Ask to see booking confirmation /

What else could you ask ?

Guest: Explain you have a reservation / Present ID and booking confirmation. Ask about amenities in the hotel and what to see in the local area.

You could check if the hotel has a laundry service // can they book a taxi ? / do they organise tours ? Are there vegetarian restaurants in the area, or banks, money exchange, hairdressers ? What else could you need ?

Now … your experiences: