IELTS: Relatively speaking

16th February 2022

A collection of exercises to prepare students, who need practice, for IELTS speaking which tests the use of grammatical range and accuracy.

The aim is to get students forming complex sentences naturally in order to pass with flying colours.

So, without further ado, let’s go to London which is my hometown as well as being the capital of the UK.

Exercise 1 A day in London. The aim is to introduce aspects of London in the form of complex sentences, using

who where which whose

EXAMPLE

Please allow me to introduce you to London, where I was born, so you can experience first hand what it is like to live in this incredible historic city.

Firstly, we can visit the British Museum, which is a must-see sight, as it contains some of the world’s most amazing treasures such as a giant stone figure from Easter Island, Egyptian mummies and the unique Rosetta Stone.

The Rosetta Stone in the British Museum, London

Secondly, I would be pleased to introduce you to the buskers and street performers at Covent Garden. These artists, who work for tips, really lend the area a bustling, friendly atmosphere. In my opinion this area, which is close to many sights, is not to be missed although prices can be sky-high.

Things to do in Covent Garden: The best restaurants, bars, pubs and more | London Evening Standard | Evening Standard

No trip to London would be complete without sampling fish and chips which, along with shepherd’s pie and the Sunday roast, is traditional British food.

We have a variety of ways to get around. The famous black London taxis are ubiquitous in central London however, they cost an arm and a leg. Most Londoners use the Tube, which is the subway system, as it connects most areas of the city. Having said that, avoid using at rush hour, because it will be chockablock.

In the example I mentioned one famous sight, some people, some food and how to get around.

Now … your turn

Work in small groups and plan a day for me in your hometown. Assign one paragraph to each student so that everybody prepares work and speaks.

Remember, the aim of the exercise is for you to use relative pronouns.

The formula

An introduction

First paragraph a famous sight

Second paragraph about some people

Third paragraph about local food

Finally, how to get around.

The Tube is chockablock during rush hour

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Young Learners: Kids’ Guide to … listening and comprehension exercises

5th February 2022

A chance for younger students to watch short videos in order to practise their listening skills. After the clips, the teacher can ask basic comprehension questions.

Top Five Activities for Children in HCMC

What was the name of the first activity ?

What is special about the pictures ?

Where is the museum ?

How high is the climbing wall ?

How much does it cost ?

What can you hear at a water puppet show ?

On what day is the Water Park closed ?

How old was the youngest child on the bike tour ?

What would you like to do, and why ?

Is there any place you would not like to visit ? Tell me why.

Answers

Artinus 2. The pictures are 3-D 3. District 7 4. 20 metres 5. About $6 6. Singing (in Vietnamese) and traditional music. 7. Tuesdays 8. 2-years old.

Now to my home town: what can kids do in London ?

First, board some new words and expressions. The kids can shout out when they hear them spoken.

loads and loads / I reckon / really / very / amazing

What are the names of the kids from the UK ?

What can you see at the Natural History Museum ?

Where does the Queen live ?

What can people do on the South Bank ?

How many people can ride in the London Eye ?

What was the girl’s favourite waxwork ?

How much are the Crown Jewels worth ?

What is the name of the bus that can drive into the river ?

What films were made at Warner Brothers Studio ?

How can people travel around London ?

What is the most exciting thing for YOU in London ? Choose 3 things to want to do or see in London.

Answers

Robert, Jess, Lara & Olive 2. dinosaurs 3. Buckingham Palace 4. See buskers, shows and markets 5. 800 6. Hulk 7. 23 billion GBP 8. Duck Tours 9. Harry Potter 10. The Tube (subway) walk, bud, taxi, bicycle

Young Learners, Level 4: Fun Facts about Space

30th January 2022

New Vocabulary

solar system

planet (Earth, gas giant, rock)

moon (the Moon)

star

asteroid

vacuum

Sol was the Roman God of the Sun. All stars are suns

All the planets are names after Roman Gods, except Uranus who was a Greek God, and Earth which is an English-German word.

The first four planets from the sun are small, and have a rock centre (core).

The outer four are mostly made of gas.

When Voyager gave us the first close-up pictures of Saturn's rings | Astronomy.com

The rings of Saturn, which look amazing and so beautiful, are just made of dust and ice, with bits of rock.

FUN FACTS:

The speed of sound is 343 metres per second (usually given as 330 m p s)

The speed of light is 299 792 458 metres per second or approximately 300 000 000 m p s or 300 000 km per second.

Sound cannot travel through a vacuum

To demonstrate the last point, show NOT tell. Here’s a good example (start around the 0:24 second mark): An iPhone not making sound in a vacuum.

Space Cadets Quiz

Who was the first man on the moon ?

Buzz Aldrin / Michael Collins / Neil Armstrong

What is the biggest planet ?

Jupiter / Saturn / Mars

The sun is a … ?

planet / star / moon

What is faster ?

light / sound / Ms Bao Tran speaking (just give the name of any talkative students, and then elicit the adjective talkative).

In space, people are … ?

heavier / lighter / weigh the same

The first animal in space was a … ?

monkey / elephant / dog

Answers: Neil Armstrong / Jupiter / star / light / lighter / dog

The Last one could seem to be a trick question. The answer is Laika, the Russian dog. Fruit flies and then monkeys were first put into rockets but they didn’t go high enough to officially enter space.

Young learners: Animal Magic

25th January 2022

Orangutan's Incredible Reaction To A Magic Trick Is The Only Thing You Need To See Today - UNILAD

A compilation of animal videos for comprehension, information or just end-of-lesson entertainment.

First, a chance to practise superlatives.

What is the largest mammal ? // What is the smallest one ?

How much does a blue whale weight ?

What is the largest bird ? // What is the smallest one ?

What is the largest reptile ? // What is the smallest one ?

How long is the crocodile ? // How long is the dwarf gecko ?

What is the largest fish ? // What is the smallest one ?

How long is the whale shark ?

A whale shark can be up to 10 meters long

The text book, which I follow, uses the USA spelling (meters not metres).

Activity: Make two crosses at the front of the class. Have two students stand on them; one will ask the question, the other answer. Repeat until all the class has participated.

Encourage full answers:

How long is the whale shark ?

“It’s up to 10 meters long.”

“The whale shark can be up to 10 meters long.”

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Answers:

The blue whale // the bumblebee bat // [up to] 200 tonnes // ostrich // hummingbird // saltwater crocodile // dwarf gecko // whale shark // stout infant fish

Bonus points for additional facts such as a hummingbird can fly backwards, an ostrich can’t fly.

Secondly, amazing facts about the animal kingdom

When do ants sleep ? How do dolphins sleep ?

What can’t elephants do ? Is a giraffe noisy ?

How many hearts does an octopus have ?

How do butterflies taste ?

Why do camels have three eyelids ?

What is different about a hummingbird ?

How does a man penguin ask a woman penguin to marry him ?

And now, just for fun. Does an orangutan appreciate magic ?

Can a gorilla play drums ?

What can make a panda jump ?

Everybody, thank you for visiting this blog.

Happy year of the Tiger

IELTS: Notes for fluent speaking

21st January 2022

Happy International Friends Talking In City Stock Photo, Picture And Royalty Free Image. Image 121618273. — Royalty – free image. Copyright: lev dolgachov

My IELTS students have some speaking tests coming up, so I’d like to boost their confidence by giving them a speaking exercise. I shall choose topics they feel confident with, namely pets, and shopping.

Firstly, a reminder of what you need to do in order to pass with flying colours.

An introduction to the question

Use complex sentences and relative clauses

Use an idiom or two

Use L-FWs (replace basic words with ‘better’ ones e.g. use ‘ubiquitous‘ instead of ‘everywhere’ ‘tedious‘ instead of ‘boring’)

Check your pronunciation and intonation.

Now, without further ado, the questions:

Do you have any pets ?

Do you like shopping ?

What is your favourite possession and why ?

500+ Dog Playing Pictures [HD] | Download Free Images on Unsplash — Image from unsplash.com

Let’s start with pets (I know one of my students has three cats).

Introduction

Do you like all animals, some or only one type ?

Are you allowed to keep pets where you live ?

Talking points

What are the names of the animals ?

How old are they ?

What do they look like ?

What are their personalities ? (You now have an opportunity to use great adjectives)

Where did you get them ?

Who looks after them ?

Do you have any funny stories about they did ? How do they make you feel ?

Idioms: burning the candle at both ends (Playing with my pets helps me unwind after I’ve been burning the candle at both ends with work and study.)

Moving on to shopping, so much to talk about …

Shopping Images | Free Vectors, Stock Photos & PSD — freepik

Introduction

What do you feel about shopping ?

Is shopping something you dread doing, or is it fun, or even an obsession ? Are you a shopaholic ?

What stops you from shopping ? (Lack of money, or safety concerns now during the pandemic ?)

Talking points

Tell me about the types of shops and shopping areas (street markets, small independent stores, chain shops, malls).

What do you like buying most ?

With whom do you go ?

What else do you do at a mall ?

Do you have a funny story about buying something, or having to return an item ?

What do you think of online shopping ? What is good and bad about it ?

Is internet shopping becoming more popular in Vietnam (your country) ? Why do you think so ?

Idioms: costs an arm and a leg (I really enjoy going to Diamond Plaza and just looking at the beautiful designer dresses. However, as a student, I can’t afford one because they cost an arm and a leg.)

Sample answer

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus 10th Generation 8" Tablet 32GB Slate B0839NDRB2 - Best Buy — A Kindle Fire ebook and tablet

My Kindle

One of my favourite electronic devices is my Kindle, an ebook reader, which is small and light. I always take it with me when I travel; I’d be lost without it.

The Kindle is primarily a way to buy, store and read books in electronic format. At first, I wasn’t convinced, I liked reading real books. However, books take up a lot of space and, at least in the UK, are rather expensive. When I saw what a Kindle can do, and that so many books are free, I was hooked ! I had to get one. I bought my device in 2014 and I’m still using it today.

As mentioned, I use my Kindle for reading. Literature and poetry is one of my passions. Instead of going to a shop, I just browse the online store, click and wait for it to download. With reasonable wifi, this can just take a minute or so … then I can start reading. It is no surprise that ebooks are ubiquitous in the UK.

Although I read a lot, the Kindle is more than just an ebook. It has wifi so I can access the internet, play music, write notes and play games.

The wifi is vital, especially when I travel. I can maintain contact with friends and family, watch YouTube if the hotel TV is less than enthralling, or read travel guides such as Trip Advisor. Naturally, I can also book tickets or make reservations and therefore pay significantly less.

I recently travelled to Thailand to meet some friends. I didn’t want to buy a new SIM card, and my friend only had an old phone, so there was a dilemma; how to stay in touch ? Thanks to my Kindle, I had email access, so we could plan when and where to meet.

I can’t watch Vietnamese TV, due to the language barrier. Consequently, the Kindle plays an even bigger part of my life, as I need some way to relax after burning the candle at both ends.

The choice of books is amazing. In the stores, a single book can cost around £10, but recently I downloaded the entire output of the Russian writer Tolstoy for less than £1.50 … incredible !

Kindles come in many shapes and sizes, so before you buy, you need to ascertain how you’ll be using it. For example, do you want a basic ebook reader, just for books, or the latest model with wifi ? This will, naturally, affect the cost. Then you have to decide upon the extras, for example how much storage space do you require, or a super-fast charger or protective case ? All of these bump the price up considerably.

If you’re interested in purchasing one, I have some information for you. I did a quick Google search and saw prices started at under 2 million VND, averaged around 5 million, but some were over 15 million. That, for me, is too extravagant.

In conclusion, my Kindle is very much a part of my life. It accompanies me everywhere. I simply don’t know what I would do without it.

2022 – The Year of the Grammar. Back to Basics

5th January 2021

Basic grammar is a continual problem with my online classes, that and the stubborn reluctance [contumacy for those who like to learn new words] to write down new words, or to learn from their mistakes.

Basic grammar is basically lacking.

Many older student will, I am sure, have traumatic memories of conjugating verbs endlessly, without ever applying them in real-life situations. Hence, I propose a synthesis; drilling of verb ending, and then applying them in simple sentences.

Enough preamble, let’s go to work !

The verb ‘to be’

Only teach constructions in upper level classes

I am // I’m

you are // you’re

he is // he’s

she is // she’s

it is // it’s

Mr John is // Mr John’s

we are // we’re

they are // they’re

Have students repeat until their grammar is perfect. Make games, see who can conjugate the verbs clearest and quickest.

Now … practice:

First let’s use an adjective:

happy / sad / lucky / hard-working / lazy

Let’s start with the adjective ‘happy’

I am happy // I’m happy

you are happy // you’re _______

he _____ \

she ______ \

it _______\

Mr John ______ \

we ____ \

they ______

Secondly, let’s use a continuous verb (verb + ing)

reading / playing / swimming / watching TV / eating

I am reading

you ___ _______

he __ _________

she __ _______

It __ _______

Mr John __ _____

we __ ______

they __ ________

The verb ‘to have’

I have

you have

he has

she has

it has

Ms Jane has

we have

they have

Now … practice:

Let’s use some common nouns

sister (or twin sister) / piano / dog / iPad / new book

I have a ____

you ____ ______

he ___ _________

she ___ _______

Ms Jane ____ _______

we ____ ______

they ____ _______

OK, Snoopy, enough is enough … but we have just started. More blogs to follow.

Happy 2022, the Year of the Grammar

I Me Mine: Pronoun Declensions

3rd December 2021

The English language, despite having a multitude of idioms, slang, vernacular, dialects, neologisms etc, can be easier to learn than other languages when it comes to the definite article. I am referring to the word ‘the’.

English nouns have no gender; the language doesn’t have the complex German structure of declension when the word ‘the’ changes depending if the noun is the subject, object or indirect object.

However, it’s not all plain sailing. English speakers employ declension when it comes to pronouns. Please allow me to illustrate:

A cuckoo clock, invented in Germany (not Switzerland, as is often believed).

I bought this clock from a friend so it now belongs to me. It is my clock, it is mine.

However, with the wrong declension:

Me bought this clock from a friend so it now belongs to mine. It is I clock, it is my.

Last night, a level 6 class (aged around 10) were having a lesson on conservation. The examples were all in the second person (your), and the students were having problems changing the pronoun. Hence, this blog:

School Kids Stock Photos & Royalty-Free Images from PhotoDune — Let’s go to work

Let’s keep it simple. There are three cases:

the subject, the object and the possessive

I, Me, Mine

In our example I bought this clock from my friend, the first noun is ‘I’ (subject)

so it now belongs to me. (object)

It is my clock, it is mine. (possessive)

Now … let’s practice

I // me // my or mine

you // you // your or yours

he // him // his

she // her // her or hers

we // us // our or ours

they // them // their or theirs

EXAMPLE: What can you do to stay healthy ?

black-lady-weights - Carla Fields Fitness

I can exercise. Being healthy is important to me. These are my weights. They are mine.

How about changing the pronoun ? Tell me about this man:

He is very funny. Many people like him. It is his dog. The dog is his.

Tell me about this lady

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai disappeared after denouncing rape - Tennis - Sports - Nenroll-Nenroll

— is very happy. I can not beat — in a game. — racket (bat) is very expensive. It is —-.

Let’s use ‘you’

Ayushmann Khurrana wanted to shave his head for Bala, says 'I resembled my grandfather after prosthetics' | Bollywood - Hindustan Times

— can wash your hair. I will buy some cologne for — . It is —- cologne, it is —– .

Tell me about these people

—- are American. If you go to the USA, maybe you will meet —-. This is —– flag, it is ——.

Is grammar important ?

23rd November 2021

Premium Photo | Smiling young asian woman wearing hijab, showing mobile phone doing yes gesture

Yes it, isn’t. i is hoping these answered you questions ,

When someone is learning a new language basic communication, making oneself understood, is the main factor.

However as one develops, the rules of grammar become increasingly important especially if students sit tests and are graded according to their command of the language.

Here, then, are some incorrect sentences that the students can correct. For online classes, students can type in their Chat Box, and that way, everyone is kept busy and productive.

Let’s start with a Level 1 Class

The students have just been introduced to basic sentences, so the aim is to get them using multiple words, not just shouting out single word answers.

Game 1

EXAMPLE: What is it ?

It is a yellow banana.

It’s a yellow banana.

First letter is BIG (a capital letter).

Use an adjective before the noun.

End with a full stop (.)

NOW … Your turn

Write the answers in your Chat Box

Yuka Handmade Cloth Doll Japanese Doll | Etsy — Number 1

Do you have a red car? You have to read this now | VISOR PH — Number 2

ITW 12-ft USA Highlighter Delta Kite - Buy at Into The Wind Kites - Buy at Into The Wind Kites — Number 3

Game 2

EXAMPLE: Who’s this ?

this me grondfather … NO

This is my grandmother.

NOW … Your turn

Write the answers in your Chat Box

this is my Brotherr

this is m grandFATHr ?

Bring on the Jewish Fathers - The Sag Harbor Express — Number 3

th is is me mother

Game 3

EXAMPLE: I like … I don’t like

I like chicken I no like fish … NO

I like chicken. I don’t like fish.

NOW … Your turn

i liek pizzza i do no like chicen

I like iceream i like cake no

I like breadd I like don’t ricee

Game 4

EXAMPLE: What can you see ?

Dogs of Destiny - Southeastern Guide Dogs

I can see a dog. I can see a happy black dog.

DOG SIMULATOR 3D - Chơi Dog Simulator 3D trên Poki

I can see 2 dogs

NOW … Your turn

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Beautiful portrait young asian woman smiling waving hand in garden - stock photo | Crushpixel — Bye bye, see you soon.

Young Learners, Level 6: Sensational sentence building

28th October 2021

Crosby Scholars receives $10,000 from Duke Energy to support STEM programming for African American and Latina girls - Crosby Scholars Forsyth — Image from crosbyscholars.com

Who can build the highest word tower ?

Arrange class into small groups, named after famous architects from English speaking countries, e.g. Christopher Wren, Frank Lloyd Wright & Amanda Levete

Fallingwater Building, Pennsylvania, USA

Therefore we have Team Wren, Team Levete & Team Wright

Game 1 Synonyms: give me a better word for …

yummy // good // big // very small // smart // very friendly // someone from Korea // scared // not easy // not clean // has a lot of money //

(1 point for each correct answer)

Game 2: Correct these sentences …

The Science book is very boring or bored.

I feel so excited or exciting about learning English.

She was disappointed or disappointing about the Japanese film.

(2 point for each correct answer)

Game 3: Make sentences using adj + noun

EXAMPLE:

The beautiful lady is a popular singer in a Korean group.

The Korean woman is smiling. She is cute and happy. She has long, brown hair.

Qri is a popular singer. She is Korean and is a fantastic dancer.

Team Wren:

The scientist Albert Einstein. He was born in Germany.

Team Wright:

Happy rich woman Stock Photos & Royalty-Free Images | Depositphotos — This lady was born in Russia

Team Levete:

Dean of School - Job by Unicaf University Zambia — This lady was born in Zambia

(2 point for each adjective + noun structure)

Game 4: Adjective salad bar.

Look at the photos. Choose one you like and make a sentence or sentences. However, you will earn more points by using higher-level adjectives.

Earn 1 point for using these adjectives:

big, fat, friendly, happy, new, old, sad, small, young, yummy

Earn 2 points for using these adjectives:

amazing, angry, beautiful, clean, clever, cute, dangerous, easy, English, fast, funny, great, Greek, healthy, high, Japanese, kind, Korean, quick, Russian, shy, sleepy, tired, Zambian

Earn 3 points for using these adjectives:

bored, boring, delicious, electric, excited, exciting, fantastic, greedy, hard-working, huge, intelligent, lazy, messy, nervous, outgoing, polite, popular, rude, selfish, talkative, tiny, ugly

Earn 5 points for using these adjectives:

Asian, confident, curious, difficult, disappointed, European, Indian, important, Portuguese, outgoing, spicy, Swedish, talented, unusual, valuable, wealthy, xenophobic, year-long

chummy - Search - Larastock Stock photos, royalty-free images, vectors

Very Old Lady In Funny Fur Hat With Two Tentacles With A Bored, Sulky Expression Stock Photo, Picture And Royalty Free Image. Image 32431557.

Sweden's Indigenous Sami People Held Their First-Ever Pride Event — The Sami people from Sweden

Game 5: Where would you like to live or visit ?

We have ‘visited’ many amazing and unusual places in our lessons, and met many friendly, outgoing people.

So, where do YOU want to go ?

Tell me where, tell me why and tell me something about the country.

EXAMPLE:

I want to visit Korea because it is a very beautiful country and has many friendly and outgoing people. The food is spicy but delicious and very healthy. The history is amazing and the museums are very interesting.

(2 point for each adjective + noun structure, 1 point for every other adjective.)

adjectives

amazing, angry, Asian / beautiful, big, bored, boring /clean, clever, confident, curious, cute / dangerous, delicious, difficult, disappointed /easy, electric, English, exciting / fantastic, fast, fat, friendly, funny / greedy, great, Greek / happy, hard-working, healthy, high, huge / important, Indian, intelligent / Japanese / kind, Korean / lazy / messy / nervous, new / old, outgoing / polite, popular, Portuguese / quick / rude, Russian / sad, selfish, shy, sleepy, small, spicy, Swedish /talented, talkative, tiny, tired / ugly, unusual / valuable / wealthy, wide-awake / xenophobic / year-long, young, yummy / Zambian