Tag: IELTS requirements

Subject Index: IELTS – themes, language, exercises

4th December 2020

An index of various IELTS classes and topics useful to IELTS students

Subject // Lesson // Date

Pre-IELTS challenge: creative writing, plan a day, pronunciation // Adult Class Level 3 // 30th May 2020

IELTS classroom rules // What I expect from you // 7th August 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/08/07/ielts-what-i-expect-from-you/

IELTS classroom behaviour // An open blog // 14th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/14/to-my-ielts-students-an-open-blog/

IELTS: Final Review // 5th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/05/ielts-final-review/

IELTS: Mindset first day warm up // IELTS: Mindset // 23rd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/23/ielts-mindset-introduction-lesson/

IELTS Mindset 2: First Review // idioms, complex sentences, introductions, L-FWs) // 22nd December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/22/ielts-mindset-2-first-review/

IELTS Mindset 2: Mini Review // idioms & relative pronouns // 11th January 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/01/11/ielts-mini-lesson-review/

How to pass IELTS (with flying colours) // IELTS // 26th July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/26/ielts-how-to-pass-with-flying-colours/

How to attain 8.5 // IELTS: Chasing 8 1/2 // 12th October 2020:  https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/12/ielts-8-1-2-chasing-8-1-2/

IELTS Oral Test // A reminder of what you need to say // 17th September 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/09/17/ielts-oral-test-a-refresher/

Speaking Test Part 3 // IELTS: How to nail it // IELTS // 12th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/15/ielts-speaking-test-part-3-how-to-nail-it/

Speaking Test Part 3 // Theme: Education // 24th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/24/ielts-speaking-test-part-3-theme-education/

Speaking Test Part 3 // Tackling Part 3 // 19th April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/19/ielts-tackling-part-3/

Speaking Test practice // Sisyphus as metaphor // 10th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/10/ielts-sisyphus-as-metaphor/

IELTS 5 – 6.5 // all lesson plans // 13th August 2019 – 15th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/ielts-5-6-5/

Animal expressions // Animal Crackers // 10th August 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/08/10/ielts-animal-crackers-animal-expressions-to-impress-examiners/

Animal expressions // N – Z // 12th August 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/08/12/ielts-animal-magic-expressions-n-z/

Apple workers in China // IELTS // 30th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/30/ielts-speaking-practice-manufacturing-in-vietnam/

Australia // IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/15/ielts-5-6-5-i-come-from-a-land-down-under/

Cinema: Describe your favourite film // 16th March 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/03/16/ielts-talking-pictures-describe-a-favourite-film/

Complaints // IELTS: Making complaints // 24th July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/24/ielts-speaking-practice-making-complaints-writing-blogs/

Electronic devises (Part 2 sample answer) // IELTS speaking exercise // 4th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/04/ielts-chunking-express-final-lesson/

Famous Vietnamese // (Ngô Thanh Vân, Vo Thi Sao) // IELTS Lesson 3 – May The Force Be With You // 14th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/14/ielts-lesson-3-may-the-force-be-with-you/

Food // British Food // IELTS // 28th September 2020:

General // IELTS // 19th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/19/ielts-travel-follow-up/

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

Holidays from Hell // IELTS // 10th February 2019: Travel: my stay in Bangkok in pictures // IELTS // 10th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/10/ielts-have-love-will-travel/

Hometown, cities, neighbourhoods // IELTS 5 // 31st December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/03/ielts-5-reading-listening/

Hometown & neighbourhood // IELTS // My Hometown // 28th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/28/ielts-my-hometown/

Hometowns & neighbourhoods // new vocab and idioms // There are places // 6th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/06/ielts-there-are-places-ill-remember/

Hometowns & neighbourhoods // Part 2 speaking practice // 4th April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/04/ielts-hometowns-neighbourhoods-speaking-test-part-two-practice/

IELTS introduction (survey) // IELTS // 31st December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/03/ielts-5-reading-listening/

India // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/24/ielts-hello-india/

India // IELTS: Hello, India // 18th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/17/ielts-focus-on-india/

Japan // Focus on Japan // Listening & paraphrasing skills // 18th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/18/ielts-focus-on-japan/

Job interviews – language and role playing // 31st January 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/01/31/ielts-job-interviews/

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

Kindle // writing exercise // Chungking Express // 4th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/04/ielts-chunking-express-final-lesson/

Making excuses // IELTS // Speaking // small talk, making excuses // 12th May 2020

Manufacturing in Vietnam // IELTS // 30th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/30/ielts-speaking-practice-manufacturing-in-vietnam/

Mindset first day warm up // IELTS: Mindset // 23rd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/23/ielts-mindset-introduction-lesson/

Plan a day compilation activities // hotels, itineraries, travel vocabulary // IELTS // 16th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/16/ielts-planning-a-day-out/

Plan a day: What my friends can so in Sai Gon // IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/ielts-5-6-5/

Schools in UK // IELTS: UK school system // IELTS // 17th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/17/ielts-the-uk-school-system/

Shopping // IELTS Speaking 4.5 // types of shopping // 7th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/06/ielts-4-5-speaking-class/

Shopping // IELTS-level exercises //IELTS, theme: shopping // 5th August 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/08/05/ielts-theme-shopping/

Technology & conversation topics // Good Technology // 19th October 2020

Tet Holiday // IELTS // 28th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/28/ielts-the-limits-of-my-language-are-the-limits-of-my-world/

Travel

Travel: airport to city centre // IELTS // 10th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/10/ielts-have-love-will-travel/

Travel in two minutes // IELTS // 19th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/19/ielts-travel-follow-up/

Travel // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019

Travel: my stay in Bangkok in pictures // IELTS // 10th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/10/ielts-have-love-will-travel/

Travel: Part 2 question // 10th April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/10/ielts-travel-questions/

Travel: one day in Sai Gon // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019 //

Travel: recommend a holiday // IELTS // 4th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/04/ielts-chunking-express-final-lesson/

What’s the story (lazy student) // IELTS // 7th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/06/ielts-4-5-speaking-class/

Yoga & exercise // IELTS writing practice // 25th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/25/ielts-writing-practice-yoga-health-well-being/

IELTS Games:

IELTS: warm up games // https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/25/ielts-warm-up-games/

Pre-IELTS challenge: creative writing, plan a day, pronunciation // Adult Class Level 3 // 30th May 2020

IELTS Project // Holidays prepare an advert, plan a day // IELTS // 16th June 2020

Call My Bluff // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

Chinese Whispers // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Complex sentences // 7th February 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/02/07/ielts-lets-get-complex/

Friends (men) // Personality adjectives & occupations // 28th December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/28/friends-men-teaching-sheet/

Role-play: shopping// IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

What’s the Story ? (Chinese film) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 11th September 2019

Word Bomb // IELTS, Love it, hate it, not my cup of tea // 21st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/21/ielts-i-love-it-i-hate-it-its-not-my-cup-of-tea-its-ok/

Word Games // Getting across the line // 5th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/05/ielts-getting-across-the-line-how-to-boost-your-vocabulary-plus-class-games/

Films

Chungking Express (film) // IELTS // 16th April 2019 /// IELTS // 4th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/04/ielts-chunking-express-final-lesson/

Ing …(film) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Lost in Translation // IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/06/ielts-mindset-why-do-you-like-the-film/

Not One Less (video clip) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

The Owl and the Sparrow (Vietnam) // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Social Network // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019 //

Star Wars The Last Jedi // IELTS // 14th January 2019

Take Care of my Cat (South Korea) // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Tokyo Story (Japan) // IELTS // 16th April 2019

Grammar

Adverb exercise // IELTS: use adverbs frequently // 3rd July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/03/ielts-use-adverbs-frequently-correctly-and-confidently/

Discourse Markers // IELTS // 18th February 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/02/18/ielts-discourse-markers/

Discourse Markers // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/09/25/ielts-5-6-5-all-you-need-is-love-and-relative-pronouns/

Discourse Markers // IELTS // 7th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/06/ielts-4-5-speaking-class/

Discourse Markers // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/15/ielts-5-6-5-writing-example/

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

IELTS ‘ness’ or ‘ment’ ? // 28th January 2019:

Relative clauses and complex sentences // family // 17th February 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/02/17/ielts-relatives-relatively-speaking/

Relative pronouns quiz // IELTS Review // vocabulary, discourse, sentence building // 25th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/25/ielts-review-the-basics-you-should-know-before-your-test/

Relative pronouns // IELTS // 1st July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/01/ielts-its-all-relative-relative-clause-practice/

Relative pronouns and complex sentences // 16th February 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/02/16/ielts-relatively-speaking/

Idioms

Advanced idioms (chasing 8 1/2) // Get your motor running // 15th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/12/ielts-8-1-2-chasing-8-1-2/

Expressions and phrases // IELTS // 19th February 2019

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

Idioms: An introduction // IELTS // 17th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/17/ielts-hitting-the-ground-running-an-introduction-to-idioms-for-a-new-class/

Idioms: everyday idioms, everyday // Teaching Notes // 3rd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/02/everyday-idioms-everyday/

Idioms: a piece of cake // Teaching Notes // 1st June 2020

Idioms: are you pulling my leg ? // Teaching Notes // 2nd June 2020

Idioms: food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020

Idioms: part 3 extended idioms use // Teaching Notes // 4th June 2020

Idioms // Adult Speaking Class / IELTS: Right up your street // 26th August 2020

IELTS // idioms and vocab games // Preparing for speaking test // 15th May 2020

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

New idioms for Semester 2 // Fluency, intonation & stress // 15th October 2020

Pronunciation & Listening Practice

Listening Practice // Listening skills: Tips & links: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/23/listening-skills-tips-and-links/

Newsreader activity // Mindset 2, Lesson 1 // idioms, just a minute // 15th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/15/mindset-2-lesson-1-say-it-feel-it-ace-it/

Pronunciation, intonation & stress // IELTS, intonation Volume 1 // 16th November 2020 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/16/ielts-intonation-stress-let-me-feel-the-emotion-volume-1/

Speaking Practice: Read all about it (Obama, Trump, Biden, Abbot, Barcow) // 2nd November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/02/speaking-practice-read-all-about-it/

Sentence building & Vocabulary

Database of idioms, L-FWs & expressions // 22nd October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/22/ielts-language-bank-idioms-and-l-fws-you-need-to-have-at-your-beck-and-call/

IELTS expressions (heart & gold) // 18th April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/18/ielts-a-heart-of-gold-and-other-expressions/

IELTS vocabulary building // IELTS: Vocabulary activities // 24th April 2020

IELTS vocabulary & expressions review // IELTS: The story so far // 7th July 2020

IELTS basic sentence building // IELTS // 28th January 2019 // // IELTS // 14th January 2019

IELTS complex sentences // What did you do, will you do ? // 7th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/06/ielts-complex-sentences/

IELTS complex sentences // Introduction // 23rd November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/23/ielts-introduction-to-complex-sentences/

IELTS complex sentences practice // 4th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/04/ielts-complex-sentences-practice-and-more-practice/

IELTS complex sentences // IELTS, Mindset: Complex sentences (T-ara, 007, Tsai Ing-wen) // 30th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/30/ielets-mindset-complex-sentences/

IELTS complex sentences // It’s not that complicated // 24th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/24/ielts-complex-sentences-its-not-that-complicated/

IELTS complex sentences practice // 15th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/15/ielts-complex-sentences-practice/

IELTS complex sentences practice #2 // 18th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/18/ielts-complex-sentences-practice-2/

Bad Day – create a narrative // IELTS: Lesson 3 // 19th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/14/ielts-lesson-3-may-the-force-be-with-you/

Bad Student – create a narrative // IELTS Speaking Class 4.5 // 7th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/06/ielts-4-5-speaking-class/

Bangkok – create a narrative // 10th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/10/ielts-have-love-will-travel/

Cities, areas, descriptions // IELTS // 31st December 2018

IELTS describe a film // IELTS // What do you like this film ? // 6th April 2020

IELTS describe a gadget // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020

Expressions and phrases // IELTS // 19th February 2019

IELTS How to introduce your answer // 28th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/28/ielts-please-allow-me-to-introduce-myself/

IELTS // Quick-fire talking // Part 2 questions // 12th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/12/ielts-quick-fire-talking/

IELTS // Replace standard English with IELTS language // 19th August 2020

IELTS // Review // vocabulary, discourse markers, sentence building // 25th June 2020

Match the phrase to the meaning // IELTS, Love it, hate it, not my cup of tea // 21st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/21/ielts-i-love-it-i-hate-it-its-not-my-cup-of-tea-its-ok/

Sentence building // IELTS //22nd July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/22/ielts-sentence-building/

Sentence building; a piece of cake (Mr Bean, Converse, Apple) // IELTS // 16th August 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/08/16/ielts-sentence-building-a-piece-of-cake/

Speaking, writing, thinking // Going online / hometown // 229th March 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/03/29/ielts-speaking-writing-thinking-the-ielts-way/

Tet Holiday – create a narrative // IELTS: The limits of my language … // 28th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/28/ielts-the-limits-of-my-language-are-the-limits-of-my-world/

Vocabulary boosting & fixed expressions // 27th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/27/ielts-vocabulary-boosting-fixed-expression-theres-nothing-i-like-more/

Vocabulary building // using L-FWs & signpost language // 5th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/05/ielts-getting-across-the-line-how-to-boost-your-vocabulary-plus-class-games/

Vocabulary building for Level 2 // 4th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/04/ielts-vocabulary-bank-to-help-you-ace-the-test/

What difference (definitions) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Speaking exercises

IELTS: How to pass with flying colours // 26th July 2020 (using idioms and low-frequency words and expressions in your speaking test) https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/26/ielts-how-to-pass-with-flying-colours/

British Food // Sample answers // IELTS // 27th, 29th September, 1st October 2020

Complaining // IELTS making complaints // 24th July 2020

Electronic devises // IELTS speaking exercise // 4th March 2019

Everyday expressions // IELTS / Adult Speaking 3 // Everyday expressions // 28th August 2020

Everyday expressions database // IELTS / Adult Speaking 3 // 25th August 2020

Fluency, intonation & stress // Get Your Motor Runnin’ // 15th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/12/ielts-8-1-2-chasing-8-1-2/

Friends game & review on introductions // IELTS Mindset 1, Lesson 6 // 20th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/20/ielts-mindset-1-lesson-6-speaking-speaking-and-more-speaking/

IELTS // intonation and stress // speaking exercises // 31st August 2020

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

Music // IELTS // 16th April 2019

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

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

Notes for fluent speaking // 21st January 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/01/21/ielts-notes-for-fluent-speaking/

One of those days // IELTS // 14th January 2019

Part 2 sample answer // Chungking Express // 4th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/04/ielts-chunking-express-final-lesson/

Phrases // IELTS // 21st January 2019

Pre-Speaking Test review // idioms, L-FW, pronunciation // 30th September 2020

IELTS // Quick-fire talking // Part 2 questions // 12th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/12/ielts-quick-fire-talking/

Small talk // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

IELTS // Preparing for speaking test // 14th May 2020

IELTS: Speaking Test checklist // 12th February 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/02/12/ielts-speaking-test-checklist/

IELTS // Speaking practice: “lend me your ears,” // Activities (LFWs, idioms, introductions, expressions, small talk) // 16th July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/16/ielts-speaking-practice-lend-me-your-ears-and-take-a-tip-from-thay-paul/

IELTS // Speaking practice // IELTS language // IELTS // 10th August 2020

Speaking Test preparation // Last Chance Saloon // IELTS // 8th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/08/ielts-last-chance-saloon/

Speaking Test // Final run through // 25th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/25/ielts-final-round-through/

Speaking Test Part 3 // IELTS: How to nail it // IELTS // 12th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/15/ielts-speaking-test-part-3-how-to-nail-it/

Speaking Test Part 3 // IELTS: theme – education // IELTS // 24th September 2020

IELTS // Speaking exercises // small talk & making excuses // 12th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/12/ielts-speaking-exercises/

Video Clips

Vietnam on video Part 1 (3 clips: beer / weird culture / superstitions // Part 1 // 23rd October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/23/vietnam-on-video-part-1/

Vietnam on Video Part 2 (Ha Noi & SG, Top Gear driving school, Floyd on pho) // 26th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/26/vietnam-on-video-part-2/

Australian hero – Aussie slang // IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/15/ielts-5-6-5-i-come-from-a-land-down-under/

Complaints // IELTS: Making complaints // 24th July 2020

Corona Virus Government video // IELTS 4 – 5 // Implementing precautions // 25th March 2020

Damn fine coffee // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

London street trader // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

Not One Less // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

Social Network // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019

Vietnam – country in transition // IELTS // 30th July 2019

Vietnamese beer review (Sai Gon Red) // IELTS // 21st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/21/ielts-i-love-it-i-hate-it-its-not-my-cup-of-tea-its-ok/

Vietnam (unexpected things vlog) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019

Mark Wiens Kolkata, India // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020

Writing Examples

IELTS David Bowie // information from a text and rewriting // 23rd April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/23/david-bowie-by-request/

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

IELTS // Writing exercises // re-arrange poor writing // 12th May 2020

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

IELTS writing practice // Yoga & exercise // 25th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/25/ielts-writing-practice-yoga-health-well-being/

Review Lessons

IELTS // Mindset 1 Lesson 1 // Happy St Patrick’s Day // 17th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/17/ielts-hitting-the-ground-running-an-introduction-to-idioms-for-a-new-class/

IELTS // Mindset 1, Lesson 2 // Tet Holiday, Cinema, Ms Hanna from Ha Noi // 24th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/24/ielts-mindset-1-lesson-2-review/

IELTS // Mindset 1, Lesson 4 // Introductions, speaking practice, karaoke bars // 7th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/07/ielts-mindset-1-lesson-4-review/

IELTS // Mindset 1, Lesson 5 // Day out for Ethan // 14th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/14/ielts-mindset-1-lesson-5-review/

IELTS // Mindset 1, Lesson 2 // Introduce your family & relative clauses // 21st April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/21/ielts-mindset-1-lesson-6-review/

IELTS // Relative clauses, Bad day narrative, April 30th // Mindset 1 & 2 // 26th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/26/ielts-mindset-create-narratives-april-30th/

IELTS // Relative clauses & directions // Mindset 1 & 2 // 29th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/29/ielts-mindset-1-lesson-7-review/

IELTS: Hello, India

24th January for 30th January 2020. IELTS Bands 4 – 5.5 Unit 7

Image result for hello India

Firstly, a big hello to all my readers and followers in India. Yesterday I had over fifty visits from students from the sub-continent and I want you all to know how much I appreciate you taking the time to check out my blog. Thank you so much.

My Indian friends – what is the standard of behaviour in your classrooms ? In my centre, in Sai Gon, Vietnam, we have to employ classroom management (normally reserved for ‘young learners’) to adults. Namely, we have to continually tell the class:

No mobile / cell-phones in the classroom UNLESS it has been sanctioned by the teacher for educational purposes.

No eating, chewing gum, slurping drinks

NO CHATTING WHILE THE TEACHER IS TALKING. THE TEACHER IS HERE TO HELP YOU. FURTHERMORE, IN MOST CULTURES, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLY RUDE AND UNACCEPTABLE.

Take notes, write down new words, practice using them

The teacher is here to help YOU learn. We are not here to entertain you.

These are not MY rules – they are the rules of the centre. If you cannot abide by them, then stop coming to class, stop wasting everyone’s time and money.

Let’s leave the last word to Uncle Ho, bác hồ:

I'm very moved to be here today, ... Our lives are now much better, but Vietnam remains a very poor country. We need to work much harder. - Ho Chi Minh

Understand, my Vietnamese classes ? Even Uncle Ho says you,

“need to work much harder.”

And now, without further ado, a warm up exercise to see how much the class has remembered from the last lesson … if anything.

Firstly, complete these phrases and then use them in sentences:

over the ______ // under the ________ // under ________ // more or ________

I’m over the …… because I passed my IELTS test.

Ms Linh is not here, she’s feeling under ………..

The class understood the video, more ……..

So many tests at school, the pupils were under ………

Secondly, what do these words mean, the make a short sentence using them:

absent-minded / jovial / reside / miserable / attain

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I shall try to incorporate some teaching points about India in this blog which, although written before the Lunar New Year (Tet Holiday), is for next week.

The above sentence is an example of the type of English that is expected in order to pass the IELTS exam. As you can plainly see, it isn’t too difficult; I inserted a low-frequency word (‘incorporate‘), used a relative pronoun (‘which‘) in order to make the sentence longer and more fluent, then employed a discourse marker (‘although‘) to link contrasting ideas together in a coherent sentence.

To recap, what you will need to use in both writing and speaking are:

adjectives (but not just the most basic, common ones)

adverbs

low-frequency vocabulary

complex sentences (introduce extra information in supporting clauses)

stress and intonation

Adjectives: describe what you see here:

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Try these adjectives:

exotic / mysterious / exquisite / captivating / enchanting

Sentence building: Talk fluently and coherently.

Compare and contrast:

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Does this look like YOUR city ? What is similar, what is noticeably different ?

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A typical commute to work ?

Vocabulary building and listening

In the real world, most students will not be communicating with English-language teachers, but probably with other non-native speakers, so learning to appreciate and understand English spoken with a ‘new’ accent is an extremely useful skill. Here’s a great video which features a charming young Indian lady teaching new vocabulary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKUxuD0m5A8

New Vocabulary:

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

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

The classrooms in Block D are ……….. (big)

The furnishings are perfect, they are ……….

Building an underground train network is a ………… undertaking

The old man was ………. People came to him for advise.

This is also a listening skills exercise. 

  • Do you have any problems understanding her ? Why ?

What to do in India

The American foodie and blogger Mark Wiens travelled to Kolkata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvNdOJMDMyQ

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Listen for at least five words you didn’t previously know. In small groups ask each other:

What impressed you ? What disturbed you ? Would you like to go there ? If so, why, if not, why not ?

Here is a chance to practice adjectives, linking words and using the word ‘because’ – giving reasons, supporting your comments.

Famous Indians

In small groups, you have to make a short presentation about one of these famous Indians:

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Mahatma Gandhi
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Siddharta – the Buddha
kalpana chawla
Kalpana Chawla

The class have five to ten minutes to research information, speed read and extract relevant facts with which to enlighten the class. Simply reading straight from Wikipedia is not permitted.

And now, goodbye from this mysterious, exotic land. Hope to meet you very soon …

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