Indeed, this week the language schools reopen in Sai Gon after an incredibly long break due to the COVID pandemic.
Furthermore, Tet Holiday has just finished so time to put your noses to the grindstone and get back to work.
Thus, some warm up games to practise using complex sentences.
Photo from tbf.org
First up, tell me about a member of your family using a relative pronoun for a subordinate clause. This means, in a nutshell, adding extra information about a subject.
EXAMPLE:
My uncle lives in Singapore.
My uncle, who is a doctor, lives in Singapore.
My uncle, who is a doctor and works at a private clinic which is extremely expensive, lives in Singapore.
My uncle, who lives in Singapore, is a doctor and works at a private clinic which is extremely expensive.
If you want to pass IELTS with flying colours, and why wouldn’t you, forming complex sentences is imperative. After all, if you don’t employ such sentences, you will not get high marks for grammatical range and accuracy.
So what are you waiting for ? I give you two minutes … Go !
Vocabulary Bank
My cousin is always the life and soul of a party. However, he drinks like a fish ! freepic.com
Expressions to help you give more colour and complexity to your answers:
Positive
a heart of gold (My mother has a heart of gold)
firm but fair
life and soul of the party
a little angel / is as good as gold
he looks out for me / he has my back
never has a bad word to say about anybody
is a good sport
Negative
a real tiger mum
won’t listen to reason
is a bit of a wallflower
is a little devil / looks like butter wouldn’t melt in (his or her) mouth
drinks like a fish
is a real prima donna
is very touchy, can’t take a joke
My aunt, who lives in Mexico, is very touchy. She can’t take a joke.
For Top Cats: look at these pictures and give me astounding, jaw-droppingly brilliant complex sentences. Because I have a heart of gold, allow me to offer an example.
The Deep Six featuring my mate Pete, who is wearing a check shirt and glasses, on bass.
My close friend Pete, who lives in Birmingham which is the second biggest city in the UK, plays bass guitar in a band called The Deep Six. Pete, who is a good sport, never has a bad word to say about anyone, in fact he always looks out for me when I go to visit him because my London accent makes me stand out. However, and I’m sure he won’t mind me spilling the beans, he enjoys a beer or two. To be honest, he drinks like a fish although he can still play which I find truly amazing. Cheers, Pete, keep on rocking.
Piece of cake, yeah ? OK, impress me. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination … GO !
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Many interviews have similar questions. Read the following and then role-play with a partner. Feel free to add your own information, or make up something new.
Possible questions:
What experience do you have ?
What do you know about the company ?
Have you ever had to work to a deadline ?
Tell me about yourself
I was born in …. and I graduated from …. University in 2019 with a major in Business Administration. Since then I’ve had two year’s experience in administrative work at ABC and XYZ Corporation.
I’m a very organised person, well-balanced and efficient. I’m hard-working and dedicated.
In my free time, I like to travel and I love to paint. Furthermore, I enjoy going out having coffee with friends.
What do you know about (COMPANY) ?
DFG are an established company with a good reputation. They help …….. and there are over (x) sites in VN (or your country).
What are your strengths ?
I feel I am easy-going, hard-working, careful and diligent. I think my greatest strength is my positive outlook, even during times of stress. I can work under pressure and I really enjoy a challenge. Lastly, I like working in a team.
What are your weaknesses ?
Well, my English isn’t perfect, so this will be a great chance to improve. Maybe I can be a little quiet sometimes; that’s why working as part of a team will help bring me out.
Can you give an example of when you had to deal with an angry customer ?
One time, a customer didn’t like the price of a visa, and he began shouting and getting angry. I asked him if I could explain the reason. I then told him how it wasn’t our fault, but that I understood his anger and said sorry. Then I told him he could check elsewhere, but we would still be happy to serve him. He calmed down, said sorry to me and bought the visa and was happy.
Where do you see yourself in two years ?
My short-terms goals are to work hard and efficiently, so I can master this job. However, in the long-term, I would be interested in possibly doing more courses so I could be a manager.
What can you bring to the job ?
I’m very friendly and enjoy working with people. I always try to be happy at work and share my positive outlook. I’m very motivated and open to learning. I’m very excited about being a part of this great company.
Do you have any questions ?
May I just ask, what career opportunities are there at ABC ?
It is not a good idea to ask immediately about salary, money and bonuses, although this is an important part of the interview process.
Congratulations, when can you start ?
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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 ?
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 …
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
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.
A UK expression meaning good luck
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Richard III // Romeo and Juliet // Julius Caesar // A Midsummers’ Night Dream // Hamlet
Watch an excerpt from a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe in London
This is the funeral scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet’
How much can you understand ?
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.
The photo shows Tricot who are a Japanese rock band. The band, who sing in Japanese, are very talented. I would love to see them. Furthermore, I really wish to visit Japan although hotels in Tokyo cost an arm and a leg.
Let’s review the idioms and vocabulary covered in our first lessons. Let’s kick off with:
Basic idioms:
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
turn over a new leaf
put your nose to the grindstone
Let’s put it to the test – what idioms would you use ?
It’s no problem at all, it’s a __________
She needs to get a high score, I want her to ______
I must be more serious about learning piano. I have to _______
The iPhone X is very expensive, it _______
You need to stop going out every night and missing school. You need to _____________
She dances all day, then sings all night; she’s _________________
Bring an umbrella if you go to the UK, it’s always ____________
Ms Anna simply adores Chanel perfume however, because it _____________ , she only wears it __________________________________.
Relative Pronouns
This lady, who wants to work in London, is studying hard for her IELTS.
who for people:
This is the man who helped me to learn German.
which for things:
We tried fish and chips which is delicious.
where for places:
Let’s go to the shop where we saw the great bargains.
Whose possessive:
That’s Tricot, the band whose record we heard last night.
Endgame
Can you remember, what word means ‘everywhere’ ?
Can you give me an example ?
Instead of saying, “I think,” you could say … ?
Again, please give me an example.
Answers
Ubiquitous:
In Sai Gon, which is the largest city in Viet Nam, coffee shops are ubiquitous.
Motorbikes are ubiquitous in Viet Nam.
Fast food shops are ubiquitous in the USA.
In my opinion
In my opinion, learning English is incredibly important.
Sai Gon, in my opinion, is the best city in Viet Nam.
In my opinion Tricot are absolutely amazing.
Goodbye, see you next class
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.
One of the joys of the past few years has been discovering the work of Ms Alice Sara Ott, a pianist born in 1988 of a German father and Japanese mother.
I have introduced her to some professional musicians of my acquaintance, including pianists, and they unanimously praise her playing, her tone and sensitivity.
Ms Ott, who has been recording since 2009, interprets some quintessential French classics of the late C19th and early C20th on the 2018 CD ‘Nightfall’. Debussy, Ravel & Satie are all represented.
I’d like to share this promotion film, shot in Paris, to accompany the Erik Satie piece ‘Gnossiennes No 1: Lent’:
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.
A compilation of exercises about this east European country, birthplace of the scientist Nicolaus Copernicus, the musician Frédéric Chopin, filmmakers Roman Polanski & Krzysztof Kieślowski and footballer Robert Lewandowski, to name just a few.
Salt Mine near Krakow, southern Poland
14 miles from Krakow in South Poland is this deep salt mine. Everything here has been hand-carved from blocks of salt. The mine has nine levels with over 300km of tunnels. Part of the mine is open to visitors.
The mine has 22 galleries, 64 metres to 135 metres underground. Guided tours take about two hours.
Additionally there is a chapel here measuring 54 m by 18m and 12m high. It took two men over thirty years to build. Visitors can also see an underground lake, and musicians playing brass instruments.
Pope John Paul and Bill Clinton are some of the famous visitors.
Krakow Town Square
Poland is famous for its vodka, as well as its beer.
Just by watching his expression, can you tell if he likes it ?
How does he describe the taste ?
20 Things to do in Kraków
Do you think they planned their trip well ?
If not, why not ?
story of (my / your / our) life (lives) / place was buzzing / our mood / for starters / hop aboard / simmer down / booze cruise / the place was buzzing
Did you notice any superlatives ?
(the highest, smallest, most fascinating etc)
What do you think about Krakow ?
How does it compare with your home city or town ?
Polish food and drink
Would you like to try any of the food the travellers tried ?
Were there anynew expressions you heard ?
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.
During the 1950s a new group of actors emerged who captivated audiences, firstly on stage, later on screen. Talent, charm, charisma, personality, magnetism, attributes that could never be taught; actors such as Richard Burton, Richard Harris, John Hurt and Peter O’Toole had these gifts in abundance.
I was lucky in that living in London, I was able to go to the theatre and saw Mr John Hurt in ‘Month in the Country’, while I caught Peter O’Toole in ‘Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell’. Additionally, I once ‘met’ Mr O’Toole at a book signing in London.
Peter O’Toole in ‘Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell’
As for Mr Richard Harris, I had the pleasure of serving him one time in an upmarket bakery in west London. He was on form that day, possibly having partaken of a liquid lunch. Unfortunately, I did not get the opportunity to see Mr Richard Burton. Now, back to Peter O’Toole.
I have a great clip of the magnificent Irish actor being interviewed by the fast-talking USA TV host David Letterman. Students can compare the two accents.
Letterman asks O’Toole if he has a story about fellow actor, Richard Harris. Instead of a rather pedestrian, “Let me see …,” O’Toole, cigarette in hand, responds, “Oh, I’ll shuffle through my memory,” before proceeding to tell said story (this occurs at 0:32 – 3:33).
The activity can be extended by asking the students to copy O’Toole’s voice and elocution. Obviously I don’t condone smoking but students have had great fun sitting crossed legged, imaginary cigarette held aloft, and repeating, “Oh, I’ll shuffle through my memory.”
The serious aspect here is to demonstrate the rhythms and stresses in English – the elongated “oh,” as he thinks, the focus on the verb, “shuffle’, the linking of “through my,” and the final stressed but downwards – intonations of “memory.” A lot of work covered in just six words. Good value for your teaching bucks !
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.
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)
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.
While school lockdown continues, an opportunity for higher level students to practise their writing skills as well as learning about some classic literature. I am referring to ‘The Arabian Nights’ otherwise known as ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ which was compiled in the Middles Ages.
The collection features stories from the Middle East and Indian, though the exact time of writing, and by whom, is still uncertain. As with Classical mythology, many characters are still referenced in modern life, characters such as Sinbad, Ali Baba, Aladdin and Scheherazade.
Writing exercise
Painting by Ferdinand keller ‘Scheherazade und Sultan Schariar’ (1880).
1001 Nights
The main frame story concerns Shahryār ruling in “India and China”. He is shocked to learn that his brother’s wife is unfaithful; discovering that his own wife’s infidelity has been even more flagrant, he has her killed.
In his bitterness and grief, he decides that all women are the same. Shahryār begins to marry a succession of virgins only to execute each one the next morning, before she has a chance to dishonour him.
Eventually the vizier, whose duty it is to provide them, cannot find any more virgins. Scheherazade the vizier’s daughter, offers herself as the next bride and her father reluctantly agrees.
On the night of their marriage, Scheherazade begins to tell the king a tale, but does not end it. The king, curious about how the story ends, is thus forced to postpone her execution in order to hear the conclusion. The next night, as soon as she finishes the tale, she begins (and only begins) a new one, and the king, eager to hear the conclusion of this tale, postpones her execution once again. This goes on for 1,001 nights.
This is quite a long introduction; how could you reduce it to three sentences ?
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Thay Paul's Notes 