IELTS: Planning a day out

16th December 2020

17 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Beijing | PlanetWare — The Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City, Beijing, China

A compilation of exercises for students to plan a day out for visitors to their city.

Firstly, an example demonstrating an IELTS-style structure:

Where would you like to visit in Viet Nam (or your own country) and why ?

I show them a plan:

Introduction / First good point / second good point / something negative / conclusion

I choose Hoi An

Hoi An: Vietnam's most charming city - Exoticca Blog

Introduction: DON’T answer immediately but introduce the answer by rephrasing (paraphrasing) the question:

Vietnam has many beautiful places but my choice would be Hoi An.

First Good Point:

Firstly, Hoi An is a historical city with a wonderful Japanese bridge and lovely old shops. At night, the shops use romantic lanterns.

Second Good Point:

Hoi An is close to Da Nang, so I can fly there easily and quickly. There are many things to see and do in the local area.

Now, something negative

However, Hoi An is very small and can be extremely crowded in summer. Maybe it will be difficult to find a hotel or a table at a good restaurant.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Hoi An is a very special place to visit because it is a town of Vietnamese culture.

How to build sentences:

Use adjectives to describe nouns (beautiful, historic, romantic)

adverbs to describe adjectives and verbs – give more information (very, easily)

opinion phrases (in my opinion)

linking words to connect positive to positive or positive to negative – discourse markers (however, furthermore, consequently, therefore)

reasons and examples why an action is being done (because) or such as …

For IELTS students, ALWAYS think how you can use an idiom e.g.

I have been burning the candle at both ends, so I really need a break

I only take a holiday once in a blue moon

Travelling can be extremely expensive, but a bus ticket to Da Nang, although time-consuming, doesn’t cost and arm and a leg.

Now – your turn:

Where do you want to visit ? Where would you most like to visit ? This can be in Vietnam or anywhere … think BIG.

Women wearing Vietnamese ao dai granted an imperial favor — Hue

Getting Around Hanoi [2019] Guide to Get Around Hanoi for ... — Ha Noi

The History of the Taj Mahal — Taj Mahal, India

Where to Celebrate Day of the Dead in Mexico — Day of the Dead, Mexico

Activity:

Present a holiday using a mixture of advertising slogans and practical information. Remember:

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it

Make your voice sound excited, as if this were the best holiday ever ! You have to use intonation and stress.

Holiday terms:

transfers / half-board / all -inclusive / amenities / package tour / itinerary /

Language:

breathtaking / visually – stunning / sensational / incredible / remarkable / exclusive /

once in a lifetime experience / never to be forgotten / unbeatable prices / book now to avoid disappointment / best decision you’ll ever make

holidays to suit all budgets , from 7* luxury to backpacking

Structure:

To begin with / furthermore … additionally / the fact is … / therefore

Demonstration with an advert for London:

Now is the perfect time to visit London, England’s glorious capital.

To begin with, the weather is perfect for walking, so you can enjoy the lush parks, world-famous museums and incredible, unbelievable shops such as Harrods, Selfridges and so many more.

Furthermore, there is something for everyone … and more ! Like sports ? Go to one of the many Premier League football games. Love shopping ?

The fact is, everything is here – shop till you drop !

Additionally, if you adore culture – soak up hundreds of years of history.

Flights from TSN airport daily. Seven-day all-inclusive package tour starting from only 50m VND ! All transfers and transport included. Air-conditioned mini bus with Vietnamese-speaking guide.

Therefore, don’t delay … book TODAY !

Sell a holiday

Advertising vocabulary and intonation

Prepare a presentation to market / sell a holiday.

Review: New vocabulary

sensational / once in a lifetime / luxury / all-inclusive / unforgettable experience / mysterious / majestic / breathtaking / visually-stunning

book now to avoid disappointment / exhilarating / world-famous

local food / new cultures / visit our website / worth every penny

fun for all the family/ the perfect getaway /

Plan a tour of your city for my friend

Ethan Hawke Sticks Up For Texas, Reps Beto and Turns a Dead ... — My friend Ethan is coming to visit your hometown

It is his first time in your hometown. He likes history, traditional food, and he wants to buy souvenirs.

Think about:

What time to start

What to do first

Logistics – how Ethan can get around the city (subway, bus, taxi, Grab or Uber)

Food – where to eat and what to choose. Remember, he only speaks English

Where to go (remember the heat OR the rain could be an issue / a problem).

Explain your choices

Try to incorporate (use) these adjectives:

interesting // historical // fascinating // authentic

typical // bustling // lively // thought-provoking

Mind map – Travel

I start by writing the word ‘travel’ on the board, and see how many avenues spread out from it. Start with the grammar; what type of word is it (noun) but it can be made into a verb (to travel, travelling) and the students should remember how to apply it to a person (traveller).

Then we have expressions such as ‘travel broadens the mind.’

We have this quote which introduces metaphor – the world as a book:

Then more pedestrian aspects of travel; how do we travel (transportation), preparation (booking tickets, hotels, visas etc), what do we bring with us (different clothes, sun cream, currency, sun glasses etc). How about culture shock ?

Next, what are the positive aspects of travelling (new cultures, fun, adventure, relaxation) and conversely, the negatives (delays, waiting in soulless airports, getting ripped off, tourist traps, bad hotels etc)

Pair work: students have to write a short passage using ‘although‘ and ‘despite‘ to encapsulate their travel experiences or wishes.

EXAMPLES: Although I absolutely love travelling, there are many drawbacks. Firstly, there is the cost; it can be incredibly expensive what with plane tickets and hotels not to mention having to eat out in restaurants. Despite these issues, travelling can be so relaxing or exciting, seeing new places and doing new things or simply as a break from our normal lives.

Vietnam has many beautiful towns and places of interest although I have only been to a few of them despite travel being relatively cheap in this country. We can fly everywhere within one or two hours, at very reasonable prices although some cheap airlines, such as Vietjet, are notorious for delays.

I have always wanted to visit Beijing in China which is not excessively far from Sai Gon. Despite that, I haven’t been because I am not sure about the visa and how expensive it would be to visit. Additionally, I hear some negative things such as terrible pollution and many tourist scams. Despite the drawbacks, I really want to see the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace and all the temples. Although Vietnam and China have a complicated relationship, most Vietnamese would agree that Chinese food is delicious.

These exercises help to increase vocabulary and confidence. Furthermore, the repetition helps to make the target language part of the students’ lexical resources.

As a break from the book work, I’ll show the class a vlog from YouTube, two tourists who come to Sai Gon and what they think of the city: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iw_K-1AmVk

How do the tourists feel about the city ? As residents, do you agree with the review ?

Students can discuss the video using the following language:

I agree totally // I agree to an extent // I disagree // I’m not entirely sure // No way ! They don’t know what they are talking about !

optimistic // uninformed // delusional // open-minded // enthusiastic

Group work: Prepare a guide to Sai Gon for tourists.

Allow students access to the class computer for Google images if required.

Include

What to see and do // where and what to eat // what to buy //

What they can do for entertainment

Travel tips

Safety and scams

Cultural differences – what should people do or NOT do in Vietnam ?

Use of interesting adjectives to describe the city centre.

Groups can then present to the class, with all students taking turns speaking. I shall be listening for relevance, pronunciation and use of expressions and discourse markers. Furthermore, I may learn some interesting tips.

My friend Andy is coming to Sai Gon

Using ‘should’ to give advice or information, make suggestions for Andy.

He loves history … what should he visit or see ?

He loves traditional food … what should he eat ?

He can’t ride a motorbike … how should he travel ?

He likes a beer a night (!) … where should he go ?

My Thai friend is coming to Vietnam:

Ms Namsum is young and energetic. She’s into (really enjoy) clubs, sightseeing and shopping.

I suggest she starts the day with a traditional bowl of pho then goes to Sai Gon centre. She can walk there from her hotel in District 1 or take a taxi (Vinasun or Malin ONLY). She will be out of the heat and has a lot of shopping choices and places to eat or grab a coffee. She could rest at her hotel in the afternoon, then go to Nguyen Hue walking street when it gets cooler in the evening. She has many restaurants in this area. Furthermore, there are many English-language menus. Finally, she can go to Bui Vien street where there are many clubs and bars, as well as many tourists speaking English.

What do they students think ? Is that a good plan ? Have I missed something important ?

Language to use:

I see your point

That’s a good idea but …

If I may make a suggestion …

I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.

For example – That’s a good idea but you haven’t thought about sightseeing.

Bui Vien can be very noisy so I’m not sure that’s such a good idea for a young lady on her own.

Two of my friends, Tom and David who are both actors, are coming to Sai Gon. The students, in groups, have to arrange a fun day including sightseeing, shopping, eating and transportation. Then they have to compare their itineraries and exchange views and opinions. The students learn how to politely disagree with each and put forward their ideas and support their choices.

Image result for two english men — Tom and David

PLAN A DAY FOR TOM & DAVID

Where can they eat ?

What could they see or visit ?

How can they travel around ?

What can they buy as souvenirs ?

Where could they go at night ?

What safety advice would you give ?

What you need to know:

Both are 45-years old. They have good jobs and a good income. They like history and culture. They really enjoy good food and wine. Neither speaks any Vietnamese. They are too old for very loud clubs but they don’t mind having a few beers and maybe seeing some live music.

The students can make a presentation, and use the computer for images or maps to illustrate their plan. Then the other team can explain what they have organised, and the reasons why. I will decide which team has made the best choice.

Activity: Plan a day out for my friends.

I have two friends arriving in Sai Gon (or your city). They want a typical, authentic experience. Plan a day for them. It must include:

Breakfast
A museum
Somewhere for a snack
An interesting building or location
Lunch
Souvenir shopping
Something to do in the evening

Give tips and advice.

How do they travel around ?

What are their options and estimate the prices.

Try to use as much new vocabulary as possible, words and expressions.

Directions to Pham Ngo Lao Street District 1 // Directions to a city centre street.

Ask for help. Other must offer as much help – how to get there, the best way, the price, the dangers. Body language – distance, expression, intonation, eye contact etc

Is Sai Gon safe ?

Can you understand Vietnamese people speaking English ?

Do you agree with their points ?

Are there any words you didn’t understand ?

Do you have any bad experiences ? Tell the class your anecdote.

Hotels

Word bomb– what do you think of when I say ‘hotel’ ?

Checking in to a hotel

Vocabulary:

reception / lift or elevator / single or double room / king size bed or twins /

first floor / complimentary breakfast / key deposit / luggage storage / safe / mini bar

What would the conversation be ?

Reception: How may I help you / May I ask your name ? / Can I see your reservation code ? / That’s fine. You stay for three nights ? / May I have your passport, please ? / You’re in room 237. That’s on the second floor / Thank you. Sign here, please / Yes, the lift is just over there. / Naturally, as well as a hair dryer, coffee machine and mini bar. / Enjoy your stay.

Guest: Hello, we have a reservation / We booked a room online / My name’s ….. / Certainly, it’s on my phone. / Yes, that’s right. / Absolutely. / Correct. / Just a second; here you are./ Is there a lift ? / The second floor ? / Is there a safe in the room ? / Perfect. Thanks very much

Make a conversation. One student will be the reception, the other(s) a guest or guests.

Write your own conversation

You are in a hotel bar and you meet another guest. Start a polite conversation, but you have to use your English.

Image result for two people in a hotel bar

Greet each other

Why are you in this city ? (holiday or on business)

Offer to buy a drink (accept or decline – maybe you don’t drink alcohol)

How long are they staying ? What do they think of the hotel ? What can they do in the area around the hotel ?

Small group work

You are two married couples who meet on a tour and are staying at the same hotel OR you are on a business trip and meet some other business people.

Use the following sentences, as well as your own, to make a conversation. try to keep speaking for as long as possible by using small talk techniques (oh, really / that’s interesting / tell me more / what do you do exactly ? / where is that ? / Sounds interesting)

Image result for young people meeting in a hotel

Image result for people meeting in a hotel

My wife and I are delighted to meet you

Shall we go to the bar or cafe ?

Can offer name first (I’m Simon, what’s your name ?)

Would you fancy a drink … ?

Is there anywhere special to do here ?

Sorry, I have to get my head down, it’s been a long flight (I need to sleep).

My colleague and I were going out to eat.

I fancy a beer or something alcoholic

Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t ask where you are from.

Reasonable (cheaper)

Would you like to join us ?

Peckish (little hungry)

What do you think of these hotel rooms ?

What do you think of the design ?

Would you like to stay in any of these ? Why, or why not ?

How much do you think they cost per night ?

Bangkok

Ice hotel, Sweden

Backpacker hostel, Indonesia

Subject Index: Themes, features and topics

4th December 2020

Subject Index: An index of various subjects, taught to various levels and age groups.

Subject // Lesson // Date

International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023 // 27th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/27/international-holocaust-remembrance-day/

FULL LESSON PLANS

Young Learners, pre-teens // Introduction (STB, Horseshoe, sentence correction, mingle activity) // 2nd April 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/04/02/young-learners-pre-teens-introduction-lesson/

Adult class, level 3 // Introduction (STB, British food, present simple, pronunciation of negative words, and questions) // 22nd March 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/03/22/adult-class-level-3-introduction-lesson/

Placement Tests

Level 2 end of book test // Mark Wiens video // 6th March 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/06/level-2-end-of-book-test/

Level 3, Mid-Term Test (Part 1) // 3rd November: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/11/03/level-3-mid-term-test-part-1/

Introducing Jedi Master Princess L // 18th August 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/08/18/introducing-my-jedi-master-princess-l/

Time Zone 2 // The jump into scholastic hyperspace // 10th August 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/08/10/the-jump-into-scholastic-hyperspace/

Time Zone 2 // End of book test // 20th March 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/20/end-of-time-zones/

Hyperspace hypertest // 3rd March 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/03/the-hyperspace-hypertest-vocabulary-grammar-and-creativity/

Rating Systems for Time Zone 2 test // 17th August 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/08/17/scholastic-hyperspace-the-rating-system/

CLASS RULES AND TEACHING NOTES

The Blue Star for talkative students // Teaching English in Vietnam // 12th January 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/01/12/introducing-the-blue-star/

Blue Star, Black Star, Go Home // 3rd November 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/11/03/how-to-deal-with-a-notoriously-noisy-class/

Online lesson rules // 11th February 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/02/11/lockdown-lessons-a-respectful-reminder/

Online Zoom Bingo game for teachers & TAs // 18th May 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/05/18/the-doom-of-zoom-classes-zoom-bingo-to-keep-teaching-staff-sane/

Classroom Objectives, Levels 3 & 4 // Young Learners // 27th December 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/12/27/young-learners-levels-3-4-class-objectives/

Classroom Rules from the Corleone Family // Teaching Notes // 16th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/16/class-rules-from-the-corleone-family/

Classroom rules for Young Learners // Confucius // 18th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/18/young-learners-class-rules-from-confucius/

Class rules May 2022 // 24th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/24/i-shouldnt-have-to-write-this-but/

Class rules for naming students // Teaching Notes // 5th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/05/whats-in-a-name/

Class Rules for noisy students // Teaching Notes // 1st April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/01/young-learners-our-pledge-of-quiet/

Class Rules for Young Teens // Young Teens // 12th May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/12/young-teens-our-pledge-of-quiet/

Classroom safety // A Message from Monkey Mike // 4th September 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/09/04/a-message-from-monkey-mike/

Fable of the frog and the scorpion // Teaching Notes // 2nd June 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/06/02/because-its-my-nature/

Learn English … or else ! // Teaching Notes // 1st May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/01/learn-english-or-else/

Suggestions for students and teachers // Lunatics have taken over the asylum // 19th March 2025 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/19/the-lunatics-have-taken-over-the-asylum/

Zoom classes: A dream or a nightmare ? // 21st July 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/07/21/zoom-classes-a-dream-or-a-nightmare/

Zoom classes: the dark side // 27th July 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/07/27/zoom-classes-you-cut-my-hours-you-slash-my-wages-and-you-give-me-these/

Zoom rules for Young Learners // 15th July 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/07/15/young-learners-zoom-class-rules/

Teachers’ Day 2022 // 20th November 2022: https://wordpress.com/post/thaypaulsnotes.com/15742

Teachers’ Day 2024 //22nd November 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/11/22/teachers-day-2024-flowers-travel-cup-and-a-dinosaur/

Thank you, Kimchi // 14th November 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/11/14/thank-you-kimchi/

Thank you, Little Eva // 23rd February 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/02/23/16483/

Thank you, Penny // 12th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/12/thank-you-penny-knock-knock-penny-knock-knock-penny-knock-knock/

Thank you, Princess // Teaching Notes // 4th August 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/04/6420/

Thank you, my Princess (third time) // Teaching Notes // 15th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/15/thank-you-my-princess-third-time/

Thank you, my Princess (again) // Teaching Notes // 7th May 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/05/07/thank-you-my-princess-again/

Thank you, Little Princess // 23rd May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/23/thank-you-little-princess/

Thank you, my little princesses //30th July 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/07/30/15035/

Education is everything // The West Wing // 23rd September 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/09/23/education-is-everything/

ANIMALS

Animal superlatives (longest, smallest) // Young Learners, Level 4 // 24th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/24/young-learners-level-4-longest-heaviest-shortest-lightest/

Animals and insects (amazing facts) // Young Learners, Level 4 // 7th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/07/young-learners-level-4-intelligent-insects-amazing-animals/

Animal videos and activities: a compilation // Young Learners // 25th January 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/01/25/young-learners-animal-magic/

Penguins – The Perfect Penguin Quiz // Young Learners, Level 6 // 14th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/14/the-perfect-penguin-quiz/

Apple iPhones // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

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

Arabian Nights // writing exercise // 5th November 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/11/05/ielts-level-writing-exercise-1001-nights-the-arabian-tales/

King Arthur and the sword in the stone // Young Teens // 20th April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/20/young-teens-king-arthur-the-sword-in-the-stone/

King Arthur, Robin Hood, Dick Turpin: Three British Legends // Young Teens // 13th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/13/young-teens-three-british-legends /

Area 51 // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/11/adult-class-level-3-is-was-the-butler-wasnt-it/

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Architecture // Adult professionals // Architecture and engineering in history: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/07/adult-professionals-architecture-and-engineering/

Architecture: Burj Khalife & Willis Tower // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Architecture: giving opinions // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 9th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/09/adult-speaking-class-level-2-giving-opinions-architecture/

Architecture: World’s tallest buildings throughout history // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 9th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/09/adult-speaking-class-level-2-giving-opinions-architecture/

Art // Adult Class, Level 1 // 12 & 19 December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/19/adult-class-level-1-lessons-1-2/

Art: giving opinion // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Art // 13th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/13/adult-speaking-class-level-3-art-what-do-you-think/

Art: DaDa & Surrealism // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Dali, Dada & Surrealism // 23rd April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/23/adult-speaking-class-level-3-dali-dada-and-surrealism/

Art: types of art // Young Learners, level 4 (Dali, Alice in Wonderland) // 16th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/16/young-learners-level-4-art-for-arts-sake/

Art: Being Creative // Young Learners, level 4 // 1st May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/01/young-learners-level-4-be-creative/

Pieter Bruegel the Elder // Young Learners // 9th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/09/young-learners-time-travellers/

Bad Day – create narrative // IELTS, Lesson 3 May the Force be with you // 14th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/31/young-learners-levels-3-4-tell-me-a-story/

Bad Day – create narrative // Young Learners, Levels 3 & 4 // 7th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/07/young-learners-levels-3-4-i-had-a-bad-day-guess-why/

Bad Day Revisited: create a narrative // Young teens //12th May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/12/bad-day-revisited/

Bad Student writing exercise // Young learners // 31st March 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/31/young-learners-levels-3-4-tell-me-a-story/

Banks // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 Part 2 // 6th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/06/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-2/

Bonfire, Guy Fawkes // Adult Class, Level 3 // 5th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/05/adult-class-level-3-business-icons/

Bonfire Night // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/07/young-learners-level-4tell-me-what-you-want/

Bonfire Night // Young Learners, Level 4 // Safety First // 29th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/29/young-learners-level-4-safety-first-and-the-gunpowder-plot/

Boys’ Night Out // Adult Class, Level 3 // 3rd December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/02/adult-class-level-3-the-times-they-are-a-changing/

Bristol, UK // Young Teens // 21st February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/21/young-teens-deeply-madly-truly/

British Legends // Arthur, Dick Turpin, Robin Hood // 13th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/13/young-teens-three-british-legends/

Cars // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Castles in Europe // Adult Class, Level 1 // 2nd January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/04/adult-class-level-1-2-things-that-go-bump-in-the-night/

Character building // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Character development // 18th June 2020

Children: gifted // Young Learners, Level 4 // Talk show (Peter O’Toole) // 30th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/30/young-learners-level-4-what-does-the-future-hold-and-a-repeat-of-the-late-show/

Christmas for Young Learners // food, traditions and activities // 18th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/18/young-learners-a-christmas-compendium/

Christmas in Germany & UK // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Cinema choice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Cinema choice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Cinema // 9th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/09/adult-speaking-class-level-2-cinema-what-shall-we-see/

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

Cities (UK) and areas // IELTS // 31st December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/03/ielts-5-reading-listening/

Cities – future worlds grammar // Young Learners // 26th February 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/02/26/future-worlds/

Cities – A Perfect City // Writing project // Young Learners, Levels 3 & 4 // 11th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/11/young-learners-levels-3-4-what-is-your-perfect-city/

Cities – What’s the problem … and solution ? // Speaking exercise // Young Learners // 9th January 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/01/09/whats-the-problem-with-your-city-and-whats-the-solution/

Clothes – types and materials // Young Learners // 11th November 20202: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/11/young-learners-level-2-i-would-go-out-tonight-but-i-havent-got-a-stitch-to-wear/

Clothes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/19/adult-speaking-class-level-2-describing-clothes/

Clothes – expressing opinions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // Extended personality exercises // 20th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2-extended-personality-exercises/

Coffee in Viet Nam // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Coffee in Saigon (exercise, idioms & dialogue) // 7th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/07/coffee-in-sai-gon/

Coffee, cooking & Tet Holiday // 1st February 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-2-coffee-cooking-and-cuisine/

Complaining // Adult Class, Level 3 // 18th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/18/adult-class-level-3-sharks-and-dragons/

Complaining in shops // Adult Speaking Class // 6th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/06/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-2/

Computers // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Corona Virus in Vietnam // IELTS 4 – 5 // Implementing precautions // 25th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/25/ielts-4-5-mindset-implementing-precautions/

Corona Virus: news from UK // Listening Exercises, Corona Special // 6th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/06/listening-exercises-corona-special/

Countries

Create a country // Young Learners, Level 3 project // 5th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/05/young-learners-level-3-lets-start-a-new-country-up/

Africa // Tuareg people of North Africa // Adult Speaking Class, level 3 // 11th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/11/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-travel/

Amazon Rain Forest // Young Learners, Level 5 // 19th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/19/young-learners-level-5-amazon-rain-forest-quiz-and-comparisons/

Amazon Rain Forest Summer Project // Young Teens // 26th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/26/summer-project-make-an-amazon-river-fact-chart/

Ancient Egypt & Ancient Greece // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/13/teenagers-architecture-and-mythology/

Ancient Egyptian Gods // Young Learners, Level 6 // 12th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/12/young-learners-ancient-egyptian-gods/

Ancient Egyptian Gods // Young Learners, Level 4 // 23rd February 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/02/23/gods-of-ancient-egypt/

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/

China // Fishing with birds // 25th August 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/08/25/fishing-with-birds-a-writing-exercise/

Egypt // Holiday Project // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 9th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-egypt/

Germany // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/26/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-germany/

Germany: Rhine River // Young Learners, Level 6 // 12th February 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/02/12/the-rhine-river-fairy-tales-and-gruesome-stories/

Greece: land and myths // Theseus and the Minotaur // Young Learners 5 // 6th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/04/young-learners-level-5-welcome-to-athens/

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

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

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

Japan // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/25/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-6-2/

Korea // Hello Korea // 19th June 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/06/19/hello-korea-%ec%95%88%eb%85%95%ed%95%98%ec%84%b8%ec%9a%94/

Poland // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 27th December 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/12/27/poland-history-culture-and-beer/

Poland salt mine // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Russia // Adult Class, Level 3 // 4th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/03/adult-class-level-3-the-russian-soul/

Sweden // Young Learners, Level 2 // 18th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/17/young-learners-level-2-focus-on-sweden/

Sweden // Young Learners, Level 2 // continuous verbs & home furnishings // 31st December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/31/young-learners-level-2-what-are-they-doing-in-sweden/

Switzerland // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme:Travel // 11th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/11/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-travel/

Taiwan // Taiwan: Listening Extra // 12th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/12/taiwan-listening-special/

Taiwan (four videos:WHO dodge, President Tsai Ing-wen) // Taiwan: Listening Extra 12th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/12/taiwan-listening-special/

Taiwan National Day // 10th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/10/taiwan-happy-national-day/

Around the world in 80 minutes // (Brazil, Canada, Sth Korea, Egypt) // Young Learners, Level 5 // 26th July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/26/adult-speaking-class-level-1-young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-80-minutes/

Around the world – collecting information // (Brazil, Canada, Egypt, South Korea) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 6th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/06/young-learners-level-6-collecting-information-making-a-presentation/

Countries (Brazil, Canada, Sth Korea, Egypt) // Young Learners, Level 2 // 1st June 2019:https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/31/young-learners-level-2-what-a-wonderful-world/

Countries (VN, UK, Mexico, Russia) // Young Learners, Level 3 // 7th September 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/09/04/adult-class-level-3-class-2-what-did-i-do-last-night/

Countries // Young Learners, Level 5 // Around the world in 80 mins // 27th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/26/young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-eighty-minutes/

Countries (festivals) // (Spain, UK, Niger, Mexico, Thailand) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 3rd September 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/09/03/young-learners-level-6-its-festival-time/

City itinerary project (London, Rio, Barcelona, Seoul) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 10th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/10/young-learners-level-6-travel-journal-project/

Gather information (countries) // (Brazil, Canada, Sth Korea, Egypt) // Young Learners, Level 5 // 25th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/20/young-learners-level-5-feelings-nothing-more-than-feelings/

Guess the countries (pictures) Signs // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/06/21/young-learners-level-4-sign-of-the-times/

Guess the music (countries) // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/26/young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-eighty-minutes/

Cracking codes // Enigma machine // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/16/young-learners-level-5-cracking-the-enigma/

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling // 29th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/29/adult-speaking-class-level-3-storytelling/

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling part 2 // 30th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/30/adult-speaking-class-level-3-storytelling-part-2/

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling part 3 // 31st March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/adult-speaking-class-level-3/page/4/

Crime and punishment // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 1st February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-crime-and-punishment/

Culture shock, manners, etiquette // Adult Class, Level 3 // 15th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/15/adult-class-level-3-manners-etiquette-and-culture-shock/

Doing Chores // Young Learners, Level 3 // 27th August 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/08/27/young-learners-level-3-doing-your-chores/

Easter // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/01/adult-speaking-class-level-2-easter/

Emotions // Young Learners 3 // 6th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/03/young-learners-levels-3-2-lesson-outlines/

Engineering for young learners // tallestest buildings, Landmark 81 // Young Learners, Level 6 // 27th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/27/young-learners-level-6-engineering-projects/

English for engineers, mechanics, science:

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/adult-professionals/

Concorde // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Enigma machine // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/16/young-learners-level-5-cracking-the-enigma/

Entropy // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Environment // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Friction // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Landmark 81 // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

Robots in industry // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Shinkanshen (Bullet Train) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Top Gear // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Nikola Tesla (video) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Turbulence // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

Explorers // Mount Everest, Tenzing & Hillary //Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/07/young-learners-level-5-because-its-there/

Family // Adult Class, Level 3 // 6th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/06/adult-class-level-3-we-are-family/

Five senses // Senses Working Overtime (Revisited) // He can, she can // 6th February 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/02/06/young-learners-level-2-senses-working-overtime-revisited/:

Flea markets // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Gift of the gab // 10th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/10/adult-speaking-class-level-2-the-gift-of-the-gab/

Food

Food (Korea, Germany, UK Christmas, Vietnam traditional) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Theme: food https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/22/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-food/

Christmas food in UK // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/19/adult-speaking-class-level-3-food/

Food (healthy or snack) // Young Learners 3 // 13th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/11/young-learners-level-3-my-town/

Food (Sweden) // Young Learners 2 // 18th May 2019: http://Sweden // Young Learners, Level 2 // 18th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/17/young-learners-level-2-focus-on-sweden/

Food (4 countries) // Young Learners 3 // 6th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/03/young-learners-levels-3-2-lesson-outlines/

Food (Vietnamese food) // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Food (what do you want ?) // Young Learners 2 // Review and Buster Keaton // 30th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/30/young-learners-level-2-review-and-buster-keaton/

Food (McDonalds) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Fortune telling // Adult Class, Level 1 // 30th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/29/adult-class-level-1-cross-my-palm-with-silver/

Fortune telling // Young Teens // 31st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/31/young-teens-unesco-sites/

Future & creative jobs // Young learners, level 4 U 7 // 30th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/30/young-learners-level-4-what-does-the-future-hold-and-a-repeat-of-the-late-show/

Hair styles // Adult Class, Level 1 // 14th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/14/adding-adjectives-increasing-interest/

Health // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/12/young-learners-level-3-whats-the-matter/

Health // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/27/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-health/

Hometown – homes around the globe // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 8th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/08/adult-speaking-class-level-3-home-is-where-the-heart-is/

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

Hotels // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Hotels // 8th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-hotels/

Hotels booking a room and vocabulary // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 18th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-2/

How was your day // Adult Speaking Class, level 1: How was your day ? // 5th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/04/adult-speaking-class-level-1-how-was-your-day/

Idioms

Idioms: A one-stop shop // 27th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/27/more-idioms-than-you-can-shake-a-stick-at/

Idioms: food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/19/adult-speaking-class-level-3-food/

Idioms: a piece of cake // Teaching Notes // 1st June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/01/idioms-a-piece-of-cake/

Idioms: are you pulling my leg ? // Teaching Notes // 2nd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/02/idioms-part-2-are-you-pulling-my-leg/

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

Idioms: part 3 extended idioms use // Teaching Notes // 4th June 2020:https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/04/idioms-part-3-all-above-board-nothing-under-the-table/

IELTS: Mindset Introduction // IELTS // 23rd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/23/ielts-mindset-introduction-lesson/

Insults and disrespect // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Causing offence // 3rd Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/04/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-causing-offence/

Internet // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Internet use by area and gender // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Information from poster // REM // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: information // 16th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/16/adult-speaking-class-level-1-reading-and-asking-for-information/

Introducing yourself // Young Learners, Level 4 // 5th June 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/06/05/young-learners-level-4-introducing-yourself/

Jazz music // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3 // 16th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/16/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-3/

Jazz Music // 29th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/29/jazz-music/

Job interviews // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Job interviews // 12th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/12/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-job-interviews/

Job interviews // IELTS // 31st January 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/01/31/ielts-job-interviews/

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

Letter ‘t’ // KG 1 // 5th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/03/surfin-safari-level-1-t-time/

Level 1 Review // Young Learners, level 1 // 3rd April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/03/young-learners-level-1-review/

Loch Ness Monster // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12 November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/11/adult-class-level-3-is-was-the-butler-wasnt-it/

London

London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/03/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-london/

London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London Part 2 6th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/06/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-london-part-2/

London directions and Leytonstone // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 29th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/29/adult-speaking-class-level-2-london-how-do-i-get-to/

London history and architecture // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 18th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/18/adult-speaking-class-level-2-london-an-architectural-history/

London Museum of Childhood // video and questions // Young Learners, Level 1 // 2nd June 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/06/02/londons-museums-using-videos-for-young-learners-level-1/

London plan an itinerary // Young Learners, Level 6 // 26th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/26/young-learners-level-6-london-itinerary/

London street market // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14 November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

London tourism // Adult Class, Level 3 // 19th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/20/adult-class-level-3-tell-me-more-tell-me-more/

London: what to see // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 22nd May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/22/adult-speaking-class-level-2-london-what-do-you-want-to-see/

London: unusual buildings // IELTS / Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 6th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/06/unusual-london-buildings-what-do-you-think-they-are/

Love and marriage // condensed lesson // 28th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/28/love-and-marriage-the-best-bits/

Love and marriage // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 11th January 2020 Theme: Love & marriage: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/11/adult-speaking-class-theme-traffic/

Love and marriage // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/12/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-marriage-part-2/

Love, marriage, children // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 13th January 2020 Theme: Love & marriage Part 3: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/13/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-and-marriage-part-3/

Maths // basic vocabulary // 4th December 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/12/04/love-minus-zero-basic-vocabulary-for-maths/

May Day – history, myth and politics //Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: May Day // 5th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/04/adult-speaking-class-level-2-may-day/

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

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

Mobile phones // Adult Class, Level 3 // 8th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/08/adult-class-level-3-jan-2019-when-life-gives-you-lemons-make-lemonade/

Money // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14 November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Money // Plan a luxury day // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Murder mysteries // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/11/adult-class-level-3-is-was-the-butler-wasnt-it/

Music // Genres and blog post (T-ara) // Young Teens // 21st June 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/06/21/teenage-ielts-challenge/

Music // Introduction to the Orchestra // Super Summer Project // 5th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/05/young-persons-guide-to-music-a-summer-school-project/

Oasis: What IS the story ? // Young Learners, Level 4 // 20th March 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/20/what-is-the-story-morning-glory-learning-english-with-the-oasis-lads/

Oasis: What’s the Story, Morning Glory Remastered // Young Learners // 24th March 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/24/whats-the-story-morning-glory-remastered/

Olympics (London, Beijing) // Adult Professionals // 10th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/10/adult-mechanics-olympics-going-for-gold/

Orion constellation // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/13/teenagers-architecture-and-mythology/

Personality adjectives // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Personality adjectives // 7th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/07/adult-speaking-class-level-3-whats-your-type/

Photography and photos descriptions (advanced) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, // 25th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/25/adult-speaking-class-level-2-talk-about-your-friends/

Politics // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 17th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/17/adult-speaking-class-level-3/

Beatrix Potter // Young Learners, Level 1: let’s write a story // 13th October 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/10/13/young-learners-level-1-lets-write-a-story/

Presentation skills // Teenagers // 20th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/20/teen-team-project-tourism-in-hcm/

Pyramids // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/13/teenagers-architecture-and-mythology/

QI: Quite Interesting // ten interesting facts // Teaching Notes // 27th July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/27/qi-quite-interesting/

QI Part 2 // Seven misconceptions // Teaching Notes // 13th may 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/05/13/qi-part-2-how-much-is-true/

Reading practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-crime-and-punishment/

Robots // A Found Art Summer School Project // 15th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/15/we-are-the-robots-found-art-and-latent-imagination/

Rolex // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-crime-and-punishment/

FDR and the second Bill of Rights // 26th August 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/08/26/fdr-and-the-2nd-bill-of-rights/

Shinkanshen (Bullet Train) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Shopping

Shopping // compilation of blogs for adult classes // 14th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/14/shopping-vocabulary-speaking-exercises-fixed-prices-fixed-expressions/

Shops and shopping (and role-play) // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/12/young-learners-level-3-whats-the-matter/

Shop work (role-play) // Young Learners 3 // 3rd August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/31/young-learners-level-3-lets-work/

Shopping // buying presents, Black Friday, conversation practice // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Shopping Deciding what to buy // Adult Speaking Class Level 2 // 11th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/10/adult-speaking-class-level-2-deciding-what-to-buy/

Shopping, haggling, role – play // Adult Speaking Class Level 2: Going shopping // 7th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/07/adult-speaking-class-level-2-going-shopping-looking-for-a-bargain/

Shopping (role play) //Can’t buy me love // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Signs, symbols, icons // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/21/signs-symbols-and-icons-information-and-worksheet/

Small talk // Adult Class, Level 3 // 26th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/26/adult-class-level-3-a-diva-moi/

Smoking and No Tobacco Day // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th Jan. 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/27/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-health/

Solar system & space // Young Learners, Level 4 // 16th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/15/young-learners-level-4-can-you-hear-me-major-tom-2/

Space & science // Young Learners, Level 4 // 6th June 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/06/06/young-learners-level-4-can-you-hear-me-major-tom/

Street crime // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Street crime // 23rd July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/23/adult-speaking-class-level-3-street-crime/

Stereotypes // Adult Class, Level 3 // Bob Dylan // 19th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/16/adult-class-level-3-class-1-stereotypes/

Stereotypes // Adult Class, Level 3: Generally speaking // 28th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/28/adult-class-level-3-generally-speaking/

Stories in basic English (1001 Nights) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6b // 24th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/24/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-6/

Superheroes – Captain Vietnam // Young learners, Level 5 // 13th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/13/captain-viet-nam-superheroes-by-super-kids/

Superheroes – Captain Vietnam // Young learners // 14th June 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/06/14/captain-vietnam-part-ii/

Tallest, longest, biggest // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/07/young-learners-level-5-because-its-there/

Technology (old) // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/16/young-learners-level-5-cracking-the-enigma/

Totem poles // Young Teens // 26th March 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/03/26/young-teens-totem-poles-history-and-meaning/

Train facts, videos & information // Train kept a-rollin’ // Adult Class Level 3 // 12th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-2/

Travel

Holiday plans (Buenos Aires, Nairobi, Copenhagen, Moscow) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2-holiday-plans/

Holiday projects : Bangkok, Munich, Ha Noi, Egypt, London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 9th June 2020

Munich: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-munich-germany/

Ha Noi: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-ha-noi-viet-nam/

Egypt: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-egypt/

Bangkok: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-bangkok/

IELTS Project // Holiday language, prepare an advert, plan a day // IELTS // 16th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/16/ielts-project-holidays-and-travel-language/

Tourism (Thailand, VN & project) // Teenagers // 20th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/20/teen-team-project-tourism-in-hcm/

Traffic // vocabulary // Vietnam cop & ‘Top Gear in Vietnam’ // 7th December 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/12/07/traffic-talking-points/

Traffic and travel // Adult Speaking Class // Theme: Traffic // 9th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/09/adult-speaking-class-theme-travel-traffic/

Traffic in Vietnam // Adult Class, Level 3 // Traffic cop & Top Gear videos //25th December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/26/adult-class-level-3-2/

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

Travel: On vacation // Young Learners, Level 4 U 8 // 15th June 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/06/14/young-learners-level-4-this-is-the-best-part-of-the-trip/

Travel USA: planning // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: USA sun, surf, sand // 18th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-lets-go-to-san-francisco-or-boston-or-chicago/

Travel USA: 3 cities // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: San Fran, Boston, Chicago // 18th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-lets-go-to-san-francisco-or-boston-or-chicago/

Tuareg people // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme:Travel // 11th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/11/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-travel/

Turbulence // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

UNESCO // Young Teens // 31st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/31/young-teens-unesco-sites/

UNESCO // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Van Heusen shirts // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Vietnam

April 30th Vietnam // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/05/adult-speaking-class-level-3-remembering-april-30th/

Sai Gon, then and now // Young Learners, Level 4 // 3rd May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/03/sai-gon-then-and-now/

Vietnamese business icons //Adult Class, Level 3// 5th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/05/adult-class-level-3-business-icons/

Vietnamese cities // Adult Class, Level 3 // 21st November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/20/adult-class-level-3-tell-me-more-tell-me-more/

Vietnamese places // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/26/young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-eighty-minutes/

Vietnamese food // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Vietnamese party food // Sai Gon General Notes // 19th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/19/vietnamese-party-food/

Vietnam Landmark 81 // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

Vietnamese law and police // (Sir Ian McKellen, film genres) // Adult Class, Level 1 // 5th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/05/adult-class-level-1-waiting-for-frodo/

Vietnam largest cave // Hang Soon Dong cave // Young Learners, Level 5 // 18th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/18/young-learners-level-5-what-are-you-doing-how-do-you-feel/

Vietnam Hang Soon Dong cave // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Vietnamese noise pollution // Don’t get mad, get even // 17th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/17/16196/

Vietnam Sai Gon for kids //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/21/young-learners-level-4-were-all-going-on-a-summer-holiday/

Vietnam: Top Gear in Vietnam // Adult Professionals// 16th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Vietnam: Plan a day out for children in Sai Gon // We’re all going on a summer holiday // Young Learners, Level 4 // 23rd November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/21/young-learners-level-4-were-all-going-on-a-summer-holiday/

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

Tet Holiday // Young Learners // 16th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/16/young-learners-tell-me-about-tet/

War Museum, Sai Gon // Adult Class, Level 3 // 15th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/15/adult-class-level-3-sentence-building/

War Remnants Museums, Sai Gon // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 28th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/28/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-war-museum-sai-gon/

Weather: snow and floods // Beginners’ English, Part 2 // 9th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/09/beginners-english-part-2/

Weekend plans: lies and exaggerations // vocabulary and activities // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 21st December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/21/adult-speaking-class-level-2-how-was-your-weekend/

Wi-Fi and mobile phones (Green Bank, USA) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st March 2012: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/01/adult-speaking-class-level-2-maintain-radio-silence/

Workplace: issues & problems // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Work-place problems // 5th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/06/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-work-problems/

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

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: Introduction to complex sentences

23rd November 2020

Let’s kick off with an old friend: Peter from England.

Peter

Age 24 // MA in Business Studies Born in Surrey, close to London Unemployed // Single //

Enjoys pubs, tennis and movies Wants to run his own company

From that information, build a complex sentence – basically combine two, three or more facts and connect them with relative pronouns and discourse markers:

Peter, who has a MA in Business studies, wants to run his own company.

Peter, who is from Surrey, enjoys pubs, tennis and movies.

From this point, the sky is the limit.

Despite being unemployed, Peter, who has a Master’s Degree in Business Studies, has entrepreneurial dreams of owning his own company.

Although he has an MA and is actively seeking employment Peter, who is from Surrey which is close to London, still finds time to indulge his passion for tennis, even becoming a member of an exclusive sporting clubs, whose membership fees are sky-high.

NOW …YOUR TURN

Write and then present a complex sentence about your partner. Gather some basic information, such as:

Age (if they are willing to say) // where they are from

Job or Study // Where they work or study //

What they like doing // What they dislike // Plans for the future

For Speaking Class level 2, I expect at least one relative pronoun (who, where, which, whose).

For IELTS, try for two relative pronouns, two L-FWs and at least one expression or idiom.

Vocabulary Review

You should be familiar and able to use these words at the drop of a hat:

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

Practice complex sentences with personality adjectives

Premium Photo | Close-up portrait of supportive cute asian positive girl show thumbs-up and smiling amused, express excitement and satisfaction, like and approve great choice, say good job,

My Korean friend, Ms Kim

Ms Kim, who lives in Ha Noi, is kind, sweet and very thoughtful.

My great friend Ms Kim, who is so funny, by which I mean funny, haha, is very polite and modest.

Cute Mexican Girl Taking Selfie Stock Footage Video (100% Royalty-free) 12177473 | Shutterstock

My Mexican friend, Ms Anna

Ms Anna, who is from Mexico, is so thoughtful and generous. However, she is a prima donna, always taking selfies.

Four best hairstyles for Kenyan women [Photos]

My Kenyan friend, Ms Ellie

Those Russian Grannies | Human, Beautiful smile, Interesting faces

My Russian friend, Mrs Gala

What do you think about these two friends ?

Expressions:

In my opinion // I feel that … // She seems … // I get the impression that she …

For IELTS students –

Tell me about your hometown

Tell me about a famous holiday destination in your country.

Visiting Halong Bay: tips to plan your cruise - Lonely Planet — Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Myanmar: Scratch Everything You Read in the Guidebook - Fathom

Temples in Myanmar (Burma)

Use as many L-FWs and idioms as you can.

astronomical or sky high // ubiquitous // hawker // naive // bizarre // predictable // stroll // absent-minded // bazaar // mouth-watering // breathe-taking // spectacular // unique // visually stunning // quite // safe // vibrant // boring // peaceful // bustling // gritty

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

Extra idioms for Top Cats

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

IELTS: Beginning to speak with IELTS language.

12th November 2020

Mindset 2, Unit 1 speaking

Today we’ll focus on two important aspects of IELTS, namely how to introduce an answer, and then beginning to use idiomatic language.

First off the bat, a review of recent vocabulary.

Arrange class into two teams. Ask the missing word(s) for a point [see if the students can use them in other sentences for an extra two points].

EON Heli Bar at Bitexco Financial Tower - Amazing views from Saigon's highest lounge bar

Prices at Bitexco Sky bar are ______________ .

In Sai Gon, coffee shops are ______________ .

A ________ tried to sell me a Rolex watch, but I knew it was fake. I am not that ___________ to believe it was genuine.

The student was dancing and shouting things. His behaviour was very ________ but it is __________ that a class of teenagers will be a problem.

Tony agreed to meet Mary to go for a _______ but he forgot. He’s so ________________________ .

Ben Thanh Market, Saigon - Guide to Day & Night Market (Hours, Map)

Ben Tanh Market, which is like a _______ is a main tourist sight although for western people, the prices are _________________ .

Answers:

Western asian Stock Photos, Royalty Free Western asian Images | Depositphotos®

astronomical or sky high // ubiquitous // hawker // naive // bizarre // predictable // stroll // absent-minded // bazaar // astronomical or sky high

Introductions

Last week, a top cat student responded to the question, “How do you spend your free time ?” by stating, and I quote:

“Well, I’m a student at university, so I don’t really have much free time. However, when I’m not studying I like to …

Today, we’ll concentrate on introductions.

The First Rule of Fight Club is... | Ability Ministry

First rule of introductions is NEVER answer the question immediately:

e.g. “How do you spend your free time ?” “I play video game and sleep.”

That sucks - Chris Traeger The real one | Meme Generator

Second rule of introductions is NEVER answer the question immediately.

So, here’s some typical IELTS topics and some sample introductions:

Your hometown / Tell me about your hometown

Food in your country / What is traditional food in your country ?

Travel / Where would you like to visit ?

Work or Study / What job would you like to do ?

Some standard opening lines:

That’s a very interesting question

Well, that’s a great question

Well, there is so much to say about that subject, where shall I start ?

It’s funny you put that question to me because earlier today I was just thinking about …

As a young Vietnamese (add your own nationality), I …

Now … your turn.

Think of a good introduction to each of the four questions

Photos of indians talking to each other Stock Photos - Page 1 : Masterfile

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

You categorically have to learn these idioms and be able to use them, appropriately, at the drop of a hat. Which idioms fits:

Something that doesn’t happen very often

Something that is very easy, no problem

Very bad weather heavy rain

Working or partying all day and night

Deciding to change your behaviour and be a better person

Something very expensive

To do extremely well in a test

Jewish students celebrate record A-Level success! | Jewish News — Happy students, just received their grades

IELTS: Be “industrious, hard-working, incredibly energetic” students

6th November 2020

IELTS Mindset 2 Unit 1:Listening

How to start turning standard English into IELTS-style answers

Tips:

Introduce your answer

Paraphrase the question

Use low-frequency words (LFW)

Think what idiom or expression is appropriate

Use intonation and stress

Speak fluently and pace yourself

For a database of idioms and IELTS – language you will need to know, click here:

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/22/ielts-language-bank-idioms-and-l-fws-you-need-to-have-at-your-beck-and-call/

Example:

Last week we used these words:

city centre / industrial / residential / suburban

quite / safe / vibrant / boring / peaceful

bustling / gritty

Which adjectives could describe the four types of area ?

NEXT UP:

Speaking exercise – imagine you live in the first picture. Describe the neighbourhood and your life. However, when you get a high-paying job, you want to take out a mortgage and move to the second picture. Describe that neighbourhood.

New Barlinnie super-prison to be moved next to iconic Provan gasworks - Glasgow Live

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Residential Living - London Belgravia Real Estate

NEXT UP:

Introducing and expanding your answer

Coffee Shop (Jin and Ru) | Cute korean girl, Ulzzang korean girl, Ulzzang girl

Starbucks in Seoul: How the Seattle Chain Flooded South Korea

Do you like coffee ?

I like many drinks however coffee is my favourite because it tastes great and makes me wake up although too much will stop me from sleeping at night but, in my opinion, the benefits far out weigh the disadvantages.

NB (Latin – nota bene = note well, please read, important information)

I didn’t answer immediately but introduced the question.
Use of discourse markers to extend the answer
Saying something positive and negative about the subject
This was all one sentence – a complex sentence which you will need to start using in order to pass IELTS with flying colours

Try these:

Living in HCM
Free time
Working and studying.

New vocabulary

ubiquitous everywhere, very common

naïve innocent, inexperienced

stroll a gentle walk, for exercise (collocation: take a stroll)

a bazaar (noun) a permanent, covered market

bizarre (adjective) very strange, unusual

absent-minded extremely forgetful

sky-high, astronomical very expensive, maybe too expensive

predictable it is possible to guess the answer, people doing the same thing

hawkers

Street _______ are common in Vietnam, and they are _________ in District 1. It is nearly impossible for a westerner to take a ________ without being approached. Some claim to sell Ray Bans or designer sunglasses, but you would have to be extremely ________ to believe they are genuine ! They are all fake, probably made in China. Many people try to _____(collocation) money by selling to tourists especially around Ben Thanh Market, a kind of _______, though this is strictly for tourists as the prices are ____________ !

Pronunciation Practice

First time in Viet Nam – First impressions of Viet Nam

A vlog by Divert Living, posted just over two years ago and which has already received more than a million hits:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHnQKvU8OiA&t=547shttps://www.youtube.com/embed/kHnQKvU8OiA?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

[American English accent]

Try 04:44 – 04:53

” … and I asked them, ‘How much is aqua (water) ?’ Aqua’s fifteen thousand, beer’s twenty thousand … of course I’m gonna get the beer, now … it’s just as expensive as the water.”

09:00 – 0913

“Fun fact, Vietnamese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world … and, to go with the food, the size of the dining tables and chairs are super small.”

Speaking Practice: ‘Read All About It !’

2nd November 2020

The best way to improve your pronunciation is, obviously, to listen and then to copy.

Practice, practice, practice

IELTS students in particular need to demonstrate a variety of speaking skills: intonation, stress, chunking, elongating words for emphasis, not to mention body language, eye-contact and gestures.

Therefore, without further ado, here’s a number of clips for you to practice, and don’t forget … have fun !

First off the bat, President Obama speaking in Florida, October 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UoPB7SvCGk&t=364s

https://youtu.be/3UoPB7SvCGk

I want you to focus on the speech from 05:44 – 06:15

“I just want you to know it, it’s a good idea to have an answer to this question … it’s a good idea if you’re running for re-election to say, ‘Here’s what I want to accomplish.’ What did Trump say ? He got mad and walked out of the interview. He thought the questions were too tough. Too tough ! Miami, listen, if he can’t answer a tough question like, ‘What would you like to do in your second term ?’ then it’s our job to make sure he doesn’t get a second term.”

From a linguistic point of view, notice the differences between British and US English, words such as ‘interview’. Notice how President Obama paces himself … leaving space between sentences, how he stresses certain phrases (“Too tough !“). Finally, listen to the ‘music’ of the last sentence. His voice is building up to a climatic, “Doesn’t get …” which is an incredibly powerful way of speaking.

Now, let’s have a speech from President Trump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVG1uR9wr-A

https://youtu.be/RVG1uR9wr-A

I want you to focus this time from 00:53 – 01:20

“…and ensure more products are stamped with that beautiful phrase: ‘Made in the USA.’ And next year will be the greatest economic year in the history of our country … under my leadership our economy grew at the fastest rate ever recorded, 33.1%, just announced. We created a record 11.4 million jobs in the last five months …”

Naturally, not everybody agrees with President Trump, nor his style of debating. Here’s how Vice-President Joe Biden reacted to being constantly interrupted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Gw–6t3s4

https://youtu.be/C7Gw–6t3s4

Watch from 0:40 – 0:44

“Will you shut up, man !”

Time to bring it closer to (my) home, and British politics. You saw how polished and professional President Obama was … but that is not always the case. Here is former Labour (left wing) politician, Diane Abbot who was famous, or infamous, for making mistakes in the media.

In this clip, the politician is forced to listen to a recording of a radio interview where she couldn’t answer the question. This can make you cringe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYZ262b7wBI

https://youtu.be/cYZ262b7wBI

Watch from 0:37 – 1:18

The question was how much would 10 000 extra police officers cost ?

“Well, if we recruit the 10 000 police men and women over a four-year period, we believe it will be about £300 000 …”

Interviewer speaks …

“Haha, no, I mean, sorry, they will cost … they will, it will cost … um about … about £80 million … yeah !”

Now, the British Parliament may be regarded as an icon of modern democracy and free speech but it can get out of hand. Politicians, like children, can be noisy and in need of discipline. A strong presence is required to maintain order. Here’s Mr John Bercow, former Speaker of the House reprimanding a politician:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-2002454/Video-John-Bercow-couldt-flying-flamingo-view-is.html

“If you don’t like it, you’re perfectly entitled to your view, I couldn’t give a flying flamingo what your view is.”

Let’s wrap up with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7ojP2Q6kY

https://youtu.be/AN7ojP2Q6kY

From 0:34 – 0:46. PM Arden is talking about winning the election and the votes or ‘seats’ that she needed in order to secure victory.

“We have seen that support in both urban areas and in rural areas, and seats we may have hoped for but in those equally we may not have expected.”

To the ‘students’ that talk during my class, here’s a word from Vice-President Biden:

Thanks, Joe.

IELTS: My hometown

28th October 2020 Mindset 2 Unit 1: Speaking

A new class, new students, so let’s hit the ground running, get the students mixing, talking to each other and up from their seats. I prepared a questionnaire. They have to interview different classmates and learn a little about them

Gather information about your classmates

Question	Name	Response
Why are you studying IELTS ?
Where would you most like to visit and why ? Would you like to live abroad ?
What is the hardest thing about learning English ? How do you solve this ?
How often do you use English ? Do you read, write or speak at school or at work ?
What do you most like about western culture or countries ?
What idioms do you know ?

This lead into the idiom it’s raining cats and dogs which most students had heard (it means raining heavily).

Today’s lesson is based on types of housing and areas; some extra terms:

gritty / industrial

quite / safe / residential

boring / peaceful / suburban

bustling / vibrant / city centre

Which would you apply to these:

underthepier,southwold/alternative arcades

All photos are from the UK

Ask each other about your hometown or your neighbourhood.

What do you like about your neighbourhood ?

What don’t you like ?

Explain why you don’t like something.

IELTS: Language bank. Idioms and L-FWs you need to have at your beck and call.

22nd October 2020

A database of idioms that my physical classes covered previously as well as new idioms plus a reminder of some low-frequency words that are guaranteed to impress the examiner. Let’s kick off with 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 …

18 Relatable Tiger Mom Memes | SayingImages.com

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 ______________ .

Class Game

Split class into two teams. One team selects a word or phrase and the other team has to use it, correctly of course, in a sentence. Bonus points for throwing in any appropriate idioms.

Rickenbacker 330 Left-Handed, Jetglo at Gear4music

I would love this guitar which is a left-handed Rickenbacker, 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

Extra expressions for Top Cats:

Ring any bells ? // do you remember //

More or less // not exactly but approximately

Get the gist // do you understand the main point ?

Right up your street // this is something you will really like

Rabbit, Rabbiting on // UK slang, especially in London … talking too much

Tongue in cheek // not being serious about something

Keep your hand in // to practise something so you don’t forget how it’s done

Bucket down / raining cats and dogs // raining very heavily

Have a go / give it a bash / give it a shot // to try something

Call it a day // to stop work and go home early

Go ahead // sure, do it

Under one roof // everything in one place

Through thick and thin // together in good times and bad times.

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 ?

Personal and personality adjectives:

patient / firm / authoritative / determined / brave / energetic / level-headed / down-to-earth / strong / fit / healthy / imposing / honest / loyal / civic-minded / caring / hard-working /

Finally, some adverbs you must have in your arsenal:

very / extremely / amazingly / unbelievably / quite / rather / undeniably / remarkably / totally / absolutely /

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

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/

IELTS, Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Good Technology

19th October 2020

Technology

Let’s kick off with a song. Maybe the music isn’t your cup of tea, but that’s not the point. Just see how much you can understand.

The song is called ‘Good Technology’ and is from a band called Red Guitars who were from Hull which is in the north-east of England :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs0OkiCZNRI

https://youtu.be/Cs0OkiCZNRI

The lyrics:

Good Technology

Red Guitars

We’ve got photographs of men on the moon
We’ve got water that is good for us
We’ve got coffee that’s instantaneous
We’ve got buildings that are very tall
We’ve got cigarettes that are low in tar
We’ve got policemen can tell us who we are
We can reproduce a work of art
We’ve got missiles can tear the world apart
Good, good, good, good, good, good technology

We’ve got trains that run underground
Aeroplanes that fly very fast
We’ve got music that is popular
We’ve got machines that sound like orchestras
We’ve got ability to transplant a heart
We’ve got freezers full of body parts
We’ve got computers that can find us friends
We know roughly when the world will end
Good, good, good, good, good, good technology

We’ve got animals with transistors in
We’ve got pills that can make you slim
We’ve got factories turning frozen chickens out
We’ve got ovens that cook in seconds flat
We’ve got plastics that are indestructible
We’ve got deodorants that make us smell of flowers
We’ve got detergents to clean up the sea
We’ve got sounds can turn you inside out

Sometimes I wonder what it is all about
There’s lots of leisure time to sit and work it out
There’s a TV show I’ve got to see
Good, good, good, good, good, good technology
Good technology

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Stuart Ross

Now, to cut down on ‘Teacher Talking Time’ and to get the class prepared to speak, to use intonation and stress as well as affording them the chance to use their L-FWs and idioms, a little warm up activity.

Firstly, what did you think of the song, with special reference to the lyrics and themes. remember – this song was from the 1980s, before mobile phones and the internet, which are now ubiquitous.

Ask and answer. Speak to many different students.

Elicit answers, interview your fellow students, pump them for information, don’t allow them to get away with a two- or three-word answers

How many hours do you use a computer every day ?

[Ask what the computer is used for, ask for examples, favourite sites, what is the work – play balance ?]

Do you have a smartphone ? If so, what type ?

Have you ever read an e-book ? Which one ?

What are your favourite video games ?

Do you write or read a blog ?

Are you on Instagram or Twitter ? Why or why not ?

When do you post comments online ?

Do you make phone calls or text family and friends ?

Who is teaching whom here ?