Extra Practice

Here are some links to practice multiple choice cloze tests and multiple choice reading tests (parts 1 & 5)

• link 1
• link 2

Last Christmas

January Reading

Here's the link to the story we talked about in class.
There is an epub version, a pdf file and the audio file.

Samples of personal statements

Here they are

what/which/whom

For those who have problems with relative pronouns, try this exercise:
what/which/whom

Household Tools

Outcomes sites for students

These are two sites where you can access activities for you (with the code on your book)

• https://myelt.heinle.com/ilrn/authentication/signIn.do?inst=MYELT  Here you can do activities including the listening  and the video exercises
• eltoutcomes.com  (where you can access the vocabulary builder)

Tools

Click on the pictures to enlarge them 

Future forms

• Explanation 
• Game 
• Here is an exercise

Notting Hill Carnival

Carnival vocabulary: costumes, masks, floats, ...

Presidential debate

Watch it here
Vocab
hoax: scam, lie
labourer: worker
tax return: a form on which a taxpayer makes an annual statement of income and personal circumstances, used by the tax authorities to assess liability for tax.
charitable: giving money, food, or help free to those who are in need because they are ill, poor, or have no home
unfit:not suitable or good enough for a particular purpose or activity
drape (AmE): curtain

Halloween

Skyscrapers

•  The Stories Behind 11 Iconic Skyscrapers
• Skyscrapers - past, present and future
• Skyscrapers

Adjective or Adverb exercises

• Adjective or Adverb 1 
• Adjective or Adverb 2 
• Adjective or Adverb 3

Jaws Official Trailer

Reading for the 1st Term

Curtis Colt didn't kill that liquor store woman, and that's a fact. It's not right that he should have to ride the lightning - that's what prisoners call dying in the electric chair. Curtis doesn't belong in it, and I can prove it.' But can Curtis's girlfriend prove it? Murder has undoubtedly been done, and if Curtis doesn't ride the lightning for it, then who will?
These seven short stories, by well-known writers such as Dashiel Hammett, Patricia Highsmith, and Nancy Pickard, will keep you on the edge of your seat.

CEFR B2/C1
Word count 26,500

• Level: Oxford Bookworms Library Level 6
• ISBN: 978-0-19-479253-0
• Pages: 128

School calendar

If you'd like to download this year's school calendar, click here

Pre-registration for next year

If you're thinking of taking the C1 course or maybe starting a new language, don't forget to pre-register (until June 10th).

June Final Exam

ADVANCED 2	MORNING CLASS	EVENING CLASS
WRITTEN EXAM	JUNE 14th      TIME:  3.45PM         Room 4	JUNE 14th         TIME:  3.45PM         Room 6
SPEAKING EXAM	JUNE 20th        TIME: 10AM Room 1	JUNE 21st        TIME: 3.45PM Room 5

Some recommended posts for your writing and speaking

Here are some recommended posts by Cork English Teacher:
Cover letter
Writing essays
Functional language
Extreme adjectives
-ed endings

How to make a book report

You have to make a 5-minute oral book report in mid-May. 

Here are some pointers: 

 

 Introduction

You should state the book's title, the topic, and the author's name. Include publication information as well as the book's genre and the setting.

Body

• Did you enjoy the book?
• Was it well written?
• Which characters play important roles that relate to the overall theme?
• Is this book a part of a series?
• What is the writing style?
• Plot summary. (Try not to spoil the ending in case your classmates feel like reading the book.)
  

  Conclusion

• Was the ending satisfactory?
• Would you recommend this book?  
• Your opinion

(Adapted from http://homeworktips.about.com/od/writingabookreport/a/report.htm )

Bruno Mars Grenade

The canoe couple

Click to read the story of the Darwins: The canoe couple

Formal letters

• Letters of complaint  Samples at the bottom 
• Letter of complaint : organisation
• Formal letters
• 
   
  

   Writing formal letters to complain:

  FORMAL LETTER
  Dear Sir/Madam ( when you don’t know the name → Yours Faithfully)
  Dear Mr X (→Yours Sincerely)
  
  
  Reason for writing:
  
  

  Who I am (not the name!), What I want, When and Where it happened

  •   I am writing in order to complain about /I am writing to complain about
  • I am writing with regard/reference to (the article which appeared when/where) to express my concern about/disappointment with/dissatisfation with/disapproval of/apologies for (motivation)
  Introducing the complaint:
  
  
  • Firstly/In the first place/First of all/ My first complaint is/
    To begin with/
  • The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is /My first concern is
  
  

  •  According to your (brochure/article)/ Your (brochure/article) states that..
  • However, ...
  • , which is completely wrong
  Introducing further complaints:
  
  
  • Secondly/In the second place/Not only .......but also /In addition, /In addition to this/ Added to this/Moreover/In fact/Furthermore/In addition/Finally
    
    
    (I feel) I must also (dis)agree with/ I would like to/ I want to point out that
    
    
  •   X was also unacceptable
  
  
  Demanding action:
  
  
  • I suggest that you replace the item
  • I would be grateful if my money was refunded
  • I would be grateful if you could give me a full refund 
  • I trust/very much hope you will (print this letter in the next issue of your newspaper)
  • I would appreciate it/be grateful if you would
  • It seems only fair that you should
  • In light of the above (I feel I am entitled to a full refund and a formal apology)
  Ending the letter:
  
  
  • I look forward to hearing from you
  • I look forward to receiving a full refund
  • I look forward to receiving a replacement
  • I look forward to receiving your explanations

Language for speaking exam

Follow this link to Elisa's  post with a very useful handout on phrases for your speaking exam

Cleft sentences

Follow the link to download a pdf with explanation + exercises with key:      Cleft sentences

Street Style Fashion

• Street Style Fashion - London
• New York 
• How to dress like a hipster 

Fashion podcast & video

Fashion podcast
Vocab:

• bell-bottoms
• flares
• jeggings
• jean jacket
• the little black dress
• trendy
• a trench coat
• out-dated
• shoulder pads
• plaid
• vintage/retro

Video 1
Video 2

Discourse markers

• discourse markers 1

• discourse markers 2

 

Future forms and modals

• expressing future plans and arrangements

• speculation and deduction

• permission, obligation, and necessity

 

Try - Remember - Forget

Some videos to see the difference in meaning:
Try + ing or  infinitive

REMEMBER & FORGET

Tips for dealing with speaking anxiety

Robots

Follow the links to watch the videos:

• Robot 1
• Robot 2
• Robot 3
• Robot Maid

Concession clauses

Although-in spite of
Concession and contrast
Concession, contrast and reason pdf

English E-books

Here's 
a great -and very useful- post for those of you who like reading in English

PASSIVE OF REPORTING VERBS

 Here are some exercises, as requested:
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

How to Write a Report

Reason for writing (Introduction)

• The aim/objective/purpose of this report is to ...

• This report aims to... 

• It is based on a survey conducted/carried out among...                            

• Nouns: information, ideas, suggestions, situations, conditions, comments,
  measures, steps, solutions, causes, consequences, issues, ...
• Verbs: recommend, consider, suggest, examine, evaluate, outline, analyse, present, give information on, to cause, to bring about...

Body

• Headings from the task

• It should be considered/taken into account... , it is worth considering...

• According to (the majority of respondents, 50% of ...)

• In spite of /Despite the fact (that) + sentence
• In spite of /Despite +noun or ...ing
• Predicting the future: The outlook for ... is bright/optimistic/depressing.  The future looks bleak/remains uncertain/is promising

• This seems unlikely in the near future
•  It is (therefore) believed / obvious that…would be ideal for…

• The research shows/proves...  

 

Making/giving recommendations

• We suggest/propose that + sentence
  We suggest/propose + ing ...

•  In light of the results of the survey we believe the following measures should be adopted…

•  In the short/long term, we suggest you should consider…
•  My recommendations are as follows: …
•  In my view, in future, we should…
•  To improve the situation, we recommend…
•  It is recommended that…  I would strongly recommend that ... should + bare infinitive

• The best solution is/would be to...

• This will have an impact on ...

Conclusion

• In conclusion...To sum up,…To conclude,…
• From the research/the statistics we conclude that...

Style

• Do not use contractions.
• Use passive forms whenever possible.
• Use relative clauses to join ideas: The period during which he lived was full of uncertainty.
• Use these formal words:  like such as   /   kids children   

           a lot (of) many / a large number of  + countable noun
            a lot (of) much / a great amount of / a great deal of + uncountable
             a lot (intensity) very much / significantly / dramatically 

• Avoid using the word things / something,  etc. Use a more specific word (problems, situation, solutions, subjects, and so on).
  

Adapted from  http://cae-tips.blogspot.com.es