Describing a picture is an element across all Cambridge exams because it’s something we do so much in everyday life (is it?). Whatever their reasons are for having such a deeply rooted love affair with describing pictures, there is no doubt that it is a skill that you will have to learn if you wish […]
Describing a Picture – Preliminary (PET) Speaking Part 2 Plan Read More »
Are you looking for something to do with your classes before the Christmas break? Whether it’s an exam class or just a normal one, you can never go wrong with a lively Christmas songs listening activity. These have been designed to look the same as a Cambridge exam listening, but the content all comes from
Christmas Songs Listening Read More »
Make and do are notoriously difficult for learners of English to distinguish. There is a subtle difference in meaning, but it’s the exceptions and collocations that drive people crazy. Check out the explanation and download the tasks to use in class or study at home. This language is key at B1 level. You’ll see plenty
Make and Do – Collocations Read More »
Writing rhetorical questions is a literary device that professional writers love to hate, but if you’re writing an article for an exam, they can be a very useful tool. You may need to write an article in Cambridge Preliminary (PET) or First (FCE) and in Trinity ISE I, II, or III. Writing an article is
Writing an Article – Rhetorical Questions Read More »
Speaking at B1 level involves candidates showing that they are able to communicate effectively in everyday situations. You won’t be asked to explain scientific details or economic concepts, but you will need to be prepared to talk about common topics such as family, friends, work, travel or your social life. To help you prepare, we’ve
Preliminary (PET) Speaking – Sample Tests Read More »
With the Christmas season and the New Year upon us, it’s time to start thinking about what Christmas activities we can use in class. With this seasonal activity, we can practise the new Preliminary (PET) Reading Part 4, which is a gapped text. The text itself is one of my childhood favourites, Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Preliminary (PET) Reading Part 4 – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Read More »
Giving advice is such a key area of functional language. It’s useful in real life and it’s useful for official exams. For the collaborative task in Trinity ISE II and ISE III, it’s essential! This is one of my favourite activities to practise giving advice in a fun and communicative way at B2 level. Your
Giving Advice – Call a Psychiatrist Read More »
On the first day of any new class you need to get to know your students and they need to get to know each other. Every teacher seems to have a few tricks up their sleeves whether it’s ball games, name tags or the classic find someone who. I like to keep it simple with
First day get to know you questions Read More »
Like it or not, emoji are part of our modern lives 😉. Kids and grandparents 👴👵 alike love 💖 them. So let’s use emoji to encourage our student to write 👍✍. With these materials, we explore how to write a story for the Preliminary (PET) Writing Part 2, using emoji as a tool to promote
Preliminary (PET) Writing Part 2 – Emoji Story 😀 Read More »
Have you ever taught the present perfect and past simple to a B1 group? I definitely have! This is one of my favourite activities to practise present perfect and past simple. Your students ask and answer questions, but the twist is that they have to lie. Then, using their powers of deduction, they have to
Liar, liar! – present perfect / past simple game Read More »
