Word formation exercises can be found all over the internet, but they are often dry and rather uninspiring to use in the classroom. I can’t imagine it’s much better when assigned as homework. Apart from that, how effectively does someone learn the target word formation vocabulary when going through sentence after sentence? There needs to […]
Word Formation Exercises – Conversation Questions Read More »
Conditional sentences can be a challenging aspect of English grammar for language learners, and this is especially true when it comes to official English exams. In exams such as the Cambridge B2 First (FCE) or the TOEFL, learners are likely to encounter all five types of conditional sentences, which can require a deep understanding of
Real and unreal conditional sentences Read More »
Are you planning to take an English exam like Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced or the Trinity ISE exams and feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of writing a report? Let’s discuss the style and purpose of a report, the suggested format when you write a report for an exam, and useful phrases for reports. Finally,
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In Cambridge First (FCE) Speaking Part 3, useful phrases can be anything that helps you keep the communication going. This is the collaborative task in the exam, where you have to communicate with your partner about a topic that is provided for you by the examiner. The topic includes a question to discuss and several
First (FCE) Speaking Part 3 Useful Phrases Read More »
The gapped text task from Cambridge First (FCE) Reading part 6 can be tricky. I’ve always found students can swing from getting a full 12 points (2 points per question) or only getting 2 or 4 points. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground because once you get one gap wrong, you’re likely to
How to do First (FCE) Reading Part 6 – Gapped text Read More »
It’s never a bad idea to do a Christmas Find Someone Who activity just before the break. You’ve often got a class or two where attendance is low, you’ve just finished an exam or you simply want to have a bit of fun. Find Someone Who is a great activity because it naturally includes a
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Writing is the part of any English exam where you should aim to get a high score and B2 First FCE Writing Part 1, an obligatory essay, is no different. It’s also the most trainable part of the exam in a classroom. While other skills often take lots of time, effort and practice, writing can
B2 First (FCE) Writing Part 1 – Improve an Essay Read More »
Phrasal verbs are a huge challenge for English language learners, and for that reason, so are key word transformations with phrasal verbs. At the Cambridge B2 First (FCE) level, phrasal verbs are certain to appear in Use of English activities and key word transformations are no exception. The challenge when you come across these words
First (FCE) B2 Key Word Transformations – Phrasal Verbs Read More »
Letters and emails are probably the most practical writing type in the exam. Personally, I write emails almost every day. Letters, not so much. I’m not quite sure if I’ve ever hand-written and posted a letter to be honest. However, emails to clients or job application cover letters are definitely things which I’ve written at
Informal vs formal letters and emails Read More »
Writing a review is an option in many different English language exams, and films are such an obvious choice for reviews, so knowing how to write a film review is pretty important. It’s a great topic for the classroom too. Everyone watches films and there is a lot of opportunity to teach vocabulary, either film-related
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