Phrasal verbs are one of the love to hate them areas of the English language, but love them or hate them, they are a vital area to understand before taking an exam, hence this list of phrasal verbs. As you progress through levels of exams, especially Cambridge exams, you’ll notice phrasal verbs coming up more […]
The 120 most useful phrasal verbs list Read More »
By B2, learners taking an exam should be comfortable using conditionals, which is why we’ve designed 10 First (FCE) conditionals transformations. The key-word transformations activity, Use of English Part 4, is one of the likely areas that where you may encounter conditionals (they could also pop up in Use of English Part 2, the open
First (FCE) B2 Key Word Transformations – Conditionals Read More »
Linking words, also known as linkers, cohesive devices, connectors and transition words, are a vital part of writing. Often when we teach English, we feed vocabulary and phrases to students which, if we’re not careful, can start sounding forced. For me, linking words are the exception to that. I find that a solid lesson with
Linking words – How to improve your writing 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 »
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 »
The Trinity ISE II Collaborative Task often takes exam candidates by surprise. In this part of the test, the examiner plays a role and you need to have a discussion about the situation that they introduce. It’s the candidate’s responsibility to maintain the interaction, ask questions, find out more information and give advice. If you
26 ISE II Collaborative Task Prompts Read More »
In the Cambridge First Certificate Speaking test, there are 4 parts. Each part offers its own set of difficulties and challenges. The best way to prepare for the First (FCE) Speaking is to practise as much as possible. There are phrases you can learn, vocabulary you can memorise and expressions you can use, but in
First (FCE) Speaking – Sample Tests Read More »
If you haven’t seen the film A Star Is Born yet, you’re missing out on a very enjoyable couple of hours. This romantic musical drama explores the ups and downs of fame while being set to an excellent soundtrack. The acting is quality, but it was the main song, Shallow, which won the film an
First (FCE) Song – Shallow – Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper Read More »
The Use of English paper in the Cambridge First (FCE) exam is a challenge. It’s a challenge for students, but it can sometimes be a challenge for teachers to train for as well. Of all the activities in the paper, it’s FCE Use of English Part 2, also known as the open cloze, which consistently
How to do First (FCE) Use of English Part 2 “Open Cloze” Read More »
