martes, 16 de mayo de 2017

Exam Tips for Cambridge: PET

Reading and Writing paper:
DO
  • Try the different types of tasks by looking at practice tests.
  • Do lots of general reading practice in class and at home, especially the kinds of texts used in Cambridge English: Preliminary for Schools.
  • Keep a vocabulary notebook to write down new words and make notes about how to use the word.
  • Read all the instructions carefully and look at any examples.
  • Be able to skim and scan (read a text quickly for the main ideas or to find specific information).
  • Check your answers and make sure you have written them in the correct place on the answer sheet.
  • Keep your handwriting clear and easy to read.
  • Read each text before you try to answer the questions.
  • Use a pencil, not a pen, on the answer sheet.
DON’T
  • Don’t leave answers blank, even if you aren’t sure of the answer.
  • Don’t worry if there is a word you don’t know. Try to guess its meaning.
  • Don’t write a full, rough copy of Writing Parts 2 and 3. Just write quick notes to plan your answer.
  • Don’t worry too much about making grammatical errors in Writing Parts 2 and 3. Communicating is the important thing.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
If I fail the Writing paper, will I fail the whole test?
No. You do not pass or fail the individual papers. You just get a score for the whole exam. If you do not do very well in the Writing paper, but you do well in the other parts of the exam, you have a good chance of passing the whole test.

In the exam, if I don’t understand a word on the paper, can I ask what it means?
In the exam, you should ask if you don’t understand the instructions. However, you should not ask about anything like the meaning of a word in a text. Remember, if there is a word you do not understand, it may not be necessary to understand it to answer the questions.

Will I get extra time to write my answers onto the answer sheet?
No. Before 1 hour and 30 minutes is finished, you have to finish writing your answers on the answer sheet.


Listening paper:
DO
  • Read the instructions carefully for each part.
  • Look at the questions, text and pictures and think about what kind of information you are going to hear.
  • Listen to and look at the example question.
  • Answer as much as you can when you hear the recording for the first time.
  • Check your answers and find any missing answers when you hear the recording for the second time.
  • Answer all the questions even if you are not sure – you probably understand more than you think and even a guess may be correct.
  • Only transfer your answers to the answer sheet when you are told to do so at the end of the test.
  • Be careful when you are transferring your answers to the answer sheet.
DON’T
  • Don’t worry if you don’t hear the answer the first time. Everything is played twice.
  • Don’t panic if you don’t understand everything in the text – you probably don’t need to.
  • Don’t use a pen. You must use a pencil.
  • Don’t change your answers when you are transferring them to the answer sheet

Speaking paper:
DO
  • Practise your English, in and out of the classroom, as much as you can.
  • Listen carefully to the examiner’s questions.
  • Ask the examiner if you don’t understand what you have to do.
  • Speak clearly so that both examiners and your partner can hear you.
  • Remember that both the examiners want you to do well in the test.
In Part 1
  • Talk to the examiner, not your partner.
  • Make sure you can spell your name.
  • Try to give more than one-word answers.
In Parts 2 and 4
  • Talk to your partner, not the examiner.
  • Ask your partner questions.
  • Listen to your partner’s answers and look at them to show you are interested in what they are saying.
  • Give your partner a chance to speak too.
In Part 3
  • Talk about everything you can see in the photograph, e.g. colours, clothes, time of day, weather.
  • Try to explain what you mean in other words if you don’t know a word.
DON’T
  • Don’t worry too much about making grammatical mistakes.
  • Don’t worry too much if you don’t know a word.
  • Don’t worry if your partner is a stronger or weaker speaker than you. The examiners assess the candidates individually.
  • Don’t sit in silence in the test, even if you are nervous. Examiners can’t give marks to candidates who don’t speak.
In Parts 2 and 4
  • Don’t speak for too long without involving your partner.
In Part 3

  • Don’t try to talk about things/ideas outside the photograph.
  • Don’t stop talking if there is a word you don’t know, just talk about something else you can see.

Exam Tips for Cambridge: KET

Here are some tips from Cambridge about the KET exam (the new name for this exam is "Key", not KET, but it is the same.)

Reading and Writing paper:
DO
  • Read the instructions and study the example carefully.
  • Do exactly what the instructions say, for example, only put ONE word in the gaps in Part 7.
  • Answer all the questions, even if you are not sure.
  • Check your answers and make sure you have put the right letter on the answer sheet.
  • Write your answers on the answer sheet for Parts 6, 7, 8 and 9.
  • Take your time and don’t hurry. There is plenty of time to answer all the questions.
DON’T
  • Don’t worry if there are words you don’t understand. Try to guess them.
  • Don’t make a spelling mistake when you are copying the words in Part 8.
  • Don’t write fewer than 25 words in Part 9.
  • Don’t use a pen on the answer sheet. Use a pencil.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Do I have to pass each paper in order to pass the whole examination?
No. Your grades are based on your overall score in all the papers.


If I make a mistake filling in my answer sheets, is this picked up by the computer?
If you leave out an answer, the computer accepts the answer sheet. If you fill in more than one box, the computer rejects it.


What is the recommended timing for each part?
There is no recommended timing as some tasks will take longer than others depending on how you approach them. Candidates have different strengths and weaknesses and this will affect how long they need to spend on each part. Overall, 1 hour and 10 minutes allows you plenty of time to complete all the tasks.


Listening paper:
DO
  • Practise listening to English as much as possible.
  • Revise the letters of the alphabet and numbers.
  • Revise vocabulary in topics, for example jobs, sports, colours.
  • Read the instructions carefully.
  • Work through some past papers for practice.
  • Make sure you understand how to complete the answer sheet.
  • Check your answers at the second listening.
DON’T

  • Don’t get nervous in the exam. Just relax and do your best!
  • Don’t leave any answers blank (make a guess if necessary).
  • Don’t worry if you don’t know how to spell a word – this may not be a problem.
  • Don’t forget to transfer your answers to the answer sheet correctly.
Speaking paper:
DO
  • Make sure you know what you have to do in both parts of the test.
  • Practise speaking English as much as possible, both inside and outside the classroom.
  • Listen carefully to the examiner’s instructions and questions during the test.
  • Speak clearly, so that both examiners can hear you.
  • Talk to the examiner in Part 1.
  • Talk to your partner in Part 2.
  • Ask the examiner to repeat the instructions or a question if you’re not sure.
  • Listen to your partner’s questions and answers in Part 2 and try to make it a natural conversation.
  • Remember that the examiners want you to do your best.
  • Try and relax and enjoy the test.
  • Always try to answer the questions, even if you are worried about making mistakes. The examiners can’t mark you if you don’t say anything.
  • Practise speaking English in many different situations so that you can speak clearly even if you are nervous.
DON’T
  • Don’t worry too much about making grammar mistakes.
  • Don’t worry if you don’t understand. Just ask the examiner to repeat or explain the question.
  • Don’t prepare long answers in advance.
  • Don’t worry if you think your partner is not as good, or much better at speaking English than you. The examiners mark you one by one.
  • Don’t be so nervous that you don’t speak.
  • Don’t worry if the examiner stops you. It is important that the tests are not too long.

Tips for Writing on your exam


martes, 11 de abril de 2017

KET exam information and practice

Here is a blog that has information and practice exercises for the KET exam.

Ready for KET

This Reading and Writing part has exercises to help you (click on each picture for a different one.)

 There are exercises and tips for each part (look at the menu on the left sidebar.)

domingo, 2 de abril de 2017

Reported speech

When we report what someone says, we have to change the verb into the past. We also have to change the pronouns

"I don't like spinach," said Mary.            Mary said that she didn't like spinach.

"I can't go to the park because it's raining," said Dan.  

Dan said that he couldn't go to the park because it was raining.


We also change words about place and time.

https://aliciateacher2.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/8160_480190118677998_1244894356_n.jpg


"I'm leaving for France tomorrow," said Nancy.

Nancy told me that she was leaving for France the following day. 

"What time will you get here?" she asked.  She asked what time we would get there.


Reported Speech from Miguel Dias

We can also report commands.

"Be quiet, please," said the teacher.  The teacher asked the children to be quiet.

"Sit down!" said the bus driver. The bus driver told him to sit down.

If we report a question we can use "if" or "whether."

"Are you coming?" she asked.   She asked if we were coming.

"Do you know Bill?" he asked.  He asked me whether I knew Bill.

Practice changing the pronouns
Change the verb tense
Reported commands
Reported commands 2
Reported questions

viernes, 24 de marzo de 2017

Second conditional

Let's practice the second conditional!  Remember the form:

If + past tense / would + verb
If + past tense / could + verb







Prepositions of time

Time expressions with prepositions:

in the morning    in the afternoon  in the evening
at night               at 6 o’ clock        on Friday
in 2016               in July                 in the summer
in two weeks       in five minutes    in the future

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/6d/3f/9e/6d3f9e5eeee293942817771334e4fcdc.jpg

Question tags






Links to exercises

Countable/uncountable nouns

Links to exercises



Too much/many, Too + adjective, enough, very,

Links to exercises


Too   + adjective

I can’t hear you. It’s too noisy in here!
It was too cold to go swimming.
   
Too much  + noun
There was too much food. I couldn’t finish my meal.
There is too much salt in this soup!
 
Very + adjective
 That car is very fast.
 That was very kind of you.

Very much
 I enjoyed it very much.
 I don’t like fish very much.


Really + verb
I really enjoyed it.
I really hate that song.


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/24/48/d4/2448d4fe25beb993ba6ea320202fbc98.jpg



lunes, 20 de marzo de 2017

Writing an email or letter

Here are some expressions you can use to write an email or letter in English:

Openings
Other expressions
Closings
Hi Bill,
Dear Mary,
Hi Steven!
Hey Barbara!
Hello Jill,
Guess what?
Thanks for your email
It was great to hear from you
I’m looking forward to…
By the way,
Oh! I almost forgot!

See you soon!
Love, Mary
All the best,
All my love,
Love and kisses,
Write back soon,
Bye for now!
Bye!
Best,





sábado, 4 de marzo de 2017

Clothes Vocabulary


On this page you can practice the vocabulary you need to know about Clothes.

Objective PET Vocabulary Trainer

Please go to the two word lists for Unit 14. Check the definitions and play the games.

Watch the Prezi on this page to see some pictures.


Image Credit:http://eslprezi.com/clothes-vocabulary/


Here is a quiz to practice.

And a game.

And a whole page of links to games and exercises to practice clothes vocabulary!

More pictures:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/65/29/44/6529449098fc6e717a411b9fc2d9ed92.jpg

Present perfect continuous





Present Perfect Continuous de David Mainwood

Some exercises to practice:

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise with for and since
Exercise 3

This page has links to many exercises on Present Perfect Continuous.

Present perfect

Here are some exercises to practice present perfect.

Teacher Isabel has posted on her blog lots of places you can practice the present perfect. Try them out here!