Great IELTS Resource

For teachers preparing students for the IELTS exam, Cambridge - who writes the tests - offers a great resource online.

First, register to create a free account to access the information online.

Second, just choose IELTS from the list of tests in the drop down box and then the skill area you plan to review in class.

For example, for my upcoming class, I  found an exercise complete with the audio files to accompany the text. Super!

Teachers are allowed to upload their own creations to share with our colleagues.

You will notice the galaxy of Cambridge exams in the drop down box.

A smorgasbord of classroom material awaits to enhance your lesson planning!

*** If you are in São Paulo and need English lessons, or Elite English Services including translations (Spanish/French/Portuguese to English), please contact Professor Winn by sending an email to mrenglish101@gmail.com for a prompt evaluation. Buy your English-language texts today!

What are concessive clauses?

In my IELTS preparation class today, I was asked about concessive clauses.

A concessive clause is a subordinate clause used to concede a given point in an argument.

The principle concessive conjunctions introducing a concessive clause are: though, although, even though, while, and even if.

Like all conjunctions, concessive conjunctions, which introduce concessive clauses, create a relationship between two or more pieces of information or evidence.

Concessive conjunctions are widely used in academic writing so that the reader can clearly see which of the pieces of information or evidence the writer sees as:

    * carrying more weight.
    * being more relevant to arguments or topic.
    * being worth further development.

As ESL guru Kenneth Beare writes: "they can be placed at the beginning, internally or at the of the sentence. When placed at the beginning or internally, they serve to concede a certain part of an argument before proceeding to question the validity of the point in a given discussion."

Ex: He bought me a lovely gift, [although he can't really afford it] > concessive clause
Ex: [Even though he worked hard], he failed the final exam.

*** If you are in São Paulo and need English lessons, or Elite English Services including translations (Spanish/French/Portuguese to English), please send an email to mrenglish101@gmail.com for a prompt reply.
Buy your English-language texts today!

Sipping English Exam Soup II

In our previous post, we covered the primary exams for entry into a US university.

An entire testing industry is also devoted to British English and entry into university in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada.

The University of Cambridge administers the testing alphabet soup via its ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) department.

The British are more organized in spreading their brand of English with a British Council office is almost every country. American English on the other hand is diffused on a wide basis through popular culture - music and film without a strategic plan to advance the use of American English.

British English Exams

There are principal British English tests served up in our alphabet soup of exams today each leading to a higher level of English language proficiency.

1. KET (Key English Test) - The KET tests on a basic English language level. It's a starter exam to prove competencies in four main disciplines of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. According to its official handbook, "a language user at this level needs to be able to read simple
texts, many of which are of the kind needed for survival in day-to-day life or while travelling in a foreign country."

On the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a scale of language abilities, the KET encompasses levels A1 and A2. The target age group is 12 to 16 year olds (mostly female), but some adults take the exam as well. The KET prepares one for the PET.

2. PET (Preliminary English Test) - The PET tests on an intermediary English language. "PET reflects the use of language in real life, such as understanding signs and announcements, and is accepted by many employers as proof of ability to use English in clerical, secretarial or managerial jobs."

3. FCE (First Certificate Exam) - The FCE tests on an upper-intermediary English language level. Mastery of the FCE demonstrates core competencies to function in work or study.

4. IELTS (International English Language Testing Sytem) is the granddaddy of the British English exams. Its official website boasts about a half of million candidates take the test every year, far less than the TOEFL. The nearly 3 hour exam is scored from 0-9 - a 9 indicates an "expert user." Many universities require a 7-8 for entry. The IELTS is required by universities using the British brand of English.

If you are in Buenos Aires and want English lessons personally designed to fit your needs, please call Professor Winn at 1160 461 342 or send an email to mrenglish101@gmail.com.

Anyone interested in translations may send an email to mrenglish101@gmail.com for a prompt evaluation.

Buy your English-language texts today!