Monday 28 June 2010

Advice/IELTS Speaking Part 1 (A1)


IELTS Speaking Exam Part 1 (A1)







Situation: Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test is a question / short answer interview. However, the answers should not be too short! Try to speak in complete sentences, and answer one, two or three sentences to each question.
Problem: Students have particular difficulty putting verbs into the correct tenses and also using the verb tenses in the correct form.

Solution: Use the question to make the answer. The questioner will give you the subject to use and the verb tense to go with it. Practise with the following format:Note: Advice on the other sections of the speaking test will be added when time allows. Please note that suggested models can be included and practised in your speaking on a daily basis, but you should not repeat them automatically or keep trying to put them into your answers in an artificial way. Correct pronunciation and intonation are obviously very important too. Sound files will be added later to help with this.

First of all, try to answer the questions that follow below these notes. And, while you are answering, concentrate on doing the following: 1) Use the subject in the question to make your response (though of course "you" will become "I"). 2) Use the verb in the question - in the same tense.

Make a full sentence. And speak out loud. Or maybe get a friend to question you and help you to practise.


(Note: If the questions don't apply to you, make small changes so that they do.)





Talking about yourself.


1) How did you come here today? (Note - this is about the means of transport)




2) Is it a good (bus) service?



3) How do you think it could be improved?



4) How does it compare to public transport in your own country?



5) And where is your home town exactly?



6) What sort of jobs do people in your town do?



7) What do you like about your town?



8) And how has the town changed over the last twenty years?



9) What do most of the people there like to do in their free time?



10) And you personally - what's the main thing you spend your free time doing?



11) How often do you do this?



12) OK, and is there any other activity you are particularly fond of?



13) Is there some other hobby or sport you would like to try, and if so, why?



Now scroll down to read the advice section, then decide if you want to change any of your answers...................







[ADVERT]










Hints and clues;



Note: if you don't understand the grammar references, you will need to look at "Essential Grammar Terms", which can be found under "General Grammar Exercises". The suggestions below are just a guide, and if you feel confident, you can change the structures.






1) How did you come here today?

1) The verb "come" is in question form. But you should recognise that it's past simple tense, because the word "did" is used, so answer in the same tense. Which bus/train do you take? You could say something about the route, and where it drops you (where you get off). If you walk or use a bicycle, you can still mention the route, and / or say something about why you use this method. But for the purposes of this example, we will be traveling by bus! 




2) Is it a good (bus) service?

Is it punctual (arrives at the correct time)? Clean? Dirty? Busy? Quiet? Sometimes you can use the questions "who, where, when, why, which, how?" to give you ideas. So, when do you travel? Who else is on the bus? Why do you choose to use the bus? How much does it cost? This technique can also be applied to the next question.
 




3) How do you think it could be improved?

It could be improved by (+gerund [-ing] form of the verb). Think of all the ways a bus service could be made faster, more comfortable, easier to use.





4) How does it compare to public transport in your own country?

You could start with, "Compared to my country it's.....". Is it better or worse? Why? What's different? 




5) And where is your home town exactly?

Give the general area of your country. Is it in the east, west, north east....? Then give the more exact location. Is it beside the sea, a river, a motorway?




 6) What jobs do people in your town do?

What's the main industry in your town, and what are the jobs associated with it?

 



7) What do you like about your town? 

You could use "I like the fact that...." + normal sentence structure. Is it pretty? Exciting? Good for shopping? Come on - there must be something! 





8) How has it changed over the last twenty years?

The question uses the present perfect tense, so answer in the same form. Has it changed a lot? A little? Perhaps the easiest way would be to concentrate on physical changes. What has been built, and why?






9) What do most of the people there like to do in their free time?

Use "like" + full infinitive, as the question does. What else MIGHT they do? Maybe one thing in the daytime and another at night?
 




10) And you personally - what's the main thing you like to spend time doing?  Use "I" and reproduce the structure exactly as it's used in the question. Note the useful expression "spend time + gerund". How much time? Presumably (quite) a lot, if you like it. Go on to say what (in relation to your favourite activity) you have done lately. Show off that you can use these different structures. 




11) How often do you do this?

Again, it's your favourite activity, so..... how many times a week? ["a week" or "per week" - both are used]. How often do you get the chance to do it?
 




12) OK, and is there any other activity you're particularly fond of?
Use "I'm also fond of " + gerund, and give another activity. Is there any problem which means you can't do it as much as you'd like? 




13) Is there some other sport or hobby you would like to try, and if so, why?You might like to use "I would like to try" + gerund. Ski-ing? Latin American dancing? Give a reason. Of course, this is the sort of thing you can think about before your test. And you don't necessarily need to tell the truth!





When you've answered (don't forget - out loud), check further down the page to compare them to the suggested answers..............



[ADVERT]








Suggested answers:


1) How did you come here today?

1) I came by bus. I always take the number 25 from just outside my house. It drops me by the infirmary and I walk the rest of the way here.



2) Is it a good (bus) service?
2) It could be better. It's not always on time. Sometimes it's late, and sometimes when I arrive at the stop, it's already gone. Also it's rather slow. But it's fairly clean, and at the time I come into college the kids have already made the trip to school.


3) How do you think it could be improved?
3) It could be improved by increasing the number of buses on that route. And if they decreased the number of places where it stops, it would make the journey pass more quickly.


4) How does it compare to public transport in your country?
4) Compared to public transport in my country, it's rather poor. We have a system of trams in the city centre which is very efficient.



5) And where is your home town exactly?
5) It's in the north-east of (Algeria). It's a little town called (Annabar), and it's right on the coast.


6) What jobs do people in your town do?
6) People in my town do a variety of jobs. But being on the coast it's mainly activities that are centred on the sea, you know, such as fishing and tourism. Also there's a small port where the bigger ships come and go.


7) What do you like about your town?
7) I like the fact that it's a tourist town where people come to enjoy themselves. It makes for a very relaxed atmosphere, and people are more friendly than they might be in any other situation.


8) How has it changed over the last twenty years?
8) It has changed quite a lot in the last twenty years. The town council have made quite a few improvements to encourage the tourist industry. They have improved the local park and they've also built a new concrete walkway along the sea front, where people can stroll with their families or loved ones.


9) What do most of the people there like to do in their free time?
9) As I already mentioned, they like to stroll along the sea front or lie on the beach. At night they might visit the bars or ice cream parlours to meet their friends.


10) And you personally - what's the main thing you like to spend time doing?
10) I spend a lot of time reading. I like to read history books, and recently I've been reading about the Roman emperor Severus, an African by birth, who invaded Scotland with a huge army.


11) How often do you do this?
11) I read about three times a week, or just whenever I get an opportunity really.


12) OK, and is there any other activity you are particularly fond of?
12) I'm also fond of going to the cinema, when I get a chance, but the problem for me is always shortage of time.


13) Is there some other hobby or sport you would like to try, and if so, why?
13) I'd like to try hang gliding. I love everything about flying, and I guess you could say I have a taste for danger.






Photo Album:








The day we arrived at Es Castell on the Spanish island of Menorca, the Jaleo festival was just starting. We saw there were a lot of people in the arena where the horses were due to arrive, and assumed the safety officers would move people out of the arena as the horses came in. But this was Spain, so of course there were no safety officers, because they have a taste for danger. As the horses entered the area, more people came in, including children,and tried to touch the badges on the horses chests, for good luck. At the end of the evening, thirty people had been injured, though none seriously, fortunately.



Grammar note:

"The day we arrived.......... the festival was just starting." >>> The main tense used to tell stories is the simple past. Here it is used in combination with the past continuous. The longer action goes into the past continuous tense and the shorter one into the simple past.

"
At the end of the evening, thirty people had been injured." >>> The past perfect tense is used here. This tense is used for something in the past which happens BEFORE something else. The "something else" may be another action in the simple past, or (as in this case) simply before a time ("At the end of the evening").




For more about verb tenses see the "verb tense quizzes" under general grammar exercises.



Here are some more photos of the Jaleo festival:







































































Tuesday 8 June 2010

General Grammar Exercises/Gerunds and Infinitives 2


Gerunds and Infinitives 2
.







Problem: Students are confused about when to use a gerund or infinitive after certain verbs and expressions. Also, in cases when either a gerund or infinitive can be used, the difference in meaning between the two is not well understood.


Solution
: To tackle the second of these problems, where the meaning can be different depending on whether a gerund or infinitive is used, try the exercise below. Then try to learn the list of important verbs followed by the gerund/infinitive in the reference section. Some advice on memory training techniques is given to help you to do this.





Verbs followed by gerund or infinitive with a change of meaning
.



All of the verbs below can correctly be followed by either a gerund or infinitive, but the meaning differs depending on which is used. In the examples, either BOTH SENTENCES ARE CORRECT or BOTH ARE WRONG. In the answer space, simply write "correct" or "incorrect".




1) Remember
I must remember to post Ahmed's birthday card.
I remember promising to buy him a present last week too.

Please write "correct" or incorrect" in the space below.[ANSWER]




2) Stop

On the way to London we stopped having a meal.

I stopped to smoke cigarettes three years ago, and I haven't lit one up since.
[ANSWER] 




 3) Try

If you've got a headache, try to take an aspirin
.

I tried passing my driving test last month, but failed the theory section.
[ANSWER]




4) Mean

Having children means giving up many things.

I didn't mean to sit on your tiny dog!
[ANSWER]




5) Go on

The audience went on to talk all through the comedian's performance.

After his degree course, he went on getting a job in politics.
[ANSWER]






Now scroll down to read the advice section, then decide if you want to change any of your answers...................



[ADVERT]







Hints and clues:






1) I must remember to post Ahmed's birthday card.
....I remember promising to buy him a present last week too.

1) What is the time relationship between "remember" and the verb which follows it? If "remember " happens before the other action, you should use the infinitive. If "remember" happens after the other action you should use the gerund.
[ANSWER]





2) On the way to London we stopped having a meal.
....I stopped to smoke cigarettes three years ago, and I haven't lit one up since.

2) If "stop" means to "not continue", it should be followed by a gerund. If it means "stop what you are doing to do something new", the verb should be in the infinitive. This is actually an infinitive of purpose (see 13 in the reference section below).
[ANSWER] 





3) If you've got a headache, try to take an aspirin.
....I tried passing my driving test last month, but I failed the theory section.

3) If try means "make an experiment to see if it works", you should use a gerund. If it means "attempt something" the infinitive should be used. With the gerund use, there is a suggestion that the thing attempted is difficult, while the infinitive use does not suggest difficulty.
[ANSWER]


 



4) Having children means giving up many things.
....I didn't mean to sit on your tiny dog!

4) If "mean" suggests "involve" or "do what is necessary", it should be followed by the gerund. If it means "intend", it should be followed by the infinitive.
[ANSWER]





5) The audience went on to talk all through the comedian's performance.
....After his degree course, he went on getting a job in politics.
5) If "go on" means "continue", it should be followed by the gerund. If it means "to stop one thing and start another", it should be followed by the infinitive.[ANSWER]







When you've rewritten the sentences, check further down the page to see if they're the same as the suggested answers..............




[ADVERT]





Answers:







1)
I must remember to post Ahmed's birthday card.
I remember promising to buy him a present last week too.
Correct. The verb "regret" behaves in a similar way.




2)
On the way to London we stopped having a meal.
I stopped to smoke cigarettes three years ago, and I haven't lit one up since.

Incorrect. The first sentence should be "stopped to have", and the second "stopped smoking".




3)
If you've got a headache, try to take an aspirin.
I tried passing my driving test last month, but I failed the theory section.

Incorrect. The first sentence should be "try taking", and the second "tried to pass".





4)
Having children means giving up many things.
I didn't mean to sit on your tiny dog!
Correct.



5)
The audience went on to talk all through the comedian's performance.
After his degree course, he went on getting a job in politics.

Incorrect. The first sentence should be "went on talking", and the second "went on to get".








Reference section


Before you try to "memorise" (U.S. spelling "memorize") the following lists, consider these notes on memory training techniques:
Memory note i)
Some verbs or expressions are followed by the gerund and some are followed by the infinitive. Which do you think is more common, verb + gerund or verb + infinitive?

The answer is that there are more verb + infinitive structures. So which should you learn, verb + gerund structures or verb + infinitive? Well, it's easier to learn the shorter gerund list. And then you'll know if a verb isn't one of the gerund structures that you've learned, then it will almost certainly be followed by an infinitive!

Memory note ii)

Look at the list of verbs under 1) Verb + gerund. Look up any you don't know the meaning of. How are you going to learn them? Maybe it helps you to arrange them alphabetically, as they are here. Perhaps more effective is to take a blank sheet of paper and group them with others in the list that they seem to share some qualities with. For example, "admit, deny and suggest" are all likely to be connected with you "saying" something; "consider, fancy and mind" might be thought of as verbs of the "mind"; "enjoy and miss" - emotions? Avoid, finish, practise and risk - personal actions?Then you can put a nice design around the groups and use bright colours to help fix them in your mind. Maybe the "mind" group inside a black head shape, the "emotions" group inside a red heart, and so on.

Move on to number 2) Verb + preposition + gerund. You could just put a "double bubble" with "all phrasal verbs" in it. And maybe two bubbles joined by a little chain for "verbs commonly followed by a preposition". If you need to, you could put an example or two of each of these types inside the bubbles.

Now go on to number
3) Special expressions + gerund and group the other expressions in the gerund list (or add them to existing groups). If you have any left over that you couldn't place, make a group of "things I couldn't place".Please note these are my groups, and if you make your own groups you'll remember them more effectively.

Once you've learned 1,2 and 3, you will know which structures are followed by gerunds. Now you can read 4 - 14 to see the different kinds of infinitive structures which are possible, and to consider the verbs which can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive. There's a lot here, but these are very important structures, and are in everyday use!



1) Verb + gerund:


Example: I don't mind babysitting for you tonight.
The following verbs are often followed by the gerund. Look up the meanings of any you don't know. It will help you to memorise them.

avoid, admit, consider, deny, enjoy, fancy, finish, keep, mind, miss (meaning to want something you no longer have), practise, risk, suggest.


2) Verb + preposition + gerund:

Example: I look forward to hearing from you soon.

give up, look forward to, and all other phrasal verbs or verbs commonly followed by prepositions (such as "accuse of, believe in...").


3) Special expressions + gerund:


Example: I spent four hours learning this grammar.


it's a waste of time, it's no good, it's no use, it's worth, spend time (or money).
Note: There are other uses of the gerund given in Gerunds and Infinitives 1.


4) Verb + infinitive:


Example: Indian food tends to be spicy.


afford, agree, choose, decide, expect, fail, forget, help, hope, learn, manage, offer, prepare, pretend, promise, seem, tend, want.


5) Verb + object + infinitive:


Example: She encouraged her friend to leave her husband.


advise, allow, ask, encourage, force, help, teach, tell, remind, warn.


6) (Modal) verb + infinitive without "to":


Example: "I won't lend him any money!"


can,
could, may, might,
must,
shall,
should,
will, would
.Note 1: "Be able to" can have the same meaning as "can".

Note 2
:
"Have to" can have the same meaning as "must".Note 3: "Ought to" can have the same meaning as "should".


7) Verb + object + infinitive without "to":


Example: "I'll make you love me!"


let, make, help.
Note: "Help" can also be used with "to".


8) Verb + gerund or infinitive with no change in meaning:
Example: He started to laugh... or... He started laughing.

start, begin, commence,
continue.

Note: The first three have the same meaning, but are increasingly formal.



9) Verb + gerund or infinitive with minor change in meaning:Example: She likes dancing... or... "Would you like to dance?".

like, love,
dislike, hate, can't stand, detest, loathe,
prefer.

Note: Can you see which ones mean the same, which ones are more formal, which ones are more extreme?

Note 2: The gerund tends to be used when your meaning is more "general", and the infinitive when your meaning is more "specific".




10) Verb + gerund or infinitive with major change in meaning:


Example: "I'll never forget fishing with my father when I was a boy"... or... "Did you forget to buy fish at the market?"
.
remember, regret,
stop, go on,
try,
mean.

Note: See examples at the top of the page.




#Additional common uses of the infinitive:



11) Verb "to be" + adjective + infinitive:


Example: "I'm pleased to meet you."


pleased, happy, glad, sad, shocked, difficult, easy, etc.


12) Infinitive of purpose:


Example: "I killed my grandmother to inherit her money."


Note: See examples under "photo album" below.
#And finally:



13) Verbs of the senses + object + gerund or infinitive without "to":

Examples: I saw her kiss my husband... or... I saw her kissing my husband.
see, hear, feel.
Note: Look at the example. Which one is a short single action, and which one is a repeated or longer action?




14) Verb "to need" + gerund, infinitive, or passive infinitive:

Example for people: He needed to improve the fluency of his speaking.

Example for things: Your hair needs cutting.

Or

Your hair needs to be cut.

[ADVERT]



Photo Album:








My next door neighbour has used a smoke gun to make his bees sleepy, and now he is inspecting the hive. The hive, or bee house, is specially constructed to collect honey. Today he has a problem, because the queen bee has fallen out and landed on the ground below, where the workers are gathering around her. He needs to get her back into the hive to stop his bees from disappearing.




Grammar note 1: The words in blue are "infinitives of purpose", describing "why something is done", They can be written in the longer form "in order to make, in order to collect, in order to stop".












Do you get it?


Vocabulary note




supper - a late meal or snack before bed

snail - see picture

doormat - small piece of carpet where people wipe their feet before entering the house

a hurt look - how you look when someone has upset or offended you (insulted you, made you feel bad)



A man is sitting eating his supper when there is a knock at the door. He goes to the door and looks around. Seeing no-one he is just turning to go back inside when he sees a snail on the doormat. He picks it up, and, looking around cautiously to check that no-one is watching, he throws it across the road into the neighbour's garden.

Two weeks later he is sitting watching television when he again hears a knock at the door. He goes to the door and again, there's no-one there. But looking down, he sees the same snail sitting on the mat. The snail looks up at him with a hurt look and says, "What the hell was that all about?"




Grammar notes


1. Seeing no-one: This substitutes for "Since he sees..." or "Because he sees...".2. sitting on the mat: This substitutes for "which is sitting...".3. neighbour: U.S. spelling "neighbor"2. "What the hell...": This makes the expression stronger. Other examples:

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?"
Reality note

I have told this joke twice. Once everybody thought it was hilarious (very funny) and laughed a lot. The second time it was met with absolute silence. Which group did you fall into?