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Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)

The final part of the Reading and Use of English paper in the C1 Advanced Examination is Key Word Transformations. A sentence followed by a key word and a second sentence which has a gap in it. You have to use the key word to complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first sentence.

2. Please do those photocopies whenever you have the time.
happen
Please do those photocopies if ______________________________ the time.

Exam Tip!

Each question is marked in two halves and it's perfectly possible to get one whole point in the exam just for getting a single word correctly, even if you don't know the other words to put in the gap. So you should always give every question a try.

Exam Tip!

The important thing in key word transformations is that you keep the meaning the same - EXACTLY the same. So it's important that you read through the first sentence and your second sentence to ensure you have kept the meaning the same. Look at these two sentences:
Tommy said he was ready for his driving test and would take it in July.
Tommy said he was ready for his driving test and could take it in July.
One letter has been changed, from "would" to "could" but it changes the meaning of the sentence totally. Be careful of this!

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C1 Advanced (Certificate in Advanced English) Examination Key Word Transformations | esl-lounge Student

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The final part of the Reading and Use of English paper in the C1 Advanced Examination is Key Word Transformations. A sentence followed by a key word and a second sentence which has a gap in it. You have to use the key word to complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first sentence.

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Let's take a look at inverted conditionals in English. For more advanced English, check out Are You Making These 4 Advanced English Mistakes?

In this post, you're going to learn how to use inversion in first, second and third conditionals in English.

Ready? Let's go!

1. Inverted Conditionals - First Conditional ("Should")

Let's take a simple first conditional sentence:

If he remembers his own name, we'll be able to help him.

To invert this:

1. Replace "if" with "should."

2. Replace the verb with the bare infinitive. (e.g. "goes" →" go," "has" → "have," am/is/are → "be")

Should he remember his own name, we'll be able to help him.

Easy, right?

2. Inverted Conditionals - Second Conditional ("Were")

OK. This one is fun but also a little more complex.

There are actually two uses of the inverted second conditional:

1. With verbs, to describe an unlikely future

2. With "be," to describe an unreal present state

Let's look at them one by one.

Inverted Second Conditional for Unlikely Future Events

We can use the second conditional to talk about something in the future that probably isn't going to happen.

You know, like how everyone said that Brexit wouldn't happen. Or that Trump wouldn't get elected President.

Of course, these things happened - but they seemed very unlikely to happen at the time.

That's when we could've used this tense.

Here's an example:

If he pushed the button, we'd all have problems.

To invert this:

1. Replace "if" with "were."

2. Change the verb to the infinitive form (with "to").

Were he to push the button, we'd all have problems.

So back at the beginning of 2016, we could've said things like:

Were Brexit to happen, I'd be surprised.

or...

Were Trump to get elected, we'd all be surprised. Very surprised.

It was a very surprising year.

Inverted Second Conditional for Unreal Present States

The last examples (Trump getting elected and Brexit happening) were solid events, with "proper" verbs.

But we can also use this inversion with the verb "be."

Example? OK - here we go:

If I was ridiculously rich, I think I'd still work.

To invert this:

1. Remove "if."

2. Invert subject and verb. ("I was" → "was I")

3. If necessary, change "was" to "were."

Were I ridiculously rich, I think I'd still work.

Want more examples and practice? Check out the quiz at the end of the post.

3. Inverted Conditionals - Third Conditional ("Had")

Onward! To the example!

If we'd arrived sooner, we wouldn't have missed the beginning.

To invert this:

1. Delete "if."

2. Invert the subject and the auxiliary. ("we had" → "had we")

Had we arrived sooner, we wouldn't have missed the beginning.

So we've covered how to invert first, second and third conditional sentences.

You might want to ask, "Can we invert mixed conditionals?"

The answer?

We'll never know!

Just kidding. "Yes." The answer is "yes."

4. Inverted Conditionals - Mixed Conditionals

If you want to use a mixed conditional sentence AND invert it (you maniac!), the process is really quite easy.

Here's how to do it with this mixed conditional sentence:

If the driver were faster, we would've arrived ages ago.

Look at the first part of your mixed conditional:

If the driver were faster, ...

Invert it:

Were the driver faster, ...

And that's it - the second part doesn't change.

It makes no difference whether you want to mix the second conditional with the third:

If the driver were faster, we would've arrived ages ago.

→

Were the driver faster, we would've arrived ages ago.

Or the third with the second:

If we'd got just one more signature, we'd be on target now.

→

Had we got just one more signature, we'd be on target now.

5. Inverted Conditionals - Negative

Finally, let's take a look at negative inverted conditionals.

There's one simple rule here:
Add "not" after the subject.
First conditional:

Should Batman come, we'll escape!

Should Batman not come, we're in big trouble. But don't worry, he always comes.

Second conditional:

Were Tom a smart person, he'd invest all his money in Cobra Industries.

Were Anna not a smart person, she'd give all her money to Shady Nick.

Third conditional:

Had they told us about the dolphin, we wouldn't have come.

Had Anna not voted, the dolphin would have won.

Fun, right?

But it's good to get a bit more practice in, so why not try out this quick quiz?

Drag and drop the words into the correct spaces.

Inverted Conditionals Quiz

How did you go?

Be sure to check out Are You Making These 4 Advanced English Mistakes? while you're here.

Did you find this useful? If so, then BE AWESOME AND SHARE! Let's spread the knowledge and make the world a smarter place!

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Inverted Conditionals - Master This Advanced English Trick | Clark and Miller

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Let's take a look at inverted conditionals in English. For more advanced English, check out Are You Making These 4 Advanced English Mistakes? In this post, you're going to learn how to use inversion in first,

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More than three years after Europe's biggest influx of migrants and refugees since the second world war, tensions between EU member states over how to handle irregular immigration from outside the bloc - mainly from the Middle East and Africa - remain high.

What is the scale of migration?

Numbers are sharply down from their 2015-16 peak because of a 2016 EU deal with Turkey, new border fences in the Balkans, and a 2017 bilateral arrangement between Italy and Libya, but tens of thousands of people are still trying to reach Europe.

The UNHCR says Spain has taken in 56,200 irregular migrants arriving by sea so far this year, Greece 28,700 and Italy 22,500. Overland arrivals in Greece have climbed sharply to 14,000, a three-fold increase on the same period last year.

The underlying factors that have led to more than 1.8 million migrants coming to Europe since 2014 have not gone away; most observers believe it is only a matter of time before the number of arrivals picks up significantly once more.

Why is it a problem?

Everyone agrees Europe needs to urgently overhaul its asylum and immigration rules. At present Spain, Italy and Greece take most of the strain owing to their geographical position on the Mediterranean Sea and the fact that, under EU law, asylum seekers must lodge their applications in the first EU country they enter.

However, no one can agree on what to do: some countries want tougher external border controls, others fairer distribution of new arrivals. Any solution will have to balance the concerns of "frontline" southern states with those of wealthier northern "destination" states, while dealing with the refusal of hardline central and eastern ones ( such as Hungary and Poland) to accept any migrants at all.

What is the wider political context?

With anti-immigration sentiment on the rise across the continent, the presence in Italy's government of the far-right League party of Matteo Salvini, which campaigned on a pledge to send 500,000 irregular migrants home, is making itself felt. The similarly rightwing, populist Freedom party is sharing power in Austria.

In Germany - which welcomed more than 1 million migrants in 2015 under Angela Merkel's open-door policy - the rightwing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has kept immigration firmly at the top of the political agenda. After a series of electoral setbacks, the chancellor has said she will not stand again. Polling shows immigration and terrorism remain EU citizens' top concerns.

Where do things stand?

The death toll on the central Mediterranean route to Italy has fallen in the past year, but the number of those drowning as a proportion of arrivals has risen sharply to 2,054 so far this year, according to the International Organisation for Migration.

Amid a string of high-profile cases of migrant rescue boats left drifting at sea, NGO vessels have all but disappeared from the main migration routes to Italy following Salvini's announcement after taking office this summer that he was closing Italian ports to non-Italian rescue vessels.

European leaders papered over their divisions at a crunch summer summit but have so far dodged any formal agreement on refugee quotas, with central states rejecting any form of mandatory action.

What will happen now?

Merkel is on record as saying the future of the European Union hinges on whether it can find answers to the "vital questions" posed by migration, but although leaders agree on the need to ease the burden on Italy and Greece, details are scarce.

Efforts will be shared, but only voluntarily. Members are to take in rescued migrants and establish centres to assess asylum claims on their soil, and the bloc will explore regional processing platforms in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Niger and Tunisia.

But so far none of these countries have agreed to help, while a couple have ruled themselves out. Meanwhile Hungary's leader, Viktor Orbán, is leading a call among some states for a "strong border" to stop an "invasion". Nothing is yet settled.
Topics

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What is the current state of the migration crisis in Europe?

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More than three years after Europe's biggest influx of migrants and refugees since the second world war, tensions between EU member states over how to handle irregular immigration from outside the bloc - mainly from the Middle East and Africa - remain high.

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toss, rubble, speak volumes, loose, harrowing

At the celebrations in Bangalore they were ______ activists in the air.

The activist in the photo, Akkai Padnashali, said this was the happiest moment of her life. I think it _________ of her belief that everyone is equal and deserves to be treated as such in the eyes of the law.

The families were in darkness after a ______ journey.

Somebody reported that this dog, Bean, was running _______.

This family was searching for their home in the ________.

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The best photographs of 2018 - and the stories behind them

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From California wildfires and an erupting volcano to a close-up crocodile snap - photographers recall how they captured some of the defining images of the year

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raw, rage, outrage, talk sth over, surveillance, accomplished, strike a chord, worship

He didn't shame her for her ____ - instead, he gave her constructive ways to make real change in the world.

When did my baby brother become such an ______ young man?

My shock quickly turned to ______.

You know, a malignant tumor you extract altogether, and a benign tumor you just keep under ________.

Did we go to the mosque or did we play it safe and stay home? Well, we ____ it ____ , and it might seem like a small decision, but to us, it was about what kind of America we wanted to leave for our kids: one that would control us by fear or one where we were practicing our religion freely.

Emotions were so _____, understandably.

So Dalia, you seem to _________. But I wonder, what would you say to those who might argue that you're giving a TED Talk, you're clearly a deep thinker, you work at a fancy think tank, you're an exception, you're not the rule. What would you say to those people?

And then it was Friday that same week, the day that Muslims congregate for _______.

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Transcript of "What it's like to be Muslim in America"

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TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: When you look at Muslim scholar Dalia Mogahed, what do you see: A woman of faith? A scholar, a mom, a sister? Or an oppressed, brainwashed, potential terrorist? In this personal, powerful talk, Mogahed asks us, in this polarizing time, to fight negative perceptions of her faith in the media -- and to choose empathy over prejudice.

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Learn English. 1 FREE English lesson added every single day. Grammar, vocabulary, listening & reading

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The psychology of post-traumatic stress disorder - Joelle Rabow Maletis

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to go great lengths, to be torn between something and something, to be in a quandary, remarkable, to be clued up

George _________ —should he go or shouldn't he?

He's totally _____ on/about the latest computer developments.

She’s ________ her loyalty and her desire to tell the truth.

Greta Garbo ________ to hide from reporters and photographers.

What is even more ______ about the whole thing is…

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Your time in Iraq makes you a threat to society: Andrew Chambers at TEDxMarionCorrectionalSalon 2013

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bold, sanguine, thwart, shortage, gloom

The situation isn't all doom and _____ — there are still plenty of goodschools that did accept you!

Our holiday plans were ______ by the airline pilots' strike.

She was a _____ and fearless climber.

He tends to take a ______ view of the problems involved.

There's a ______ of cheap housing in the region.

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By 10.15 on Wednesday morning, Enrique Pelagio had parked his lorry in the chic Madrid neighbourhood of Chueca and was stacking the trolley that would bring the local cafes, bars and restaurants their daily bread and pastries.

Across the road was the van from the fruit and veg shop, while near the craft beer place sat a red delivery truck from the ubiquitous Mahou brewery.

This mini-murmuration of goods vehicles takes place throughout the capital several times a day, every day.

But change is afoot. On Friday, Madrid's latest anti-pollution measure comes into force: a ban on polluting vehicles in the city centre.

The plan, known as Madrid Central, establishes a low-emissions zone that covers 472 hectares (1,166 acres). All petrol vehicles registered before 2000 and diesel ones registered before 2006 will be banned from the area, unless they are used by residents of the area or meet other exemptions. The goal is to cut nitrogen dioxide levels by 23% in 2020 and put people - rather than the internal combustion engine - at the heart of transport policy.

There have been similar moves in other major cities: at the end of 2016, the mayors of Paris, Athens and Mexico City joined Madrid in announcing plans to take diesel cars and vans off their roads by 2025, and in May this year Hamburg became the first German city to ban some older diesel vehicles from two of its main roads.

Smog hangs over Mardrid and road signs warn of speed limits in place due to air pollution. Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Oslo, which had planned on making its city centre car-free, is now embarked on a drive to ensure it has the "fewest possible vehicles". And in January last year Paris launched a colour-coded sticker scheme to ban all diesel cars registered between 1997 and 2000 between 8am and 8pm.

Madrid's proposal, however, is bolder still: the only vehicles allowed to drive freely around the downtown area will be those that produce zero emissions.

As he stacks his trolley, Pelagio is more sanguine about the new rules than many of his colleagues, who say they can't afford to upgrade to cleaner vehicles.

"It's the only way forward," he said. Besides, with fewer older cars and lorries, "there'll be more space".

There's a clear link between pollution peaks and hospital admissions

Inés Sabanés, councillor

There will be some access under strict rules. Hybrids and LPG vehicles will be allowed into the area to park for a maximum of two hours, and more modern diesel and petrol vehicles will only be allowed in to park in public carparks or private garages.

Truck drivers such as Pelagio, meanwhile, will be subject to a timetable: the oldest, most polluting lorries will only be admitted from 7am to 1pm, while more modern ones will see that window extended until 9pm.

The leftwing city council of Manuela Carmena, the mayor of Madrid, argues that the initiative is as much about public health as public transport.

"Air quality has been breaching acceptable levels for 10 years and people in the city are being exposed to air that has clear effects on their health, especially those who are most vulnerable, such as children and older people," said Inés Sabanés, councillor for the environment and mobility.

"There's research that shows clear links between pollution peaks and hospital admissions. It has a very clear effect on health - on the number of deaths and premature births."

The mayor's conservative opponents have tried to thwart the plan, arguing that it hasn't been executed correctly or been properly thought out.

Madrid council says the plan will help to decentralise the city and ensure a fairer distribution of wealth and resources. Photograph: Samuel de Roman/Getty Images

Others have their own reasons. Antonio Villaverde, president of the Association of Self-employed Lorry Drivers (Ata), says that while his members are in favour of addressing Madrid's pollution problem, they simply don't have the money to buy new vehicles.

"We'll need to replace 90% of our vehicles in Madrid over the course of just five years," he said. "Even if we wanted to, it's practically impossible. The problem with all this is that the sector is still using very old vehicles because of the economic crisis."

Villaverde says the reduced delivery hours could have serious consequences. "If this goes ahead, I think two things will happen: there will be forced supply shortages in the city because we won't be able to deliver," he said. "And a lot of us will have to close our small businesses because we won't be able to buy new lorries."

Sabanés disagrees with the gloomier predictions. Of the 2m or so daily journeys made to the city centre, 1.2m are already made on public transport, 550,000 on foot, and only 230,000 by car.

"There's a narrative around that the centre of Madrid is being shut down," she said. "But that's not true. Lorry drivers, residents and their guests can enter the centre."

Gradually, vehicles will come to realise that they're not the ones in charge

José Manuel Calvo, council representative

Petrol and diesel taxis, as well as private hire vehicles, will be allowed into the zone until the end of 2022. The authorities won't start imposing fines on people who break the rules until next March.

Sabanés also rejects suggestions that Madrid Central is drastic. "I don't think it's among the strictest measures," she said. "There are different models, such as charging a lot to enter the centre of a city, or legal bans on driving in certain areas, like in Berlin. Madrid has gone for a mixed model, which will allow for a gradual implementation as we set about achieving our goals."

She likens it to the smoking ban that came in seven years ago: despite the initial dark mutterings, people quickly adjusted to the new norms. There was also grumbling in some quarters 35 years ago when Madrid banned cars from its most famous park, El Retiro.

If there is opposition, argues the councillor, it is not coming from neighbourhood groups, environmental campaigners or health professionals. "They're all saying that's it's already overdue and needs to happen now.."

Paco Segura, coordinator of environmental group Ecologists in Action, couldn't agree more.

For years, he says, successive Madrid councils have been in denial over the scale of the city's pollution problem.

"We've filed dozens of complaints and put out a ton of reports with official figures that show that, year after year, we're going above the legal limits.

"Our main criticism of this plan is that it's come so late. Studies show that this is responsible for the premature deaths of about 3,000 people a year. Not acting as quickly as possible would be totally immoral."

As far as the city council is concerned, Madrid Central is not a war on cars but rather a challenge to their dominance and a push towards better co-existence between vehicles and pedestrians.

It is also about geography and social equality. José Manuel Calvo, the city council's representative for sustainable urban development, says the plan will help to decentralise Madrid and ensure a fairer distribution of wealth and resources.

"We needs to redress the balance so that there isn't such a high concentration of activity in the centre compared with peripheral areas," he said.

Calvo insists ways can be found to cut pollution while still preserving life in the centre of Madrid so that it remains a place where people can live, work, eat, drink and shop, and which tourists want to visit.

About 3,000 people die prematurely in Madrid every year due to pollution. Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

He points to the "last mile" distribution models being developed in other cities, whereby goods are delivered to warehouses close to the centre of town and ferried to customers in sustainable vehicles including bicycles.

One day, he hopes, the Spanish capital will more closely resemble the northwestern city of Pontevedra, which banned all but essential traffic in its centre almost 20 years ago.

"It would be on another scale, but it's possible. With Madrid Central, the whole of the centre will become a shared space, with reduced speed limits and more pavement.

"Gradually, vehicles will come to realise that they're not the ones in charge."
Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, and explore our archive here

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'It's the only way forward': Madrid bans polluting vehicles from city centre

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By 10.15 on Wednesday morning, Enrique Pelagio had parked his lorry in the chic Madrid neighbourhood of Chueca and was stacking the trolley that would bring the local cafes, bars and restaurants their daily bread and pastries.

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Your class has attended a panel discussion on what methods governments should use to discourage the use of private cars in the centre of the city. You have made the notes below.

Methods governments coud use to discourage the use of private cars in the city centre
• investment
• education
• taxes

Some opinions expressed in the discussion

'Make businesses pay parking levies for their employees and they'll move out of the city centre.'
'Improve the public transport system, then people won't need their cars.'
'If people understood how much better pedestrianised ciyt centres are, they wouldn't want to bring their cars in.'

Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for governments to consider, giving reasons to support your opinion.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.

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An essay about leisure time and academic pressure

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Look at the question and problem and solution essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

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Read the following article and identify the claim and two pieces of evidence to back up claim.

1.Claim_____________________________________________________________
2.Evidence__________________________________________________________
3.Evidence__________________________________________________________

Would you consider this soldier patriotic? Why? (use evidence from the text to back up your response). Explain your response and justifyVV

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By Michelle Obama

1) Write down 5 questions providing a possible answer.
2)Note down 5 words that you don't understand and look them up.

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Becoming, by Michelle Obama - Episode 1 - BBC Sounds

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Catch up on your favourite BBC radio show from your favourite DJ right here, whenever you like. Listen without limits with BBC Sounds.

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Michelle Obama talks self-doubt, Princeton, and life after White House

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As first lady, Michelle Obama found herself on the world stage as one of the most visible women in the world. But growing up she says she was haunted by self-doubt - one of the revelations in her new memoir, "Becoming."

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bunker, sustain x2, surgey, bend

______ your knees, keeping your back straight.
In preparation for the worst, huge underground ______ were built.
The company _____________ losses of millions of dollars.
When she lost her job they could no longer ________ their expensive lifestyle.
He underwent heart _______.

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Formula 3: Sophia Floersch hospitalised after horror crash at Macau Grand Prix - video

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The 17-year-old driver lost control going into a bend before flying over the barriers and into a photographers' bunker at high speed

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BBC English Masterclass: Giving emphasis

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How to Talk Like a Native Speaker | Marc Green | TEDxHeidelberg

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Marking Code

/\ Word(s) missing

C Capitalization

O Organisation

P Punctuation

PE Poorly expressed

R Register/Formality

SS Sentence Structure

T Tip (Not wrong but a suggestion)

WF Wrong form

WO Word order

WT Wrong tense

WW Wrong word

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An example student 'Letter of Complaint' for the CAE (Cambridge English Advanced) exam with feedback from a teacher

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Sample answers to Flo-Joe's CAE Writing tasks with a teacher's feedback

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1) Write a very short story.
2)Modify the story adding cleft sentences.

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Grammar: Using 'what' to give emphasis - BBC English Masterclass

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Watch the latest news summary from BBC World News. International news updated 24 hours a day.

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Impoverished, witness, assess, strike (x2)

The union has voted to ______ for a pay increase of 6%.

The committee __________ whether a building is worth preserving.

He warned that the breakdown of the family unit would lead to an _________ society.

We are now __________ an unprecedented increase in violent crime.

The 5.9-magnitude quake _______ near the northernmost tip of Haiti late on Saturday, causing damage to buildings,

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At least 11 die after 5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti

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Quake strikes in the north-west of Caribbean island, damaging buildings, including a hospital and auditorium

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Linking words help you connect the ideas in a sentence. In this lesson, you'll learn some common linking words to express reasons and results.

Linking Words: Reasons

The difference between these two words is that because is followed by a subject + verb, and because of is followed by a noun:

The game was canceled because of the rain.

The game was canceled because it was raining.

In spoken English, many people say 'cause as a short form of "because."

Due to and owing to are also followed by a noun. These words are a little more formal.

There's a lot of traffic today due to the upcoming holiday.
(holiday = noun)

The after-school program was canceled owing to lack of interest from the students.
(lack = noun)

Due to the fact that / Owing to the fact that

Use these phrases before a subject + verb. Again, these phrases are a little more formal.

Many people are still unemployed due to the fact that the economic recovery has been slower than anticipated.

The publisher rejected the author's latest work owing to the fact that the manuscript was full of errors.

Since and as are more informal, and they are followed by a subject + verb.

I'm going to bed at 10 PM since I need to get up early tomorrow morning.

I didn't go to the gym today, as I had a lot of homework to do.

Linking Words: Results
Therefore / Consequently / As a result
These words are more formal, and are more commonly used in written English.

Our company's profits have increased 150% in the past year. Therefore, we're going to invest in new equipment and training programs.

The tennis player had knee surgery mid-October; consequently, she took the rest of the season off.

There have been heavy rains throughout the interior of the state. As a result, several areas have experienced flooding.

So
"So" is more informal, and more commonly used in spoken English.

We were hungry, so we stopped at a cafe for a snack.

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Linking Words in English - Reasons and Results

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Linking words help you connect the ideas in a sentence. In this lesson, you'll learn some common linking words to express reasons and results. The difference between these two words is that because is followed by a subject + verb, and because of is followed by a noun: The game was canceled because of the rain.

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You recently stayed in a very old hotel in a large city. The weather was very unusual for the time of year and the heating/cooling system in the hotel was quite inadequate.

Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter

give details of what was wrong

explain what you had to do to overcome the problem at the time

say what action you would like the manager to take

Write at least 200 words.

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GT Writing Task 1: Sample 30 - You recently stayed in a hotel in a large city

Details

Last Updated: Tuesday, 04 September 2018 12:51

Written by IELTS Mentor

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IELTS Letter Writing / GT Writing Task 1:

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You recently stayed in a hotel in a large city. The weather was very unusual for the time of year and the heating/cooling system in the hotel was quite inadequate.

Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter

give details of what was wrong

explain what you had to do to overcome the problem at the time

say what action you would like the manager to take

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Dear Sir or Madam,

I have recently stayed at your hotel -Pan Pacific Perth, in room 324 for three nights. I am writing to inform you that the room heating was ineffectual and despite a great location and friendly staff, I have had a bad experience staying at your hotel. I am hoping you would repair the central heating system so that no guest suffers due to the extreme weather.

I stayed at your hotel from 25th May till 27th May and had an excruciating experience as your heating system in my room did not work as expected. The temperature in the city was somewhat unexpected and fell below 7° Celcius during this period. When I found that the room temperature was not comfortable, I called the front desk executive and despite his promise, nothing was done.

Because of the extreme cold in the room, I had to wear socks and a knit hat, take an additional blanket and put on the electric stove all night. Consequently, I got very little sleep over the three nights.

I think it would be a good idea to repair the central heating system and be prepared for the unusual weather. A room heating system for each room along with the central heating system in the winter would certainly make the rooms more comfortable. Perhaps you would consider giving me a discount if I stay at your hotel next time.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Walker Luise

Dear Sir or Madam,

I have recently stayed in your hotel - ibis Hotel Heidelberg, for about a week. The temperature was unusually higher during this period and unfortunately, the air conditioner in my room was not fully operational. I am writing this letter to complain about the bad experience I have had due to this and would like you to take steps so that it does not happen again.

I checked into the hotel at midnight on 14th July and straightaway went to bed. However, after turning the air conditioner on, I realised that the room was not getting cooler and the room temperature was peculiarly high.

Subsequently, I called the hotel staff to solve the problem but they could not do anything. Moreover, no other room was available. Consequently, I had to stay in this room and open the windows and rely on natural air to cool my room. I had to sleep in skimpy clothes, which I do not prefer, to overcome the heat. Noise from the street came through the open windows and my sleep was disrupted.

Therefore, I want you to refund 40% of my hotel charges or provide me with a free stay in a deluxe room next time I check into your hotel.

Yours faithfully,

John Vyas

[ Written by - Ripal Vyas ]

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GT Writing Task 1: Sample 30 - You recently stayed in a hotel in a large city

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Details Last Updated: Tuesday, 04 September 2018 12:51 Written by IELTS Mentor Hits: 15095 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write a letter to the manager of the hotel.

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dodge, flee, refoulement, bloodbath

A camp for refugees ________ from the war.

She tried to _______ paying her taxes.

Such deportations of asylum seekers amount to _______ and constitute a serious violation of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

He allowed the protest to go ahead despite warnings that it would spark a __________.

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Tareq* can recall in detail each of the 22 times he climbed over the concrete border wall, dodged a flurry of bullets, and sprinted as fast as he could - until Turkish border guards caught him and turned him back.

On his 23rd attempt, the soldiers drove the 26-year-old Syrian to a police station called Branch 500 in Hatay. There they presented him with a choice: either stay in prison - for how long, they wouldn't say - or sign a paper and walk free.

"It's not like they're physically putting a gun to your head, but you have no other option," Tareq says. He signed and the next day he was driven across the border and dropped back where he had started, in Idlib.

It was only when he yet again crossed from Syria into Turkey that he understood the paper's significance. The Turkish authorities told him what he had signed at Branch 500 waived his claim for asylum protection.

As uncertainty hangs over Syria's final rebel-controlled enclave, where government and rebel forces are currently in a tense standoff, a Guardian investigation has found that undocumented Syrian refugees in Turkey face arrest, detention and deportation back to the war they fled. Some claim to have been coerced into signing statements saying they were returning of their own free will.

Human rights groups say this is in violation of international law, which prohibits refoulement - sending refugees back to war zones.

"These are clear-cut unlawful deportations because they are refugees - and sending them back amounts to refoulement," says Gerry Simpson, of Human Rights Watch in Geneva.

Turkey currently hosts more than 3.5 million Syrians - the highest number of refugees in the world - and has long boasted of an "open-door policy" towards Syrians. Now, as Russian and Syrian government forces close in on Idlib province, those trying to escape what is expected to be a bloodbath have found the doors to Turkey closing.

"We will not take responsibility for a wave of migration that may follow attacks in Idlib," interior minister Süleyman Soylu told reporters in September.

The refugee issue is hotly debated both domestically and amid tense relations with the EU, which gives billions of euros in aid to Turkey for its refugee population. President Tayyip Erdoğan supports hosting Syrians, while opposition parties call for sending them home.

But Turkish police have stepped up checkpoints and raids, arresting Syrians without documents or permits to travel outside the cities where they registered. Provincial authorities have effectively halted registrations for new arrivals, leaving them unable to work legally or even visit a hospital, and vulnerable to arrest.

After having been deported to Syria once already, Ashraf* is now in Istanbul, where he is working as a black market labourer and living with the constant fear of arrest. "I told the officer, 'Please don't send me to Idlib. I don't know anyone there. At least send me to my city, to Daraa,'" says Ashraf.

Shown a "voluntary return form" used by authorities in Branch 500, Ashraf says he recognises it as the same one the police had made him sign before deporting him to Idlib.

Even those with proper documents can be caught up in the system. Samer Tlass, 42, a lawyer from Homs, worked legally at a Syrian NGO in Gaziantep until June 2017, when he was caught in a police raid and taken to Oğuzeli removal centre.

Tlass said authorities at Oğuzeli told Syrians that if they signed voluntary returns, they could leave for Syria the next morning. Tlass refused. After 45 days, he was handed a deportation order for "working without a permit".

"It's ironic, I even used to give training on this to Syrians, about the law, and their rights," Tlass says. "What they are doing is against the law."

In a letter to the Guardian, Turkey's migration directorate denied that any deportations were carried out, stating that no Syrians are denied the chance to register or face arrest if they fail to do so.

"According to the prohibition of refoulement, Syrians in our country are not deported in any way," the letter says.

The Guardian spoke to several Syrians who described the Oğuzeli removal centre in detail. Prison-like, it was converted from a school into a detention facility with EU funding. It now houses 750 people, with detainees held six to a cell. Conditions have been the subject of lawsuits that reached Turkey's constitutional court. Sources detained there described how buses regularly came and went moving groups of 20-30 people in from other cities and out towards the nearby border.

Turkey typically detains foreigners slated for deportation in one of 19 provincial removal centres managed by the interior ministry. Turkey grants blanket protection to Syrians, even if they have entered the country illegally. Migration officials said that "under no circumstances" are Syrians held in centres. However, the ministry's own 2017 figures say that more than 50,000 Syrians were apprehended as "illegal migrants".

Detainees are entitled to legal aid but lawyers working on Syrian cases say that since they are in administrative detention, they can do little except appeal to move the case to an open court - by which time their clients are often gone.

"In many cases, detainees can't afford the lawyer's fees, so they just give up and sign the voluntary return form," says Samer Deyaei, one of a group of Syrian lawyers campaigning for the Oğuzeli detainees.

A UNHCR spokeswoman, Selin Ünal, says that so far this year the UN agency knows of more than 100 detainees at Oğuzeli who were scheduled for deportation to Syria.

"117 is the number of people we are aware of - who reached us," says Ünal. "There could be any number - we have no idea because we don't have regular access to these removal centres."

Each voluntary return form has space for three signatures - one for the person returning, one for authorities, and one for UN staff, the only international observers of the process. UN staff say they try to ensure they are free from coercion, but are restricted.

Authorities claim that 250,000 Syrians have opted to return, and that Branch 500 is the sole facility where they are processed.

UNHCR admits that its staff have overseen only a fraction of those - 11,193 in total - and handed over all asylum registrations to Turkish authorities earlier this month.

A spokesperson for Hatay's governor admits that undocumented Syrians have been deported after being caught crossing the border "or in cases of crime", declining to elaborate further.

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The Turkish authorities' own 2017 figures say that more than 50,000 Syrians were apprehended as 'illegal migrants'. Photograph: Shawn Carrié

In October 2016 Turkey amended its temporary protection law to permit deportations in instances where an administrative court deems someone a threat to public order, security or health; or a terror suspect.

"Turkish people commit crimes and they face due process - Syrians commit crimes as well, and for some of them this due process requires them to be deported," says Harun Armagan, MP for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) . "The number of people being deported is very low."

Deyaei said Turkish authorities should close legal loopholes that result in people being sent back into a war zone."

"Of course, Turkey has laws that stipulate what to do with criminals and terrorists," Deyaei says, "but I'm talking about people who maybe were in the wrong place, wrong time, or have some problem with papers and end up faced with two options: either sign the form or stay in prison - of course this is alarming."

Turkish courts have sometimes intervened when there is a risk of refoulement, but once the migration directorate issues a deportation order, it is final, Deyaei says. But for Samer Tlass, the only way out was with a visa to France, which he was only lucky enough to get because he had connections with civil society groups abroad.

"When I was imprisoned in Syria for three years, I knew I was guilty for going against the government - but in Turkey I was imprisoned for no reason," says Tlass. "This is an injustice."

* Names have been changed to protect identities
Topics

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Shawn Carrié and Asmaa Al Omar in Antakya

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'It's against the law': Syrian refugees deported from Turkey back to war | Shawn Carrié and Asmaa Al Omar

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Tareq* can recall in detail each of the 22 times he climbed over the concrete border wall, dodged a flurry of bullets, and sprinted as fast as he could - until Turkish border guards caught him and turned him back. On his 23rd attempt, the soldiers drove the 26-year-old Syrian to a police station called Branch 500 in Hatay.

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Everyone, everybody, everything, everywhere - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary

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Everyone, everybody, everything, everywhere - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

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Joel Burns: A message to gay teens: It gets better

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In a courageous, intensely emotional talk at the city council in Fort Worth, Texas, councilman Joel Burns reaches out to the targets of teen bullying -- kids who are gay, perceived as gay, or just different -- with a vital message about their lives, and the harassment they face.

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build-up, wary of, revenues

The company's annual _________ rose by 30%.

The ________ to her wedding.

Be ________ strangers who offer you a ride.

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Complaints to be filed against Nurmagomedov and McGregor after UFC 229 fiasco

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UFC president Dana White said Conor McGregor has already contacted him about a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov

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Would you recommend this story to your friends?

What did you find most interesting? What's the most striking part of the story?

Did you expect the story to end like that?

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I did it _________ he told me to.

Sean had no reason to take a taxi _______ his flat was near enough to walk to.

She may need some help _______ she's new.

She was fortunate _________ she had friends to help her.

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Christiane Amanpour: How to seek truth in the era of fake news

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Known worldwide for her courage and clarity, Christiane Amanpour has spent the past three decades interviewing business, cultural and political leaders who have shaped history. In conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, Amanpour discusses fake news, objectivity in journalism, the leadership vacuum in global politics and more, sharing her wisdom along the way.

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whack, ripple effect, golden rule, bias

His resignation will have a _________ on the whole department.

Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without __________.

James __________ the ball over the net.

The __________ in tennis is to keep your eye on the ball.

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Trump urges world to reject globalism in UN speech that draws mocking laughter

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President says 'we reject globalism and embrace the doctrine of patriotism' but laughter breaks out when Trump boasts of achievements

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I personally expected the story to end up like this. I think that if Teague hadn’t ended the relationship, Lily would have done it, due to she would realize that Teague is really atracted to Maude.

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The phrase 'due to' tends to be overused in academic writing and, although it is becoming increasingly acceptable in modern usage, your writing will be more professional and concise if you understand when it is most appropriate. Often, 'because' or 'because of' should be used instead.

If you could substitute 'attributable to', 'caused by' or 'resulting from' for 'due to' in your sentence, then you have probably used 'due to' correctly. It modifies nouns and is usually preceded by the verb 'to be' in one form or another. For example:

'My fitness is due to regular exercise.'

In this sentence, 'my fitness' is the noun and 'due to' follows 'is', a form of the verb 'to be'.

In contrast, 'because of' modifies verbs. For example:

'I drove because of the rain.'

In this sentence, 'drove' is the verb. It would be incorrect to say, 'I drove due to the rain' because there is no noun for 'due to' to modify in the clause 'I drove', and no form of the verb 'to be'.

Consider this example:

'The picnic was cancelled due to the weather.'

This is incorrect because 'due to' does not modify a noun or follow a form of the verb 'to be'. 'Because of' should be used instead:

'The picnic was cancelled because of the weather.'

However, you could say (although it sounds a bit formal in this context):

'The picnic's cancellation was due to the weather.'

Here, 'due to' follows 'was', a form of 'to be', and modifies the noun 'cancellation'.

Any sentence that begins with 'due to' is likely to be incorrect. For example:

'Due to our lack of data, we could not complete the research.'

In this sentence, there is no noun for 'due to' to modify, and no verb preceding it.

'Due to the fact that' tends to be an unnecessarily wordy way to say 'because'. For example:

'The picnic was cancelled due to the fact that it was raining.'

This sentence would be much more concise using 'because':

'The picnic was cancelled because it was raining.'

If you are unsure whether 'due to' is correct in a sentence, use 'because of' instead, except in the following instances, when 'due to' is used in quite a different way:

'She was due to be paid on Wednesday.'

'We were due to leave at 7 a.m.'

Used in this way-to mean 'supposed to'-'due to' is quite correct.

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Correct Use of the Phrase 'Due to' - Elite Editing

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The phrase 'due to' tends to be overused in academic writing and, although it is becoming increasingly acceptable in modern usage, your writing will be more professional and concise if you understand when it is most appropriate. Often, 'because' or 'because of' should be used instead.

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I really enjoyed this story and I think that is so original and amused. I would reccommend it to anyone who want to have a good time. And also It’s very well written!

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I expected this storie’s end, since a threesome isn’t usually forever. I consider that having a threesome can damage a relatioship because one of them always become hanged. So, if Teague and Lily loved each other, they were not going to let that happen.

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We are running a campaign to persuade American citizens to reduce gun violence. The agency invites you to submit a proposal outlining the current situation in the United States of America and to suggest ways in which this situation could be improved. We will provide financial support for approved proposals.

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A brutal video showing the murder of a young woman in Syria has been met with horror online.

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>>Reduce easy access to weapons
》Policies to prevent trafficking
》Banning high-risk firearms
》Insist on mandatory training and licensing for owners
》Require safe and secure gun storage
》Reduce firearm access to youth and individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others.
》Hold the gun industry accountable and ensure there is adequate oversight over the marketing and sales of guns and ammunition.
》Engage responsible gun dealers and owners in solutions.

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1. Cukier W, Sidel V W. The global gun epidemic. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing, 2006

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/ (accessed Jan 2007)

3. Graduate Institute of International Studies Small arms survey 2004: rights at risk. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004

4. 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A)(2007)

5. Siebel B J, Haile E S. Shady dealings: illegal gun trafficking from licensed dealers. Washington, DC: Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, 2007

6. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Commerce in firearms in the United States. Washington, DC: US Department of the Treasury, 2000

7. 18 U.S.C. § 923(g)(1)(B)(2007)

8. Vernick J S, Webster D W, Bulzaccelli M T. et al Regulation of firearm dealers in the United States: an analysis of state law and opportunities for improvement. J Law Med Ethics 200634765-775.

9. Webster D W, Bulzacchelli M T, Zeoli A M. [ et al Effects of undercover police stings of gun dealers on the supply of new guns to criminals. Inj Prev 200612225-230. PMC free article]

11. 18 U.S.C. § 922(s)(2007)

12. Cook P J, Molliconi S, Cole T B. Regulating gun markets. J Crim Law Criminol 19958659-92.

15. Cukier W. Firearms regulation: Canada in the international context. Chronic Dis Can 19981925-34.

16. Chapman S, Alpers P, Agho K. [ et al Australia's 1996 gun law reforms: faster falls in firearm deaths, firearm suicides, and a decade without mass shootings. Inj Prev 200612365-372. PMC free article]

17. Jacobs J B. Can gun control work? New York: Oxford University Press, 2002

18. Legal Community Against Violence Regulating guns in America. San Francisco, CA: Legal Community Against Violence, 2006

19. Weil D S, Knox R C. Effects of limiting handgun purchases on interstate transfer of firearms. JAMA 19962751759-1761.

22. Graduate Institute of International Studies Small Arms Survey 2002: counting the human cost. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002135

23. International Action Network on Small Arms IANSA position paper: national firearms legislation. http://www.iansa.org/un/review2006/documents/english/IANSA-position-paper-national-firearm-legislation.pdf (accessed Mar 2007)

24. Cook P J, Ludwig J. Gun violence: the real costs. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000

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1. Cukier W, Sidel V W. The global gun epidemic. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing, 2006 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/ (accessed Jan 2007) 3. Graduate Institute of International Studies Small arms survey 2004: rights at risk. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004 4.

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I had the privilege of reading this story and I have to say that I really enjoyed. I would recommend it to my friends because is written for teenagers and they would enjoy it so much

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Explanation on how to form and use questions tags with special cases for advanced students. There´s also an exercise with key Question tags, grammar guides,...

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Look at these examples to see how question tags are used.

You haven't seen this film, have you?
Your sister lives in Spain, doesn't she?
He can't drive, can he?

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

We can add question tags like isn't it?, can you? or didn't they? to a statement to make it into a question. Question tags are more common in speaking than writing.

We often use question tags when we expect the listener to agree with our statement. In this case, when the statement is positive, we use a negative question tag.

If the statement is negative, we use a positive question tag.

If we are sure or almost sure that the listener will confirm that our statement is correct, we say the question tag with a falling intonation. If we are a bit less sure, we say the question tag with a rising intonation.

Formation

If there is an auxiliary verb in the statement, we use it to form the question tag.

Sometimes there is no auxiliary verb already in the statement. For example, when:

... the verb in the statement is present simple or past simple and is positive. Here we use don't, doesn't or didn't:

... the verb in the statement is to be in the present simple or past simple. In this case we use to be to make the question tag:

... the verb in the statement is a modal verb. Here we use the modal verb to make the question tag:

If the main verb or auxiliary verb in the statement is am, the positive question tag is am I? but the negative question tag is usually aren't I?:

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

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Look at these examples to see how question tags are used. You haven't seen this film, have you? Your sister lives in Spain, doesn't she? He can't drive, can he? Try this exercise to test your grammar. Read the explanation to learn more. We can add question tags like isn't it?, can you?

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If we want to avoid mentioning the generalised agents we, they, people, everybody, one etc. with reporting verbs, we can use the following passive patterns:

1. it + passive reporting verb + that-clause
In this pattern, the generalised agent + active reporting verb is replaced with it + passive reporting verb:

Everybody knows that my grandfather likesred wine.
that my grandfather likesred wine.

2. subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive
In this pattern we start with the subject of the reported clause, which is followed by the passive reporting verb and the to-infinitive form of the verb in the reported clause:

The reporting verb ( is known) is in the same tense as it was in the active sentence ( knows). The type of to-infinitive we use ( to like) corresponds to the temporal relationship between the action of reporting and the reported event. This temporal relationship can be of two basic types:

The reporting and the reported event happen simultaneously (as in the example above).

The reported event happens before the reporting.

The following table shows examples of reporting verbs which can be used with the patterns above:

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If we want to avoid mentioning the generalised agents we, they, people, everybody, one etc. with reporting verbs, we can use the following passive patterns: it + passive reporting verb + that-clauseIn this pattern, the generalised agent + active reporting verb is replaced with it + passive reporting verb: Everybody knows that my grandfather likesred wine.

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The security system for this website has been triggered. Completing the challenge below proves you are a human and gives you temporary access.

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The movie “One Hundredth of a Second” is a short nine minutes movie about a war photographer Kate who happened to find herself in a war conflicted area, where a man was pointing a gun at a little girl whilst yelling at her. Kate was forced into asking herself if she should continue taking photographs of the overly aggressive man with a gun and the little girl

rather than trying to save the girl. Do you think she made the right choice?

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I loved the story, I think it shows how people is open to experiece new things and to change their lifes. I think it’s a nice story.

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Swipe, get over, dust sb off, cope with

I know you struggled last season, but it's time to
_______________ and start fresh this season.

The trip will help him _______ Sal's death.

He wasn't able to _____________ the stresses and strains of the job.

Switch on the phone and ________ your finger across the screen to unlock it.

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swore,blunder,roots,
acquiesced

1. I _____ to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
2. Tilly was humiliated by her _____ at work.
3. Many Americans have _______ in Europe.
4. The principal finally ________ to the students' demands.

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White lie, malicious intent, distortion, fluffy, cheer up, societal norm
1. It would be a __________ of reality to that. That is not true!
2. I had a ________ dog when I was a child.
3. There’s no _________ in telling him those stories.
4. I told him a __________ because I didn’t want him to be groomy.
5. I know how to ______ you ______ when you are in floods of tears.
6. Smoking have become a ________. In our society is accepted or common to do it.

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In part two of the Cambridge English: Advanced Speaking test, you are given a piece of paper with 3 photos on. The photos are almost always about people.

You have to talk about 2 of the pictures, on your own, for a minute. Then the examiner will ask the other candidate a question about your pictures. Next, the other candidate will have to talk for a minute about some different pictures, and you will be asked a question about those pictures. The technique for answering this follow-up question is the same as Speaking Test Part One - respond in about 3 sentences and try to show off your vocabulary.

In this section we will focus on what to say in your 60 second 'long turn'. In the exam, you don't get time to plan or make notes, so now is the time to prepare! (When you've read the tips, be sure to watch the videos, especially the public coaching one.)

2. HOW TO AVOID COMMON MISTAKES

You are asked to talk about TWO pictures. Choose two and say nothing about the third one.

Weak candidates simply describe the pictures: "I can see a car. The car is red. There is a tree." You aren't asked to describe them. Strong candidates compare the pictures - that's explained more below.

Don't waste the first five seconds by explaining which pictures you have chosen. Just start comparing the pictures! (If you feel you have to make it clear, you can point to the pictures you have chosen.)

Dead air ... is still a crime! You get 60 seconds to do this task. Use all of it! When your time is up the examiner will stop you.

The examiner tells you what to do, but the task is also printed on the page with the photos. Refer to that page to make sure you talk about both bullet points.

While you are comparing the photos, try to look at the examiner and the other candidate from time to time. It's hard because you have to look at the pictures, but strong candidates don't talk to the photos - they talk about the photos.

That's great, Ernesto, but the goal isn't to talk for 60 seconds... the goal is to say as much as you can in the time you are given! So talk a bit faster...
"Whereas in this picture the man is wearing a suit, in this picture the man is dressed in some kind of traditional costume." "While the businessman is sending a text or checking his portfolio, the man in the fluffy hat is checking his voicemail."

There are always lots and lots of possible comparisons - indoors/outdoors, cheap/expensive, old/new, old/young, traditional/modern - even if you have no imagination, you can practice finding similarities and differences before you get to the exam. (One way to do that is to take any two photos and find 5 similarities and 5 differences.)

Look at these photos - imagine the task is 'Say why the people might be wearing hats.'

" Perhaps these men are retired and are spending their day feeding ducks by the lake. In contrast, the policeman has to wear a hat for his job. It could be that he hates wearing the hat, whereas the old men have probably chosen to wear theirs. Maybe it's a sunny day and they want to protect their heads from the sun, while the policeman's helmet might protect him from attackers."

5. PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

In the last example there was a lot of speculative language, but also a lot of comparing language. See how easy it is?

Let's put it all together - A student called Heidi tries with a real example from Cambridge.

Her answer: "They're both young students, girls, and both in a traditional school setting. This picture shows a student on her own, whereas this student is in her whole class. She has the support of a teacher, but this student doesn't have that. She has to learn to study on her own, and that's not bad. I think she might be studying for a test or - oh! Probably she's just doing her homework. Both are useful skills for her future. I'm sure she has a lot of tests and homework still ahead of her! While the first student is doing her homework for tomorrow, this one has already done her homework and now she's presenting it to the whole class. That's useful - she'll have to do presentations when she gets a job or give a speech when she gets married! What else? Well, it's beneficial for the second girl to practice this - but I think doing the research will have more benefit in the future, because you have to prepare before you can give a good presentation."

(Listen to the audio file below to hear Heidi attempt this task.)

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In part two of the Cambridge English: Advanced Speaking test, you are given a piece of paper with 3 photos on. The photos are almost always about people. You have to talk about 2 of the pictures, on your own, for a minute. Then the examiner will ask the other candidate a question about your pictures.

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In this post you will learn everything there is to know about the CAE Speaking paper, also called Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE-C1), I promise. As an English academy (Granada), we specialise in Cambridge English exam preparation, and today we're going to tell you about the Cambridge's oral C1-level exam. The Speaking paper is one of the four parts in regular Cambridge English exams. In this article, I will outline the four different parts of the Speaking Paper for Cambridge English: Advanced (C1-CAE) and you will find a video and sample materials for each of these four parts.

General Considerations

There are 4 parts in this paper.

It takes place in pairs.

There are two examiners and two candidates.

During the exam you have to interact with one of the oral examiners (the interlocutor), and with your partner.

The other examiner does not speak. He/she only takes notes.

You now have a video of a full real Speaking test, and a description of each of the parts, with examples of the types of questions and the material used in the exam. I hope you find it useful.

Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) - Speaking Paper (Video)

Read the examiner's comments here.

Speaking Part 1 - Interview (2 minutes)

During this part, the examiner asks you different questions about your personal and professional background (interests careers, jobs, etc.) You will also have to express your opinion about various topics. This is an individual task, so you only interact with the examiner. However, you must pay attention to the questions that the interlocutor asks your partner, as he/she may ask you the same. Here's a set of typical topic-based questions you might be asked:

Speaking Part 2 - Comparing Two Pictures (3 minutes)

In part 2, you are given 3 pictures and are asked to talk about and compare two pictures in 1 minute. You have to do this individually. You are given three pictures and two questions written above them. You have to answer the questions in relation to the pictures. When you have done this, after 1 minute, the examiner asks your partner a question about the topic of your pictures, which he/she should answer in 20-30 seconds. Then, the same process happens vice versa.

Here's an example of the interlocutor's instructions and the pictures you may be asked to talk about:

Although these pictures are black & white, in the exam they are coloured.

In this part you are assessed on how well you can compare, describe, express opinions, speculate, etc.

Speaking Part 3 - Discussion (3 minutes)

During this third part, you must interact with your partner. The examiner describes a situation to you both, and gives you a task/question and a set of written cues/ideas to help you. You have to discuss the different ideas with your partner and, if possible, reach an agreement. The aim of this part is to assess how well you can exchange ideas, express and justify opinions, agree and/or disagree, suggest, speculate, evaluate, and work towards reaching a decision through negotiation.

You have 2 minutes to discuss the different cues. After this, the examiner will interrupt you and ask you to reach an agreement. You are given 1 minute to conclude.

Here's an example of what the examiner would say, and the written cues:

Speaking Part 4 - Further Discussion (4 minutes)

In this part, you have to carry out a discussion which stems from the topic featured in part 3. You are asked different questions that you have to talk about with your partner or on your own. It is really important that you pay attention to your partner, in case you need to interact with him/her during this part. The task that comes after part 3 is the following:

Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing are the key points relevant to this task.

General Tips

Although each part is different, there are several things that you should bear in mind during the whole test. Let's see:

You are assessed individually, so you needn't worry about being better or worse than your partner. As former oral examiner, Stephen Hasler, recently said, "neither the partner nor the examiners are the enemy. Your only enemy in the room can be yourself."

In this test you must show that your level of English is within the C1 scope or above. For this reason, it is not enough to be communicative, as it was at lower levels. In this case you must use a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary that are typical of a C1 level of English. Therefore, you should really try to slip a couple of advanced idioms and or phrasal verbs .

There is no problem if the examiner stops you, so don't worry if you talk until he/she cuts you off.

Be as spontaneous as possible. Don't memorise a "speech" for the exam. The examiners will notice right away and will penalise you.

Always answer exactly what you are being asked. If you start talking about something irrelevant, the examiners will cut you off and move on to another question.

Pay attention to your partner's opinions and questions throughout the whole exam. You're supposed to express agreement/disagreement, to hold a conversation and to discuss different ideas (parts 2, 3 & 4), so don't ignore him!

Be polite. Even if you disagree with your partner's opinions, you must always be polite! There are many structures to disagree politely, so make sure you know them and know how to use them before you take the exam.

Smile and be happy! You'd be surprised by what a smile can do! If you smile, everyone in the room will be more open and receptive to what you have to say for yourself. This may positively affect your overall score!

For more information about the Advanced exam (previously known as CAE), visit Cambridge English: Advanced / What's in the exam? or our sumary in Spanish here.

If you enjoyed this post, please rate, comment and . Don't forget to keep up with KSE's latest news on , , , Google+ & , and fill in the form below to subscribe to the newsletter and receive more awesome English posts. You won't regret it! Keep Smiling! 😉

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Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE-C1) - Speaking Paper

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In this post you will learn everything there is to know about the CAE Speaking paper, also called Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE-C1), I promise. As an English academy (Granada) , we specialise in Cambridge English exam preparation, and today we're going to tell you about the Cambridge's oral C1-level exam.

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US Army Infantryman talks about PTSD and Psychiatric Drugging

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What do all great TEDxTalks have in common?

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What do all great TEDxTalks have in common?

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Chris Anderson: TED's secret to great public speaking

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There's no single formula for a great talk, but there is a secret ingredient that all the best ones have in common. TED curator Chris Anderson shares this secret -- along with four ways to make it work for you. Do you have what it takes to share an idea worth spreading?

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Watch the video and write down what tools can be used to give eloquent speeches.

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From the “I have a dream” speech to Steve Jobs’ iPhone launch, many great talks have a common structure that helps their message resonate with listeners. In this talk, presentation expert Nancy Duarte shares practical lessons on how to make a powerful call-to-action.

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How to give a 5-minute speech in English

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How to end veteran suicide | Ron Self | TEDxSanQuentin

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How to sound smart in your MONxTalk

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How to sound smart in your TEDx Talk | Will Stephen | TEDxNewYork

Translator: Gustavo Rocha Reviewer: Ariana Bleau Lugo

0:00

5:55

0:00 / 5:55•Watch full video

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How to sound smart in your TEDx Talk | Will Stephen | TEDxNewYork

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food alergies, robust studies, eczema, prevalence, a significant increase

1.He said that there have been _________________
2. He says there have been _____________. This means there has been a 'clear and obvious rise.
3. ___________ is a noun that refers to how common something is, how often it happens.
4.It seems as if there are more ___________________ these days, or more people have them. Or maybe it’s just in the news more.
5. One of the things they looked at was _________. This is a skin condition that usually happens in childhood. The skin can get, red, itchy and painful over different parts of the body.

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Research has suggested that food allergies may be more common these days than they were in the last 20 or 30 years. Why might this be? Is it linked to our diet? And are there any signs that a child might go on to develop a food allergy as an adult? Neil and Rob discuss if food allergies are becoming more common, and teach you new vocabulary.

This week's question

One of the most common food allergies is to peanuts. What kind of food is a peanut? Is it:

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary

food allergies
medical problems that are caused by eating certain foods
robust studies
detailed, thorough and accurate research

prevalence
a noun referring to how often or how frequent something is

eczema
a medical condition of the skin

a significant increase
a large, noticeable rise in the number of something

to put something down to something
to say that one thing is the reason for another

Transcript
Note: This is not a word for word transcript Neil
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I'm Neil.

Rob
And, hello, I'm Rob.

Neil
In 6 Minute English we often talk about food, don't we, Rob?

Rob
Oh yes! And I love food. It's a very important topic.

Neil
We know that too much of the wrong kind of food can be bad for our health. But there is another way that food can be harmful for some people.

Neil
Well, that's a very interesting point because that is the topic of this programme. Before we find out more though, here is our question. One of the most common food allergies is to peanuts. Now, what kind of food is a peanut? Is it:

A) a vegetable

B) a nut or

C) a legume

Rob
Oh, come on! A peanut is a nut! There's a clue in the name there, Neil! But that would be too easy, wouldn't it? So I'm going to say that I've got no idea what a legume is, so that's my answer. C.

I think we can be very confident if you look back over, say, 30 or 40 years that there are much more allergic problems around now than there were. So, for example, very robust studies that look at prevalence of things like eczema, food allergy do show really significant increases over 20, 30 years, for example.

Neil Has there been an increase?

Neil
Why does he think that?

Neil
Here's Dr Fox again.

I think we can be very confident, if you look back over, say, 30 or 40 years that there are much more allergic problems around now than there were. So, for example, very robust studies that look at prevalence of things like eczema, food allergy do show really significant increases over 20, 30 years, for example.

Neil
Is it genetics?

Neil OK! Now, time to review our vocabulary, but first, let's have the answer to the quiz question. I asked: what kind of food is a peanut? Is it:

A) a vegetable

B) a nut

C) a legume

What did you say, Rob?

Rob
I said C) a legume, because that was only one I didn't know and it can't be as simple as being a nut!

Neil
An inspired guess! If you said C) legume, then congratulations. Despite the name, a peanut is not actually a nut. Rather conveniently though, we don't have time for me to explain exactly why it's not a nut, but I'm sure you're smart enough to look it up yourself.

Rob
So, you're not going to explain it?

Neil
No, sorry, we don't have the time.

It was reported that there had a been a significant increase in the number of people suffering from eczema and food allergies. A significant increase is a big and important increase.

Neil
No, what's that, Rob?

Rob
Your great knowledge of different subjects and skill as a presenter and communicator.

Neil
Well, that's very kind of you... but I still don't have time to explain what a legume is! In fact now it's time to wrap up this edition of 6 Minute English. We look forward to your company again soon. In the meantime, check us out in all the usual places, online and on social media. We are BBC Learning English. Bye for now!

Rob
Goodbye!

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Are food allergies more common now?

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Callous, jaded, motives, disillusioned

He is ______________ . He thougt he would win
She is ___________. She never knows what to do
Opinion from others don’t affect to him. He is ____________
He helps others. It ____________ him

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BBC Learning: 'Seeking Refuge' Series - Ali's Story

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One of the young people helped by Freedom from Torture has featured in a short animated film for the BBC in which he describes the pain of being separated from his parents and the difficulties he faced adjusting to life in the UK.

Ali and his grandmother became separated from his parents as the family attempted to flee Afghanistan when he was only a small child. In the film Ali talks about growing up and going to school in the UK – whilst for a long time not knowing whether his parents were safe.

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Emma Thompson and her adopted Rwandan son

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Emma Thompson and her adopted Rwandan son

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Emma Thompson and her adopted Rwandan son

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It is great to see a refugee getting on in life with normal people. Obviously, leaving one's own country and people is challanging but migration has hidden benefits in it like more exposure to a different culture, which makes one flexible, and a chance to start a new.

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Four more schools in Birmingham have stopped teaching about LGBT rights following complaints by parents.

Leigh Trust said it was suspending the No Outsiders programme until an agreement with parents was reached.

Earlier this month the city's Parkfield Community School suspended the lessons after protests were held.

Campaigner Amir Ahmed said some Muslims felt "victimised" but an LGBT group leader said No Outsiders helped pupils understand it is OK to be different.

In a letter seen by the BBC, Leigh Trust said it was halting the lessons until after Ramadan, which finishes in June.

The schools involved are Leigh Primary School, Alston Primary School, Marlborough Junior and Infants School and Wyndcliff Primary School.

'Outrageous'

Leigh Trust - which is yet to comment publicly - said it wanted to discuss the programme with parents to find "a positive way" of teaching about the Equalities Act.

Some parents at Parkfield, and the other four schools, claim the classes are inappropriate for young children and the schools' LGBT message contradicts Islam.

The No Outsiders project was created and piloted at Parkfield in 2014 by assistant head teacher Andrew Moffat, who was made an MBE for services to equality and diversity in education in 2017.

Ofsted has deemed the lessons as "age-appropriate".

Mr Ahmed, one of the leaders of the Parkfield protests, said he had seen a presentation about the programme that was to be shown to the government as part of the school's Prevent strategy - which is aimed at reducing radicalisation.

"I think that's outrageous," he said.

"It's quite disgusting that the school has presented our children as potential radicals."

A spokesperson for Parkfield Community School said: "The powerpoint was written four years ago in line with Prevent duty at that time.

"No Outsiders is all about tolerance, accepting difference and respect, which are all key aspects of community cohesion and our fundamental British values."

School's LGBT lessons 'are appropriate'

Teachers' fears over Prevent anti-terror programme

Latest news from the West Midlands

Mr Ahmed said his community was "respectful and tolerant" of British values but now felt victimised.

He claimed parents who had protested were "effectively seen as homophobes in the wider community".

"Fundamentally the issue we have with No Outsiders is that it is changing our children's moral position on family values on sexuality and we are a traditional community.

"Morally we do not accept homosexuality as a valid sexual relationship to have. It's not about being homophobic... that's like saying, if you don't believe in Islam, you're Islamophobic."

But Khakan Qureshi, a gay Muslim activist who runs Birmingham South Asian LGBT and was invited to visit Parkfield School last week, said he supported the need for the lessons.

"Myself and many others knew from a young age that we were different and we wish we had this sort of education," he said.

He feels the Muslim community as a whole is not homophobic, but believes a minority within the protesters are "agitating".

"The attitudes of the protesters towards the No Outsiders programme is completely homophobic," he said.

"No matter how they package it, it still comes across as homophobic."

He said given the existing legislation to stop discrimination, "I don't understand why certain communities here in the UK are not adhering to those laws".
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.

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Four more schools in Birmingham have stopped teaching about LGBT rights following complaints by parents. Leigh Trust said it was suspending the No Outsiders programme until an agreement with parents was reached. Earlier this month the city's Parkfield Community School suspended the lessons after protests were held.

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"In school they need to be educated to the law of the land."

A UK primary school defends its lessons on LGBT rights, after parents protested claiming they were "age-inappropriate and incompatible...

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cefr toefl ielts exam practice english language elt efl grammar writing structure teofl toeic ket pet fce cae cpe

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C1 level English language practice tests

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Practice tests for English exams at C1 level: CAE, BEC Higher, PTE General, IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC & BULATS

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A row about teaching LGBT rights has broken out at some schools in Birmingham, UK. We take a look at what is being shown to children. (via BBC Family & Education News)

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They say books aimed at teaching kids about characteristics protected in the Equality Act - stories some parents have protested - would have helped them growing up.