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GESE Grades 4-6: Elementary stage

What’s in the exam?

At Elementary stage, GESE exams take the form of a topic discussion and an unscripted conversation with a Trinity examiner.

Topic discussion - on a prepared topic of the candidate’s choice

Conversation - about two subjects selected from a list by the examiner

Length: 10 minutes

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•Shopping

•Holidays

•School and work

•Hobbies and sports

•Food

•Weekend and seasonal activities

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Vocabulary exercises to help learn words to talk about shopping.

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We use adverbs of frequency - like sometimes or usually - to say how often we do things, or how often things happen.
I never have any problems with adverbs of frequency.

OK, let's see what you know. We use adverbs of frequency in this order, according to their meaning.

Are there any missing?

I think that's most of them. You could include frequently, with usually. We use not very often too.

Very good, you're right. These are the most common adverbs, although there are more.
They always hang out together.
The Northern Lights areusually green.
Younormally see them best in September or March.
It'soften cloudy.
What do you notice about the position of the adverbs?

They are usually before the main verb, or between the auxiliary and the main verb. But they come after the verb to be.

Excellent! Can they also be at the beginning or the end of the sentence?

Yes, I think so. ' Sometimes I'm alone.' That sounds OK.

Yes, we can use some adverbs of frequency at the beginning or end of a sentence for emphasis.
Occasionally I meet her for a coffee.
We can use usually, often, sometimes and occasionally at the beginning of a sentence, and sometimes and often at the end. We use adverb expressions like a lot or not + (very) much after the main verb too.

Be careful with never. It is already negative, so we can't use it with not.
I never go to the supermarket with my mother.
I've just remembered some more expressions! What about once a week, twice a year, etc.?

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about those.
Take the medicine three times a day.
Weusually go swimming twice a month.
You see themonce in a lifetime, if you travel.
You see, I'm not always annoying.

OK, sorry. I'm not always right either. Usually, but not always!

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Oliver and Alfie are at home when Daisy and Amy arrive. Sophie is in Hammerfest in northern Norway.

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• Past simple tense of regular and common irregular verbs

• Going to future

• Like + gerund/infinitive, e.g. I like shopping, I like to read books

• Adverbs of manner and frequency

• Comparatives and superlatives of adjectives

• Link word but

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Grammar - Past Simple   - irregular verbs

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Grammar - Past Simple   - irregular verbs

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Vocabulary exercises to help learn words for food.

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Vocabulary exercises to help learn words for fruit.

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If you don't know or can't remember an exact word - don't worry! There are lots of things you can do to communicate without saying the exact word. These are very useful strategies that even native speakers use.

General words

If you can't remember the word 'surgeon', you could say a more general word like 'doctor'.

Examples

If you don't know the word 'cutlery', you could give examples such as 'knife, fork and spoon'.

Relative clauses to give a description

(It's a person who ... / thing that ... / place where ... )

If you don't know the word 'briefcase', you could say 'It's a thing that people use to carry papers to work'.

Describe the purpose or function (It's used to + infinitive / for + -ing)

If you don't know the word 'scissors', you could say 'They are used to cut paper' or 'They are used for cutting paper'.

This strategy works well with objects that have a clear use or function.

Synonyms (words that mean the same)

If you don't know the word 'tiny', you could say 'very small'.

This strategy works well with nouns and adjectives.

Antonyms (opposite words)

If you don't know the word 'weak', you could say 'not strong'.

This strategy works well with adjectives.

Approximations (It's a kind of ... / It's a sort of ...)

If you don't know the word 'bungalow', you could say 'It's a kind of house' or 'It's a sort of house'.

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If you don't know or can't remember an exact word - don't worry! There are lots of things you can do to communicate without saying the exact word. These are very useful strategies that even native speakers use. If you can't remember the word 'surgeon', you could say a more general word like 'doctor'.