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Bellow I summarized the most useful tips I used while trying to reduce my accent. Hope it is useful.

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Record yourself.

Recording yourself is also an important part of your plan. Every once in a while, choose a short speech or passage from a book. If possible, choose something that you can listen to first in the accent you're trying to accomplish. Use our voice recording and say the passage out loud. Then listen to the native accent, compare it with yours and identify sounds and words you can improve.

Go to online voice recorder

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Record yourself. Recording yourself is also an important part of your plan. Every once in a while, choose a short speech or passage from a book. If possible, choose something that you can listen to first in the accent you're trying to accomplish. Use our voice recording and say the passage out loud.

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CAE (C1 Advanced) Speaking Exam - How to Do Parts 1+2 of the CAE Speaking Test

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Keep improving your writing with this fantastic Cambridge tool!

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Developed by the University of Cambridge, Write & Improve is a FREE tool that helps every learner to improve their English writing.

Choose from hundreds of tasks at all levels and start writing, or create your own tasks

Submit your writing and get a result linked to the international standard, the CEFR

Get automatic feedback on where your writing may need improvement

Make changes and check again to improve your writing

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Write & Improve is a free service for learners of English to practise their written English. Submit your written work and receive feedback in seconds, covering spelling, vocabulary, grammar and general style.

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Usamos cookies para que la web funcione, personalizar contenido, analizar trafico, mostrar anuncios personalizados y para integrar redes sociales. Compartimos información con nuestros partners de analítica, publicidad y redes sociales para el registro. Si pulsas "Aceptar" o continuas navegando, aceptas su uso.

Más Información Accept

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Si necesitas prepararte el examen oficial C1, te ofrecemos ejemplos prácticos, dinámicos y divertidos de la sección que cada día puedes seguir en el programa The Marta y Micky Show y cuya guía es el libro formado por dos unidades, a través de los temas más vistos en exámenes oficiales con el léxico y la gramática más importantes para superar dicho nivel.

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Learn C1 language while scrolling through Instagram

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Learn C1 language while scrolling through Instagram

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I'm sure you spend at least an hour a day on social networks (who doesn't, right?) so, while you're at it, why don't you follow some English-speaking users or even companies? Just look at this Primark post! I can spot at least 7 C1 or even C2 expressions!

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Hello there student! Por fin llegó el vídeo más solicitado del año. 🤟 Te echamos una mano para que puedas aprobar tu examen C1 Advanced (CAE) sin morir en el intento.

En este vídeo, en colaboración con Cambridge Assessment English, vamos a despejar todas tus dudas sobre el examen, desmentir ciertas leyendas urbanas y darte nuestras 'top-notch tips' como 'teacher' y 'student'.

Si sigues nuestros consejos, no hay duda de que conseguirás sacarte tu C1 Advanced con colores voladores 'with flying colours'. 🌈

Y para esto, te van a venir de perlas los tres libros de Cambridge English que sorteamos ¿verdad? They'll for sure come in handy!

Are you ready? Let's begin!

¡Sorteamos 3 libros para preparar tu examen C1 Advanced!

¡Más info al final del post!

Las titulaciones de Cambridge son de las más prestigiosas a nivel mundial, estando reconocidas por más de 25 mil universidades, empresas y gobiernos de todo el mundo.

Si estás pensando en certificar tu nivel de inglés, pero no estás seguro de qué examen es el más conveniente para ti, puedes hacer la prueba de nivel gratuita en la web de Cambridge Assessment English, y en unos minutitos tendrás tu resultado.

Si ya tienes tu B2 First, no es por ser aguafiestas (party pooper), pero no te confíes demasiado, porque hay un buen salto entre ambas titulaciones, y el C1 Advanced es mucho más exigente. But don't panic! 🙈 We're here to help!

El examen consta de cuatro partes:

Todas las partes tienen el mismo peso en tu nota final, un 20% y un 40% en el caso de 'Reading & Use of English' que son dos secciones que van unidas.

En esta primera parte del examen (Reading & Use of English) hay algunos ejercicios que puntúan más alto que otros, por ejemplo en Part 4 (Key Word Transformation), las respuestas correctas valen dos puntos.

E cha un vistazo a esta guía (The Cambridge English scale explained) para entender cómo se evalúa cada parte dentro de estos cuatro 'exam papers'.

Use of English

Part 2 (Open cloze)

Part 3 (Word formation)

Part 4 (Key word transformations)

Reading

Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze)

Part 5 (Multiple choice)

Part 6 (Cross-text multiple matching)

Part 7 (Gapped text)

Part 8 (Multiple matching)

Tips!

En y part 1, part 2 part 3 , lee rápidamente el texto para entender la idea general, antes de ponerte a rellenar los huecos.

Esto se llama en inglés 'skim-reading'. Después, completa el ejercicio y rápidamente vuelve a leer el texto antes de pasar al siguiente ejercicio.

En part 5, te recomendamos leer la pregunta cubriendo las posibles respuestas. Después lee el párrafo del texto y intenta pensar en la respuesta sin mirar las cuatro opciones que te dan.

En egún vas leyendo el texto, part 6 , lee primero las preguntas y apunta los temas sobre los que tendrás que responder. S subraya las palabras clave y haz notas con la opinión de cada 'speaker' sobre cada tema. De esta forma, podrás comparar rápidamente las opiniones de cada uno y te ahorrará muchísimo tiempo a la hora de responder a las preguntas. Casi todas las opiniones son muy parecidas y tener que volver a leer de nuevo el texto, te va a confundir y a hacer perder mucho tiempo. A esto me refiero:

Social media

A: ok, beneficial for small businesses.

B: ok, but only for adults.

C: ok, but waste of time, need some control.

D: ok, helps to keep in touch with family and friends.

En part 7, lee primero el texto y después los diferentes párrafos. Recuerda que siempre te dan uno de más. Al elegir el párrafo, asegúrate, de que es coherente también con el siguiente párrafo, y sobre todo, busca palabras de referencia, como por ejemplo, pronombres (it, they, this, these ...), adverbios de tiempo (then, later, eventually...). etc.

En part 8, lo más eficiente es leer primero las preguntas y después el primer párrafo y contestar a las preguntas que concuerden, después lees el segundo párrafo y vuelves a leer el listado de preguntas, seleccionando las que concuerdan con este texto y así sucesivamente.

Aprovecha y haz 'past papers' hasta que se te acabe la tinta del boli. Y si lo tuyo son la nuevas tecnologías, échate unas partiditas en la app de Cambridge Quiz your English.

Esta parte dura también 1 h y 30 min. En la primera parte, tendrás que escribir una redacción formal y en la segunda podrás elegir entre tres opciones.

Part 1
One compulsory task. Write an essay (220 -260 words).

Part 2
One task from a choice of three. It could be: letter/email, proposal, report, review (220-260 words).

Top tips!

H az un borrador con tus ideas.

introducción, primer tema, segundo tema y conclusión. Puedes ver una Estructura bien el texto en cuatro partes: muestra de 'writing task' en la hoja de respuestas del examen descargable en la web de Cambridge English.

Recuerda que se trata de un texto formal, así que ajústate a este tipo de registro y olvídate de las contracciones.

Usa conectores 'linking words'.

Hazte listas de vocabulario avanzado. Cuando solo te venga a la cabeza vocabulario común, busca esa palabra en Cambridge Dictionary, haz clic en ' Thesaurus: synonyms and related words' y sustitúyela por otra menos simple o común. Ve apuntando todas estas nuevas palabras en una libreta para ir repasando y familiarizándote con ellas.

No te olvides de leer el texto de nuevo. Con los nervios, casi seguro que se te ha escapado algún 'spelling mistake'.

Intenta escribir varias veces a la semana y también inspírate leyendo textos formales, la prensa online es una mina de oro, te traerá muchísima inspiración.

Al principio te querrás tirar de los pelos, pensarás: "¿cómo es posible quedarme estancado si puedo mantener una conversación sobre este tema perfectamente?"

Oh my friend! Hablar inglés fluido no es sinónimo de escribir textos de calidad, pero n o desesperes, el secreto está en practicar, cuando más lo hagas, más mejorarás tus tiempos y la calidad de tus textos.

Intenta ajustarte a la longitud que se pide, entre 220 y 260 palabras, pero no te preocupes si te pasas, no te van a penalizar por ello. Si alguien te ha contado que tu examinador echará mano de las tijeras y cortará un pedacito de tu redacción, es todo una leyenda urbana.

Check these out if you want to smash it in your C1:

Part 1 (Multiple choice)

Part 2 (Sentence completion)

Part 3 (Multiple choice)
Part 4 (Multiple matching)

Tips!

No pienses que por entender bien a tu profesor de inglés vas a bordar tu listening task. En esta parte del examen vas a escuchar una gran variedad de acentos, sí incluso tu favorito, el escocés. 😭

Para preparar esta parte lo mejor es estar expuesto al idioma en la vida real y a diferentes tipos de acentos. Escucha podcasts, audiolibros, programas de radio, etc.

En cuanto te dejen ver la tarea, no te quedes pasmado escuchando las instrucciones, después de haber practicado por tu cuenta, ya sabes exactamente qué debes hacer. Empieza a leer las preguntas y respuestas y a subraya las palabras clave e intenta predecir la respuesta en Part 2.

Ten mucho cuidado, porque tu 'listening paper' estará plagado de 'distractors' como has escuchado en el vídeo. No escuches palabras sueltas e intenta entender la idea general. Casi todas las posibles respuestas, se mencionan de una forma u otra en el audio, para pillar así a los candidatos más débiles. But that's not your case, haha!

La respuesta correcta, como has escuchado en el vídeo, era 'the lack of snow' y en todo el audio ni siquiera se ha mencionado esta palabra. No te lo van a poner fácil, quien quiere un C1, algo le cuesta.

Part 1 (Interview)

Part 2 (Long turn)

Part 3 (Collaborative task)
Part 4 (Discussion)

Tips!

Al principio te harán preguntas personales, no des respuestas ni demasiado cortas ni demasiado largas.

Bad example: " I'm from Cambridge, like the exams." 😂🙈

Terrible example: "I was born in Cambridge in 1985, it was a sunny day I believe, my mum went into labour around lunch time, she had a tuna sandwich that day with some salt & vinegar crisps..."

Good example: "I'm originally from Cambridge, England, however I've been living in Spain for the last 5 years."

Si te preguntan por tus hobbies, por ejemplo, intenta evitar frases del tipo 'I like/I don't like'. Sorpréndeles con un " I'm a big fan of British pop-rock music", "I'm not at all keen on extreme sports".

A la hora de comparar imágenes utiliza conectores como: whereas, on the other hand, etc.

For example: "The man on the first picture is ordering a take away, whereas the lady on the second picture is eating at a restaurant."

Y también 'modal verbs' para especular. Oh they love it when you speculate!

Example: "He might be upset because he's missed his flight or judging by the expression on his face, he may have just found out that his meeting has been called off."

To sum up!

¿Quieres sacarte el C1 Advanced con colores voladores? 🌈

Lee bien las instrucciones.

Gestiona tu tiempo.

Vuelve a leer el texto. Don't forget to proofread the text!

Cuida tu ortografía.

Subraya las palabras clave. Puedes hacer tantas notas como quieras en el examen.

No caigas en las trampas del reading y el listening. Don't fall for distractors!

No te vayas a lo fácil y seguro, cuanto más vocabulario y estructuras avanzadas utilices, mayor nota vas a conseguir. You need to show off!

No hace falta ser un muermo: a todos nos gusta el sentido del humor, tu examinador tenderá a calificarte más alto si tu redacción o tu speaking resulta más ameno que el del resto.

¡Llévate lápiz, goma de borrar, saca puntas, bolis y DNI!

Y no dejes ningún espacio en blanco. You never know, luck might be on your side that day!

Encuentra tu centro de exámenes más cercano:

Recuerda, que no hace falta que estés listo para tu examen para reservar la fecha. De hecho, cuanto antes lo hagas, antes te pondrás las pilas. Para reservar tu examen, puedes encontrar tu centro más cercano y las fechas disponibles en la web de Cambridge.

Now the moment of truth!

¿Quién se llevará estos tres libros para preparar su C1 Advanced?

¿Cómo participar?

- ¿Qué tengo que hacer? Deja tu comentario respondiendo correctamente a esta pregunta de la sección del examen C1 Advanced 'Use of English'.

Part 4 (Reading & Use of English)

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given.

Immediately after the storm began, lightning struck the roof.

SOONER

No ____________________________ lightning struck the roof.

- ¿Dónde participo? En nuestro canal de YouTube, escribiendo tu respuesta en los comentarios de este vídeo.

- ¿Quién puede participar? Cualquier estudiante que viva en España o Portugal. Sentimos no poder enviar los libros a nuestros queridos estudiantes en Latinoamérica, estamos trabajando para que esto sea posible en futuros sorteos.

- ¿Cuándo acaba el sorteo? El último día para participar es el 13 de octubre de 2019. El 14 de octubre anunciaremos al ganador de los tres libros.

Break a leg student! 🤞

¿Alguna pregunta? ¡Seguro que un montón! Nos gustaria hacer un vídeo para ayudarte a ver en mayor profundidad cada una de las cuatro partes del examen. 🤓 Hasta ese día, estaremos encantados de ayudarte a resolver dudas en los comentarios.

Thank you so much!

Isabel & Phillip

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Aprobar el C1 Advanced sin morir en el intento (CAE) | Amigos Ingleses

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Hello there student! Por fin llegó el vídeo más solicitado del año. 🤟 Te echamos una mano para que puedas aprobar tu examen C1 Advanced (CAE) sin morir en el intento. En este vídeo, en colaboración con Cambridge Assessment English, vamos a despejar todas tus dudas sobre el examen, desmentir ciertas leyendas urbanas y darte nuestras 'top-notch tips' como 'teacher' y 'student'.

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https://www.examenglish.com › CAE › cae_use_of_english1

https://www.englishrevealed.co.uk › cae

https://www.flo-joe.co.uk › cae › students › tests

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Emotions vocabulary for Part 2 Speaking CAE

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Emotions vocabulary for Part 2 Speaking CAE

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What do you enjoy most about learning English?

ANSWER 1

Well, there are two answers:

The first is that I enjoy the English language itself. I just like the way it sounds, I've always liked it since I was a child.

The second answer is that English is the modern lingua franca, that is, I can talk to everybody in the world. No language barrier between me and somebody from China or Saudi Arabia or Sweden!

Marina, Italy

ANSWER 2

For me, next to the use of the English language, the culture and the literature is really what I like studying a language. But the most important reason why I learn languages, mostly English and Spanish, is the reason to be able to communicate with people around the world.

F., Switzerland

ANSWER 3

Since we live in a globalized world with English as the most spoken language, learning it enables me to make friends from every corner of the world, which definitely is the part I enjoy the most.

Hana, Slovakia

ANSWER 4

Being able to communicate with foreigners - travelling and meeting new people is easier!

Beatka, Spain

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Speaking Test Part 1 - Common Questions and Sample Answers - CAE Exam Tips

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Just the best list of CAE Speaking Test part 1 questions. With answers from students around the world. AND feedback from me. No big deal. The usual.

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Before you use these materials... We've created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. We have released 5 episodes so far and you can download teacher's notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉

https://soundcloud.com/2tspod

I stumbled across this amazing and exhaustive list of phrases for advanced writing. I don't know who made it but a big thank you to whoever it was! It's gold dust!

You can download it here:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!439&authkey=!AHr7Ja0Lshhl2Y0 CAE - WRITING AND VOCABULARY 1) FORMAL WRITING (Reports and proposals)

Introduction-The main purpose/aim of (this report) is to outline/

present / discuss / examine / evaluate...

-This report (outlines/looks at)...

-This report is based on...

Generalising-On the whole,...

-In general,...

Making recommendations and concluding

-It is clear from customer feedback that...-With regard to..., the general view seems to be...

-In the light of (this year's experience),...

-Perhaps the most effective way of...

-If the (centre) is to attract more customers, it is

vital that...

-It would be a good idea to...

-It is (therefore) believed / obvious that...would be

ideal for...

-It would (not) be advisable / practical to...

-We suggest/propose that...

-We suggest/propose + ing

-A (more spacious area) would be the solution.../

an effective way of...

-In light of the above, we believe the followingmeasures should be adopted...

-In the short/long term, we suggest you should

consider...

-My recommendations are as follows:...

-In my view, in future, we should...

-To improve the situation, we recommend...

-It is recommended that...

-To sum up,...To conclude,...

-I hope that the plan outlined/presented in this

report meets with your approval...

-I hope that the recommendations outlined/

presented in this report will receive your serious

consideration.

Style
- Do not use contractions.

-Use passive forms whenever possible.

-Use relative clauses to join ideas: The period during which he lived was full of uncertainty.

-Use these formal words: like à such as / kids à children

a lot (of)à many / a large number of + countable noun

a lot (of)à much / a great amount of / a great deal of + uncountable

a lot (intensity)à very much / significantly / dramatically

- Avoid using the word things / something, etc. Use a more specific word ( problems, situation, solutions,

subjects, and so on).
2) SEMI-FORMAL WRITING Adressing the reader
-Have you ever wondered (what the college would be like if)...? If the answer is (yes)..., you...

-If you want a different kind of experience,... / As you know,...

-Doesn't it just make everyone feel (positive about...)?

-If you have a few hours to spare,...is worth seeing.

Describing location-Located / Situated (just a few miles away from...), X

is...

-Built (just next to...), X is...

-Some minutes from..., X is...
Giving information
-Throughout it history, X...

-X is by far the oldest...

-Y is the best known...

-What is particular spectacular is...

-Recent additions/changes include...

Giving your opinion-X is intended for youn(ger) people...

-X is popular with (children)...

-In fact, (NEGATIVE OPINION)

-It's clearly been a good idea to...
Giving practical information
-Anyone wishing to (apply)...can/should...

-(We) participate in.../organise.../run...

-(The club) offers/provides a range of (competitive

matches for)...

-One of the most popular (features of our club is)...

-Members have the opportunity to.../...are able to

Accuracy
-Never omit the subject pronoun: Many people
believe IT is important to... I believe IT is a good idea study...
- Do not use unnecessary subject pronouns: This is a problem which it is essential to solve.

-Make sure the subject and the verb agree: Attracting tourists involves improving local facilities.

(SINGULAR SUBJECTà attracting tourists + SINGULAR VERBà involves)
Attitude clauses and phrases
Generally speaking,...

Annoyingly,... Naturally,... Strangely,... Surprisingly,... Evidently,...

Indeed,... In fact,... Admittedly,... Presumably,...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RELATED WORDS AND PHRASES Agreement
-A great number of people share the view that tourism will have a negative impact on the island.

-Today there is general / widespread agreement that pollution from cars and planes is threatening the

future of our planet.

-It is now widely accepted that the universe began with the so-called 'big bang'.
Disagreement
-Opinions differ about the proper relationship between the mass media and society.

-There is considerable disagreement among experts about the usefulness of these tests.

-There has been a great deal of controversy over abortion in the US.
Advantages and disadvantages
-Regular exercise has many benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease.

-Despite a few problems with the design, the car's advantages clearly outweigh its disadvantages.

-The major drawback of this method is that it can be very time-consuming.

-The downside of running your own business is that you are responsible if anything goes wrong.
Cause
-lead to: The research could lead to a cure for many serious illnesses.

-result in: The fire resulted in damage to their property.

-be responsible for: He was responsible for the accident.

-bring about:The war brought about enormous social change.

-give rise to: Poor performance in exams can give rise to depression and even thoughts of suicide.

-trigger:to make something suddenly start to happen, especially a bad situation such as a crisis or a war, or

a medical condition: Certain foods can trigger allergies.

-contribute to: Passive smoking could contribute to the development of respiratory diseases among

nonsmokers.

-factor: Cost is often the deciding factor when choosing any product.
Effect
-impact on: His work has had an enormous impact on the study of genetics.

-influence on: In his book, he examines the influence of the media on our society.

-affect: (v) The disease affects women more than men.

-influence: (v) She has influenced him a lot.

-implications: The results of the study could have important implications for future educational policy.

Emphasizing

-I would like to stress that the research is still at an early stage.

-It should be noted that there are a number of alternative methods available.

-It is worth bearing in mind that 90% of the scientists researching herbicides in the US are employed by

chemical companies.

-Factors such as temperature and acidity play a crucial role in determining how well the process works.

-These insects play a vital part in the food chain.

-It is essential that the work is carried out as soon as possible.

-The climate is much colder, especially in the far north.
Problems
-issue: Issue is used especially about problems that affect a lot of people in society: International terrorism

is the biggest issue (=the most important issue) facing the world today. Previous governments failed to

address (=try to deal with) social issues such as unemployment and homelessness.

-challenge: something difficult that you must do or deal with, which needs a lot of skill, effort, and

determination: She said she was looking forward to the challenge of starting up a new business on her

own.

-difficulty: The company has managed to overcome (=deal with) its recent financial difficulties.

Many people experience difficulty in sleeping at some time in their lives.

- trouble: a problem or several problems that make something difficult, spoil your plans etc: Students of

English often have trouble with phrasal verbs. The company ran into trouble (=started to have problems)

when it tried to expand too quickly.

-setback: something that happens which stops you making progress or which makes things worse than

they were before: Despite some early setbacks, his campaign for the presidency was successful.

-obstacle: Criminal gangs are the biggest obstacle to democratic reform.

-dilemma: The doctors were faced with a moral dilemma.

-vicious circle: Some developing countries get caught in a vicious circle. They cannot afford to pay their

debt repayments, and so the debts get even bigger.

-complication
Increase
-increase by (percent): Last year, the number of burglaries increased by 15 percent.

-go up: Last month unemployment went up from 1.6 million to just over 1.7 million.

-grow: The volume of traffic on our roads continues to grow.

-expand: After two years of no growth, the economy started to expand again in 2003.

-double/triple/quadruple: Since 1950, the number of people dying from cancer has almost doubled.

-growth: (n) There has been a huge growth in sales of big 4-wheel-drive vehicles.
Decrease
-decrease by (percent): The average rainfall has decreased by around 30 percent.

-go down: The percentage of fat in our diets has gone down.

-fall: The number of tigers in the wild has fallen to just over 10,000.

-drop: At night, the temperature drops to minus 20 degrees.

-decline: decline is used about numbers or amounts, and also about the level or standard of something:

In rural areas, the standard of living continued to decline.
ADMIRE
-respect / look up to

look up to: The children need someone they can look up to.

-think highly of: Most of the students and staff think very highly of Dr. Smith.

-think highly of

have a high opinion of

have a high opinion of

-highly regarded/respected

highly regarded/respected: a highly respected surgeon

be an admirer of
ADVANCED
-sophisticated / high-tech (equipment) / state-of-the-art (technology)
SURPRISING (Avoid using "colourful" vocabulary in formal writing!)
-amazing / unbelievable / incredible / astonishing / staggering
SURPRISED (Avoid using "colourful" vocabulary in formal writing!) EXCITING (Avoid using "colourful" vocabulary in formal writing!) BORING
-come as a surprise / come as a shock / amaze / astonish
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (Avoid using "colourful" vocabulary in formal writing!) BEAUTIFUL PLACES (Avoid using "colourful" vocabulary in formal writing!)
-amazed / astonished / speechless / be taken aback (He was taken aback by the news)
UGLY PLACES / PEOPLE (Avoid using "colourful" vocabulary in formal writing!)
-thrilling / gripping / exhilarating / action-packed
IN BAD CONDITION (PLACES)
-dull / tedious / monotonous / uninspiring
NEW
-attractive / good-looking / gorgeous / striking / stunning
OLD
-breathtaking / stunning / awe-inspiring / striking / spectacular
VERY
-spotless: very clean
GOOD PERFORMANCE / PIECE OF WORK
-unattractive / unpleasant / unsightly / hideous (=extremely ugly)
GOOD FOR A PARTICULAR JOB, PURPOSE, ETC
-filthy: very dirty
WRONG INFORMATION / NUMBERS
-in bad condition / dilapidated / run-down
NOT REASONABLE / NECESSARY
-latest / brand-new / innovative (idea or system)
RELAX
-old-fashioned / outdated / obsolete

-absolutely / extremely / highly / incredibly / remarkably

-excellent / outstanding / impressive / exceptional
NERVOUS
-suitable / right / proper / appropriate / be suited to
PUBLIC SERVICES
-incorrect / inaccurate / misleading

-unjustified / unreasonable / without good reason

-unwind / wind down: Set in spectacular countryside, the Shiga Hotel is the perfect place to unwind.

-make someone feel at ease
COMPARISONS
-relaxed / feel at ease / laid-back (not easily worried or annoyed) /

-tense / uneasy / anxious / be under stress

-facilities: The facilities at the hotel were excellent - tennis courts, swimming pool, several bars and a good
VERY MUCH / NOT VERY MUCH
restaurant.
And
-amenities: things such as shops, parks, or restaurants that make living or working in a place more pleasant

I prefer this part of the city because there are plenty of good amenities.

-a great deal / far / much + comparative (cheaper / more economical than)

-a bit / slightly / barely + comparative (cheaper / more economical than)

-by far / easily the + superlative (This is easily the best solution we can think of)

-dramatically / significantly / slightly

-As well (as) / in addition to: Over 600 people will lose their jobs, in addition to the 400 people who left
If
the company last year.
Or
-In addition: A fifth of the world's population lives on less than $1 a day. In addition, over 100 million

children are living on the streets.

-Furthermore / Moreover: used at the beginning of a sentence when adding an important fact that is
Because
connected with what you have just said: The drug has strong side effects. Furthermore, it can be

addictive.

-as long as / on condition that / provided that

-alternatively: You can go up into the mountains. Alternatively, you can stroll around one of Switzerland's

delightful cities where the old mixes with the new.

-on THE one hand ... on the other (hand)
But/although
-As / since: As it was a hot day, they decided to leave all the windows open. Since it is difficult to predict

how the climate will change, it is not possible to say which countries will suffer the most.

-due to/owing to + NOUN

The delay was due to a problem with the ship's engines.

-due to/owing to + THE FACT THAT + subject + verb

The men did most of the work in the fields. This was partly due to the fact that the men were stronger.

-While / whereas / by contrast

-However: However is usually used in the middle of a sentence, separated from the rest of the sentence by

commas: Jack and his family managed to escape before the soldiers arrived. Other families in the village,

however, were less lucky. Or it comes at the beginning of a sentence: He began his academic career as a

mathematician. However, his main achievements were in the field of nuclear physics.

-Nevertheless: Nevertheless is usually used at the beginning of a sentence, or at the end.

-in spite of/despite + NOUN

Despite his lack of formal education, he became one of the world's leading mathematicians.

-in spite of/despite + verb + ING

This was a dinosaur that weighed only 10 tons, in spite of being some 28 metres long.

-in spite of/despite + THE FACT THAT + subject + verb

Many people are worried that cellphones may be dangerous to health, despite the fact that most of the

research suggests that there is little risk.

Barcelona based English Teacher, blogger and sometime actor and director. View All Posts

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Just a quick note... Before you use these materials... We've created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. We have released 5 episodes so far and you can download teacher's notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this...

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BBC Learning English: real life English made fun and easy.

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BBC Learning English: real life English made fun and easy.

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Check out this and many more useful BBC Learning English online lessons.

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The story...

A new scheme to encourage old play.

Learn language related to...

Social improvement

Need-to-know language

pilot scheme - first plan or program of its kind

gain traction - become more accepted and popular

draw inspiration (from)- find the source of an idea in something

government guidelines - advice from the government on how to do something

champion - (verb) support, defend or fight for something

Answer this...

In what way is 'Street Play' helping children meet governmental health guidelines?

Transcript

A street in Toronto, Canada, with children doing what they do best - playing together and having fun. They're able to play on the roads here because cars are banished every week for four hours at a time. This street is one of seven that have just finished a six-month pilot scheme.

Deborah Doncaster, President - Earth Day Canada
''It's all about getting kids outside playing again. It was a natural part of my childhood but it's a big piece of childhood that's missing from the modern day."

Often known as 'Street Play' - it's an idea that's gaining traction around the world. This Canadian scheme drew its inspiration from the streets of the UK - streets like this one in Bristol. This street plays together like this for two hours every Tuesday.

Scientists who have studied the scheme think it can also have health benefits for children.

Professor Angie Page, University of Bristol
''You can get an extra ten minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity just from simple closure of a street for a short period of time, which can make a real difference on whether they meet the government guidelines for physical activity.''

Who introduced Street Play sessions to her Bristol street?

Alice Ferguson, Director - Playing Out
''Our children were not getting outside enough, they were not physically active enough, and we saw that we had this great space immediately outside their front doors, but they couldn't use it. ''

More than forty local authorities across the UK are now supporting the 'Street Play' scheme she championed, and 'Street Play' seems to have an appeal that crosses national boundaries.

Did you get it?

In what way is 'Street Play' helping children meet governmental health guidelines?

The answer:

'Street Play' is helping children meet governmental health guidelines by providing an extra ten minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

Did you know?

'Street Play' is a grassroots movement. This means that it is an idea which was first created and organised by ordinary people to solve a problem they were having at a local level.

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BBC Learning English - Lingohack / 21 February 2018

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A new scheme to encourage old play. Social improvement pilot scheme - first plan or program of its kind gain traction - become more accepted and popular draw inspiration (from)- find the source of an idea in something government guidelines - advice from the government on how to do something champion - (verb) support, defend or fight for something In what way is 'Street Play' helping children meet governmental health guidelines?

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Hoy volvemos "al ataque" con los phrasal verbs. Esta vez, y aprovechando que estamos en la temporada, hablamos de algunos relacionados con los viajes.

¿A ti también se te resisten los phrasal verbs? Hoy te lo queremos poner un poco más fácil con un listado de algunos phrasal que te serán especialmente útiles si vas a viajar ¡Atentos/as al listado!

Check in / Check out

En el contexto de un hotel, check in se usa para hacer el registro en tu habitación y check out para el momento en el que entregas las llaves y realizas el pago (en algunos casos) o finalizas la documentación correspondiente a tu estancia.

There was a queue at the check-in desk.

Significa recoger a alguien y llevarlo de un sitio a otro. Por ejemplo un taxi que te recoge en el hotel y te lleva al aeropuerto o al revés.

I picked him up at the station and drove him home.

Su traducción sería darse prisa. Y la verdad... cuando viajas con horarios de transporte, excursiones o visitas guiadas ¡a veces es muy útil!

Hurry up! We're going to be late.

Significa partir o ponerse en marcha. Podemos usarlo para referirnos a cuándo empezamos un viaje o la hora a la que empezamos un ruta guiada.

What time are you setting off tomorrow morning?

look around/round

Significa echar un vistazo o visitar algo. Algo que seguro harás, vayas donde vayas.

She spent the afternoon looking round the town.

¿Te han parecido útiles? ¡Cuéntanoslo en redes sociales!

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Phrasal verbs útiles para tus viajes - Blog Cambridge

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Hoy volvemos "al ataque" con los phrasal verbs. Esta vez, y aprovechando que estamos en la temporada, hablamos de algunos relacionados con los viajes. ¿A ti también se te resisten los phrasal verbs? Hoy te lo queremos poner un poco más fácil con un listado de algunos phrasal que te serán especialmente útiles si vas a viajar ¡Atentos/as al listado!

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For those of you binging on Game of Thrones this summer :)

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¿Estás enganchado a Juego de Tronos? Pues además de disfrutar con la serie te animamos a que aprendas phrasal verbs con ella.

Este verano está teniendo unos lunes muy especiales para gran parte de la población mundial gracias a los esperados capítulos de la séptima temporada de Juego de Tronos.

Al margen de la trama, creemos que es una gran oportunidad para aprender en inglés si eres de los que ve la serie en versión original o subtitulada. Pero aunque este no sea tu caso, hoy te lo ponemos más fácil todavía con una selección de los temidos phrasal verbs explicados en escenas de Juego de Tronos (vale, no son tan temidos como Cersei, pero sí difíciles de memorizar). Te animamos a que memorices esta lista como haría Arya, ahí va:

1- Pass in - Entrar

2- Cry out - Gritar / Chillar

3- Take off - Despegar

4- Fill up - Rellenar

5- Look up (at) - Fijarse en algo

6- Go at - Atacar

7- Take care of (someone) - Cuidar a alguien

8- Count on (someone) - Contar con alguien

9- Run away - Escapar

10- Hurry away - Irse rápidamente

Imágenes víaGiphy

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Aprende phrasal verbs con Juego de Tronos - Blog Cambridge

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¿Estás enganchado a Juego de Tronos? Pues además de disfrutar con la serie te animamos a que aprendas phrasal verbs con ella. Este verano está teniendo unos lunes muy especiales para gran parte de la población mundial gracias a los esperados capítulos de la séptima temporada de Juego de Tronos.

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Thank you for a fantastic course! I hope you will have a great summer holiday! Remember to let me know if you are ever in Pamplona :)

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Useful phrases and quizzes to revise football vocab!

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Test yourself and learn new football vocabulary. Each topic has 10 of the most important words in football and there are 20 topics. You can also download and print football phrasebook pages and activities for each of the topics.

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تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية

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выучить английский язык

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Test yourself and learn new football vocabulary. Each topic has 10 of the most important words in football and there are 20 topics. You can also download and print football phrasebook pages and activities for each of the topics.

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1. En primer lugar, en Japón ¡hay máquinas expendedoras de comida por todas partes!

Scott Bryan / BuzzFeed

Te proporcionan bebidas frías y CALIENTES, y también snacks, frutas, sopas, de todo... 24 horas al día.

2. Hablando de máquinas expendedoras, algunos restaurantes te hacen utilizar una para hacer tu pedido antes de sentarte.

6. Incluso la comida de los hospitales tiene un aspecto tremendamente delicioso.

8. Los huevos duros son un aperitivo ligero en todo Japón.

Flickr: alq666 / Getty Images / Via flic.kr

Normalmente, el centro suele llevar un tipo de especia para darle sabor adicional.

9. Amantes del huevo: prepárense para esta sorpresa.

13. Hay papitas con sabor a huevos benedictinos para creer en el amor a primera vista.

14. Y también puedes conseguir todo un platón de sushi fresco, auténtico y variado en cualquier supermercado.

15. Un pudín en vaso, con varias capas de pastel, gelatina, helado, crema... trozos de cielo, y lluvia de felicidad eterna.

16. También tienen este delicioso sakuramochi.

Es mochi con sabor a flor de cerezo rojo, a veces relleno de pasta de frijoles rojos, y envuelto con una hoja de flor de cerezo encurtida. O sea, pura elegancia.

17. La forma en que esta máquina sirve la cerveza hará que no te tengas que preocupar nunca más por el exceso de espuma.

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22 Comidas que demuestran que Japón está súper en el futuro en materia de snacks

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2. Hablando de máquinas expendedoras, algunos restaurantes te hacen utilizar una para hacer tu pedido antes de sentarte. 6. Incluso la comida de los hospitales tiene un aspecto tremendamente delicioso. 9. Amantes del huevo: prepárense para esta sorpresa. 13. Hay papitas con sabor a huevos benedictinos para creer en el amor a primera vista.

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Interesting idioms with nationalities and countries 🇫🇷🇳🇱 🇲🇽🇬🇷🇨🇳

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Interesting idioms with nationalities and countries 🇫🇷🇳🇱 🇲🇽🇬🇷🇨🇳

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Take French leave, To go Dutch, Dutch courage, It's all Greek to me, ...
1. Take French leave
Meaning: To leave work without permission

Example: The driver had taken French leave
2. To go Dutch
Meaning: to split the bill in a restaurant between everyone who ate together.

Example: Sally said she wouldn't let a man pay for her meal on a first date. She prefers to go Dutch.
3. Dutch courage
Meaning: rinking a little alcohol to give you courage (bravery/confidence) before you have to do something.

Example: I think I'll have a glass of whiskey for Dutch courage before I ask that girl if she wants to dance with me.

Meaning: this phrase is used when don't understand or have no knowledge on a topic.

Example: I tried to watch a TV show about physics last night, but I gave up. It was all Greek to me.

5. Chinese whispers

Meaning: This expression originally comes from a children's game. It is often used as a metaphor for mistakes and inaccurate information which comes from rumours or gossip.

Example: All this talk about the President resigning is just Chinese whispers. There's no truth to this rumour at all.
6. A Mexican Standoff
Meaning: This is expression is used when two groups can not agree on what to do next. Often used to describe a situation in business where there is gridlock.

Example: There seems to be a Mexican standoff in the talks as neither the buyer or seller can agree on a price.
7. When in Rome (do as Romans do)
Meaning: When you're visiting a different country, you should behave like the people who live there.

Example: I don't love cotton candy, but we are at a carnival. When in Rome, right?
8. Talk for England
Meaning: when someone can talk for hours and hours

Example: I'm so sorry I'm late. I couldn't get away from Linda. She can talk for England!
9. Indian Summer (UK)
Meaning: a period in late autumn when the weather is unusually warm

Example: Much as I love this Indian Summer, I wish we had this warm weather in the summer rather than in October.

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Interesting English Idioms Using Nationalities and Countries - ESL Buzz

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Take French leave, To go Dutch, Dutch courage, It's all Greek to me, ... 1. Take French leave Meaning: To leave work without permission Example: The driver had taken French leave 2. To go Dutch Meaning: to split the bill in a restaurant between everyone who ate together.

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E.g. I learned to drive at the age of 21.

E.g. I joined a gym at the beginning of the year.

E.g. There's a shop at the bottom of this hill.

E.g. I need to pass this exam at all costs.

E.g. My manager spoke to me at my desk.

E.g. There's somebody at the door.

E.g. I'm going to Madrid at the end of month.

E.g. Who was at fault for the accident?

E.g. At first, I was happy here but now I'm not.

E.g. We met at university and it was love at first sight.

E.g. I knew at a glance that something was wrong.

E.g. At a guess, 50 people were at the party.

E.g. I always have a pen at hand in case I need to take notes.

E.g. He was fined £150 for driving at 200km per hour.

E.g. At last, our bus has arrived. Thank goodness!

E.g. Cinderella had to be home by 12 at the latest.

E.g. It's cold but at least it's not raining.

E.g. My dad could talk at length about Irish history.

E.g. I went home at midnight as I was tired.

E.g. I'm living in Ireland at the moment.

E.g. I can't study during the day. I prefer to study at night.

E.g. Everybody started talking at once.

E.g. At present, I'm working for a multinational.

E.g. Numbers are selected at random in a lottery.

E.g. At any rate, I'm confident I'll find a job soon.

E.g. I had fun and improved my English at the same time.

E.g. Things were very different when I was at school.

E.g. She cancelled the meeting at short notice.

E.g. The whole family sat at the table for dinner.

E.g. At times, I feel like giving up.

E.g. Barcelona are at the top of the Spanish league.

E.g. I studied economics at university.

E.g. I love going out with friends at the weekend.

E.g. I'm at work right now so I'll call you back later.

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Prepositional Phrases with AT, BY & FOR - ESL Buzz

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E.g. I learned to drive at the age of 21. E.g. I joined a gym at the beginning of the year. E.g. There's a shop at the bottom of this hill. E.g. I need to pass this exam at all costs. E.g. My manager spoke to me at my desk.

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Useful English Phrases to Say When it's Raining...
1. Questions 2. Answers
Useful English Phrases to Say When it's Raining...

"It's spitting." (Spitting is very light rain, rain that you can barely feel.)

"It's just spitting a little."

"It's drizzling."(Drizzling is more than spitting, less than raining)

"It's been raining on and off all day." (On and off means starting & stopping, then starting again over a period of time.)

"It's pouring."(Pouring is very heavy rain.) - "It is pouring rain outside!"

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English Vocabulary: Talking about RAIN - ESL Buzz

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Useful English Phrases to Say When it's Raining... 1. Questions 2. Answers Useful English Phrases to Say When it's Raining... "It's spitting." (Spitting is very light rain, rain that you can barely feel.) "It's just spitting a little." "It's drizzling."(Drizzling is more than spitting, less than raining) "It's been raining on and off all day."

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As and like are often confused since they are both used to compare actions or situations. There are, however, important differences.

As

We use as to talk about job or function.

I worked as a shop assistant for 2 years when I was a student.

He used his shoe as a hammer to hang the picture up.

In comparisons, the structure ' adjective ' is often used.

In the following comparisons as is a conjunction - it's followed by a clause with a subject and a verb.

He went to Cambridge University, as his father had before him.

She's a talented writer, as most of her family are.

Like

In the following comparisons, like is a preposition and it's followed by a noun or a pronoun.

I've been working like a dog all afternoon.

None of my brothers are much like me.

She looks just like her mother.

Like and As if/As though

Like, as if and as though can all be used to make comparisons. There is no difference in meaning among the 3 forms.

You look as if you've seen a ghost.

You talk as though we're never going to see each other again.

It looks like it's going to rain.

Expressions with 'as'

The following expressions all use as.

As you know, classes restart on January 15th.

I tried using salt as you suggested but the stain still didn't come out.

As we agreed the company will be split 50/50 between us.

Their house is the same as ours.

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As and like are often confused since they are both used to compare actions or situations. There are, however, important differences. We use as to talk about job or function. I worked as a shop assistant for 2 years when I was a student. He used his shoe as a hammer to hang the picture up.

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Have you ever had difficulties using Either & Neither ? If you have, don't worry, you are not the only one...

Have you ever had difficulties using Either & Neither ? If you have, don't worry, you are not the only one...

The English words and can cause some problems for native and non-native speakers of English. Sometimes you can use one and sometimes you have to choose one or the other, but one is very difficult.

How to Use EITHER

1. Either can also be followed by (one) of + group of two:
2. Either... or
Either... or is used to offer a choice between two possibilities:

3. Not... either... or denies both possibilities:

4. Not... either is used after a negative statement.

How to Use NEITHER
2. Neither...nor

What's Your Reaction?

You may also like DON'T MISS

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Have you ever had difficulties using Either & Neither ? If you have, don't worry, you are not the only one...

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's romance
Learn language related to...
Love

Need-to-know language

whirlwind romance - romantic relationship which develops quickly

tying the knot - getting married (informal)

blind date - romantic meeting of people who don't know each other

fell in love - became romantically attached (to someone)

engagement - promise of marriage

Answer this...

When did Meghan and Prince Harry announce they were going to get married?
Transcript
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's story as a couple began in the summer of 2016 - a whirlwind romance kept carefully away from prying eyes. And only 18 months after they met, they announced they were tying the knot.

Meghan Markle
It was definitely a set-up: it was a blind date.

Introduced through a mutual friend, they say they connected straight away.

Prince Harry
The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was a sort of confirmation to me that everything - all the stars were aligned, everything was just perfect, it was this beautiful woman just sort of literally tripped and fell into my life; I fell into her life...

Within days of their engagement, the couple were already crisscrossing the UK, representing the Royal Family and throwing their support behind a range of humanitarian causes.

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle say "I do", they will not only be man and wife, but will have new titles - as Duke and Duchess - marking the start of a new chapter for the younger generation of the British Royal Family.
Did you get it?
When did Meghan and Prince Harry announce they were going to get married?

Only 18 months after they met.
Did you know?
In the 1930s, marrying an American divorcee led Prince Harry's great-great uncle King Edward VIII to abdicate. Times have changed, as Meghan Markle was born in the US and is divorced.

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BBC Learning English - Lingohack / 16 May 2018

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's romance Learn language related to... Love Need-to-know language whirlwind romance - romantic relationship which develops quickly tying the knot - getting married (informal) blind date - romantic meeting of people who don't know each other fell in love - became romantically attached (to someone) engagement - promise of marriage Answer this...

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Just in time to revise some wedding vocabulary! 💂💑💞

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A wedding with a difference

"I proposed to my girlfriend Marianne last month, so she's now my fiancée! It's lovely being engaged, though planning the wedding takes up a lot of time. We're getting married next summer, here in France.

It's going to be a small wedding with around 50 guests - we've already sent them invitations. We've also booked the venue - a big hotel by the sea.

In terms of catering, we'd like traditional French food - it's the best! But we don't want a traditional ceremony in a church - instead we're going to have it on the beach, with both Marianne, the bride, and me, the groom, wearing wetsuits instead of formal clothes.

The photographer will need a waterproof camera. All our best friends - the bridesmaids and groomsmen - will be dressed in swimwear.

I can't wait until we're married. Because then - there's the honeymoon to look forward to - two whole weeks on a diving holiday after our wedding."

To do

Now you've read the story, can you work out the meanings of the words in bold?

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BBC Learning English - Course: lower intermediate / Unit 9 / Session 1 / Activity 1

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"I proposed to my girlfriend Marianne last month, so she's now my fiancée! It's lovely being engaged, though planning the wedding takes up a lot of time. We're getting married next summer, here in France. It's going to be a small wedding with around 50 guests - we've already sent them invitations.

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Phrasal verbs with OUT Unit 9 CAE Result

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Phrasal verbs with OUT Unit 9 CAE Result

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Extra C1 Speaking Material to practise with your partner before the exam.

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Extra C1 Speaking Material to practise with your partner before the exam.

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1. Introduction

You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

The examiners assess you on 4 elements:

Content - Did you do the task you were asked to do?

Communicative achievement - Did you use the right tone and level of formality?

Organisation - Did you link paragraphs together? Is there a logical flow?

Language - Did you show off your sparkling vocabulary or did you merely use First Certificate words? Did you make lots of grammar mistakes?

Before you continue with this guide, I strongly recommend you read about this free tool that will help you with your writing:

You have 90 minutes to write 2 texts. Both texts will be about the same length, and are worth the same number of points. Obviously, you should spend the same amount of time on each! Personally, I'd spend as much time planning as possible, since it makes everything else easier. The exact time split will depend on how fast you write, but try something like this:

3. You can't cook without a recipe

A lot of students hate planning and think it's a waste of valuable exam time. But do chefs walk into a kitchen and just start cooking? Of course not - they lay out their ingredients, make sure their utensils are clean, and have their recipe nearby.

Your plan is the recipe you'll use to cook up a great piece of writing. Think about how many paragraphs you want then get some ideas about the content of each. But even at this early stage you should start planning the language you want to use. Ask yourself questions like:

Where can I use a passive form?

Where can I use an inversion?

What CAE-level vocabulary do I know about this topic, and where can I use it?

How do I link from one paragraph to the next?

Thinking about solutions before you start writing is the easiest way to solve problems!

4. Grading: Content

Part 1

The first thing you're assessed on is your content. That basically means reading the task carefully and doing what you are told to do! In part 1 you are given three bullet points but are asked to talk about TWO of them. (You're also given some opinions on the topic that you can use if you want, but you don't have to.) Here's an example of the three bullet points and a task:

If I were planning my answer, I'd probably choose 'giving rules' and 'setting an example' as my two points because I feel like I have more to say about those topics. ( How much would I write about 'offering advice'? Nothing! Because I should only write about two things!)

Another important point is to say which is more effective. I'd probably write one paragraph about 'giving rules', and the next paragraph would be about 'setting an example' - I would be sure to give reasons why it was a more effective way to influence younger people.

Part 2

What about part 2? Again, it's important to read the question carefully and make sure you include everything it tells you to.

Here's the kind of task that will come up:

Here's an outline you could follow:

Not very imaginative, but you'd be guaranteed to get full marks in terms of content!

5. Grading: Communicative Achievement

Tone

Which is better English:

1. Wasssssssup?!

or

2. Dear Sir or Madam

Well, it depends who you're talking to! If your task is to write a report for your 'serious' organisation you should use a formal tone. If you're writing a magazine article for teenagers you can be more informal.

This is a HUGE topic and there's not enough space to go into it in detail here. I'll list a few external resources that might help, but a good coursebook will give you lots of guidance.

The main tip is to be consistent - students often write a report that is 95% formal, and then throw in some exclamation points, slang, contractions, and informal vocabulary. That's bad! It suggest you don't have control over your tone.

Learn more about formal vs informal English:

Task types

You should invest some time making sure you know the difference between a letter and an essay, and between a report and a proposal. Here are a few quick tips:
Essay
You need to give your opinion in an interesting way. CAE essays are often academic in tone, so practice of formal writing will be helpful.
Letter/email
Write an email with the same opening/closing as a letter. In these you write about your personal experiences. Your writing will have a purpose, like responding to a newspaper article you don't agree with.
Report/Proposal
Use headings for each paragraph. The task will tell you some of the content you need to include and you'll be able to use your imagination to add some more ideas. You may be asked to evaluate if some goal has been achieved and/or to suggest alternative courses of action. A proposal will have more scope for making suggestions and more need for polite persuasive language.

6. Grading: Organisation

Cambridge love linking words and cohesive devices. These are bits of text like 'firstly', 'whereas', 'in addition', 'however', and so on. Properly used, they will make your writing flow and make your text easier to read. You can't do well in CAE without using these phrases.

Here's a page with some ideas about cohesive devices - try to include them in your writing. Here's another one with tips for the IELTS exam.

7. Grading: Language

Organising a text, using linking words, and getting all the content points is a great start, but for a high grade you'll need to use advanced vocabulary and more difficult sentence structures.

In the planning stage of the exam think about which high-level words you know for that topic and think in which paragraph you can use them. For example, if the topic is about transport you might use phrases like 'mass transit system', 'to commute', 'congestion,' and 'pressed for time'.

Then you need to use a variety of structures - passives, inversions, cleft sentences, questions, sentences with semi-colons. The more variety the better!

Also a variety of sentence lengths. This picture explains what I mean:

So instead of writing like this:
A lot of politicians say they will improve bus and train services. Having trains is good for people who have to go to work. It means they don't have to take the car to work. It is probably faster. If everyone takes a train to work there won't be any traffic jams.
You can produce this:
Why do progressive politicians pledge to provide mass transit systems in their cities? The answer is clear: Not only do pressed-for-time commuters benefit, but there is also less pollution. Let congestion be a thing of the past; let flowers bloom next to every tram stop.
In those three sentences there is one question; one colon; one semi-colon; one 'not only but also'; one imperative. Not bad, right? You can write like this if you practice and if you're not afraid to make some mistakes along the way.

8. How to write a CAE essay/letter/report/proposal

Essays

9. Our Videos about CAE Writing

10. Common Mistakes in CAE Writing

Grammar Mistakes

Most CAE students don't make obvious, basic mistakes like your/you're or its/it's. But they do struggle with things like:
Relative clauses
You need to learn the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses. Your non-defining clauses need commas, while your defining clauses shouldn't have commas.

I had lunch with my grandfather, who is 90 years old. (The second half of the sentence tells you more about my grandfather. It's bonus information, so there has to be a comma.)

I had lunch with my friend who lives in Prague. (I am very cool and popular - I have lots of friends. If I say 'I had lunch with my friend' you don't know which friend I mean. So the 'who lives in Prague' clause gives you essential information. Therefore, no comma!)

Note that non-defining pronouns cannot be changed to 'that', so you should never write a comma followed by 'that'. (This is especially a problem for German speakers because in German you HAVE to use a comma before 'that'.)
Gerund vs infinitive
Gerund means the -ing form of a verb. This is a tricky part of grammar because there are no rules and you have to learn every verb one by one. English! Argh! Anyway, make sure you know these structures:

I used to live in China (= I lived in China).

I'm used to hear ing German (= hearing German is normal for me).

I look forward to meet ing you.

I stopped smok ing (= I quit).

I stopped to smoke (= I stopped what I was doing because I wanted to have a cigarette).

I recommend buy ing new computer equipment. (Suggest and advise are also followed by gerunds.)

I recommend you buy new computer equipment.

Prepositions
So hard! So many prepositions! So many mistakes! Just learn as many as you can and remember, every single student who has ever taken the CAE exam has struggled with prepositions. You are not alone!
Conditionals
If I get the job I will move to Zurich. (The speaker is confident.)

If I got the job I would move to Zurich. (The speaker is not confident.)

If I had got the job I would have moved to Zurich. (But the speaker didn't get the job and didn't move to Zurich.)

Other Mistakes
Not taking risks
A lot of students always write the same, safe, things they always write. To master advanced vocabulary and structures you have to use advanced vocabulary and structures!
Being boring
It's hard enough to produce a well-structured piece of writing with good vocabulary that fits the content. But remember that the examiners read hundreds and hundreds of essays and most of them are very boring! If you make yours interesting (though the style, unexpectedly good vocabulary, maybe even a joke or two) the examiners will be VERY happy and you will be REWARDED.

11. Writing Correction Online

Students often ask if I offer a writing correction service. Well... to be honest I'm not very motivated to do that right now. You should find a teacher on italki instead. Click here to read about italki. (Watch the video with David to hear more about writing correction.)

12. Frequently Asked Questions

Q - Do I have to use British spelling?

A - No, it doesn't matter. But if you use American spelling, be consistent throughout your writing.

Q - How important is spelling and punctuation?

A - It's pretty important - If you make a trivial mistake it won't be a big deal. If the mistake stops the reader from understanding what you mean then you will lose points.

Q - How important is the word count? What happens if I write too many words?

A - The word count is a guide, not a rule. But if you do the task properly you will write about 220-260 words. If you write 300 words then you've probably written lots of stuff you don't need. If you write 200 words you've probably forgotten something.

DO NOT waste time in the exam counting how many words you have written! And never add or remove words just because of the word count - it'll turn out clumsy and weird.

All that said, when you are practicing for the writing section, I recommend you stick to the suggested word count.

Note that the computer-based exam will automatically count how many words you're using. Handy! See this article for more information about the computer-based CAE exam.

Q - I know I need to use complex sentences to get a good grade, but I'm worried about making mistakes. Is it better to have a simple text with no mistakes?

A - Cambridge says that students who make mistakes while trying to use complex structures will get credit for trying (as long as the mistake doesn't stop the reader from understanding).

Q - My handwriting is terrible! No-one can read it! Will I lose points?

A - No. Your handwriting is not very important. Just make sure it can be read. Also, you don't need to rewrite your text (and you don't have time to rewrite it) - if it's got lots of bits crossed out, don't worry. Every student's writing looks the same!

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CAE Writing Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

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CAE Reading and Use of English Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score

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The essential guide to the new CAE Reading and Use of English test. Tips you can use, ideas that will really help, strategies you won't find anywhere else

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CAE Listening Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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Improve your score in the Cambridge English: Advanced listening test with these great tips. Advice on time management, links to free online tests, and much, much more.

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CAE Speaking Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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CAE Exam Tips for the Speaking test - common mistakes; the 3 keywords you HAVE to learn; how Roger Federer can boost your grade

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Descarga vía Dorro

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In the book Me Talk Pretty One Day, humorist David Sedaris recounts learning to speak French as an adult under a vicious instructor. Fumbling in his attempts to master the new tongue, he feels powerless and vulnerable-almost like a different person entirely.

Anyone who's taken on the challenge of learning a new language can probably relate. But it's more than just a feeling: Research suggests our personalities really can shift depending on the language we speak.

Margarita, a Russian-American immigrant, came to the US at age 19 to escape anti-Semitism in the former Soviet Union. Today, her experiences with both cultures seem to have colored the way she feels when she speaks each language.

When she speaks Russian, she says, she feels "guarded, reserved, uncomfortable." But when she speaks English, she describes herself as "curious," "outgoing," and "free."

Similarly, Tony, who grew up speaking English and Spanish and went on to learn French, says that when he speaks French he feels "sophisticated, elegant, suave." His opinion of French people and culture? "Smart, elegant, admirable."

Indeed, research suggests that our perceptions of the culture associated with a given language can impact our behavior. A 2006 study (pdf) lead by Nairan Ramírez-Esparza, an assistant professor of social psychology at the University of Connecticut, and her colleagues, asked bilingual Mexican Americans to take a personality test in both English and Spanish. The test measures the "Big Five" personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.

The study found that subjects scored higher in extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness when they took the English version of the test. The authors speculate that this may reflect the fact that individualistic cultures (like that of the US) place a high premium on assertiveness, achievement and superficial friendliness, whereas it's less important to sing one's own praises in collectivistic cultures (like that of Mexico).

As a follow-up, in a not yet published paper, Ramírez-Esparza and colleagues asked subjects to write a 15-minute description of their personalities. They found that, while writing in Spanish, the Mexican-American subjects talked about themselves in relation to their families, relationships and hobbies. In English, they spoke of their achievements, college, and daily activities. Ramírez-Esparza ascribes the changes in personality and the differing focus on values to the way that language "primes" behavior.

"The language cannot be separated from the cultural values of that language," she says. "You see yourself through the cultural values of the language you are speaking." It makes sense that this effect is felt particularly strongly by people who are bicultural, as well as bilingual, because they have a strong grounding in multiple cultures.

It's also possible that our perceptions of our own personalities change because we notice how people react to us when we speak different languages. After all, identity is "your sense of self, but also how you feel others are perceiving you and how that impacts on how you can project who you are," says Carolyn McKinney, a professor of language and literacy studies at the University of Cape Town. And so you might see yourself as a confident, poised professional when speaking your native English in front of a crowd and watching the audience hang on your every word-and then feel like a blundering goofball when conducting a meeting in beginner German.

"The minute you speak to someone you're engaging in an identity negotiation," says Bonny Norton, a professor of language and literacy education at British Columbia University. "'Who are you? Where are you? How do I relate to you? How do you see me?' So when someone says their personality changes, what they're saying is: 'When I talk to other people my personality changes.'"

It may also be that the context in which you learn a second language is essential to your sense of self in that tongue. In other words, if you're learning to speak Mandarin while living in China, the firsthand observations you make about the people and culture during that period will be built into your sense of identity as a Mandarin speaker. If you're learning Mandarin in a classroom in the US, you'll likely incorporate your instructor's beliefs and associations with Chinese culture along with your own-even if those beliefs are based on stereotypes.

And if you learn a language without any kind of context, it may not impact your personality much at all. "It is arguable," Jill Hadfield, a professor of language studies at Unitec Institute of Technology in New Zealand, writes in an email, "that if all you use a language for is to translate or fill blanks in decontextualized sentences such as 'The pen of my aunt is on the table,' you will not develop a [second-language] identity."

For people learning a language associated with a culture they admire, that's all the more reason to immerse yourself in it-whether that means taking a trip abroad, watching movies in your chosen tongue, finding a native speaker who can help you learn about their country's traditions, or all of the above. When you learn a new language, you're not just memorizing vocabulary and grammar rules-you also have a chance to tap into new parts of your identity.
Learn how to write for Quartz Ideas. We welcome your comments at ideas@qz.com.

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Feel more fun in French? Your personality can change depending on the language you speak

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In the book Me Talk Pretty One Day, humorist David Sedaris recounts learning to speak French as an adult under a vicious instructor. Fumbling in his attempts to master the new tongue, he feels powerless and vulnerable-almost like a different person entirely. Anyone who's taken on the challenge of learning a new language can probably...

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[Verbs + Prepositions] Collocation refers to a natural combination of words that are closely affiliated with each other...
1. Verb + To
Example: Are you talking to me?

Example: Little girls like to listen to lullabies at bed time.

Example: You should speak to the boys about their behaviors

Example: Go and apologize your sister for what you said!

Example: This book belongs to me.

Example: What happen to you at the party?

Example: A student who needs money turns to his parents.

Example: She used to be lonely until she found Mr.Right.
...

Example: hey, slow down & wait for her!

Example: Are you looking for this book?

Example: If you don't ask for it, you won't get it.

Example: I am going to apply for a new job today.

Example: Why do you always blame me for everything?

Example: the mother is caring for her sick child.

Example: He longs for the days when he used to have a job.

Example: When shopping, he heads straight for the beer shelf.
... 3. Verb + At
Example: When she smiles at me, I become dizzy.

Example: Don't stare at me like that!

Example: Aim at the target if you want to hit it.

Example: Look at me! I'm talking to you!

It is rude to point at people

Why do you laugh at me?
4. Verb + From
He luckily recovers from a terrible accidence.

If you want to run your own business, you could borrow money from the bank.

Luckily, I escape from a thief.

I've just graduated from university this year.

...

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Common Verb & Preposition Combinations in English - ESL Buzz

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Verbs + Prepositions] Collocation refers to a natural combination of words that are closely affiliated with each other... 1. Verb + To Example: Are you talking to me? Example: Little girls like to listen to lullabies at bed time. Example: You should speak to the boys about their behaviors Example: Go and apologize your sister for what you said!

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You use the phrase I'm afraid... when you want to apologize because you have to tell somebody something that they may not like:

I'm afraid there's been an accident.

Nina's not here at the moment, I'm afraid. Can I take a message?

'Do you have any decaffeinated coffee?' 'I'm afraid not.'

'Has the last bus gone?' 'I'm afraid so.'

You use expressions which show hesitancy when you are asking somebody to do something or asking for a favor:

Could you just help me move this box, please?

I wonder if I could have a copy of that letter.

Would you mind if I felt a few minutes early today?

Do you think I could borrow your car this evening?

You say Please when you ask for something. In British English it introduces or ends a request:

You also use please when you ask somebody to do something:

Could you post this letter for me, please?

Please could you post this letter for me?

When somebody gives you something, or when you buy something or receive information. You are expected to say Thank you or Thanks. Some people may be offended if you say nothing.

It is not usual to say anything in response to Thank you in British English, Although some people may say That's all right, That's okay or Don't mention it. In American English you're welcome is common.

You say Thank you or Yes. Please when you want to accept something:

'How about another cup of coffee?' 'Thank you.' / 'Thanks.' / 'yes, please.'

You say No, thank you or no, thanks when you want you want to refuse something:

' Would you like some more cake?' 'No, thank you.' / 'No, thanks,'

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How to Be More Polite in English! ;) - ESL Buzz

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You use the phrase I'm afraid... when you want to apologize because you have to tell somebody something that they may not like: I'm afraid there's been an accident. Nina's not here at the moment, I'm afraid. Can I take a message? 'Do you have any decaffeinated coffee?' 'I'm afraid not.'

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Useful phrases for your CAE and CPE essays

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Useful phrases for your CAE and CPE essays

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We all know that Brits speak differently depending on where they're from. But just how differently? And even if you're a non-British English speaker, might you share some vocabulary or pronunciations with people hailing from a UK region?

Find out with our quiz. Inspired by academic research on accents and dialects, it tests which region of the UK has locals that speak the most like you - even if you're not British.

Are you a match for Hugh Grant, Cheryl or Ewan McGregor? Your geographic home may be far from the UK, but your linguistic home may be anywhere from Edinburgh to Belfast, London to the Lake District.

You might also like:
* How Americans preserved British English
* Why British English is full of silly-sounding words
* How is the Queen's accent changing?
Quiz developed by Verve Search. Please note that Google Analytics is being used on this interactive; anonymised demographic results will be shared with the academic we consulted to help them with their research on accents and language.
This story is a part of BBC Britain - a series focused on exploring this extraordinary island, one story at a time. Readers outside of the UK can see every BBC Britain story by heading to the Britain homepage; you also can see our latest stories by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
And if you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called "If You Only Read 6 Things This Week". A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Capital and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday.

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We all know that Brits speak differently depending on where they're from. But just how differently? And even if you're a non-British English speaker, might you share some vocabulary or pronunciations with people hailing from a UK region? Find out with our quiz.

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Since we talked about it in class the other day I am uploading this

guide to Facebook privacy settings. I hope you enjoy all the tech vocabulary and find it useful when reviewing your own settings :)

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Privacy concerns and privacy controls on Facebook are ever changing. When you post a picture of your kids at a family gathering, which one of your Facebook friends can share it? What private information are those Facebook game apps collecting on you for "third-party uses"? How do you make sure that live video stream is seen only by people you choose? Every action you take on Facebook has privacy and sharing implications that need to be considered before you upload that next selfie.

Fortunately, thanks to vocal demands for transparency from both Facebook users and government regulators around the world, Facebook has been making the process of managing your privacy easier. Below is our step-by-step guide to taking full control of your Facebook privacy settings.

The basic privacy options

If you're not ready to dive into Facebook's substantial settings menu, there's a more user-friendly guide through the more vital privacy settings. Click on the question mark symbol in the top right of any Facebook page when you're logged in, and select Privacy Check-up, an easy-to-follow walkthrough of your current settings as they pertain to "Posts", "Apps" and "Profile".

(Alternately, for an even quicker speed-tuneup, you can adjust who can see your posts, send you friend requests, or block users by hitting the question mark symbol and selecting Privacy shortcuts.)

Posts

Starting with Posts, you can check your default sharing setting. We recommend the Friends setting over the Public one. When set to Public all your posts can be seen by anyone on or off Facebook. Unless you're a celebrity or running a page that is used to generate interest in a business you run, you will likely want to keep your activity restricted to those you have Friended.

The Friend setting has a few tweaks you should be aware of as well. By clicking on the sharing setting button, then the More Options button, you will see the Custom option. Click on that and you will see that you can include all your Friends while excluding the names of certain Facebook friends you don't want to see your updates. It is also important to note that the Friends of anyone tagged in your post or photos will be able to see that post unless you uncheck the option in this window.

If you have joined any Facebook groups or made lists of Facebook friends, you can restrict the posts that way or hide your posts from those groups and lists as well. Want just your college friends to see your late night party pictures? Want to make sure your work friends don't see your selfie at the beach when you called in sick? This is where these restrictions could come in handy both on a per post basis or as an overall option.

Finally, remember that you can change the sharing settings of any individual Facebook update by clicking on the sharing button to the left of the Post button. You can even go back to change settings of previous posts by clicking on the people icon at the top of the post, to the right of the date stamp.

Apps

Remember the Candy Crush Facebook game you played too much last year? How about that Instagram Facebook app you forgot you installed? Each app on the site you agreed to install has permission to post to your Friends list unless you told it otherwise at the time you installed it. Can't remember? This part of the tool shows you each app attached to your account and what sharing permissions it has. These settings also control who can see that you have the app installed.

If you don't use the app anymore, just delete it by clicking on the x. While checking my own app list while writing this guide, I found many apps I no longer use that had sharing rights on my account. I deleted all that I'm not actively using and set the sharing permissions of the remaining ones to Only Me.

Profile

Here you can see the privacy setting on your email addresses, birthday, hometown, relationship status and other personal details about your life. Under emails it will show the one you registered with when you first signed up for Facebook as well as one Facebook has assigned to you (which you likely will never use). I discovered that I left my Gmail account public, which I hadn't meant to.

For your birthday, the sharing settings are split between the day/month and the year. That way your Friends can wish you happy birthday on Facebook on your special day without necessarily knowing your exact age.

For hometown, this setting only affects what your Friends can see. Advertisers and others may still access this information, especially if you are using the Facebook app which tracks your location automatically.

Finally, if you have set a relationship with another Facebook user, it will be shared unless you set otherwise.

It's important to note that this is only a partial list of the information you're sharing. To see the full list, click the My About Page button, which will take you to your profile page. On there, you can review the various sections-Work and Education, Places You've Lived, Contact and Basic Info, Family and Relationships, Details About You, and Life Events -and make changes hovering over each and clicking the link that appears.

The advanced privacy options

Here you can exert more control of what is being shared with whom. Which is never a bad idea. You've likely gone through this at least once in the past, but it's a great idea to review your settings at least once a year.

To get to the advanced privacy settings, click the drop down arrow in the top right on any Facebook page, click "Settings," and then "Privacy" in the left navigation column.

Who can see my stuff?

Who can see your future posts? This is the same as the Your Posts section above.

Review all your posts and things you're tagged in Ever been tagged in an embarrassing photo uploaded by that distant college classmate? You can use the Activity Log page and select the Posts You're Tagged In (in the left column) and the Photos > Photos of You (also in the left column) to check out what you've been tagged in. You can then remove the tag (click the dropdown arrow on the left of the post or photo and then click on the the Remove Tag button at the top of the page) or simply click Hide so they don't appear on your Timeline.

Review your other activity on Facebook. Hitting "More" after Photos, Likes and Comments reveals other items that may have been automatically posted to your Timeline and your friends' news feeds, including friends made, events attended, and videos watched (these are embedded video posts that are separate from video apps, and isn't controlled from the Apps menu above).

Some of these, such as friends made, can only be tweaked to be allowed or hidden on your Timeline. For "videos watched", you can hover over the padlock to view who can see that you've watched it, or choose to delete the post. You can also Clear Video Watch History at the top of the page, and manually update privacy settings by individual posts from music, news and games apps. Click on each section to make sure that the audiences for every category of activity is ok with you.

Limit the audience for your old posts for your Timeline This will revert all your previous posts from "Public" or "Friends of Friends" to just "Friends". But if you've tagged a Friend in one of your posts, their Friends can see that since that is the default setting when tagging someone.

Facebook Live - private, friends or public? For live video stream posts from your smartphone, the default setting for each video stream will be the privacy level you set for regular posts and photos.

You may want to be a little less selective for live-stream video if you're shooting something news-worthy (or if your plan is to go viral), or more selective when you're just testing something out.

Either way, fire up the usual status update and select Live Video or the little red person icon. If it's your first time, you'll also want to grant Facebook permission to access your camera and microphone. You'll see your name and profile pic and underneath, the permission level for the video. Tap to edit and select an audience from options of Friends, friends minus a couple no-no's for reasons of your own, or public to be viewable by anyone on or off Facebook.

If you run a Facebook Page and have professional video software or hardware (more information here) you can also stream from your computer, but as you're assumed to want to reach your usual audience, there's no option to tweak post visibility separate to your regular posts.

Who can contact me?

Who can send you friend requests? The default is Everybody, but the only other choice is Friends of Friends.

Who can look me up?

Who can you look you up with the email address you provided? If someone types in the email address you registered with, they can send you a message which will likely land in the Other tab on the Messages page. You can restrict it to Friends of Friends or just Friends (who can message you anyway), if you don't want to be bothered.

Who can look you up using the phone number you provided? Same as the email address.

Do you want other search engines to link to your timeline? Your first impulse may be to turn this off, but Facebook only allows information you've marked as Public to be shown to other search engines. They see it as a way for friends not on Facebook to find you. They do this with your basic information they always make public which is, according to Facebook, "...your name, gender, username and user ID (account number), profile picture, cover photo and networks." Whatever you choose for all three of the above settings, anyone will still be able to find your profile simply by looking up your name in Facebook search.

Timeline and tagging options

Now that you've mastered the basics, go down to the next section, Timeline and Tagging. From there, you can control exactly who sees what on your timeline, who can post to your timeline, and who can tag you in photos and posts.

To customize your timeline settings, click on the down arrow in the far upper right corner to reveal a drop-down menu and select Settings.

Who can add things to my timeline?

Who can post on your timeline? It's set by default to Friends and the only other option is to allow only yourself to post on your timeline.

Review posts friends tag you in before they appear on your timeline? If you are concerned about getting tagged in a photo that you don't want all your friends on Facebook to see, this is the setting for you. Once enabled, you'll have to manually approve any photo or posts you are tagged in before they appear on your timeline. Note that this only affects your timeline; those updates will still appear in searches, the news feed and other places unless you un-tag yourself. (Alternately, you can extricate yourself from incriminating posts by clicking on the offending post, then the arrow in the top right to "Remove Tag".)

Who can see things on my Timeline?

Review what other people see on your Timeline. Click "View As" for the perfect way to check that your mother or boss won't see what you don't want them to.

Who can see posts you've been tagged in on your Timeline? These areas give you a great deal of flexibility, with options ranging from Everyone to Friends of Friends to custom lists. Using this and the below setting in conjunction with manually approving what photos and updates you've been tagged in goes a long way to keep prying eyes away from more sensitive Facebook updates.

Who can see what others post on your timeline? As above, you have flexibility with options ranging from Everyone to Friends of Friends to custom lists. Using this in conjunction with manually approving what photos and updates you've been tagged in goes a long way to keep prying eyes away from more sensitive Facebook updates.

How can I manage tags people add and tagging suggestions?

Review tags people add to your own posts before the tags appear on Facebook? This is an important option if you are concerned about a photo appearing on your profile. This applies only to photo tagging by your Facebook friends. You'll always be notified if someone who's not your friend tags you in a photo.

When you're tagged in a post, who do you want to add to the audience if they aren't already in it? This one sounds more complicated than it is. Often a Facebook friend of yours will make a post and tag you in it. The option here allows all of your Facebook friends to see an update or photo you've been tagged in by someone they aren't friends with themselves (the Friends of Friends function). You can choose to remain tagged but have none of your other Facebook friends see that update, limit who sees that update to certain groups of friends, or you can outright block certain Facebook friends altogether by using the Custom option.

Who sees tag suggestions when photos that look like you are uploaded? Facebook uses face-matching technology to suggest who you should tag in photos. It will only suggest people that are on the user's friends list. If you don't want to show up as an option when your friends are tagging photos, set this to No One.

Manage blocking

If you want to take steps to keep people away from your profile, this is the section for you.

Restricted list

If you don't want to un-friend somebody but also don't want them to see all of your information, you can add them to the Restricted List. This means they can see your public information, but they have no way of knowing you've limited their view (unless they happen to see someone browsing your profile who isn't restricted).

Block users

You can also just straight up block somebody. This means this person cannot be your friend. This is an excellent setting if you have stalkers or other people consistently bothering you. Note that this does not stop them from interacting with you in apps, games or groups you're both a part of.

Block messages

Block messages If you're receiving unwelcome messages and video calls from someone, you can put a stop to that here - and it carries over to the Messenger app too. However, the pest in question will still be able to post to your Timeline unless you block them as a user (above).

Block app invites

In addition to blocking and restricting people from your profile, you can also block app invitations on a user-by-user basis. So if your Aunt Jackie keeps bombarding you with FarmVille apps, you know what to do.

Block event invites

Tired of your nephew inviting you to his New York City raves every weekend? Typing the name of the Facebook user into this section will stop you from seeing any future event invites from that person.

Block apps

Some apps and Facebook games are great fun at first, but after a while, you want to drop them. You can remove the app or game (see the Apps you use section, below) or block the app, which means it can no longer contact you or get non-public information about you through Facebook. If you are getting emails from the app, you will have to use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.

Block pages

Is that discount fashion site you liked bombarding you with updates from its Facebook Page? Block 'em here, where you'll also automatically unlike and unfollow the Page. You can also block other Pages (i.e., public pages for businesses and celebrities) from commenting on or liking your posts.

Customize app privacy

You handled a lot of this with the Privacy Checkup, but in the Settings section there are additional controls for the apps where you've logged in with Facebook.

App settings

Click on each app to view the information that it is collecting from your Facebook profile - your public profile, as well as things like your friends list, date of birth, pages you like, and more. Here you can tweak which of these pieces of data can be collected (except public profile, which is required by all apps). You can also remove the app entirely from the main screen by clicking the 'X', however, that doesn't delete the information the app already has about you.

For future app logins with Facebook, it's wise to set what info the app can collect - when signing up for the first time, click "Edit This" to choose which data you want to share.

Apps, websites and Platforms

Facebook Platform provides third parties access to personal data you share with Facebook. It's how Cambridge Analytica, the company was recently suspended by Facebook while under investigation for election interference, was able to access the data of more than 50 million users in 2014. Facebook Platform also enables third parties you engage with to collect information on your Facebook friends.

Disabling Facebook Platform means you'll no longer be able to login to websites, mobile games or applications using Facebook or see app requests from friends, but you'll still be able to use apps and play games on Facebook and elsewhere. If you choose to keep Facebook Platform enabled, you can limit your exposure by selecting the data that apps that your Facebook Friends use can access.

Apps others use

When your Facebook friends use certain apps, those apps access your public information and more. See the full list in the image to the right. There's quite a bit you may not be comfortable sharing without your knowledge. Most of it is enabled by default. Be sure to go through the list and check off what you don't want shared. Note that your public profile info, friend list and gender is not on this list - but these are shared with your friends' apps (unless you turn off Platform, above).

Follower Settings

If you're lucky enough to have people hanging off your every post, you can decide to widen your net of followers here. Friends follow by default, but you can change it to the only other option - let Everyone view your public posts (you can set public-ness each time you post).

Ads

targeted advertising. Here you can see what information is influencing the ads you see, on Facebook and around the web.
Your information
Under About you, you can turn off whether details such as your relationship status, education level or job title can be used to target advertising to you. However, this does not stop Facebook from using this information to categorize your profile for advertisers, or from ads being shown.
Your categories
Want to know who exactly Facebook's advertisers think you are? Click here to see what descriptors that your activity on Facebook and outside has revealed about you. Most of my fields were related to factual items such as "Gmail Users", though there were a couple interesting deductions too, such as "Early technology adopters".

You can delete them all to start afresh, or if you want no interest-based ads on or off Facebook. Just click the X on the right of each item.

Ad Settings

Ads based on myour use of websites and apps Thanks to the Facebook "Like" buttons littered around the internet, and snippets of code that mean non-Like-enabled sites are still reporting movement back to Facebook, nearly anywhere you click online is used to build a profile of you that Facebook can then sell to advertisers so they can show targeted ads to you while you're browsing Facebook.

If that makes you uncomfortable, you can turn it off here. You'll still see advertising on Facebook, it just won't be based on all those steam mops you were looking up.

Ads on apps and websites off of the Facebook Companies Since Facebook operates its own ad network of sites, it can also target you with ads even when you're not browsing Facebook - essentially, at any site that uses its ad technology. But the permission is trickily worded - it asks if it can use your Facebook ad preferences, so choose Yes and make sure you review the section below entitled Ad Preferences. Even if you've always turned off targeted ads based on browsing (above), Facebook can use information on your profile, such as Likes, to create ad preferences.

Regardless, you'll most likely still receive targeted ads outside Facebook that are based on your age, gender and location, as well as browsing activity on sites that are part of other ad networks. If you want to stop seeing-based ads in general, you can opt out at the Digital Advertising Alliance - though it notes that the opt-out can only apply to participating companies.

Ads with your social actions

If you like, comment on or share a Page (say, owned by a business or brand), Facebook can broadcast it as an advertisement to all your friends.

This also applies to apps used (for example, Spotify) and events joined (say, if you hit attend for a café's Veggie Fridays). You can flip the audience for all this between Friends and No One.

And that's Facebook Privacy in a (gigantic) nutshell

That covers your privacy setting options on Facebook. If you want to dig in even further, Facebook has a page explaining the basics of Facebook privacy tools as well as Facebook's latest data policies.
Updated on 6/26/2017
[ shocked woman with laptop via Shutterstock, all other images via Facebook]

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The Complete Guide to Facebook Privacy Settings

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Privacy concerns and privacy controls on Facebook are ever changing. When you post a picture of your kids at a family gathering, which one of your Facebook friends can share it? What private information are those Facebook game apps collecting on you for "third-party uses"?

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TRIOS book to practise C1 and C2 collocations

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TRIOS book to practise C1 and C2 collocations

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A website to practise your "favourite" Use of English part!

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A website to practise your "favourite" Use of English part!

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Exam Preparation Class, Vocabulary Classes
Image credit: Cambridge English

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio
cae-key-word-transformation-expressions Quizlet set - 82 key word transformations Expressions Study the expressions carefully, focus on the prepositions and patterns (gerund/infinitive etc.)
This is a list of 78 expressions from key word transformations in the CAE exam. The expressions are taken from the fantastic quizlet set that someone made. Have students study 10-15 of the expressions for homework and the use the quizlet set to test them in class; great for intensive preparation courses when you're pressed for time. Download the handout below:

1. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU undo your seatbelt during take-off.

2. A new manager HAS TAKEN OVER THE running of the finance department.

3. THERE IS NO KNOWING what's going to happen in the next few days.

4. The burglar must HAVE GAINED ENTRY/ACCESS through the bathroom window.

5. An ant IS CAPABLE OF carrying ten times its own body weight.

6. The news that my favourite teacher was leaving CAME AS A DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME.

7. Sometime I feel as if my children TAKE ME FOR GRANTED.

8. I need TO GET MY PASSPORT RENEWED before our trip to Greece.

9. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE willing to donate some money to our cause.

10. I SEE NO POINT IN asking Tina for help, she always refuses.

11. Playing video games is JUST AS MUCH FUN AS playing sports.

12. The defendant DENIED HAVING SEEN the woman before.

13. Everyone's opinions must BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT before a decision is made.

14. It's IN YOUR INTEREST to take good notes during class, you'll need them for the final exam.

15. I really need to GET that broken window REPAIRED.

16. MUCH TO THEIR DELIGHT, Jon and Ana didn't have to pay to get in.

17. The cat REFUSED TO COME down from the tree.

18. Georgina SAID SHE WOULD NOT WEAR the yellow dress her mother had chosen for her.

19. Don't FORGET TO KEEP IN TOUCH while you're travelling.

20. You need to be ON THE LOOKOUT FOR pickpockets in this area.

21. Plans ARE BEING DRAWN UP for a new shopping centre on the outskirts of the city.

22. MUCH TO OUR HORROR, when we got back to the hotel all our stuff had been stolen.

23. Would YOU RATHER I HAD NOT told them about the party?

24. LET ME KNOW if you can come to the party, I need to buy the food tonight.

25. Andrés WAS AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN why he was late for class again.

26. Failure to show a valid ticket is LIKELY TO RESULT IN you having to pay a fine.

27. It is HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE FILM WILL win several awards.

28. Quick ACTION ON THE PART OF the ambulance crew saved the little girl's life.

29. How can I GET IT ACROSS TO HIM that I'm just not that into him.

30. Don't be silly, there IS NO SUCH THING as vampires.

31. I'm so sorry I'm late, I(COMPLETELY) LOST TRACK OF TIME!

32. IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT that the plane lands on water, lifejackets are stored under your seats.

33. Katy HAS BEEN MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR the sales department, she's a bit nervous but very excited.

34. Gerald has been PUT IN CHARGE OF finding a catering company for the Christmas party.

35. I WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE/ WAS TAKEN ABACK when they asked me to take over from Jon as finance manager.

36. Bob is IN DANGER OF GETTING SACKED/FIRED if his bad behaviour continues.

37. In the end they PLACED THE BLAME ON a group of local teenagers for the vandalism to the church.

38. Sorry but I HAD THE IMPRESSION/WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION that this was a permanent contract.

39. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE that the salary would be €2000 a month.

40. The runner who finished second told the press that she had NO INTENTION OF RETIRING and that she'd be back to compete next year.

41. It's really difficult TO COME UP WITH GOOD IDEAS in such a short space of time.

42. The young actress STANDS EVERY CHANCE OF BEING offered a big role soon.

43. Dinner WILL BE FOLLOWED BY a performance by the school orchestra.

44. No FEWER THAN THREE PEOPLE ARE REQUIRED to operate this machine.

45. Please don't HESITATE TO CALL (US)/ HESITATE TO GIVE US A CALL if you have any questions or doubts.

46. John's failure to answer all the interview questions COST HIM THE JOB.

47. We SPENT HALF AN HOUR LOOKING for a parking space in the city centre.

48. The pay rise CAME AS A SURPRISE TO me.

49. THERE'S NO DENYING MY disappointment at not being given the job.

50. Looks as IF TONY HASN'T BEEN sleeping well

51. I'm not going TO PUT UP WITH your behaviour anymore.

52. I'm really not SURE HOW I WOULD HAVE REACTED in that situation.

53. Novak Djokovic BROKE DOWN IN TEARS AS he was given the trophy.

54. Would you HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO ME taking the rest of the day off?

55. Her LACK OF EXPERIENCE might AFFECT her ability to do the job.

56. It (HAD) NEVER OCCURED TO ME to ask my grandfather for help with my history project.

57. Oh dear, I think we might HAVE TAKEN THE WRONG TURNING/TURN a few miles back.

58. We WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CARRIED / WOULD HAVE LIKED TO CARRY ON playing for a few more hours but it started raining.

59. The project will GO AHEAD ACCORDING TO PLAN.

60. You really need to MAKE UP YOUR MIND about which uni you want to go to.

61. IT'S HIGH/ABOUT TIME YOU GOT your hair cut.

62. The school IS HIGHLY SPOKEN of in the local area.

63. He was ON THE POINT OF LEAVING the restaurant when she finally turned up.

64. I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF they didn't win this match, they're far better than the other team.

65. I am IN NO DOUBT that event will be a resounding success.

66. I'm sorry but I don't HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF meeting you before.

67. We had TO PUT IN a claim with our car insurance company.

68. They have NO CHANCE OF WINNING after that red card.

69. The students TOOK NO NOTICE OF what the teacher was saying.

70. The police have almost GIVEN UP HOPE OF FINDING any more survivors.

71. It's just A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE that car breaks down, it's so old.

72. I really can't SEE THE POINT IN/OF LEARNING Latin anymore.

73. The cat MADE A FAST RECOVERY after its operation.

74. I DIDN'T USE TO LIKE olives when I was a kid but I love them now.

75. He's really MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF in the fashion world.

76. We CAN AFFORD THIS HOLIDAY AS LONG AS we save up €100 a month.

77. I HANDED IN MY NOTICE at work last week, 4 more weeks until I become my own boss!

78. I haven't got 10 cents, LET ALONE 1 euro.

Barcelona based English Teacher, blogger and sometime actor and director. View All Posts

CAE, CAE use of English, Cambridge exams, exam preparation, expressions, expressions for key word transformations list, use of English part 4

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78 CAE Key Word Transformation Expressions

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Image credit: Cambridge English Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio This is a list of 78 expressions from key word transformations in the CAE exam. The expressions are taken from the fantastic quizlet set that someone made. Have students study 10-15 of the expressions for homework and the use the quizlet set to test them in class;...

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For those of you who can never get enough of phrasal verbs :)

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REALLY good advice for the WRITING part of CAE

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1. Introduction

You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

The examiners assess you on 4 elements:

Content - Did you do the task you were asked to do?

Communicative achievement - Did you use the right tone and level of formality?

Organisation - Did you link paragraphs together? Is there a logical flow?

Language - Did you show off your sparkling vocabulary or did you merely use First Certificate words? Did you make lots of grammar mistakes?

Before you continue with this guide, I strongly recommend you read about this free tool that will help you with your writing:

You have 90 minutes to write 2 texts. Both texts will be about the same length, and are worth the same number of points. Obviously, you should spend the same amount of time on each! Personally, I'd spend as much time planning as possible, since it makes everything else easier. The exact time split will depend on how fast you write, but try something like this:

3. You can't cook without a recipe

A lot of students hate planning and think it's a waste of valuable exam time. But do chefs walk into a kitchen and just start cooking? Of course not - they lay out their ingredients, make sure their utensils are clean, and have their recipe nearby.

Your plan is the recipe you'll use to cook up a great piece of writing. Think about how many paragraphs you want then get some ideas about the content of each. But even at this early stage you should start planning the language you want to use. Ask yourself questions like:

Where can I use a passive form?

Where can I use an inversion?

What CAE-level vocabulary do I know about this topic, and where can I use it?

How do I link from one paragraph to the next?

Thinking about solutions before you start writing is the easiest way to solve problems!

4. Grading: Content

Part 1

The first thing you're assessed on is your content. That basically means reading the task carefully and doing what you are told to do! In part 1 you are given three bullet points but are asked to talk about TWO of them. (You're also given some opinions on the topic that you can use if you want, but you don't have to.) Here's an example of the three bullet points and a task:

If I were planning my answer, I'd probably choose 'giving rules' and 'setting an example' as my two points because I feel like I have more to say about those topics. ( How much would I write about 'offering advice'? Nothing! Because I should only write about two things!)

Another important point is to say which is more effective. I'd probably write one paragraph about 'giving rules', and the next paragraph would be about 'setting an example' - I would be sure to give reasons why it was a more effective way to influence younger people.

Part 2

What about part 2? Again, it's important to read the question carefully and make sure you include everything it tells you to.

Here's the kind of task that will come up:

Here's an outline you could follow:

Not very imaginative, but you'd be guaranteed to get full marks in terms of content!

5. Grading: Communicative Achievement

Tone

Which is better English:

1. Wasssssssup?!

or

2. Dear Sir or Madam

Well, it depends who you're talking to! If your task is to write a report for your 'serious' organisation you should use a formal tone. If you're writing a magazine article for teenagers you can be more informal.

This is a HUGE topic and there's not enough space to go into it in detail here. I'll list a few external resources that might help, but a good coursebook will give you lots of guidance.

The main tip is to be consistent - students often write a report that is 95% formal, and then throw in some exclamation points, slang, contractions, and informal vocabulary. That's bad! It suggest you don't have control over your tone.

Learn more about formal vs informal English:

Task types

You should invest some time making sure you know the difference between a letter and an essay, and between a report and a proposal. Here are a few quick tips:
Essay
You need to give your opinion in an interesting way. CAE essays are often academic in tone, so practice of formal writing will be helpful.
Letter/email
Write an email with the same opening/closing as a letter. In these you write about your personal experiences. Your writing will have a purpose, like responding to a newspaper article you don't agree with.
Report/Proposal
Use headings for each paragraph. The task will tell you some of the content you need to include and you'll be able to use your imagination to add some more ideas. You may be asked to evaluate if some goal has been achieved and/or to suggest alternative courses of action. A proposal will have more scope for making suggestions and more need for polite persuasive language.

6. Grading: Organisation

Cambridge love linking words and cohesive devices. These are bits of text like 'firstly', 'whereas', 'in addition', 'however', and so on. Properly used, they will make your writing flow and make your text easier to read. You can't do well in CAE without using these phrases.

Here's a page with some ideas about cohesive devices - try to include them in your writing. Here's another one with tips for the IELTS exam.

7. Grading: Language

Organising a text, using linking words, and getting all the content points is a great start, but for a high grade you'll need to use advanced vocabulary and more difficult sentence structures.

In the planning stage of the exam think about which high-level words you know for that topic and think in which paragraph you can use them. For example, if the topic is about transport you might use phrases like 'mass transit system', 'to commute', 'congestion,' and 'pressed for time'.

Then you need to use a variety of structures - passives, inversions, cleft sentences, questions, sentences with semi-colons. The more variety the better!

Also a variety of sentence lengths. This picture explains what I mean:

So instead of writing like this:
A lot of politicians say they will improve bus and train services. Having trains is good for people who have to go to work. It means they don't have to take the car to work. It is probably faster. If everyone takes a train to work there won't be any traffic jams.
You can produce this:
Why do progressive politicians pledge to provide mass transit systems in their cities? The answer is clear: Not only do pressed-for-time commuters benefit, but there is also less pollution. Let congestion be a thing of the past; let flowers bloom next to every tram stop.
In those three sentences there is one question; one colon; one semi-colon; one 'not only but also'; one imperative. Not bad, right? You can write like this if you practice and if you're not afraid to make some mistakes along the way.

8. How to write a CAE essay/letter/report/proposal

Essays

9. Our Videos about CAE Writing

10. Common Mistakes in CAE Writing

Grammar Mistakes

Most CAE students don't make obvious, basic mistakes like your/you're or its/it's. But they do struggle with things like:
Relative clauses
You need to learn the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses. Your non-defining clauses need commas, while your defining clauses shouldn't have commas.

I had lunch with my grandfather, who is 90 years old. (The second half of the sentence tells you more about my grandfather. It's bonus information, so there has to be a comma.)

I had lunch with my friend who lives in Prague. (I am very cool and popular - I have lots of friends. If I say 'I had lunch with my friend' you don't know which friend I mean. So the 'who lives in Prague' clause gives you essential information. Therefore, no comma!)

Note that non-defining pronouns cannot be changed to 'that', so you should never write a comma followed by 'that'. (This is especially a problem for German speakers because in German you HAVE to use a comma before 'that'.)
Gerund vs infinitive
Gerund means the -ing form of a verb. This is a tricky part of grammar because there are no rules and you have to learn every verb one by one. English! Argh! Anyway, make sure you know these structures:

I used to live in China (= I lived in China).

I'm used to hear ing German (= hearing German is normal for me).

I look forward to meet ing you.

I stopped smok ing (= I quit).

I stopped to smoke (= I stopped what I was doing because I wanted to have a cigarette).

I recommend buy ing new computer equipment. (Suggest and advise are also followed by gerunds.)

I recommend you buy new computer equipment.

Prepositions
So hard! So many prepositions! So many mistakes! Just learn as many as you can and remember, every single student who has ever taken the CAE exam has struggled with prepositions. You are not alone!
Conditionals
If I get the job I will move to Zurich. (The speaker is confident.)

If I got the job I would move to Zurich. (The speaker is not confident.)

If I had got the job I would have moved to Zurich. (But the speaker didn't get the job and didn't move to Zurich.)

Other Mistakes
Not taking risks
A lot of students always write the same, safe, things they always write. To master advanced vocabulary and structures you have to use advanced vocabulary and structures!
Being boring
It's hard enough to produce a well-structured piece of writing with good vocabulary that fits the content. But remember that the examiners read hundreds and hundreds of essays and most of them are very boring! If you make yours interesting (though the style, unexpectedly good vocabulary, maybe even a joke or two) the examiners will be VERY happy and you will be REWARDED.

11. Writing Correction Online

Students often ask if I offer a writing correction service. Well... to be honest I'm not very motivated to do that right now. You should find a teacher on italki instead. Click here to read about italki. (Watch the video with David to hear more about writing correction.)

12. Frequently Asked Questions

Q - Do I have to use British spelling?

A - No, it doesn't matter. But if you use American spelling, be consistent throughout your writing.

Q - How important is spelling and punctuation?

A - It's pretty important - If you make a trivial mistake it won't be a big deal. If the mistake stops the reader from understanding what you mean then you will lose points.

Q - How important is the word count? What happens if I write too many words?

A - The word count is a guide, not a rule. But if you do the task properly you will write about 220-260 words. If you write 300 words then you've probably written lots of stuff you don't need. If you write 200 words you've probably forgotten something.

DO NOT waste time in the exam counting how many words you have written! And never add or remove words just because of the word count - it'll turn out clumsy and weird.

All that said, when you are practicing for the writing section, I recommend you stick to the suggested word count.

Note that the computer-based exam will automatically count how many words you're using. Handy! See this article for more information about the computer-based CAE exam.

Q - I know I need to use complex sentences to get a good grade, but I'm worried about making mistakes. Is it better to have a simple text with no mistakes?

A - Cambridge says that students who make mistakes while trying to use complex structures will get credit for trying (as long as the mistake doesn't stop the reader from understanding).

Q - My handwriting is terrible! No-one can read it! Will I lose points?

A - No. Your handwriting is not very important. Just make sure it can be read. Also, you don't need to rewrite your text (and you don't have time to rewrite it) - if it's got lots of bits crossed out, don't worry. Every student's writing looks the same!

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CAE Writing Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

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Some more useful tips on CAE review writing!

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Preparing for an English Language qualification is a serious business and I know you have to face huge obstacles -you may find it difficult to find time to study, to stay motivated and in control of your learning, or to organise your time effectively.

Well, I want you to improve your confidence and command of English and, why not, to pass your exams.

I thought that this web could be an easy way to share resources with you. We can make use of it as a companion to your FCE or CAE course. You will find here many resources useful in learning English as a Second Language.

I hope you find this site to be interesting and informative and I look forward to seeing you here quite often.

Best wishes... and see you in class!

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Preparing for an English Language qualification is a serious business and I know you have to face huge obstacles -you may find it difficult to find time to study, to stay motivated and in control of your learning, or to organise your time effectively.

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A fantastic book to learn and revise C1 vocabulary organised by topics! Enjoy!

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Hi Joanna

What is the difference between these words, warranty and guarantee. Do I have to write guarantee or guaranty? Thanks in advance

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Shopping for the festive season vocabulary!

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Shopping for the festive season vocabulary!

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Liz Walter​

With Christmas fast approaching, many of us will be busy buying presents, whether we are Christians or not, so in this blog I'm going to look at some vocabulary connected with gift shopping.

If you are a well-organized person, you will probably want to get ahead by starting your shopping early. That way, it is easier to find , for example by having the time to or by looking out for special offers. Some people even use the January to items for the following year.

Others prefer to leave everything to the last minute. They may end up paying exorbitant prices because lack of time means lack of , and they risk discovering that the items they wanted to buy are out of stock. They will probably also need to find stores that offer a gift-wrapping service, since they are unlikely to have the time to buy wrapping paper and the presents themselves.

What makes a perfect gift? are always popular - it can be nice to be given things you'd feel guilty buying for yourself. However, isn't usually the most important factor. Many of us like to receive gifts that have something about them. It's flattering to think that someone has put a lot of thought into the present they've given us. For that reason, an inexpensive or even gift can be appreciated just as much as the most extravagant treat.

Some people also like to buy novelty items at this time of year - unusual and often humorous goods that are designed to make us smile, but which are usually consigned to a cupboard or thrown out once the festive season is over. This sort of thing encourages complaints that Christmas has become too commercialized and that we are pressurized into buying things (often described pejoratively as ) we neither want nor need.

Certainly, businesses spend a small fortune on promoting their merchandise, and put a huge amount of effort into window displays to us into their stores. All parents know the effect on children, who then them for the toys they have seen.

However, there are ways to counter this waste. Most stores offer a gift receipt, which doesn't show the price but enables people to exchange unwanted gifts for something they would really like. You could buy someone an experience rather than an object, for instance afternoon tea or a ride in a hot-air-balloon. And for the man/woman who has everything, an increasingly popular option is to make a donation to a on their behalf by buying them something such as a goat, which is then given to someone in need.

I'd like to end by sending Season's Greetings and wishing a Happy New Year to all the wonderful readers of this blog!

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by Liz Walter​ With Christmas fast approaching, many of us will be busy buying presents, whether we are Christians or not, so in this blog I'm going to look at some vocabulary connected with gift shopping. If you are a well-organized person, you will probably want to get ahead by starting your shopping early.

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Something to look forward to! Three word phrasal verbs!

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Something to look forward to! Three word phrasal verbs!

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Liz Walter​

Most phrasal verbs are formed with a verb and a single particle, but a few have two particles. This blog looks at some of the most common ones.

You probably already know the one in the title: look forward to. One important thing to remember is that if you use another verb after it, it must be in the -ing form:

I'm really looking forward to seeing you. (= I'm pleased and excited because I am going to see you)

Here are some more common three-word phrasal verbs which are well worth learning:

The basic rule for separating three-word phrasal verbs is easy: don't do it! The only common exceptions I can think of are these:

I the fact that he was hungry. (= decided that was the reason)

(= persuade her not to go)

There is also a group of phrasal verbs which consist of a verb and an adverb when they are used as intransitive verbs (with no object), but which need a second particle when they are used before an object. Here are some common examples:

'Is there any milk?' 'No, we've run out.' (= there is no milk left)

I have a lot of work to do, so I must get on. (= start or continue to do it)

I eat too much chocolate. I really should cut down. (= eat less of it)
I really should cut down on chocolate.
This blog has given you a selection of useful three word phrasal verbs, but if you come up against others that you don't know, just check the Cambridge online dictionary.

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Something to look forward to: three-word phrasal verbs

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by Liz Walter​ Most phrasal verbs are formed with a verb and a single particle, but a few have two particles. This blog looks at some of the most common ones. You probably already know the one in the title: look forward to. One important thing to remember is that if you use another verb...

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Liz Walter

I have written previously about using phrasal verbs to avoid over-formal language, but what happens when you need to write in a formal style, for instance in an academic essay, a report, or a formal letter? Although we often think of phrasal verbs and other multi-word verbs as being rather informal, the majority are in fact neutral and there are a good many that are positively formal. This blog post looks at a small selection of the many multi-word verbs which would be completely appropriate in formal or academic writing.

If you only learn one phrasal verb to use in formal writing, my recommendation would be carry out. This is extremely common and sounds much more impressive than 'do':
Scientists have carried out experiments/tests/research on ... We have carried out a thorough review of ...
Other simple verbs could also be replaced in formal writing:

It is usual to begin an essay or report with an introduction explaining its purpose and structure. For example:
The essay Mahler's early life and previous work by ...
In academic writing, it is usually necessary to refer to other sources:

It is also common to talk about the evidence you have to support the conclusions of your writing:

You may also wish to describe methods of research:

So to , don't phrasal verbs in formal writing, as there are many which can contribute to an authoritative style and admiration from your readers!

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They carried out an experiment: phrasal verbs in formal writing

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by Liz Walter I have written previously about using phrasal verbs to avoid over-formal language, but what happens when you need to write in a formal style, for instance in an academic essay, a report, or a formal letter? Although we often think of phrasal verbs and other multi-word verbs as being rather informal, the...

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Lots of useful "decision-making" language!

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Liz Walter​

One of the best ways (perhaps the best way) to improve your English is to learn how words go together in phrases, idioms, or other patterns such as verb/noun or adjective/noun pairs (often called ' collocations ').

This blog looks at some useful phrases and collocations connected with the subject of decisions, something we often discuss.

Firstly, is the verb most often used with decision, but we often say that we or a decision too, especially when we need to put a lot of thought into it (= think about it carefully).

If we have a difficult/tough decision to make, we will want to take time to the pros and cons/advantages and disadvantages of the possible choices (= the good and bad things about them). We will weigh them up (= decide which are most important) carefully. When there is more than one thing we could do in a situation, we have to consider our options.

If we mull something over, we take time to think about it calmly and carefully. When it comes to a particularly difficult decision, people often want to stress how seriously they have thought about it. They may say that they have thought long and hard about it or that they did not take the decision lightly.

We use phrases such as bear something in mind and take something into consideration to talk about how we think about a particular fact when we are making up our mind (= deciding).

If you are torn between; two options, you find it very difficult to decide which one to choose. You might decide to (= try to get) or do some research in order to help you make an informed decision (= with all the facts you need). You might also decide to talk it over with someone else, to see what they think.

If you toy with the idea of doing something, you consider it, but not very seriously, and if you have second thoughts about something, you realize that you are not happy with a decision, and may decide to change it.

This may be because you made a hasty decision (= decided too quickly). A snap decision is also a very fast decision, but is usually used in a more positive way to describe something you decide very suddenly.

Finally, if you do not agree with a decision - and if you have the power! - you can or it (= change things to the way they were before).

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Think long and hard; the language of decisions

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by Liz Walter​ One of the best ways (perhaps the best way) to improve your English is to learn how words go together in phrases, idioms, or other patterns such as verb/noun or adjective/noun pairs (often called 'collocations'). This blog looks at some useful phrases and collocations connected with the subject of decisions, something we...

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Expressions for false solutions

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Kate Woodford

I recently wrote about phrasal verbs that we use to describe managing problems. While I was researching this area, I started to think more widely about the language of solutions. I noticed how many words and phrases there are to describe solutions that, for whatever reason, are not as effective as we might hope.

The first word that comes to mind is panacea. People often say that something is not a panacea for a particular problem, meaning it will not magically cure that problem. The idea here is that the problem is more complicated or varied than people sometimes assume: Technology is not a panacea for all our problems. A phrase with a very similar meaning is silver bullet or its variant magic bullet. Again, a silver/magic bullet is a solution that is too simple or too general for a complicated and varied problem. It is usually used in the phrase 'There is no silver bullet for...': The fact is, there is no silver bullet for managing water shortages.

Another way of saying this is magic formula: Sadly, there is no magic formula for success. Staying with the magic theme, people often say that they have no magic wand to fix a particular problem. They also sometimes say they cannot wave a magic wand and solve a problem: I wish I could just wave a magic wand and make the problem go away.

Another phrase in this area is one-size-fits-all. The idea comes from the one-size-fits-all piece of clothing which, as the phrase suggests, fits a person of any size. By analogy, a one-size-fits-all solution can be used for anyone or in any situation. It tends to be used negatively: There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the problem of health care.

A cure-all, meanwhile, is something that people hope will solve any problem or cure any illness. Again, it is usually used to express doubt about a solution or a cure: So is this really the cure-all wonder drug that people are claiming it is? (Note that the phrase 'wonder drug' also conveys doubt.)

A solution with a different problem is the quick fix. A quick fix is a solution that seems to be quick and easy but has no permanent benefits: This is not some quick fix. It requires long-term commitment. Likewise, a sticking-plaster approach or solution is a way of dealing with a problem that is only temporary.

Finally, a way of dealing with a problem that is expedient is useful and gives the right result, but is not moral or honest: It might be expedient not to pay him till the work is finished.

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Waving a magic wand (The language of false solutions)

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by Kate Woodford I recently wrote about phrasal verbs that we use to describe managing problems. While I was researching this area, I started to think more widely about the language of solutions. I noticed how many words and phrases there are to describe solutions that, for whatever reason, are not as effective as we might...

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Phrasal verbs that will solve all your problems ;)

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Kate Woodford

Earlier this month we focused on phrasal verbs that are used to describe problems and difficult situations. This week, we're turning our attention to phrasal verbs that describe what we do in difficult situations. Deal with is one of the most common phrasal verbs in this area. If you deal with a problem, you take action that will solve it: When problems arise, it's best to deal with them immediately. Get round ( US get around) is another. If you get round a problem, you succeed in solving it, often by avoiding it: I'm sure we can find a way to get round the problem. / We can always get around the problem of space by building an extension. The phrasal verbs sort out and work out are also used with the meaning of 'take action that solves a problem': It was a useful meeting - we sorted out quite a few problems. / It's a tricky situation, but I'm sure we'll work it out in the end.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, we accept a difficult situation rather than taking action to change it. The phrasal verb put up with is often used with this meaning. (Very often, it's used for bad situations that other people cause.) His behaviour is so bad - I don't know how Maria puts up with it. A similar phrase is live with. If you live with an unpleasant situation over a long period, you accept it: I can't change the situation so I'm just going to have to learn to live with it.

Some difficult or unpleasant situations cannot be changed and the only way to deal with them is therefore to continue to the end. There are several phrasal verbs for this, all ending in 'out'. For example, if you continue to the end of a difficult or unpleasant situation in a determined way, you might say you tough it out or (informal) stick it out: It'll be a difficult couple of months but I'm going to tough it out. / He's finding the course hard, but he's determined to stick it out. Other 'out' phrasal verbs in this area emphasize that you wait patiently for something to end, rather than taking action of any sort. For example, you might say that you wait something out: I'll probably stay here and wait out the storm. A phrasal verb with a similar meaning is sit out: It's not ideal but I guess we'll just have to sit it out.

Here's hoping you don't have too much to deal with or put up with today!

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Deal with it! (Phrasal verbs for managing problems)

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by Kate Woodford Earlier this month we focused on phrasal verbs that are used to describe problems and difficult situations. This week, we're turning our attention to phrasal verbs that describe what we do in difficult situations. Deal with is one of the most common phrasal verbs in this area.

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Check out these "lying" phrases :)

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Kate Woodford​​​​

According to sociologists (=people who study the relationships between people living in groups), we are good at lying. As a species, we have developed a remarkable ability todeceive each other (= persuade each other that something false is true). Being able to say things that are not true can help with relationships, apparently, and helps us to work together as a community. This may sound strange, ( surely lying is wrong?), but when we think about it, most of us occasionally say things that are not completely true, and often for the best of reasons. This week, then, we're looking at the language of lies - big lies and little lies, bad lies and good.

Let's start with those ' innocent' lies. ; are those lies that most of us tell in order to be polite or to stop someone from being upset when the truth is bad. People sometimes use the informal noun and verb to mean the same thing. 'Fib' is defined in the Cambridge advanced Learner's Dictionary as 'a small lie that does not cause any harm'. The word is often used by children and the collocation is to 'tell a fib'.

(and ) is the act of keeping the truth hidden, especially to get an advantage, and a person who is guilty of this can be described as A slightly less strong word for 'deceitful' is the formal adjective disingenuous. Most dictionaries define it as being 'slightly dishonest, or not speaking the complete truth'. A person who has been disingenuous may have told a , a statement which, as it sounds, is only partly true. Or they may be described, humorously, as being economical with the truth (= avoiding saying the true facts about a situation).

There are a number of ways to say that someone is lying. If someone you, they cause you to believe something that is not true: He has admitted misleading the police about his movements on the night of the murder. There are some more colourful phrases to express this. A person may be said to or a story or excuse: She was late, and fabricated an excuse to avoid trouble. /He had concocted some story about working late at the office. They may also be said to a story/tale: He'd spun some tale about having to take time off work because his mother was ill. To feed someone a line is similar: She fed me a line about needing money for her sick brother. Meanwhile, if someone lies through their teeth, they say something that they know is completely false: He asked me how old I was and, lying through my teeth, I said '29'.

Finally, if someone describes a story or explanation as a pack of lies, they mean it is completely false: The whole report was a pack of lies. A more formal way of saying this is a tissue of lies.

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by Kate Woodford​​​​ According to sociologists (=people who study the relationships between people living in groups), we are good at lying. As a species, we have developed a remarkable ability to deceive each other (= persuade each other that something false is true). Being able to say things that are not true can help with...

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Hi Patricia! In this PDF you will find what we did on Thursday as well as your homework :) Enjoy!

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Hi Joanna. I have a question? What is the difference between assessment, appraisal and evaluation?

See you soon.

Fernando Ruiz

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Check out these advanced words for describing movies and books!

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Kate Woodford

Most of us like to discuss movies and shows that we have seen and books that we have read. This is the first of two posts that will provide you with a range of adjectives and phrases for describing what you have seen and read in a way that is precise and varied.

We often want to say that we found a movie or a book enjoyable. Two very useful '-able' adjectives here are readable and watchable. Books that are readable are easy and enjoyable to read (sometimes despite being about subjects that might seem difficult or boring): It's a very readable account of the history of this great city.

Movies and shows that are watchable give you pleasure when you watch them: It's probably not his best movie but it's very watchable. An adjective with a similar meaning is entertaining: It's not a great novel but it's fairly entertaining.

Meanwhile, a book that is very enjoyable may be described as a good read: I'd really recommend his latest novel - it's a good read.

A number of adjectives describe movies and books that are very interesting. Absorbing is used for a movie or book that is so interesting, it completely holds your attention: I really liked her last novel - I found it very absorbing.

Engrossing means the same, but is stronger: The movie was completely engrossing from start to finish.

A movie or book that is intriguing, meanwhile, is very interesting in a way that is unusual or mysterious: I found the storyline so intriguing - I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next.

Other adjectives and phrases describe books and movies that are very exciting: Gripping is one such adjective and riveting another:
This is a series with great characters and a gripping storyline. You'll love the novel - it's riveting stuff.
Compulsive is used to describe movies and books that are so exciting, you cannot stop watching or reading them. The adjective is often used in the phrases (for movies, shows, etc) compulsive viewing and (for books) compulsive reading:
His latest book is compulsive reading. I find hospital documentaries like these compulsive viewing.
The adjective compelling means the same: I found the whole series very compelling.

Meanwhile, a book that is (informal) unputdownable is so exciting, you cannot stop reading it (you cannot 'put it down'): His last novel was totally unputdownable. I read it over two days.

We hope that you read something unputdownable or watch something riveting this week!

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It's very entertaining. (Words for describing movies and books)

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by Kate Woodford Most of us like to discuss movies and shows that we have seen and books that we have read. This is the first of two posts that will provide you with a range of adjectives and phras...

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This is a recurring topic in both speaking and writing parts so it might be a good idea to have a look at some ideas the article proposes.

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Kevin Bliss

Kevin Bliss began his professional writing career in 1994. Since that time he has completed over 15 feature-length screenplays. He has also had articles published in "The Journal of Modern Screenwriting." Bliss received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Arizona State University and his Master of Science in film (with an emphasis on screenwriting) from Boston University.

Reality television has spread like wild fire, leaving little doubt that your children are likely to come across multiple examples of this type of programming - even those with casual viewing habits. It may leave you wondering what the potential impact of this is. Examining what is already known about reality shows and their influence on children can help you make informed decisions about how to handle the issue in your own home.

Reality television consists of programs which purport to showcase people appearing as themselves in a variety of different contexts. Many reality programs revolve around competitions; others feature celebrities in their everyday lives. There are shows that center on small groups of otherwise unknown people, probing their interactions with one another. Additionally, you'll find shows that focus on teen pregnancy and the lives of teen moms. Whatever form they take, reality shows seek to create entertainment from the uncertainty of unscripted moments and events. They also look to present shocking, awkward or otherwise inflammatory situations - a consistent characteristic of most reality programming. Many of these shows are edited to create a specific theme or outcome, making them less reality.

Children who view reality programs have been shown to suffer ill effects from the content of such programming. One Australian study revealed that children who watched reality programming were significantly more likely to associate wealth, popularity and beauty as factors that contribute to happiness. It's no surprise that these are values frequently held in high esteem by many participants of reality shows. What's more, certain other reality programs such as "Fear Factor" that feature participants involved in disgusting or dangerous behavior inspired attempts to duplicate these acts by some younger viewers.

Although not all reality programming involves underage participants, some do. These have also been shown to have a negative impact on the children involved. An environment in which kids find themselves surrounded by cameras much of the time has the tendency to make the challenges of growing up that much more difficult. Additionally, when competitive reality shows incorporate children, there is an added pressure and sense of rejection when things don't work out. The Canadian newspaper "The Globe and Mail" reported in 2009 on a program called "The Next Star," which focused on kids under 15, placing some contestants in embarrassing situations and leveling criticism (albeit constructive) at them on national television.

Needless to say, focusing on limiting the exposure your kids have to television is a good start to prevent reality TV from "taking over" in your house. You should explain to your children that reality shows are decidedly not reality. That stipulation goes a long way toward setting boundaries of behavior. Moreover, it's important that you or your children don't become passive recipients of the shows' messages. You should identify the values presented by each show and discuss those in depth with your kids to maintain a balanced view of what's important.

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Reality television has spread like wild fire, leaving little doubt that your children are likely to come across multiple examples of this type of programming - even those with casual viewing habits. It may leave you wondering what the potential impact of this is. Examining what is already known about reality shows and their influence on...

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One more link with feeling adjectives... I know how much you loooove them :)

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Creative writers, this one's for you! One teacher's chart shows that emotion words all boil down to fear, anger, happiness, anger, and disgust. Improve your EQ by learning them all.

Start learning with an activity...

Answer a few questions on each word. Get one wrong? We'll ask some follow-up questions. Use it to prep for your next quiz!

Spelling Bee

Test your spelling acumen. See the definition, listen to the word, then try to spell it correctly. Beat your last streak, or best your overall time. Spellers of the world, untie!

Vocabulary Jam

Compete head-to-head in real-time to see which team can answer the most questions correctly. Start a Jam and invite your friends and classmates to join!

1. abandoned

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

Adopted children must face issues of abandonment as they grow older.

2. interested

showing curiosity or fascination or concern

She learned Braille "because I'm interested in tactile things. I'm interested in hair as a language. So why not go to a tactile language?" Washington Times

3. startled

excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement

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In the Mood? 100 Ways to Describe How You Feel

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A vocabulary list featuring In the Mood? 100 Ways to Describe How You Feel. Creative writers, this one's for you! One teacher's chart shows that emotion words all boil down to fear, anger, happiness, anger, and disgust. Improve your EQ by learning them all.

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Loads of useful ways to describe feelings

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Words and phrases for parties and celebration!

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Words and phrases for parties and celebration!

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Kate Woodford​​​​

With Christmas and New Year almost upon us, we thought it a good time to look at the language of parties and celebrations. First, let's start with the word ' party' itself. To have or throw a party or, less commonly, to give a party is to arrange a party: We're having a party to celebrate the end of the exams. If you provide the place where the party happens, often your home, you may be said to host the party: Rosie has offered to host the party at her place. A party for someone who is leaving a place or a company is often called a farewell party or a leaving party: We're having a farewell party for a member of staff. An office party is a party for a company's colleagues. Meanwhile, a party that you throw for a person who knows nothing about it in advance is a surprise party: It's a surprise party so it's all top secret.

A celebration is a party or other social event on a special day or occasion: There were lively New Year celebrations all over town. The verb is also used, meaning 'to take part in a special social event': We always celebrate our wedding anniversary by going out to dinner. If you celebrate in style, you celebrate in a place that is expensive and attractive: For those who like to celebrate in style, there are the castle function rooms. To mark the occasion means 'to celebrate a particular event or day': It's not every day you turn twenty-one. I think we need to mark the occasion!

A short word meaning 'party' that is used a lot is do. You have a : We usually have a Christmas do at work. Often, the phrase comes before 'do'. (It has no extra meaning.): We're having a bit of a do for Colin's 50th and we'd like to invite you. The word is also used to mean 'party', the verb 'gather' in this sense meaning 'to come together in a group'. Family often comes before gathering: There's usually some sort of family gathering at Easter. A small party or other occasion when friends meet each other is sometimes called a get-together: We were thinking it would be nice to have a little get-together over a Christmas drink or two. The phrasal verb get together is also used, though often it means simply 'to meet in order to spend time together': It's that time of year when families are getting together for the holidays.

When there are a number of parties or other social activities to celebrate a special occasion, you might call these festivities: If you become involved in these activities, you might be said to join in the festivities: Come and join in the festivities, Tom!

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Let's celebrate! (words and phrases for parties)

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by Kate Woodford​​​​ With Christmas and New Year almost upon us, we thought it a good time to look at the language of parties and celebrations. First, let's start with the word 'party' itself. To have or throw a party or, less commonly, to give a party is to arrange a party: We're having a...

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Kate Woodford​

As part of an occasional series on the subject of common idioms, we recently posted a blog which featured the idioms which we heard in spoken English during the course of a week. This week, we're taking a different approach, picking out the idioms used in a range of national newspapers that were published on the same day. As with the previous post, we have only included the most frequent idioms - in other words, the sort of phrases that you are likely to hear or read nowadays.

One newspaper reports that a politician has criticized doctors as a group, claiming that they do not understand how their patients suffer when they wait a long time to be treated. Doctors, the politician complains, are 'out of touch'. To be out of touch is to not have the most recent information about a subject or a situation. On a different page, the same newspaper complains that a large sum of public money (330 thousand pounds) has been spent on equipment that will never be used. '£330k down the drain!' reads the headline. Money down the drain (informal) is money wasted.

Another newspaper reports that a request by many people to stop a building from being destroyed has 'fallen on deaf ears'. A request or warning that falls on deaf ears is not listened to. On the same page, the newspaper writes that the people of one country have 'taken to the streets'. When people take to the streets, they show that they are against something by going to a public place and shouting, often while carrying signs. Elsewhere, the newspaper promises that cures for some diseases are ' on the horizon', meaning that they are likely to happen soon.

In the gossip pages of a tabloid newspaper, it is reported that an actor has said something very negative about a more famous actor. 'Sounds like sour grapes', says the newspaper. If you describe one person's criticism of another person as sour grapes, you mean that they are only angry because the person they have criticized has something that they want. In the sports pages of the same paper, there is a report of a cricket match. It is claimed that the winning side are now 'sitting pretty'. To be sitting pretty is to be in a good situation. (Often, it relates to money, though not in this case.)

Finally, also on the sports pages, a reporter confidently claims that a young football player 'has what it takes' to be a star player. If you have what it takes to do something, you have the qualities and talents that are needed to be successful.

If you are finding these idiom posts useful, do tell us and we will try to provide more.

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Do you have what it takes? (Everyday idioms in newspapers)

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by Kate Woodford​ As part of an occasional series on the subject of common idioms, we recently posted a blog which featured the idioms which we heard in spoken English during the course of a week. This week, we're taking a different approach, picking out the idioms used in a range of national newspapers that...

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About Words - Cambridge Dictionaries Online blog

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by Kate Woodford

Every few months on this blog, we read a selection of national newspapers published on the same day and pick out the idioms that we find in the articles and reports. We read the news, the gossip columns and the sports pages and, as with previous posts, include only the most frequent, up-to-date idioms.

Starting off with a broadsheet, an actor who has recently become famous talks about 'making a splash'. To make a splash is to do something that makes a lot of people suddenly notice you. In the television guide of the same paper, the TV critic praises a recent series, claiming that no other programme has 'hit such a nerve'. If something (more often a comment) hits or touches a nerve, it upsets someone, usually by raising a subject that has affected them personally. In the news pages, a journalist writes that the government's promise to increase the number of doctors by 5000 in three years has 'fallen short'. To is to fail to reach a level or standard that was hoped for.

Another broadsheet says that a politician has 'stamped his mark' on the process of leaving Europe. To make or stamp your mark on something is to do something important so that people recognise or remember you. In the gossip pages of the same paper, an actor is reported as saying that a particular acting role was a tall order. A tall order is something difficult that you are requested to do.

Meanwhile, in a tabloid paper, a comedian is said to 'spill the beans' on a secret disagreement that is dividing a major political party. If someone spills the beans, they let secret information become known. In the sports pages, it is reported, triumphantly, that the England cricket team are 'moving in for the kill'. In a competition or argument, to move or go in for the kill is to prepare to defeat someone who is now in a weak position. Also in the sports columns, one Brazilian footballer encourages another to hold his nerve when considering a lucrative transfer to a more famous football club. When you hold your nerve, you remain calm and determined in a stressful situation.

We'll be looking at another set of current idioms from newspapers in a couple of months.

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Make a splash! (Everyday idioms in newspapers)

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by Kate Woodford Every few months on this blog, we read a selection of national newspapers published on the same day and pick out the idioms that we find in the articles and reports. We read the news, the gossip columns and the sports pages and, as with previous posts, include only the most frequent, up-to-date...

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Invaluable advice on how to deal with CAE Writing parts!

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Invaluable advice on how to deal with CAE Writing parts!

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1. Introduction

You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

The examiners assess you on 4 elements:

Content - Did you do the task you were asked to do?

Communicative achievement - Did you use the right tone and level of formality?

Organisation - Did you link paragraphs together? Is there a logical flow?

Language - Did you show off your sparkling vocabulary or did you merely use First Certificate words? Did you make lots of grammar mistakes?

Before you continue with this guide, I strongly recommend you read about this free tool that will help you with your writing:

You have 90 minutes to write 2 texts. Both texts will be about the same length, and are worth the same number of points. Obviously, you should spend the same amount of time on each! Personally, I'd spend as much time planning as possible, since it makes everything else easier. The exact time split will depend on how fast you write, but try something like this:

3. You can't cook without a recipe

A lot of students hate planning and think it's a waste of valuable exam time. But do chefs walk into a kitchen and just start cooking? Of course not - they lay out their ingredients, make sure their utensils are clean, and have their recipe nearby.

Your plan is the recipe you'll use to cook up a great piece of writing. Think about how many paragraphs you want then get some ideas about the content of each. But even at this early stage you should start planning the language you want to use. Ask yourself questions like:

Where can I use a passive form?

Where can I use an inversion?

What CAE-level vocabulary do I know about this topic, and where can I use it?

How do I link from one paragraph to the next?

Thinking about solutions before you start writing is the easiest way to solve problems!

4. Grading: Content

Part 1

The first thing you're assessed on is your content. That basically means reading the task carefully and doing what you are told to do! In part 1 you are given three bullet points but are asked to talk about TWO of them. (You're also given some opinions on the topic that you can use if you want, but you don't have to.) Here's an example of the three bullet points and a task:

If I were planning my answer, I'd probably choose 'giving rules' and 'setting an example' as my two points because I feel like I have more to say about those topics. ( How much would I write about 'offering advice'? Nothing! Because I should only write about two things!)

Another important point is to say which is more effective. I'd probably write one paragraph about 'giving rules', and the next paragraph would be about 'setting an example' - I would be sure to give reasons why it was a more effective way to influence younger people.

Part 2

What about part 2? Again, it's important to read the question carefully and make sure you include everything it tells you to.

Here's the kind of task that will come up:

Here's an outline you could follow:

Not very imaginative, but you'd be guaranteed to get full marks in terms of content!

5. Grading: Communicative Achievement

Tone

Which is better English:

1. Wasssssssup?!

or

2. Dear Sir or Madam

Well, it depends who you're talking to! If your task is to write a report for your 'serious' organisation you should use a formal tone. If you're writing a magazine article for teenagers you can be more informal.

This is a HUGE topic and there's not enough space to go into it in detail here. I'll list a few external resources that might help, but a good coursebook will give you lots of guidance.

The main tip is to be consistent - students often write a report that is 95% formal, and then throw in some exclamation points, slang, contractions, and informal vocabulary. That's bad! It suggest you don't have control over your tone.

Learn more about formal vs informal English:

Task types

You should invest some time making sure you know the difference between a letter and an essay, and between a report and a proposal. Here are a few quick tips:
Essay
You need to give your opinion in an interesting way. CAE essays are often academic in tone, so practice of formal writing will be helpful.
Letter/email
Write an email with the same opening/closing as a letter. In these you write about your personal experiences. Your writing will have a purpose, like responding to a newspaper article you don't agree with.
Report/Proposal
Use headings for each paragraph. The task will tell you some of the content you need to include and you'll be able to use your imagination to add some more ideas. You may be asked to evaluate if some goal has been achieved and/or to suggest alternative courses of action. A proposal will have more scope for making suggestions and more need for polite persuasive language.

6. Grading: Organisation

Cambridge love linking words and cohesive devices. These are bits of text like 'firstly', 'whereas', 'in addition', 'however', and so on. Properly used, they will make your writing flow and make your text easier to read. You can't do well in CAE without using these phrases.

Here's a page with some ideas about cohesive devices - try to include them in your writing. Here's another one with tips for the IELTS exam.

7. Grading: Language

Organising a text, using linking words, and getting all the content points is a great start, but for a high grade you'll need to use advanced vocabulary and more difficult sentence structures.

In the planning stage of the exam think about which high-level words you know for that topic and think in which paragraph you can use them. For example, if the topic is about transport you might use phrases like 'mass transit system', 'to commute', 'congestion,' and 'pressed for time'.

Then you need to use a variety of structures - passives, inversions, cleft sentences, questions, sentences with semi-colons. The more variety the better!

Also a variety of sentence lengths. This picture explains what I mean:

So instead of writing like this:
A lot of politicians say they will improve bus and train services. Having trains is good for people who have to go to work. It means they don't have to take the car to work. It is probably faster. If everyone takes a train to work there won't be any traffic jams.
You can produce this:
Why do progressive politicians pledge to provide mass transit systems in their cities? The answer is clear: Not only do pressed-for-time commuters benefit, but there is also less pollution. Let congestion be a thing of the past; let flowers bloom next to every tram stop.
In those three sentences there is one question; one colon; one semi-colon; one 'not only but also'; one imperative. Not bad, right? You can write like this if you practice and if you're not afraid to make some mistakes along the way.

8. How to write a CAE essay/letter/report/proposal

Essays

9. Our Videos about CAE Writing

10. Common Mistakes in CAE Writing

Grammar Mistakes

Most CAE students don't make obvious, basic mistakes like your/you're or its/it's. But they do struggle with things like:
Relative clauses
You need to learn the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses. Your non-defining clauses need commas, while your defining clauses shouldn't have commas.

I had lunch with my grandfather, who is 90 years old. (The second half of the sentence tells you more about my grandfather. It's bonus information, so there has to be a comma.)

I had lunch with my friend who lives in Prague. (I am very cool and popular - I have lots of friends. If I say 'I had lunch with my friend' you don't know which friend I mean. So the 'who lives in Prague' clause gives you essential information. Therefore, no comma!)

Note that non-defining pronouns cannot be changed to 'that', so you should never write a comma followed by 'that'. (This is especially a problem for German speakers because in German you HAVE to use a comma before 'that'.)
Gerund vs infinitive
Gerund means the -ing form of a verb. This is a tricky part of grammar because there are no rules and you have to learn every verb one by one. English! Argh! Anyway, make sure you know these structures:

I used to live in China (= I lived in China).

I'm used to hear ing German (= hearing German is normal for me).

I look forward to meet ing you.

I stopped smok ing (= I quit).

I stopped to smoke (= I stopped what I was doing because I wanted to have a cigarette).

I recommend buy ing new computer equipment. (Suggest and advise are also followed by gerunds.)

I recommend you buy new computer equipment.

Prepositions
So hard! So many prepositions! So many mistakes! Just learn as many as you can and remember, every single student who has ever taken the CAE exam has struggled with prepositions. You are not alone!
Conditionals
If I get the job I will move to Zurich. (The speaker is confident.)

If I got the job I would move to Zurich. (The speaker is not confident.)

If I had got the job I would have moved to Zurich. (But the speaker didn't get the job and didn't move to Zurich.)

Other Mistakes
Not taking risks
A lot of students always write the same, safe, things they always write. To master advanced vocabulary and structures you have to use advanced vocabulary and structures!
Being boring
It's hard enough to produce a well-structured piece of writing with good vocabulary that fits the content. But remember that the examiners read hundreds and hundreds of essays and most of them are very boring! If you make yours interesting (though the style, unexpectedly good vocabulary, maybe even a joke or two) the examiners will be VERY happy and you will be REWARDED.

11. Writing Correction Online

Students often ask if I offer a writing correction service. Well... to be honest I'm not very motivated to do that right now. You should find a teacher on italki instead. Click here to read about italki. (Watch the video with David to hear more about writing correction.)

12. Frequently Asked Questions

Q - Do I have to use British spelling?

A - No, it doesn't matter. But if you use American spelling, be consistent throughout your writing.

Q - How important is spelling and punctuation?

A - It's pretty important - If you make a trivial mistake it won't be a big deal. If the mistake stops the reader from understanding what you mean then you will lose points.

Q - How important is the word count? What happens if I write too many words?

A - The word count is a guide, not a rule. But if you do the task properly you will write about 220-260 words. If you write 300 words then you've probably written lots of stuff you don't need. If you write 200 words you've probably forgotten something.

DO NOT waste time in the exam counting how many words you have written! And never add or remove words just because of the word count - it'll turn out clumsy and weird.

All that said, when you are practicing for the writing section, I recommend you stick to the suggested word count.

Note that the computer-based exam will automatically count how many words you're using. Handy! See this article for more information about the computer-based CAE exam.

Q - I know I need to use complex sentences to get a good grade, but I'm worried about making mistakes. Is it better to have a simple text with no mistakes?

A - Cambridge says that students who make mistakes while trying to use complex structures will get credit for trying (as long as the mistake doesn't stop the reader from understanding).

Q - My handwriting is terrible! No-one can read it! Will I lose points?

A - No. Your handwriting is not very important. Just make sure it can be read. Also, you don't need to rewrite your text (and you don't have time to rewrite it) - if it's got lots of bits crossed out, don't worry. Every student's writing looks the same!

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CAE Writing Test Tips - Guaranteed to Improve Your Exam Score - CAE Exam Tips

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You have 90 minutes to write two texts. Each text should be about 220-260 words long (see the Questions section at the bottom if you have concerns about the word count). Part 1 is always an essay, while in part 2 you have a choice of 3 tasks (letter/email; proposal; report; review).

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35 ways to spend your free time frugally

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35 ways to spend your free time frugally

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Since we talked about hobbies recently I thought you might enjoy this little article about frugal** hobbies! What's best about it is that it's jam-packed with CAE vocabulary you are bound to impress examiners with!

** frugal = careful when using money, here: cheap.

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Wise Bread readers are masters at saving more and spending less. You know how to shop smart, how to stretch a budget, and how to find the best deals on just about anything.

But what about when you want to cut loose and relax?

Life, after all, is about balance and having some hobbies is a key component of living a happy, healthy life. If only those hobbies weren't so expensive.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stay true to your frugal principles and still have a good time in the process. Here are 35 ways to enjoy yourself without breaking the bank. (See also: 20 Free Ways to Relieve Stress)

1. Reading

Too obvious? Maybe, but it's cheap, cheap, cheap, and if you enjoy doing it, you'll never run out of new material. Find an endless supply of stuff to read on the Internet, pick up used books at garage sales and thrift stores, or take advantage of your free library card and gain access to everything from the old classics to the latest best-sellers.

2. Journaling/Writing

Writing offers a number of benefits, not the least of which is learning to write better by constructing your thoughts on paper. Work through your issues by journaling or leave something memorable for your descendants by writing your memoirs. If you're not yet ready to put your life on paper, try writing about someone else's life instead, or write about a cause or event that you think is important.

Or just make the whole thing up. One of the great things about writing fiction is that you have control over how the story develops. Not sure where to start? Let this handy online plot generator start for you.

3. Writing Poetry
There is an art to making words rhyme, A rhythm that requires those words to keep time, But master it and you will see, There's nothing quite so creative as poetry.
Where to start? Turco's The New Book of Forms and Hollander's Rhyme's Reason are classic introductions to English rhyme and verse, with clear explanations and plenty of examples.

4. Performing Slam Poetry

If traditional rhyme isn't your thing, consider slam poetry instead. Meant to be spoken, slam poetry is much more visceral in content, often used as a means to vent about political issues, humanitarian injustices, and personal milestones. It's also much more flexible when it comes to style and syntax. You can use rhyme if you want, but it's not required; in fact, the only real "requirements" of slam poetry is that it's passionate, and if you're going to compete, your poem must be three minutes or under.

5. Sewing

When I was in elementary school, my mother made matching outfits for me and my best friend. They featured faux suede vests and skirts with cream-colored satin shirts, and since this was the '70s, we were hot stuff in those outfits to say the least.

I never really got into sewing after a dress-debacle in my 8th grade Home-Ec class, but now, with a daughter of my own, I've pulled out mom's sewing machine, and I'm slowly but surely learning how to make my own garments. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. Sewing is a wonderfully creative outlet and the perfect way to fashion a custom wardrobe for a fraction of what you'd spend buying off the racks. Plus - and this is my goal - if you get really good at working with patterns, you can start working on your own designs. Move over, Jaclyn Smith!

6. Walking

Despite the obvious cardiovascular benefits, walking is a great way to clear your head, let off some steam, and just enjoy the outdoors. You can walk the trail at your local park or just walk your neighborhood after dinner. The benefits are the same, and it's free. (See also: Surprising Benefits of a 10-Minute Walk)

7. Gardening

When we moved out of the city some seven-plus years ago, I wanted to fully experience the whole "country-lifestyle," so I promptly tilled up an area for a small garden. It was one of the best things I've ever done. Not only do you get to commune with nature, but if you grow edibles, you can cut down your grocery bill to boot. And just let me say, there's nothing like homegrown tomatoes. Plus, you don't need lots of space to enjoy this hobby - container gardening works well even in the smallest of spaces - and if you grow heirloom plants and harvest your seeds, you'll only have to buy your starter plants once.

8. Bird-Watching

When we moved to said country home, we noticed a mud nest on our front porch. Hubby wanted to tear it down - and I wanted to know what lived in it. As it turns out, that nest belonged to a pair of Purple Martins, birds known for eating their weight in mosquitoes. And because they come back every spring, I've never had to buy a can of repellant. The moral of this story? Learning more about the birds in your backyard might be worth your time.

9. Painting

Years ago, my girlfriends and I decided to try our hand at painting. We began with oils, which I loved as a medium, but they were a little pricey and a pain to clean up. Then I discovered acrylics. Water soluble and much, much cheaper, they have been my go-to medium ever since. You can find canvases and brushes - also inexpensive - at most craft stores, and there's an endless supply of how-tos on the web.

10. Drawing

If painting isn't your thing, try drawing. Sketchbooks are relatively cheap and easy to tote, so you can take your hobby with you wherever you go. And like painting, you can self-teach using books, online instruction, and lots of practice.

11. Cooking

Forget about prepackaged mixes and store-bought cans - there's something about cooking and baking from scratch that feels almost spiritual. Maybe it's the creative aspect of pulling it all together, tasting and adjusting along the way to be sure your recipe is just right. Maybe it's the satisfaction of seeing your creation turn out well, a manifestation of all the love and intention that went into making it. Maybe it's the presentation, with all the little drizzles and sprinkles that turn your dish into art.

Or maybe it's just that it tastes better.

Depending upon what you have in your cabinets, you may need to purchase certain spices and staples, but I've found that it's not too hard to keep a well-stocked kitchen, and it's definitely cheaper than eating out. Plus, it's nice to get a craving for something and know that I have the ingredients to make it, meaning fewer spontaneous trips to the grocery store.

Where to start? Pick a cuisine or style you like, and decide to master its ingredients and recipes. (See also: 10 Recipes for Kitchen Newbies)

12. Genealogy

I can't tell you what got me started in genealogy. But I can tell you that once I started digging, I was forever hooked. There's something absolutely fascinating about tracing your past, learning where you came from, and even (occasionally) stumbling upon photos and stories of ancestors you never met. I have an ancestor who was a Revolutionary War Patriot, for example, and there's a memorial built in his honor in his hometown.

I have another ancestor who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth and he, too, is remembered in a memorial, this one placed in an Abbey in Somerset.

Not all of my ancestors have notable stories, of course, but following their trail is interesting nonetheless. You can splurge for an Ancestry.com membership or you can begin by exploring the free genealogy websites online and the genealogy section at your local library. If you're just getting started, try Cyndi's List.

13. Become an Expert

When I discovered that I had an ancestor with ties to Queen Elizabeth, I couldn't help but learn more about that particular era. Between the assassination attempts on the Queen and all the betrayal and beheadings during her father's (King Henry VIII) reign, there's more than enough information to keep my interest piqued. And in the process, I've become a bit of an expert on this topic.

Now, think about something that interests you. Are you a history buff? Fascinated by science? Passionate about climate change? Dig in deeper and learn everything you can. In a world where we're bombarded with information 24/7, it's a nice change of pace to cover more than just a few fleeting details. (See also: 11 Ways to Learn Something New)

14. Jewelry-Making

If you've got kids, then you've probably seen the rubber-band bracelets that are all the rage. My daughter loves making them, and has even branched out to woven friendship bracelets using string and cord. Helping her figure out new techniques and patterns reminded me of how much fun those smaller craft projects could be and while the rubber-band variation isn't really my thing, wire jewelry offers some great possibilities.

There are literally hundreds of websites where you can get ideas and inspiration, along with step-by-step tutorials to walk you through a complete project. You can find wire at most craft stores, but you'll pay less if you order from some of the jewelry-supply websites, such as Fire Mountain Gems. Beads can be found at most of these sites as well, or you can order them in bulk from Amazon.

And if you find that you're especially good at jewelry making, you can sell your stuff on Etsy for extra cash. (See also: 5 Ways to Launch a Small Business With Etsy)

15. Guitar

Of all the musical instruments you could play, the guitar is probably the most practical - easy to take with you, and if you buy it used, you can get one relatively cheap.

There's also plenty of free lessons to be had. Justin Guitar and GuitarLessons both offer free instruction as do many other websites. Or, you can just head over to YouTube - you'll find both generic lessons as well as instructions for specific songs, meaning you can finally learn how to play that 80s tune that you love so much.

16. Card Tricks

Who hasn't seen a card trick and wondered, "How did they do that?" Well, here's your chance to find out! The beauty of learning card tricks compared to other types of magic is that you can buy a deck of cards for a dollar - one dollar, and you have everything you need to start learning new tricks.

Granted, some are more complex than others, but many are relatively easy and if you add a fancy shuffle, you'll look like a pro when you perform your trick.

Cards not your thing, or a dollar to high a price to pay? How about coin tricks?

17. Play Cards

Want to stretch that dollar even further? Learn to play Texas Hold 'Em or Five Card Draw or Bridge for that matter. Playing cards is a fun and easy way to relax and unwind, and it's also a great option when the Internet mysteriously goes down and you decide to reinvent family time.

18. Star-Gazing

There is something magical about looking out at the night sky, even if you don't have a telescope. Learn to spot the different constellations with one of the many astronomy apps available (I use Star Chart - it's free!) and subscribe to some of the astronomy websites (such as Astronomy Magazine and Sky and Telescope) to learn more about space and upcoming celestial events.

19. Fishing

You'll need a place to fish obviously - a lake or a stocked pond, for example - but that's about the biggest challenge you'll find with this hobby. Fishing requires patience, but it can also be a great way to get outside and clear your head. It's also a great way to take care of dinner.

20. Photography

No need to spend lots of money on expensive cameras; many smartphones can now take some really nice pictures and you can always upgrade later. If you've got an eye for photography, you can sell your images on sites like iStockphoto and make a few extra bucks in the process. (See also: Awesome Money-Making Hobbies)

21. Chess

You can get a cheap chess board at Walmart, or you can play online for free (plus pick up tips and strategies) at Chess.com. In addition to being a great way to challenge yourself, chess is actually good for you. It exercises both sides of the brain, can help prevent diseases like dementia, and has even been shown to raise IQ.

22. Whittling

All you need is a knife and a piece of soft wood; the rest is nothing but your own creativity. There are plenty of tutorials online to get you started, and there are even some whittling magazines out there as well. And if you're wondering what you could possibly make by whittling, take a look at these.

23. Puzzles

Puzzles are cheap. Puzzles are easy to find. And depending upon your level of patience, puzzles can be a wonderful way to spend a quiet evening at home. Don't care for the jigsaw variety? Then try crossword puzzles or Sudoku - both help improve concentration, memory, and critical thinking.

24. Coding

Not everyone welcomes the idea of deciphering code, but for those that do, there are plenty of free resources to keep you busy. Code Academy offers free lessons in several scripts and languages, including PHP, Ruby, HTML, and Java. Become proficient, and you can charge for your skills on sites like Upwork.

25. Dancing

Besides being a wonderful form of exercise, dancing is intensely expressive, allowing you release your tension while you work up a sweat. Learn specific dance styles, such as Salsa, Latin, or Hip Hop on YouTube or at sites like LearntoDance and The Dance Store Online, or just turn on your radio and go freestyle.

26. Scrapbooking

If you buy all the ready-made scrapbooking kits, you can easily spend a small fortune. So don't do that. Instead, make your own scrapbooking accents with cheaper alternatives such as construction paper, coloring book pages, free printables off the Internet, and pictures cut out of magazines.

27. Pinterest

I've just recently started using Pinterest, but I can definitely see the appeal. You create "boards" devoted to whatever topics you choose and then "pin" related items that you find on the Internet. Think of it as digital collecting, and you're on the right track. For me, it's like window shopping online - I have a board for shoes, one for recipes, one for wire jewelry, another for astronomy pics, and yet another for gardening ideas. It's a free and fun way to share the stuff you find online and follow others who share your interests.

28. Raise Chickens

I currently have eight chickens - four that are full-grown and keep me well stocked with fresh eggs, and four new chicks, about three weeks old and currently living in a tub in my dining room until they're big enough to live outside.

Getting chickens was one of the first things I did when we moved out of the city, and I have to tell you, I am in love. Chickens are easy to keep, funny to watch, and if you get the right breeds, sociable. My girls follow me around the yard, they keep the grasshoppers under control, and as I said, they keep me and my neighbors well stocked in eggs. If you decide to breed, you can sell your chicks to feed stores or direct to the public for $2 to $3 apiece. (See also: Raising Backyard Chickens)

29. Homesteading

Homesteading is actually a broad term that covers a variety of activities and practices, all devoted to living self-sufficiently. Canning falls under homesteading for example, as does making your own wine and cheese. You don't have to go completely off the grid, but if making your own jerky sounds appealing, or if you've often thought about keeping bees, crafting elixirs, growing your own crops, or just "going green," homesteading might be for you. And with the right planning and preparation, even a little homesteading can be very friendly to your pocketbook.

30. Papier Mache

Not only is this hobby extremely creative, it's also a great way to recycle all that junk mail and old newspapers. Visit Ultimate Paper Mache for recipes, tutorials, and inspiration.

31. Origami

The art of paper folding, origami, dates back to 17th Century Japan. It uses a series of folds to create sculptures out of flat pieces of paper, no glue or cutting allowed. To start your origami adventure, try these projects.

32. Whistling

Yes, whistling. I can whistle one note - one sad, little note that's barely audible, but I love the idea of being able to whistle a tune, or even just whistle for my dog. Those that can do it typically take it for granted, while those that can't would love to learn. And as with everything else, practice makes perfect. Here's some tips to get you started.

33. Singing

Everyone - everyone - likes to sing along to their favorite songs. So, why not improve that singing voice and share it with the rest of the world? There's plenty of singing tutorial videos on Youtube or you can take free lessons from Free-Singing-Lessons.

34. Make Recycled Art

We've all seen those news stories about people who made impressive works of art from what might otherwise be considered as trash or junk. The chicken made from egg shells for example, or the paintings created from floppy disks - the possibilities are endless, and what better way to recycle your trash?

35. Blogging

After you've mastered some of these other hobbies, write a blog about it! You can blog for free on sites like Blogger and Wordpress or, if you want something more custom, you can download the Wordpress platform for free and install on your own domain. Domain names can be had for about $10 a year (I use Namecheap) and hosting for under $10 per month, depending on the package you choose (I use Hostgator).

Blogging about your hobbies and interests allows you to continue improving those writing skills and connect with others who share your interests.

Like this article? Pin it!

Now it's your turn... what's your favorite frugal hobby?

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The 35 Best Ways to Spend Your Free Time (Frugally)

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Wise Bread readers are masters at saving more and spending less. You know how to shop smart, how to stretch a budget, and how to find the best deals on just about anything. But what about when you want to cut loose and relax?

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Some synonyms to help you be more adventurous with your vocabulary! :)

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Here is an article to help you develop some ideas and expand your vocabulary when dealing with CAE speaking or writing tasks.

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In high school and college it is likely that you will receive some kind of encouragement to travel, study or work abroad. It may seem like you have a lot going on so you don't seriously consider these opportunities or maybe you write them off since you plan on traveling later in life. I would encourage traveling at any age, but the earlier you can learn the lessons travel teaches the better.

When you are young you are still finding yourself and preparing for your school and career. The skills and experience you gain from traveling abroad can give you life-long personal benefits as well as a leg up in the professional world.

In high school and college you have the luxury of having flexibility since you can study anywhere in the world and have relatively long study breaks. It is a prime time to take advantage of your freedom and youth.
1. You'll Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
As young people most of us have a pretty established comfort zone. At home with mom and dad, in a community that has known you for probably a good part of your life. You have your established, friends, activities, hangouts and possibly jobs. We become comfortable in these daily roles and the idea of breaking out them can be scary and uncomfortable.

The problem is, you learn the most in uncomfortable, unfamiliar situations. In our daily routines, you know how to act and respond to people and your surroundings. Being in a new place, with different people, who hold different values and go about life differently (or not so differently you may find) strips all that familiarity away.

It can be scary, but once you figure out that you can connect with people despite differences, and you can navigate foreign environments, you become a smarter, more competent individual. Embrace the discomfort. Search for it, because it is helping you grow.
Greenheart Travel volunteer, Danny Scott, with host family in Costa Rica. 2. Traveling Builds Confidence
As you conquer the obstacles of figuring out how to use public transit in a foreign country, or asking for simple things in a grocery store, you are building a confidence and ability to adapt in foreign situations. I remember moving to a country where I spoke little to none of the language.

When I returned home, I moved across the country to a state where I had no family, friends or connections. The prospect of that move may have intimidated me before living abroad, but then I thought to myself, 'Well, if I can do it abroad in a completely foreign system, I will be just fine in a place where I at least share the language.'

You realize that you CAN do things, despite the obstacles and suddenly the obstacles seem less obstructive and more like welcomed challenges.
Greenheart Travel TEFL student taking in the city of Leon, Nicaragua. 3. You Will Develop Cultural Sensitivity
Being culturally sensitive is key in our globalizing world. It is not enough to say "people from X country are like this." It is important to look for underlying values that may explain a certain behavior in order to practice cultural sensitivity. A good example is when I was in Spain (especially in the south), where they take a 2-3 hour siesta and lunch in the middle of their work day.

Many people view this cultural norm as the people just being lazy when it really has a lot more to do with the fact that historically Spaniards value family face time. Eating together as a family is more important to them than maximizing work time by scarfing a sandwich down at their desks.

Being aware of cultural values and norms is not only fascinating, but can help us understand international issues and conflicts, or even relate to the cultural norms of a foreign business partner. It is an important skill to be able to shift perspectives and see where someone else is coming from.

Cultural sensitivity will help you with your communication on both business and personal levels.
Greenheart Travel high school student in Spain. 4. You Can Adapt to Globalization
Whether you like it or not, with the internet and social media, we are globalizing quickly. It is not unlikely that you would end up with a job that has you travel for business or take part in conference calls with international business partners. In our globalizing world it is important to be culturally sensitive and it can't hurt to know a foreign language.

In the business world, having lived abroad can give you a competitive edge. Use the confidence and cultural sensitivity that traveling helps you develop and help it make you successful.
Get work experience teaching English or completing an internship in Thailand. 5. Be Immersed in a Second (or Third) Language
Before I lived abroad I never truly understood the beauty of becoming fluent or even proficient in another language. In the United States we don't need to know another language, or many would argue that. Once you travel abroad you realize that especially in Europe, almost everyone you meet speaks at least two languages somewhat proficiently.

We in the States have a bit of a disadvantage since geographically we cannot country-hop as easily as Europeans can. This is why traveling, especially for us, is even more important. I would argue that in the globalizing world it really can only benefit you to speak another language. Not to mention, it opens up a whole new world of people you can now connect with and understand that you would never have gotten the chance to get to know had you never learned their language.

Living abroad is really the best way to learn a new language since you are forced to challenge and practice your skills on a daily basis.
Greenheart Travel students perfect their French language schools at our language camp in Paris. 6. Infinite Opportunities to Network
I have studied and worked abroad and made some incredibly valuable connections. If you are interested in working internationally or even just having a couch to stay on in a country that you love, never underestimate the value of networking wherever you go.

One thing I have learned in my time abroad is that people are generally very friendly and love to talk about their home and culture. This is not always the case, but more than often it is. Making friendships abroad can make this big world seem a little smaller and help you feel more connected wherever you go.

The best advice I can give is to meet as many people on your travels as you can. It will definitely make your time abroad more enjoyable since the locals know best! Plus you never know when these connections will come in handy in the future whether visiting each other for fun or otherwise.

Do you agree or have you traveled abroad as a young person? Share your experience in the comments below!

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6 Reasons Why Traveling Abroad is Important for Young People

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In high school and college it is likely that you will receive some kind of encouragement to travel, study or work abroad. It may seem like you have a lot going on so you don't seriously consider these opportunities or maybe you write them off since you plan on traveling later in life.

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Phrasal verbs with GET for visual learners.

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Phrasal verbs with GET for visual learners.

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Post by LearnEnglish4FreeOnline.

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Homework + answer key CAE students 18/19 Oct.

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Homework + answer key CAE students 18/19 Oct.

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Enjoy!

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Check out these useful tips and examples!

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If you're studying for the Certificate in Advanced English interview, welcome to our guide to the CAE Speaking test. Here's an overview of the oral paper (Paper 5) and advice to help you do your very best on the big day.

CAE Speaking Test

Duration: 15 minutes (23 minutes for groups of three at centres where there's an odd number of candidates).
Participants: Candidates interviewed in pairs or threes. Two examiners: one examiner asks the questions, the other acts as assessor and doesn't speak during the interview.
Format: The test consists of four parts.

Part 1 (Interview)

Tests ability to: use language for social purposes, e.g. making introductions, answering questions, stating an opinion.

This first section of the CAE Speaking exam lasts about three minutes (five minutes for groups of three) and gives the examiner the chance to find out a little about you and your partner through some 'getting-to-know-you' questions. These will be simple questions to help 'break the ice', for example questions about your family, your studies, where you come from or what your interests are.
Example Questions
The interview will begin with the examiner saying something like:

Q: Hello. My name is ........ and this is my colleague ........
Q: And your names are?
Q: Can I have your mark sheets please? ........ Thank you.
Q: First of all we'd like to know something about you.

The examiner will then ask each of you some questions. For example:

Q: Tell me about where you come from.
Q: Do you enjoy studying English?
Q: Do you have any hobbies or interests?
Q: Why are you preparing for the CAE exam?
Tips!
You'll gain extra marks if you're able to give full, relevant answers to these questions.

1) Offer more than the bare minimum in your answers.
Q: Tell me about where you come from.
A: I come from Bielefeld. (Don't stop there!) It's in the northern part of Germany. It's a lovely place with a busy town and it's also close to some nice countryside.

2) Avoid short, 'yes', 'no' answers.
Q: Do you enjoy studying English?
A: Yes I do! I quite like studying languages and English in particular. I have a lot of English friends and love to be able to communicate with them in their own language. And I love being able to read English novels.
Q: Do you have any hobbies or interests?
A: No, not hobbies really. I used to like collecting things as a child but that doesn't interest me now. I suppose you could say music is a big interest, I especially like listening to English bands.

3) Offer examples to help you explain a statement.
Q: Why are you preparing for the CAE exam?
A: Because it's important for my job. As part of my appraisal, my boss advised me to take an English exam to help me develop my professional skills. I passed FCE last year and if I'm successful at CAE I'd like to try CPE.

Part 2 (Long Turn)

Tests ability to: speak at length coherently, use language to describe, compare and contrast, hypothesise and comment upon a topic.

Part 2 of the CAE Speaking test lasts about 4 minutes (six minutes for groups of three). Candidate A is passed a set of pictures and has to speak about the pictures without interruption, either from the examiner or their partner. When Candidate A has finished the examiner asks Candidate B to answer a brief question about the pictures. The roles are then reversed: Candidate B is given a different set of pictures and speaks for 1 minute followed by Candidate A, who answers a brief question about the pictures.
Example Task
At this stage of the interview the examiner will say something on the lines of:

Q: In this part of the exam I'm going to give each of you three photographs and I'd like you to talk about them on your own for about a minute and also to answer a question briefly about your partner's photographs.

Q: Here are your pictures (Candidate A). They show people in different educational settings. I'd like you to talk about two of these photos and compare the settings and say how the students may be feeling in each one.

Q: All right?

Notice there are TWO instructions here: first to 'compare and contrast' the photographs and also to speculate on how the students 'may be feeling'. In Part 2 candidates are required to show they can do more than simply describe and will need to show the ability to speculate or hypothesize on a particular topic or scene.
Tips!
1. The picture set will have a general theme but try to find two that are either very similar or very different in some way. This will give you a basis on which to compare and/or contrast the two pictures. In the example above, pictures two and three show two contrasting educational settings: the formal lecture theatre in picture two compared to the relaxed outdoor scene in picture three.

2. In terms of hypothesizing, pictures two and three offer a good opportunity to speculate on how students in each contrasting situation might be feeling. Think about opportunities for hypothesizing when choosing your pictures.

3. Signpost the end of your talk by adding a personal reaction to the pictures. For example:
'The two people in picture three look like they're enjoying themselves but personally, I think I'd prefer to spend my study time in a lecture theatre where I'd be more able to concentrate on learning'.

4. Many people preparing for the CAE oral exam worry about not having enough to say in the time available or not having enough time to express their ideas. The best way to get the timing right is to practise making short talks on various topics on your own. (Or in front of a friend if you're feeling brave!)

Part 3: (Two-Way Discussion)

Tests ability to: use language to discuss and interpret, to agree, disagree or agree to disagree, negotiate and collaborate, to rank or classify.

In Part 3 of the CAE Speaking test, which lasts about four minutes (six minutes for groups of three), the examiner will ask you and your partner to talk about another set of visual prompts together.
Example Task
The examiner will say something on the lines of:

Q: I'd like you to talk about something together for three minutes. (Five minutes for groups of three)

Q: Here are your pictures showing different occupations. Discuss the role these people have in our lives. Then decide which job tends to be the most stressful.

Q: All right?

Notice there are TWO instructions. The first asks you to 'discuss' the role of the people, and the second asks you to 'decide' which job is the most stressful. This means you're required not only to talk about each visual but also to show your ability to negotiate and collaborate with your partner. You don't have to reach agreement but you must at least work towards this.
Tips!
It will help both yourself and your partner if you work together collaboratively on this task.

1. Be prepared to ask your partner for his or her opinion rather than simply stating your own.

2. Listen 'actively' to what your partner says, responding to comments he or she makes. Use expressions such as the following to comment on something:
"That's an interesting point."
"I was interested in what you said about ..."
"So, when you say ........, do you mean ........?"
"Could you explain what you mean by .......?"

3. Use expressions to allow yourself time to think. For example: ' That's a good question.', ' Well, let me think ... '

4. In order to bring the discussion to a constructive conclusion try using expressions such as the following:
"So, weighing up the pros and cons, do you think ...?"
"Are we generally in agreement that ...?"
"So, all in all do we feel ...?"
"Essentially, do we all agree that ...?"
"So, to sum up ..."
"So, in general ..."
"It seems we've reached the conclusion that ..."

Part 4: (Three-Way Discussion)

Tests ability to: use language to summarise, report and explain decisions; develop a topic further.

In Part 4 of the CAE Speaking test, which lasts about four minutes (six for groups of three), the examiner will join the discussion and ask candidates questions related to the visuals used in Part 3.
Example Questions
Q: Do any of these jobs have a special status in your country?
Q: Which jobs do you think offer the greatest personal satisfaction?
Q: Do any of these jobs appeal to you?
Tips!
1. Again, avoid short, 'yes', 'no' answers to the examiner's questions.

2. Use techniques to make your contributions powerful, for example by using short, personal anecdotes to help make a point.

3. Continue to work with your partner. Respond constructively and show interest in things he or she says.

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If you're studying for the Certificate in Advanced English interview, welcome to our guide to the CAE Speaking test. Here's an overview of the oral paper (Paper 5) and advice to help you do your very best on the big day. Duration: 15 minutes (23 minutes for groups of three at centres where there's an odd number of candidates).

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British TV shows you should be watching...

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British TV shows you should be watching...

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...in order to brush up your listening skills and expand your vocabulary :)

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These are the British TV shows you should be watching right now.

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An interesting reading for those of you who are keen on etymology and travelling :)

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When the US president says "America first" to a room full of world leaders, he probably doesn't mean to invoke the spirit of a 15th-century Italian. When Charles de Gaulle proclaimed, "La France n'est pas seule!" he likely wasn't talking about a Germanic tribe from two millennia past. And Gandhi's appeal to Britain to "quit India" definitely wasn't just about the people living near the Indus River.

Our countries' names instill in us a sense of pride. Our leaders use them as emotional triggers in speeches, and so do citizens, creating slogans around country names to rally support on social media and conjure unity in protests. It's easier than putting "make the land between Mexico and Canada great again" on hats. But just like our first names are handed to us without our input, the names of nations are inherited, arbitrary, and, often, absurd. Sometimes we get names we don't want, and our efforts to correct don't stick.

According to our research, the majority of country names fall into just four categories:

a directional description of the country

a feature of the land

a tribe name

an important person, most likely a man

Further, our research reveals that the way countries get their names is hardly ever democratic, and very few are rooted in the national qualities we like to associate with them, like liberty, strength or justice.

Toponymy, the study of place-names

To figure out what we're really saying when we say "America," or "Papua New Guinea," Quartz relied on the gold standard toponymy reference book, the Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names, by John Everett-Heath. We manually compiled information on all 195 independent states recognized by the US, to create a taxonomy of the world's political order. Where the dictionary was unclear, we cross-referenced origin stories. We looked at country endonyms-the name a country calls itself-where markedly different from a country's English name. (So 中国, or Zhōngguó, instead of China, and Suomi, not Finland.) If a country was named after an existing place-Chad after Lake Chad, or Algeria after the city of Algiers, for example-we did our best to seek the meaning of the original name.

A few things to keep in mind: Name origins are often murky, so this is an inexact exercise. Sometimes the most fun or attractive origin stories are bunk. "Beware folk etymology (an effort to explain a name by its resemblance, in sound or spelling, or to some other name or word, or its possible association with a person or event)," writes John Everett-Heath by email. "Myths and legends may be entertaining, but rarely of value."

English-language resources obviously have their own flaws and biases, and there are likely to be gaps in places under-studied by English-speaking academics. And sometimes tracing an origin leads to a dead end: Like with etymology, eventually you go far back enough and you hit a wall.

That said, here's a taxonomy of the world's country names as far as we know.

Type one: Tribes, kingdoms, ethnic groups

By far the greatest plurality-a third-of the world's countries get their current names from some older group of people. There's a big cluster in Europe: France is named for the Franks; Italy for the Vitali tribe; Switzerland for the Schwyz people. 대한민국, romanized as Daehan Minguk, is the Korean name for South Korea. "Daehan" means "Great Han" or "Big Han," after three Han tribes from the 2nd century BC. ("Han" can also mean "big.") Vietnam means Viet people of the south.

Just like our first names are handed to us without our input, the names of nations are inherited, arbitrary, and, often, absurd.

In the last century it's also been a way for countries to reclaim a much older identity: In 1957 the Gold Coast gained independence from the British and was renamed Ghana, after the older empire that broke up in the 13th century.

A few countries have names that describe their people's attributes: Burkina Faso, coined in 1984, means "land of honest men" or "land of incorruptible people." Guinea and its namesakes-Guinea-Bissau, Papua New Guinea, Equatorial Guinea-come possibly from the Tuareg word "aginaw," "black people," used by the Portuguese in the 15th century to refer to a larger region of west Africa.

Papua New Guinea is thought to be a description of the people native to Melanesia, "papua" reportedly meaning "frizzy-haired," and Guinea from the Spanish explorer Ynigo Ortiz de Retes, who in 1546, thought they looked like the African Guineans (i.e. they had dark skin).

Type two: A special land

About a quarter of the world's country names come from some aspect of the land.

Algeria is named after its capital city, Algiers, meaning "the islands." That name once described the city's bay, which once had tiny islands in it, but which have since become connected to the mainland or been destroyed in development of the harbor. Montenegro's endonym, Crna Gora, means "black mountain," a reference to the southwestern mountain Lovćen. Iceland is, indeed, what it sounds like, though it's a misnomer. Says Everett-Heath in the dictionary:

Allegedly renamed Iceland from ís 'ice' by the first Norse settlers in the 9th century. Their intention was to deter visitors coming to an island which had in fact comparatively moderate annual temperatures (because of the Gulf Stream) and was much warmer than would be expected for a country so far north.

Some names about land features are clustered in places where borders were drawn up by colonialists, perhaps because they were given by outsiders seeing the lands through the eyes of foreigners.

It's not clear which explorer named Costa Rica ("the rich coast"), but one account suggests it was Christopher Columbus, who saw indigenous people wearing gold and didn't realize it was imported. The Spanish gave Honduras its name, meaning "depth" or "deep water," and they also named Barbados, or "bearded ones," allegedly after the great banyan tree found there, ficus citrifolia, because of their long aerial roots.

Sierra Leone is thought to have been named "lion mountains" by the Portuguese, probably a reference to the roaring sound of thunder in the hills above Freetown, not actual lions. Singapore means "lion city," and the lion head is a national symbol. But there aren't any known lions in Singapore. According to legend the Sumatran prince Sang Nila Utama was hunting in Singapore and came across an animal he thought was a lion, "singa" in Malay, and gave the name Singa Pura to the island he was on.

Type three: East, west, somewhere in the middle

About 25 countries are named for their location. Zhōngguó means "middle kingdom," and Nippon, the endonym for Japan, is "land of the rising sun," referring to the fact that Japan is east of China, i.e. in the direction of the sunrise from China's point of view. Norway, "northern way."

Timor-Leste means "east east." It comes from "timur," Malay for "east," which according to Everett-Heath, refers to the fact that Timor is east of Java and Sumatra, and "leste," Portuguese for "east." Australia means "southern," based on a land very far south theorized by the ancient Greeks, Terra Australis Incognita, "Unknown Southern Land."

Type four: Men

By our count, there are roughly another 25 countries named for some person of importance-in all cases but one, a man. According to language blogger Paul Anthony Jones, St. Lucia, a third-century woman from Syracuse, is the exception.

Some are obvious: The Philippines are named after Spain's 16th-century King Philip II, and Bolivia is named after the Venezuelan revolutionary Simón Bolívar. Israel is another name of Jacob, thought to be the patriarch of the Jewish people. Mauritius is named for Maurice of Nassau, the 16th-century Netherlands magistrate, and Swaziland is named for the Swazi people, who are said to get their name from the 19th-century king Mswati II.

The Solomon Islands also belong to this category, though in a round-about way: The Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira came to the islands in 1568. Through some mix-up, perhaps by his own doing, rumors circulated that he found gold, and the islands were named after the wise, wealthy biblical king Solomon, who was said to get his gold from Ophir, an unidentified land known for its riches. Alas, by most accounts Mendaña found no such thing. There are a mysterious 21 countries whose name origins are disputed or unknown.

The United States of America is named for the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, the person credited with realizing that the continent the Europeans bumped into in the late 1400s was not India. In 1507 German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller suggested these lands-at the time, referring just to South America- be named "from the discoverer Amerigo...as if it were the American land, or America."

Columbus appears to have left his mark on the most countries of any one person, eight countries total. He's thought to have named Saint Kitts (shortened from Christopher) and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines after his favorite Christian saints. Columbus also named Antigua and Barbuda after the Church of Santa Maria de la Antigua and the Trinidad (in Trinidad and Tobago) after the Holy Trinity.

Tobago, according to the Commonwealth, comes from the Carib word "tavaco," the pipe in which the Caribs smoked tobacco, and which, allegedly, Columbus thought was neat. Writes Everett-Heath in his dictionary:

An island so named by Christopher Columbus when he discovered it in 1498. Columbus was impressed by the natives' practice of stuffing the leaves of the tobacco plant in pipes and setting fire to them in the belief that this had medicinal value.

Colombia is named after Columbus, though not by him.

NB. Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Solomon Islands aren't the only countries whose names have dubious foundations. Venezuela was named by a Spanish expedition-which included Vespucci-that saw houses built over water and thought it looked like Venice. Grenada was named because sailors thought it looked like Granada, Spain. Canada likely comes from the Huron-Iroquois word "kanata," which means "village" or "settlement," confused by 16th-century French explorer Jacques Cartier to be the name of a place.

The best of the rest

There are 20 or so mysterious countries whose name origins are disputed or unknown. Malta could mean "refuge" or "bees," and a host of answers have been offered for Nepal, none definitive: "beginning of a new era," "center country," "holy place." "home of wool." The origins of a few countries like Syria and Palau are not unknown.

And then there are a few countries whose names don't fit into any major category-and these are arguably the most poetic. There's tiny Comoros off the east African coast, whose name means "moon," after the Arabic "al qamar." Mexico is also said to have lunar roots, the Spanish simplification of the Aztec city, Metztlixihtlico, meaning "in the navel of the moon."

There's possibly the most badass, Druk Yul, Bhutan's name for itself, thought to mean "land of the thunder dragon." And a smattering of countries whose names are virtues, like Liberia's "free land."

Nauru, an island northeast of Australia, is perhaps the most delightful, reportedly named after the indigenous word "anáoero," "I go to the beach."

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Nearly every country on earth is named after one of four things

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When the US president says "America first" to a room full of world leaders, he probably doesn't mean to invoke the spirit of a 15th-century Italian. When Charles de Gaulle proclaimed, "La France n'est pas seule!" he likely wasn't talking about a Germanic tribe from two millennia past.

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Monday 18:30 and Tuesday 20:00 groups! Now you can check your grammar homework here! :)

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A Quartz article on personality and attraction.

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A Quartz article on personality and attraction.

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I've just come across this article and since it's on the topic we've been discussing in class I thought you might be interested in reading it. It could very well be used as a CAE exam reading!

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Both science and intuition suggest that we choose our friends and romantic partners because we share things in common, such as age, educational level, race, religion, attitudes, and general intelligence. But what role does personality play in attraction? Are conscientious people drawn to conscientious people? Extroverts to extroverts?

Until recently no one really knew, says Michal Kosinski, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. "Psychologists looked at this issue for many years, but the results were quite clear: Friends and partners are not similar in terms of personality," he says. "This was surprising, because we know intuitively that people choose partners and friends who have similar personalities. It made us wonder if, perhaps, the researchers were doing something wrong."

Personality is usually measured using surveys in which people answer questions about themselves. But people who answer personality questionnaires often evaluate themselves in the context of their peers. For example, an introvert who's the most outgoing among his introverted friends might describe himself as an extrovert-a subjective judgment rather than an absolute, objective measure. That's called the "reference-group effect."

Kosinski and three colleagues decided to approach personality assessment differently. They used big data gleaned from Facebook-all those "likes" that users click to show their approval of someone else's posts or opinions, and their word choices in their own posts and responses-to develop a more accurate picture of user personalities. The result is a paper Kosinski co-authored with Wu Youyou and David Stillwell of the University of Cambridge, and H. Andrew Schwartz of Stony Brook University in New York, published recently in Psychological Science. It concludes that, as its title suggests, " Birds of a Feather Do Flock Together."

"Digital footprints left behind while using Facebook work pretty great when it comes to measuring personality," says Kosinski, who coordinates the myPersonality Project, a global collaboration between more than 100 universities studying Facebook digital footprints of 8 million volunteers. "People log in to Facebook every day, leave a lot of digital footprints, and don't treat it as anything unusual."

This is much better than reporting on one's own behavior using a questionnaire or being observed in a lab, he says. "When people realize that they're being studied, they stop behaving naturally and change their responses and behavior."

By contrast, he says, years worth of data on one's behavior on Facebook or other digital environments are "way more difficult to fake." Kosinski is convinced that personality scores based on digital footprints are at least as accurate as those obtained using traditional methods.

The implications could be profound for areas of business where personality assessment is critical, such as hiring and human resources. For example, Kosinski says corporate leaders trying to build effective teams within their organizations understand that "in a team, you need some thinkers, some doers, some leaders, and some followers. All those labels are good for management nonscientists. But it wasn't understood before now that you should or could be matching people based on personalities."

In addition to avoiding the reference-group effect, Kosinski says digital footprint-based assessments offer other advantages. Not only are they nearly impossible to cheat or misrepresent, but they can be applied to large populations, and can be administered quickly and without much cost.

"Any personality assessment method will have advantages and disadvantages," he adds. "But if used properly, the digital footprint-based personality assessment can be more accurate, which is great for the company and the individual. If measurement is not accurate, you might be hiring the wrong person for the job."

This most recent study is an offshoot of Kosinski's previous studies of digital personality assessment, but he says the results may turn out to be the most important conclusion they've drawn. "Without really planning to, we found this profound influence of the reference-group effect [i.e. self-assessment] on traditional test results, and the outcome might be that some things we have long believed about personality psychology might not be true. How many other established truths in psychology are wrong or inaccurate because of that effect?"

If nothing else, Kosinski says the study raises doubts about the old saying that opposites attract. They might sometimes, but those cases are the exceptions, not the rule. "As it turns out," he says, "the great majority of our interactions are with people who are a lot like us."
This post originally appeared at Insights by Stanford Business.

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A Stanford psychologist just disproved the oldest love advice in the book

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Both science and intuition suggest that we choose our friends and romantic partners because we share things in common, such as age, educational level, race, religion, attitudes, and general intelligence. But what role does personality play in attraction? Are conscientious people drawn to conscientious people? Extroverts to extroverts?

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Popular side stalls and games at a funfair!

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Popular side stalls and games at a funfair!

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It's this time of the year again...fiestas, concerts, jotas and funfairs! I don't know about you but I am a huge fan of funfair games! If you want to learn the names of some popular games just check out this wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelling_funfair#Side_stalls_and_games
Are you good at any of them? :)
Ps. I won this cute teddy playing balloon darts ;)

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In case you were wondering how to explain las fiestas to a foreigner :) Check out these two links!
- https://www.spanish-fiestas.com/festivals/el-pilar/
- http://www.whatzaragoza.com/pilar-festival.html

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Pilar Festival. Learn all about Zaragoza's famous Pilar Festival with What Zaragoza, your helpful and in-depth Zaragoza city guide.

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Idioms with "hat" for Fernando Monday-Wednesday 18:30 group

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Idioms with "hat" for Fernando Monday-Wednesday 18:30 group

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Fernando! These are the most common idioms with a "hat". Is there the one you were thinking of on Wednesday? ;)

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Hat - Definitions of Hat in the English Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionary

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Hat - Definitions of Hat. See more in the English Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionary

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Hi Carola! This is just to let you know what we did on Wednesday. We did VOCABexercises 1 and 3 page 10, Use of English page 14, 15. You homework is: study the new vocab, Conditionals exercises 1, 2, 3, 4 page 11, Reading exercise 2 page 12 and finally Vocab 1, 2 page 13. Have a nice weekend! :)

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375 phrases you should learn before your CAE exam.

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375 phrases you should learn before your CAE exam.

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I found this list of 375 CAE expressions and phrases online. You can have a look and tick the ones you already know and try to learn the ones that are new for you. By no means do I recommend** that you learn all the list by heart! Try to have a look at it from time to time and definitely try to complete the Key Word Transformation exercises provided just below the list. Also check out the website that is mentioned in the document - you will find extra materials there. I hope you enjoy it :)
** Yes, that's an example of an inversion in a sentence!
"By no means" + inversion ( auxiliary verb + subject + infinitive).

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Essential information about the CAE exam

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Essential information about the CAE exam

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Have a look at this official CAE booklet and find out more about the exam: its parts, types of exercises, timings, assessment criteria and some more practical tips that might come in handy on the day of the exam.

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Do you agree with these oh-so-useful tips? :)

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The nonverbal mating cues have been sent out, the first conversation went well, and you've asked her out on a date-now what? Dating is another way to demonstrate your "Hero status".

It's not about how much you spend; it's about putting her front and centre. You can plan a special date that doesn't cost a lot of money - a picnic, a hike, a trip to a free museum or cultural event. Be creative. Be playful. Plan an adventure.

We'll let you in on a little secret. Riding a roller coaster, bungee jumping, or doing something else adventurous with a little bit of fear mixed in can be helpful on your date. The physiological response to fear is quite similar to the physiological response to arousal. The right amygdale - the part of the brain where you most experience fear - is also one part of the brain where you experience sexual arousal.

The two can often get confused. Hormones also play a powerful role. When you engage in an activity that is new, exciting, or dangerous, the same hormonal brew (dopamine, norepinephrine, and phenylethylamine) gets released as when you fall in love. So do something exciting and adventurous together on your date - arouse your central nervous systems and arouse each other.

Dating is also about continuing the conversation and getting to know each other. Ask her about her interests, her passions, her life dreams, her bucket list. Find out where she's travelled and what she loves to do. Ask her who her best friends are, and find out what they are like and what she loves about them. Ask about her family or pets (if she has any). Ask her where she went to school, and supply open-ended questions about what learning she did that most caught her attention and imagination.

Now there's a fine line between interrogation and conversation, so be sure to really listen, rather than have it seem like you are checking off a list of questions like it's a job interview. Body language is still important. Hygiene is also important. Being a gentleman is most important. Open doors, walk on the busy side of the sidewalk, walk in a stride with her, demonstrate your protective instincts. Ask yourself how a Hero would act and you're more likely to get another date.

So be protective, be a gentleman, and also-this is most important-be fully you. Be prepared to share your own passions, your own interests, and your own life dreams. But listen first. Talk about your best friends, tell her what they're like, and talk about where you have travelled and what you loved and hated about travelling.

Unlike men, women are much more geared for collaboration, not competition, so if you are discussing something and you have opposing viewpoints, don't tell her she is wrong. You can say: "That's interesting. Tell me more." After listening and responding with interest, it's okay to say: "Okay, here's my viewpoint" but don't present your differences in a way that devalues her.

Don't talk about ex-girlfriends. Don't tell stories that turn you into a victim. Talk about who you are and what you think about where you are going in life.

Don't make the fatal mistake some men make: Don't ask her if she likes you. You will come off as needy and insecure. Tune in to her, and you will already know the answers to these questions. Insecurity is an attraction killer every time, and nothing will drop you into the friend zone faster.
Cheat Sheet for Heroes
* Ask open-ended questions.

* Be authentic, but try to speak in your lowest register if your natural voice sounds a bit like Mickey Mouse on helium.

* Create safety in conversations by being a good listener.

* Put the woman at the center of any conversation or date.

* Look into her eyes and match her gestures in a natural and easy way.

* Briefly touch her forearm when you ask her to dance, ask for her number, or ask her on a date.

* Be creative when planning your first date. Think of something adventurous, playful, or exciting to do.

* Be a gentleman-open doors, pull out her chair.

* Be protective and confident.
You Might Be A Zero If. . .
* You use cheesy pickup lines.

* You make overt sexual innuendoes.

* You dominate the conversation, interrupt her, or only talk about yourself.

* You don't ask questions that will help you get to know her and help her tell her story.

* You think spending a lot of money on a date means you will get laid.

* You don't plan a date that makes her feel special and important.

* You stare at her breasts while she is talking or scan the room checking out other girls when you are with her.
This extract was republished with permission from the authors. The Man's Guide to Women by John Gootman, PhD and Julie Schwartz, PhD is available now
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The nonverbal mating cues have been sent out, the first conversation went well, and you've asked her out on a date-now what? Dating is another way to demonstrate your "Hero status". It's not about how much you spend; it's about putting her front and centre.

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12 saying only British people understand

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12 saying only British people understand

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Do you know any of these sayings? Check them out!

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Everyone knows that for the Brits, an elevator is a "lift," an apartment is a "flat," and those chips you're snacking on are actually called "crisps."

But British people also say some other really weird, confusing things.
1. "They lost the plot."
When someone has "lost the plot," it means they have lost their cool. The phrase is particularly common in English football, where it is generally used when a player or coach gets in a fight or performs poorly during the game.
2. "I haven't seen that in donkey's years."
"Donkey's years" translates to "a really long time," mainly because "donkey's ears" kind of sounded like "donkey's years" and became a rhyming slang term.

The phrase was underscored by the belief that donkeys live a long time (which can be true) and have very long ears (definitely true).
3. "Quit your whinging!"
Quit your whinging - it's always raining in London.

When someone is "whinging," it means they're whining or crying. The next time your coworker is complaining about something, feel free to call him a whinger.
4. "He's such a chav."
This is a pejorative epithet in Britain that's used to described a specific kind of stereotype: A working-class person who is loud or brash and wears (usually fake) designer clothes - especially the classic Burberry check.

It is essentially the British version of "white trash" and should be used sparingly.
5. "You've thrown a spanner in the works."
When you "put/throw a spanner in the works," it means you've ruined a plan. A spanner is the word for a wrench in England, so it's the British equivalent of "throwing a wrench in the plan."
6. "Let's have a chin-wag."
Though fairly self-explanatory, having a "chinwag" (sometimes "chin-wag") means that you're having a brief chat with someone, usually associated with gossip. Just imagine a chin wagging up and down, and you'll get the idea why.
7. "I'm chuffed to bits."
If you're "chuffed to bits," it means that you're really happy or thrilled about something. It's also acceptable to say "chuffed" all on its own: "I've just scored free tickets to the Beyoncé concert, and I'm well chuffed!"
8. "That's manky."
Something that is "manky" is unpleasantly dirty or disgusting. Its slang usage dates back to the 1950s and was probably a combination of "mank" (meaning mutilated or maimed), the Old French word "manqué" (to fail), and the Latin "mancus" (maimed).

You can also feel "manky" if you're under the weather.
9. "My cat? She's a moggy."
This moggy is quite patriotic.

A "moggy" or "moggie" refers to an alley cat or a cat without a pedigree, but it is often used interchangeably as another word for "cat."
10. "This was an absolute doddle to do."
A "doddle" is a task or activity that is extremely easy. Though the origin is unknown, it dates back to the 1930s and is still common.
11. "You're taking the piss."
When you "take the piss" with someone, that means that you're being unreasonable or taking liberties. For example, if a cashier overcharges you on something, he is taking the piss.

It can also be a stand-in phrase for when you're mocking or teasing someone, though this is more commonly said as "taking the piss out of" someone or something. For example: "They're always taking the piss out of John because he likes Taylor Swift."
12. "I've dropped a clanger."
When someone makes an embarrassing gaffe that upsets someone else, that person has "dropped a clanger."

For example, if you offer your seat to a pregnant woman on the subway and she tells you she's not actually pregnant, you may have dropped a clanger.

Know of other great British idioms that we missed? Add them in the comments!
Read more: * Barack Obama says Britain is a 'free rider'Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
* These tweets nail the absurdity of many tech offices
* 4 reasons why the Irish economy killed it in 2015
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12 sayings only British people understand

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Everyone knows that for the Brits, an elevator is a "lift," an apartment is a "flat," and those chips you're snacking on are actually called "crisps." But British people also say some other really weird, confusing things. 1. "They lost the plot." When someone has "lost the plot," it means they have lost their cool.

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How many of these have you read?

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Your 20s are a time for figuring out who you are and what you want from life.

While the only way to learn is to survive the inevitable cycle of successes and failures, it is always useful to have some guidance along the way.

To help you out, we've selected some of our favorite books that likely never made your high-school or college reading lists.

It's an eclectic selection that focuses on topics like understanding your identity, shaping your worldview, and laying the foundation for a fulfilling career.

Here's what we think you should read before you turn 30.

'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius

As you become an adult, you realize that there will never be a time in your life where everything is just as you hoped it would be.

"Meditations" is a collection of personal writings on maintaining mental toughness from the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who ruled from 161 to 180 and became remembered as one of the great "philosopher kings."

As Gregory Hays notes in the introduction to his translation, Aurelius wrote his musings on resilience and leadership in a "dark and stressful period" in the last decade of his life.

The emperor's version of Stoic philosophy has remained relevant for 1,800 years because it offers timeless advice for gaining control of one's emotions and progressing past all obstacles in one's path.
""The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury." Find it here
'The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays' by Albert Camus

We all have a reason to get out of bed in the morning, and we start to question that reason after entering the real world.

As "The Stranger" author Albert Camus sees it, all people find themselves in an irrational world struggling to find meaning for their lives where there is none.

His main message, however, is that just as the legend of Sisyphus tells of a god who was eternally punished by having to push a rock up a hill, only to have it fall down each time he reached the peak, we should embrace the drive for meaning and lead happy, fulfilling lives with a clear-eyed view of the world.
"There is scarcely any passion without struggle." Find it here
'Crime and Punishment' by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Regardless of your personal philosophy, there will be times when the world pushes against you and you wonder why it's worth trying to better yourself and help others.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel is not only a gripping story, but it's an argument against the nihilism that was popular among Russian intellectual circles in his time.

"Crime and Punishment" is the tale of a 23-year-old man named Raskolnikov who, acting on a nagging urge, murders two old women and then struggles with processing the act.

Dostoyevsky argues that rationalism taken to its extreme ignores the powerful bonds that connect humanity and give us responsibility over each other.
"Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth." Find it here
'Anna Karenina' by Leo Tolstoy

American novelist William Faulkner, as well as Time magazine, called this Leo Tolstoy novel "the best ever written."

As the main plotline of a doomed affair between Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky unfolds, Tolstoy explores the strife present in nearly every aspect of human existence, like love, family, social class, and happiness.

We recommend the excellent English translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.
"He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking." Find it here
'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

As many a psychologist would tell you, being a mentally healthy person requires integrating your childhood into your adulthood.

There is probably no greater expression of childhood wonder and sorrow than "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Drawing on the author's experiences as an aviator in Africa, the book follows a young prince as he visits increasingly surreal planets.

"Of all the books written in French over the past century, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's 'Le Petit Prince' is surely the best loved in the most tongues," writes New Yorker critic Adam Gopnik.
"All grown-ups were once children... but only few of them remember it." Find it here
'The Power of Myth' by Joseph Campbell

An American student of the psychologist Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell spent his life revealing the connections between the world's faith and folk traditions. He developed the idea of the "monomyth," which states that all myths have the same basic structure, from Moses and Odysseus to Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter.

"The Power of Myth" is a wide-ranging conversation between Campbell and broadcast journalist Bill Moyers. Conducted at the end of a decades-long career, the interview format serves as an introduction to Campbell's eye-opening perspective - that, purposefully or not, we are living out myths in our lives.
"We're so engaged in doing things to achieve purposes of outer value that we forget the inner value, the rapture that is associated with being alive, is what it is all about." Find it here
'The Bhagavad Gita' - author unknown

Whatever you determine your calling to be, you'll find there are times when it's scary to answer it.

This ancient Hindu text tells the story of the prince Arjuna riding to battle and being overcome with doubt, since his enemies include friends and members of his family. He turns to his guide, the supreme deity Krishna, for help. Krishna explains why it is his duty to rush into battle and emerge victorious.

Though the tale is focused around warfare, Mahatma Gandhi said that it was the "Bhagavad Gita" that most inspired him in his peaceful quest for a free India.

The full depth of the text has been interpreted in countless ways over the past two millennia, but in simple terms, it serves as an inspiration to find one's purpose in life and fearlessly push forward.
"It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection." Find it here
'Siddhartha' by Hermann Hesse

Published in its original German in 1922, Herman Hesse's "Siddartha" wouldn't find an English translation until 1951.

Set in the ancient India of the historical Buddha, the book tells the spiritual coming-of-age story of a man named Siddartha.

Written in spare and elegant sentences, the novella provides a model for the journey into adulthood.
"What could I say to you that would be of value, except that perhaps you seek too much, that as a result of your seeking you cannot find." Find it here
'The Essential Rumi' by Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi

Alive in 13th-century Persia, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi wrote poetry that reveals the most profound of human emotions: awe, grief, longing.

With a new translation from American poet Coleman Barks, "The Essential Rumi" is a vital introduction to the philosopher-saint.
"Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth." Find it here
'The Year of Magical Thinking' by Joan Didion

Living inevitably means dying.

And when people die - or lose jobs, go through breakups, or move to different cities - we need to grieve.

But there are few instructions on how to grieve.

In "The Year of Magical Thinking," journalist Joan Didion unpacks the story of the death of her husband, author John Dunne. But to take it as simply therapy on the page would be reductive: The book is also a portrait of a remarkable marriage.
"I know why we try to keep the dead alive: we try to keep them alive in order to keep them with us. I also know that if we are to live ourselves there comes a point at which we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead. " Find it here
'The God of Small Things' by Arundhati Roy

Published in 1997, "The God of Small Things" became one of the most-read books by an Indian author and turned Roy into a literary celebrity.

Partway through, Roy defines a great story in an aside:

... the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably. They don't deceive you with thrills and trick endings. They don't surprise you with the unforeseen. They are as familiar as the house you live in. Or the smell of your lover's skin. You know how they end, yet you listen as though you don't. In the way that although you know that one day you will die, you live as though you won't. In the Great Stories you know who lives, who dies, who finds love, who doesn't. And yet you want to know again.

That is their mystery and their magic.

It's a description the book fits - a novel that reflects the complex interactions between adults, children, and children who become adults.
"And the air was full of Thoughts and Things to Say. But at times like these, only the Small Things are ever said. Big Things lurk unsaid inside." Find it here
'Fun Home' by Alison Bechdel

Another part of growing into yourself is finding the meaning in the various emotional episodes that define our childhoods.

In "Fun Home," graphic novelist Alison Bechdel investigates the complex relationship she had growing up with her father - his closeted homosexuality, her coming out as gay, and their isolation in rural Pennsylvania.

Bechdel received the MacArthur Genius grant last year, partially due to this landmark work.
"It was a vicious cycle, though. The more gratification we found in our own geniuses, the more isolated we grew." Find it here
'White Teeth' by Zadie Smith

Growing up also means coming to terms with the aspects of our identity that we were born with.

English author Zadie Smith's debut novel is about overlapping family histories in London in 1975. Smith's narrative is a meditation on coming to grips with being an immigrant or the child of immigrants, and how religion, race, and sexuality factor into one's personal and public identity.
"Every moment happens twice: inside and outside, and they are two different histories." Find it here
'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao' by Junot Díaz

As you come to understand who you are, you will need to determine how this fits or doesn't fit within the culture that raised you.

"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" won Junot Díaz the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Through his colorful combination of English, Spanish, and slang, Díaz tells the story of Oscar Wao, the "cursed," geeky son of Dominican immigrants growing up in New Jersey.

The characters' struggles deal with what it means to inherit culture that doesn't necessarily fit your worldview, as well as finding ways to process all of the baggage that comes with familial and cultural history.
"If you didn't grow up like I did then you don't know, and if you don't know it's probably better you don't judge." Find it here
'The Beggar Maid' by Alice Munro

It can be difficult adjusting the way you see your parents and upbringing from the perspective of an independent adult.

Alice Munro, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2013, published the short-story collection "The Beggar Maid" in 1978. It's a collection of vignettes that follows the growth of the protagonist Rose from childhood to adulthood.

What is perhaps most memorable about Rose's story is the way she comes to terms with her unpolished, lower-class upbringing as a sophisticated young woman.
"Love removes the world for you, and just as surely when it's going well as when it's going badly." Find it here
'The World According to Garp' by John Irving

Psychology research indicates that reading literary fiction improves your ability to sympathize with other people's points of view, since a novel is mental simulation of another person's life.

Therein lies part of the value of "The World According to Garp," John Irving's masterwork of New England social realism.

You spend an entire life with the narrator and his family, and learn something about yours in the process.

Find it here

'The Complete Persepolis' by Marjane Satrapi

"Persepolis" is an immersive and beautifully illustrated graphic-novel memoir about growing up as a girl in Iran during and after the revolution of 1978-79.

As an émigré living in Paris and writing her story in the late 1990s, Satrapi is able to analyze her first 25 years of life from an outsider's perspective.

Her story is intimately personal and within a specific historical and cultural context, but its chronicle of a child becoming an adult is universally relatable.
"I had learned that you should always shout louder than your aggressor." Find it here
'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates is the recipient of a 2015 MacArthur Fellowship - commonly referred to as a "genius grant" - for being arguably the most important and influential writer on race in America today.

His 2015 essay/memoir "Between the World and Me" is written in the form of a letter to his son. It explores how his childhood in Baltimore, his time at Howard University, and his early years as a journalist formed his worldview and simultaneously turns that worldview onto some of the most heated contemporary issues surrounding race's relationship to identity and equality in the US.

It's powerful enough that US President Barack Obama made a point of reading it this summer.
"The classroom was a jail of other people's interests. The library was open, unending, free." Find it here
'First They Killed My Father' by Loung Ung

In this powerful memoir, Loung Ung recounts her experience in Cambodia of having her family destroyed by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s. The way she has dealt with it serves as an extreme example of how to deal with whatever random event shakes us to the core.

Ung narrates the horrors of being forced to train as a child soldier and witnessing the worst of what mankind is capable of.

The book's true power comes through Ung's expression of how love can allow someone to survive even the greatest tragedies and find the strength to contribute to society after emerging on the other side.
"I think how the world is still somehow beautiful even when I feel no joy at being alive within it. " Find it here
'The Truth' by Neil Strauss

Whether you're in a long-term relationship or have been turned off from them completely, it's worth checking out this book.

In "The Truth," you follow Strauss' first-person journey through sex-addiction therapy and "love communes" in his quest for determining if he can commit to a monogamous relationship with the love of his life.

Hilarious, poignant, and at times absurd, it's a transformational read.
"Lying is about controlling someone else's reality, hoping that what they don't know won't hurt you." Find it here
'Iron John' by Robert Bly

"Iron John" is less a book about men than it is a historic, mythic, and poetic inquiry into the nature of mature masculinity - the kind that nurtures, protects, and explores.

Basically, if you think that being "like a guy" means to be cut off from emotion, aloof in relationships, and unable to express your interior world to the people around you, read this book.

It's a treasure trove of wisdom regardless of your gender or existing views, and also serves as a gorgeous introduction to the insights of Jungian psychology.
"Most American men today do not have enough awakened or living warriors inside to defend their soul houses. And most people, men or women, do not know what genuine outward or inward warriors would look like, or feel like." Find it here
'The Tipping Point' by Malcolm Gladwell

Twenty-somethings today have grown up with social media, but they're tapping into a timeless form of communication.

Malcolm Gladwell is a master of using data and reporting to illustrate an explanation of a certain aspect of society's mechanics.

His debut work, "The Tipping Point," came out 15 years ago, but its insights into how and why people distribute ideas and information until they become an "epidemic" is just as relevant and interesting today, especially since the idea of going viral has long been part of the zeitgeist.
"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire." Find it here
'The Black Swan' by Nassim Taleb

People love the illusion of certainty provided by predictions.

In "The Black Swan," investor-philosopher Taleb diagnoses the way people misguidedly lean on predictions as a way of moving through the world, and reveals how the most structured of systems are the most vulnerable to collapse - like the financial system in 2007.

It's rare to find a book that can literally change the way you think about the world and your knowledge about it. This is one such book.
"Missing a train is only painful if you run after it! Likewise, not matching the idea of success others expect from you is only painful if that's what you are seeking." Find it here
'The Miracle of Mindfulness' by Thich Nhat Hanh

Cognitive-science research confirms that the ancient practice of mindfulness mediation has many benefits,from stress reduction to increased cognitive flexibility to a boost in working memory.

The Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh's "The Miracle of Mindfulness" is probably the best introduction to the practice.

Originally a set of letters written to a friend, the book can be read in a single afternoon.
"In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy, but alert and awake. Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality." Find it here
'So Good They Can't Ignore You' by Cal Newport

Some of the most common advice you'll hear when you're starting out is that if you pursue your passion, the money will follow.

But there's a big caveat to that, argues Cal Newport, an author and a professor. For most people, he says that mastery of a certain skill can lead to finding your passion, since the mastery of this skill can open new doors and allow you to progress in your career.

He's not suggesting you give up on your dreams, but ensure that you pair them with a dose of reality and make yourself valuable in the marketplace.
"Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it." Find it here
'The Intelligent Investor' by Benjamin Graham

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman is just one of countless Wall Street power players who cite "The Intelligent Investor" as a book that was life-changing.

First published by Warren Buffett's mentor Benjamin Graham in 1949, it's an in-depth introduction to value investing.

Even if the industry you work in is far removed from finance, Graham's advice will help you make the most of your money in the long term.
"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Find it here
'Give and Take' by Adam Grant

Something in our culture tells us that we need to be barbaric and backstabbing in order to grow professionally.

But in "Give and Take," Wharton organizational psychologist Adam Grant shows how that grumpy outlook is quite wrong. The research indicates that people who create the most value for others are the ones who end up at the top of their fields.

And Grant shows you how.
"Highly successful people have three things in common: motivation, ability, and opportunity." Find it here
'The Power Broker' by Robert Caro

Not understanding how powerful people work makes you vulnerable to their will.

This is why "The Power Broker," Robert Caro's immense biography of New York urban planner Robert Moses, is so essential.

In it, Caro, the master journalist, chronicles the way Moses remade New York in his own vision - without being elected.

If you want to see Machiavellian principles in action, read this.
"Hospitality has always been a potent political weapon. Moses used it like a master. Coupled with his overpowering personality, a buffet often did as much for a proposal as a bribe." Find it here
'Flow' by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

After growing up hearing so much about the pursuit of happiness, one of the weird aspects of adulthood is the discovery that so little empirical research has gone into uncovering its mechanics.

Thus the necessity of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, whose "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" is the distillation of decades of research into how happiness actually works.

For Csikszentmihalyi, happiness is a product of a life lived at its frontiers, where one is constantly expanding and exploring the sense of self.

"A joyful life is an individual creation that cannot be copied from a recipe."
Find it here
'Zero to One' by Peter Thiel

Twenty-somethings today live in a world where startups turn young entrepreneurs into billionaires and tech founders have replaced Wall Street hotshots as what Tom Wolfe called "masters of the universe."

Billionaire investor and entrepreneur Peter Thiel's book pulls back the curtain on this world. It's an enjoyable and concise guide to how game-changing businesses are built and managed.

"Brilliant thinking is rare, but courage is in even shorter supply than genius."
Find it here
'Crossing the Unknown Sea' by David Whyte

There's relatively little quality writing about the place of work in our lives.

That's why "Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity" by David Whyte is like an oasis in a desert.

In it, Whyte, a British poet now living in America, frames a career not as a quarry to be captured, but an ongoing conversation one has with the world and one's self.
"A life's work is not a series of stepping-stones onto which we calmly place our feet, but more like an ocean crossing where there is no path, only a heading, a direction, which, of itself, is in conversation with the elements." Find it here
'Tiny Beautiful Things' by Cheryl Strayed

Sometimes you just need some advice.

And there's no greater advice columnist than Cheryl Strayed, who wrote essayistic replies to readers of the Rumpus literary magazine under the name "Sugar."

They're collected in "Tiny Beautiful Things," and they hit hard.
"The useless days will add up to something. The shitty waitressing jobs. The hours writing in your journal. The long meandering walks. The hours reading poetry and story collections and novels and dead people's diaries and wondering about sex and God and whether you should shave under your arms or not. These things are your becoming." Find it here
'How Will You Measure Your Life?' by Clayton Christensen

"How Will You Measure Your Life?" is a philosophical meditation disguised as a business book.

There's a mystery at the center: When Christensen graduated from Harvard Business School in 1979, he and his classmates were on top of the world. But by their 25-year reunion, many of his peers were in crisis - whether it be private in the case of estranged children, or public in the case of Jeffrey Skilling, the head of Enron.

The book investigates why some of those incredibly privileged people leave their lives in ruins, while others flourish.
"It's easier to hold your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold them 98 percent of the time." Find it here Read more: * Deliveroo raises $100m for food delivery service Read the original article on Business Insider UK.
© 2015. Follow Business Insider UK onTwitter.
* London going through 'period of exceptional growth'
* Ikea's amazing new shelter for refugees
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Drake Baer, Richard Feloni, Business Insider

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These are the 33 books everyone should read before turning 30

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Your 20s are a time for figuring out who you are and what you want from life. While the only way to learn is to survive the inevitable cycle of successes and failures, it is always useful to have some guidance along the way.

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Check how good you are at word building - Use of English Part 3.

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Read the text and then use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits the space in the same line.

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Look at this list of confusing words - do you know the difference between all of them? If you aren't sure just click on them and find out more about their meaning!

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"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Albert Einstein

Ache and Hurt

Ancient , Old, Elderly and Antique

Arrive At and Arrive In + Exercises

As(conj) and Like (prep)

Actually and At the Moment

Beat and Win

Because and Because of

Between and Among

Can and Be Able to

Classic and Classical

Cook (a) and a Cooker

Corner: In the Corner and On the Corner

Could and Managed to

Degree and Career

Dream Of and Dream About

End: At the End and In the End

Especially and Specially

Farther and Further

Finally, in the end,eventually, lastly and at last

Finish and End Up

Hang and Hunged

Hard and Hardly

Have and Have Got

High and Tall

Historic and Historical

Ill and Sick

Late and Lately

Lastly, at last, finally, in the end,eventually

Made of, Made From and Made By

Maths or Math

Near and Near to

Old and Elder

Pay and Pay for

Roast and Baked

Stressed, Stressful and Stressing

Teacher, Professor and Lecturer

Teacher/Professor/Lecturer/Tutor/Instructor/ Coach/Trainer

Think Of, About, On and In

Toothache or A Toothache?

Travel/Trip/Journey/Voyage/Crossing/Flight/ Cruise

Used to and Would

Weekend : At the Weekend and On the Weekend

Weigh, Weighed and Weight

While and Whereas

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"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Albert Einstein Ache and Hurt Ancient , Old, Elderly and Antique Arrive At and Arrive In + Exercises As(conj) and Like (prep) Actually and At the Moment Beat and Win Because and Because of Between

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18 simple social skills that will make you more likable...and might help you during your next job interview, Cambridge Speaking Exam or even a date ;)

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At the end of the day, your likability often boils down to your emotional intelligence.

You might be naturally likable, or you might be a work in progress. If you're in the latter group, here are the highlights of one particularly helpful Quora thread: "What are useful social skills that can be picked up quickly?"

Out of the 83 answers submitted by users, we selected 18 simple ways to instantly become more likable:

Kathleen Elkins and Natalie Walters contributed to previous versions of this article.

1. Make eye contact

"It is an idiotically simple thing, but it remains one of the most impactful life hacks around," writes Quora user Brad Porter. "The most attractive quality in a person is confidence. But 'be confident' is not very good advice. Instead, find the best proxy for confidence, in terms of interactive behavior. And that's eye contact."

Start this habit immediately, says Porter. It requires no practice or special skill - just the commitment to meet someone's gaze and look them in the eye while conversing.

2. Put your smartphone in your pocket

And keep it there until your conversation or meeting is over. Basil Chiasson puts it simply: "Pay attention. Look at them. Stop what you're doing. No interruptions."

This is another simple yet effective habit that can be executed immediately and does not require any effort or skill.

3. Call people by name

The next time someone greets you by name or uses your name mid-conversation, remember how great that feels.

If you have trouble putting names to faces, try different strategies, such as writing them down or using imagery or rhymes associated with the name. Quora user Howard Lee suggests repeating names verbally when you're first introduced and then twice more in your head.

4. Smile

Don't underestimate the power of smiling.

Additionally, laugh and tell jokes, recommends Quora user Craig Fraser. People unconsciously mirror the body language of the person they're talking to. If you want to be likable, use positive body language and people will naturally return the favor.

5. Give a firm handshake

"Not too hard, certainly not limp and soft, and with no dominance play," writes Tony Vincent.

Research shows that people decide whether or not they like you within seconds of meeting you. A firm handshake contributes largely to that first impression, as do strong posture and positive body language.

6. Listen

Listen more than you speak, says Quora user Mark Bridgeman: "You have two ears, only one mouth. That's the ratio you should use them with."

7. Don't just listen - actively listen

Simply hearing words doesn't cut it. Likable people truly listen to the person they're talking to.

Active listening requires four steps, writes Chiasson: hearing, interpreting, evaluating, and responding.

Step one requires dropping what you're doing and paying attention. Next, "paraphrase what you've heard and ask clarifying questions," she suggests. Evaluating means steering clear of quick judgment and jumping to conclusions: "Make sure you have all the pertinent information before forming or expressing an opinion." Finally, "give feedback to let the speaker know that you heard them," she writes.

8. Flatter people

"This grabs people directly by their ego and is therefore extremely effective," writes Julian Reisinger.

He suggests using conversation openers that make the other person feel like an expert, such as "You know a lot about social marketing, don't you?" or "Do you know why I always get this error message?"

This way, you learn something new and the other person gets to feel needed. "It's as easy as that, it's a win-win, and it works 100% of the time," Reisinger says.

9. Know how to accept a compliment

Accepting a compliment can be tricky because you don't want to seem egotistical.

But you also don't want to mumble a "Thanks, you too" because that makes you seem self-conscious and socially inept.

So instead of giving phrases like "You look 10 times better than me" or "It was all thanks to you," Reisinger suggests accepting the compliment with confidence by using phrases like "Thanks! Hearing that feels really good" or "Thank you! What an amazing experience."

10. If someone is interrupted, ask them to continue

Everyone has been that person who is telling a story, gets interrupted, and then has to awkwardly stand by, wondering if anyone was even listening to you.

Milena Rangelov says that you can be that person's liberator by saying something like, "Hey, can you please finish your story about the bicycle ride? The last thing you mentioned is that dogs started following you. Can I hear the rest, please?"

You will instantly put the speaker at ease and make them feel appreciated, she writes.

11. Don't complain

Being around negative people is draining.

That's why Milena Rangelov calls them "energetic vampires" - "because they suck your energy."

Being a Negative Nancy is an instant turnoff. If you notice yourself complaining while everyone else starts to look distracted, do yourself a favor and pick a new topic.

12. Tell great stories

Storytelling doesn't come naturally to everyone. Quora user Joe Cassandra gives some good, concrete advice on how to master the skill:

"Write down 20 stories and store them in an Evernote. Before social interactions, pull it out to refresh and whip those bad boys out and get people laughing. What you'll find is each time you tell the story, you get better. You'll see where most people laugh. Where they don't, Where their eyes glaze over etc. Practice, Practice. I've mastered my dog Cooper's 'Easter from Hell story' because I've told it a zillion times. It's funny."

13. Ask specific questions

Reisinger says to appeal to the ego by acknowledging your companion's expertise and asking plenty of questions.

"These questions are not only positioning the other person as an expert, they are stroking their ego so much, that you can learn a lot of stuff from them."

14. Be a bit self-deprecating

Quora user Dean Yeong says he's terrible at remembering names, which can make for awkward scenes at professional events. Nowadays, he's just upfront with others about his bad memory.

"Therefore, before people even introduce themselves to me, I tell them I'm bad at remembering names in the first place," he says.

15. Don't jump to conclusions

Sometimes, our brains can cause us to jump to conclusions about people. This can cause us to become more closed off. In order to avoid getting the wrong impression of anyone, Quora user John Roldan argues that it's important to get familiar with nonverbal communication.

"The problem with making a 'snap judgment' is we make them with a 'low level structure' in our brain. This implies that little reasoning is employed when we initially attribute character traits to someone."

16. Watch your body language

"The words you use are just a small part of communication," Rahul Jain says. "How you use your tone of voice and your body language is over 90 percent of what you are communicating."

17. Skip the small talk

Pete Zbrojkiewicz recommends to forgo "polite conversation" and get a little vulnerable with the other person, if you're looking to become friends.

"We may not have experienced the same activities, but we have experienced the same emotions," he argues. "So when I say you need to find common interests, I mean you need to find something that sparks similar emotions in both of you."

18. Make everyone feel included

It stinks to feel left out when you're talking in a group. You can avoid this by making sure you look at everyone involved, according to Reisinger.

"Make everyone feel like they are a part of the conversation and their attention will be yours," he says.

If it appears that someone in the group is trying to say something but keeps getting cut off, take it upon yourself to help them jump in. You can try, "Jim, did you want to say something?" But never put anyone on the spot of make them feel uncomfortable.
Read more: * This chart is easy to interpret: It says we're screwed Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
* How Uber became the world's most valuable startup
* These 4 things could trigger the next crisis in Europe
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18 simple social skills that will make you more likable

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At the end of the day, your likability often boils down to your emotional intelligence. You might be naturally likable, or you might be a work in progress. If you're in the latter group, here are the highlights of one particularly helpful Quora thread: "What are useful social skills that can be picked up quickly?"

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Some useful tips on how to improve your essay writing.

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Some useful tips on how to improve your essay writing.

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Writing is a process. For some students it might seem like a daunting task, but if you look at it as a succession of small steps to follow instead of looking at it as the big final product, writing can be fun and easy.

Useful Links:

Part 1. The Writing Process

Brainstorm for ideas

Write down all the ideas you can think of. You can try mind mapping your ideas. It is a good technique to generate ideas and expand on them. You can begin by writing a big bubble in the middle of the page with the topic and then use arrows to draw new bubbles with ideas and again arrows with more specific points or observations about this idea.

At this stage, don't worry about spelling or grammar mistakes.

Organise your ideas

Decide which ideas to keep.

Group similar ideas together.

Organise your ideas according to the writing task.

Focus on language

Think of words and expressions you will need in your work.

Write a draft

Write quickly. Don't worry about things such as accuracy or neatness.

Use a pencil so that it is easier to make corrections and erase things.

If you are writing your draft by hand, leave a wide margin for notes and space between the lines for additions and corrections.

If you can't think of a word in English, write it in your own language. You can look it up in a dictionary later.

If you don't know the spelling of a word, write it anyway you can. You can look it up in a dictionary later.

Improve your draft

Do it slowly and conscientiously.

Check spellings in the dictionary and look up any word you felt unsure of. Here's a very useful post Six Amazing Websites that Make your Writing Stronger.

Use a checklist to improve your work. See the one my students use here.

Read your draft aloud. Circle the things that need to be improved, reworded or clarified.

Take a break from writing and reread your draft after 30 minutes. Does everything sound right?

Write a final draft

Copy your corrected work neatly on a clean sheet of paper.

Make sure your paragraphs are clearly indicated.

Adapted from Burlington Books
An essay consists of several paragraphs about a topic. Although there are many different kinds of essays, they all have the same basic structure.

Opening

It is the general presentation of the topic. Try to get the reader interested in your essay. How can you do that? For example, by beginning

Humans usually imitate the speech of someone with a strong accent due to empathy and to create a bond and assimilate with them.

" If you could interview anybody in the world, who would you choose?" asked the teacher. "Nelson Mandela", I replied.
Did you know that there is an island in Japan that has more than 450 people living above the age of 100?
The Body.

The body can have one or more paragraphs which develop the topic. The first paragraph should contain the strongest argument or example. The second paragraph the second strongest argument and the third the weakest.

A paragraph consists of several sentences about a certain topic. It has the following parts:

A topic sentence, i.e. an idea.

One or several supporting sentences to expand on the idea.

A concluding sentence.

The parts should flow logically and the ideas should be easy to understand.

Go from general to specific. Give a general idea and then expand it.

Avoid unnecessary repetition by using pronouns to refer back to nouns already mentioned.

Use connector to join sentences and show the connection between ideas.

The Closing

It is the paragraph that summarizes the main idea or presents a conclusion, depending on the kind of essay you need to write. Some things to bear in mind:

It should not bring new ideas.

It shouldn't be very long.

It can be similar to the opening, but presented in different words.

13 Tips to Raise your Essay Score

Read the assignment thoroughly, several times if necessary and underline anything relevant. Sometimes there is a question or several. Make sure you cover all of them. Focus on the purpose of the composition, on the tone and the style required and also on the length requirements.

Plan your writing. You need to dedicate several minutes to planning what you are going to say and how you are going to say. It makes a big difference.

Write a first draft. Use pencil, if possible, to erase or correct errors.

Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence and then write some supporting sentences about this topic sentence. 1 idea= 1 paragraph.

Use a variety of vocabulary and grammar structures. Avoid repeating the same words over and over again. Use synonyms or paraphrase. A thesaurus or a lexicon is useful as a source of alternative words. Use a range of grammar, sentence structure should be varied and clear.

Use connectors to join ideas. They also play an important part in stringing together sentences and paragraphs.

Time management. Organize the time you are given to write the essay. If you have one hour to complete the task, dedicate 10 minutes to planning and organizing your ideas and allow about 10 minutes at the end to proofread your essay before giving it to the teacher. You will still have 40 minutes left to write and develop your ideas.

Keep to the topic. Don't write about things that have nothing to do with the assignment.

Sound natural. Just because you know lots of connectors, it doesn't mean you have to use all of them.

Punctuation. Pay attention to punctuation, especially to the correct use of commas and periods. Your text can be confusing if you don't use them adequately.

Style. Think about the purpose of the assignment and the audience it addresses and use the correct style and tone. If it's informal, you can use colloquial language, simple and shorter sentences, contractions, abbreviations and emotional language. On the contrary if it's a formal assignment, you will need to use more complex sentences, avoid contractions and abbreviations and you should definitely avoid emotional language or colloquial expressions.

Proofread your essay. Have a coffee or go for a walk. Come back, take your essay and reread it aloud. Does it sound "right"? Then, it's ready!

Read a lot and try to write about anything for 30 minutes every day. You'll soon get better.

Thanks for reading!
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The Writing Process and 13 Tips to Raise your Essay Score

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Writing is a process. For some students it might seem like a daunting task, but if you look at it as a succession of small steps to follow instead of looking at it as the big final product, writing can be fun and easy. Useful Links: Six amazing websites that make your writing stronger.

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I've creaed this page so as we can share interesting materials in English and about English. This is basically a place for you to share, learn, help&motivate each other and have some extra exposure to English outside the classroom! Any contribution and comments are welcome!

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Loads of prepositions!

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100+ Popular Preposition Collocations with ESL Images in English - ESLBuzz Learning English

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In English, many nouns, verbs, and adjectives are commonly followed by prepositions. Below is the list of common preposition collocations in English you should know.