English Today

Make or Do ?

A. MAKE

 

make the bed

make noise

make a promise

make haste = hurry up

make the difference

make progress

make money

make a speech

make a mistake

make up my mind

make love

make war

make no bones about it = not to hesitate, do something without feeling guilty

He was sacked but his boss made no bones about it.

make friends

make a decision

make somebody a present

make a discovery

make an excuse

make eyes at = look lovingly at someone

B. DO

do wonders

do my duty

do + studies : do medicine, engineering, economics etc

do my best

do good / do harm

do my hair

do a favour

do my homework

do well at (e.g. school)

do the bedroom / the living-room etc = clean

do with / do without

- I could do with some more money.

- Can you do without milk this morning?

IGCSE Listening - June 2009 - Answer Key

Download IGCSE_Listening_June2009

Questions 1-6

1. 20, East Road

2. stay on island till 5:00 pm / take the first boat in the morning (5:00 am) / wait for 5:00 am boat

3. (i) map (ii) telephone / get directions to his house

4. exam tomorrow / can't attend tomorrow

5. to do some sightseeing

6. (i) have to use side / different / other entrance

    (ii) a couple of streets / blocks away

Question 7

40 years

3 metres

legroom

traffic

rescue / emergency

petrol

corn

200

vertical

Authority or Ministry of Transport

Question 8

water / heat / environment

energy / fuel resources

turn off

To avoid 50% heat loss:

• insulation / padding
• gaps
• insert / inflate / put / place / push

To avoid wasting electricity:

• low energy
• turn off items at mains when not in use
• dry clothes

recycle

Question 9

(a) sandstorms / bad or extreme weather / global warming

(b) whole chunks of the Wall gone / Wall swallowed by the desert / Wall destroyed

( c ) drained the underground water / made it drier / Wall falling down / reduced height

(d) mud and sand ( mad NOT accepted!)

(e) build barriers / plant trees

(f) (i) nomads / nomadic tribes

    (ii) tourists / 10 million visitors

Question 10

(a) biggest diamond in the universe / 4,000 km across

(b) named after well-known song by famous pop group (The Beatles)

( c ) glows / pulsates

(d) it was a sun

(e) hot core of a star / inner part of a star / part left over after star dies

(f) became solid / crystallised

IGCSE Listening Test - May/June 2009

Download IGCSE_Listening_June2009

 

You will find the recording (Tracks 1-6) at the sidebar of my page, under Podcast. The answer key will be posted tomorrow.

Informal email

I've recently got a lot of emails from people - non native speakers of English - asking me to explain how to compose an informal e-mail. Here goes.

Jack has received an email from his friend Alice who has moved overseas for her new job. Here's Alice's email:

Hi Jack,

Thanks for your email. It sounds like you're having a great time in London.You asked me to tell you about my new job, so here goes!

Well, for a start, the company I work for now is quite big. There are about 1,560 employees but there's only one guy I really like to hang out with. His name is Peter and he is a pretty cool guy. He's asked me out twice so far and I'm beginning to really fall for him. I'm getting on well with my boss at the moment.  I have to ! I'm his executive secretary,you know. He seems to be a really nice man, yet he tends to be rather unreasonable at times! Ah well, I'll survive. Paris is an amazing city which I hope to explore in my free time.

What's up with you? Write soon and tell me everything. I miss you and hope to see you soon. Can't wait to hear from you.

 
Yours,

Alice

PLAN - INFORMAL EMAIL

1. Greeting : Hi / Dear.....(+first name)

2.Body :

• thank your friend for his / her email and say why you're writing
• make sure you answer all of your friends questions

3. Closing:

• ask what your friend is doing
• express hope to see him/her soon

4. Signing off:

• Yours
• Love
• Lots of love
• Your friend

followed by your first name.

Useful openings:

• it was great to hear from you (hear from someone = have news)
• I was very glad to catch up with you (catch up with someone = learn someone's news)
• Sorry for the delay to get back to you but I've been really busy lately. I'm jammed up with work. (=too much work)
• You asked me to tell you about _____ so here goes!

Useful closings:

• What's up with you?
• What's happening with you?
• I miss you.
• Write soon.
• Can't wait to hear from you.
• Hope all's well with you and yours.

TIP

Use an informal, chatty language but avoid electronic language (e.g. how r u? what's 4 dinner tonight?). This is definitely not English!

Special Difficulties - All

A. Adjective

1) all + noun in plural = the whole number of

• All the boys need to work harder.
• All dogs are animals.

2) all + noun in singular = the whole extent or amount of

• They had all the fun and we had all the work.
• All this is a mystery to me.
• He spent all that month by the sea.

3) all = every one of

• All our guests enjoyed themselves.
• It is beyond all doubt that he never tells lies.

B. Pronoun

all = everyone / everything

• All is calm.
• All wanted to leave early.
• They were all broke.
• Take it all.

C. Adverb = quite, entirely

• She was all excited.
• Your hair is all sand.
• They were dressed all in black. (= entirely in black) BUT
• They were all dressed in black = everyone

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are verbs that are comprised of a main verb plus a particle, or preposition. Some phrasal verbs have two particles after the main verb.

She gets up at six o'clock every morning.
Turn on the television, that programme is starting now.
My grandmother lives with us and we look after her.
I will never live up to my mother's expectations of me.

Phrasal verbs must be learnt individually like normal verbs. Often there is a clue, a help, in the main verb as to its meaning:

She sat down on the sofa.
I am looking for my glasses. Where are they?

But often there isn't any help in the main verb:

I didn't want to speak to her, so I hung up.
We had to put our cat down last year. It was terrible.

Once you learn the meaning of a phrasal verb, you then must learn how it can be used. Most importantly, you must learn if it is formal or informal English and if it can be separated or not.

Most phrasal verbs can be separated - that is, the main verb and the particle can have another word, usually the object, in between them.

I got John up at seven o'clock as he had to leave early.
She said she didn't have a hotel room so I put her up.
They picked their parents up from the airport.

•Usually, if we use a pronoun such as it, her, him, etc, this must go between the main verb and the particle.

But you need to learn those that can't be separated:

They got on the bus.    NOT    They got the bus on.

You should treat phrasal verbs like any normal vocabulary. That is to say, you must learn each one individually - its meaning and its use.

IGCSE Past Exam Papers - November 2006

Download IGCSE-Reading-and-Writing-Extended-October2006
 

IGCSE Writing - Expressing Opinions - Answer Key

Reference Guide

MODEL ANSWER

Dear Editor,

We are delighted that a new motorway is being planned for Conway because it will bring so many benefits to the town.

In the first place, Conway has suffered from the recession and many young people are unemployed after leaving school. The motorway will bring a much needed boost to business, as communications will be faster, cheaper and more efficient. Consequently, the businesses we already have will find life easier, new companies will be attracted to Conway and there will be more jobs for everyone.

Furthermore, we know a large number of people commute daily to the city. The present winding road is tiring, time-wasting,and, above all, dangerous. The new scheme will not only mean a big reduction in time spent commuting, it will also provide a much safer and more relaxing journey. We don't think anyone ever feels nostalgic about traffic jams!

Many readers might be worried about pollution from increased traffic. On the contrary, pollution will actually decrease as so many new trees, especially chosen for their ability to absorb car fumes, will be planted.

Finally, the new motorway will also serve as a by-pass for the large lorries that now go through Conway town centre. There is no doubt that the motorway will really put Conway on the map. If we want a bright future for ourselves and our children, we should all support it. (228 words)

Yours faithfully,

The Conway Business Group

Easily Confused Words 5

 
1. physiological / psychological

physiological = relating to the body and the normal functions of living creatures

 
Scientists have been studying the physiological features of some rare species of apes.

psychological = relating to mental activities

Mary suffers from depression so she needs psychological support.

2. neglect / ignore

neglect =  (a) not to take enough care of

   (b) disregard

Susan was complaining about being neglected by her husband.

Paul has been neglecting his studies lately.

ignore = take no notice of

John ignored the manager's instructions, so he got sacked.

3. modern / contemporary

modern = of the present times

Michelle's house is equipped with all modern conveniences.

contemporary = belonging to the same time

I have recently visited an exhibition of contemporary Japanese prints.

4. earn / win

earn = get money in return for work or as a reward

Anna's father earns 1,350 euros monthly

After the exams, all students had a well earned holiday.

win= get a prize as a reward or do best in a game

If I win the lottery, I'll buy a yacht.

Who won the race?

5. petrol / benzine

petrol = refined substance (petroleum) used to drive engines in motor cars

We must stop at the next station and fill up with petrol.

benzine = colourless liquid obtained from mineral oil used for cleaning

I need some benzine to take off that stain.

6. inhabitant / resident

inhabitant = person living in a place

Most of the inhabitants of our city spend the weekend at the countryside.

resident = person living in a place contrasted to a visitor

The residents of this area don't like tourists.

IGCSE Writing - Expressing Opinions

The IGCSE Task : writing a letter from outline notes to express an opinion

Example:

In your neighbourhood, there is a large open area called Antalya Place which is used by young people for ball games. Your council are proposing to dig up the area and plant a flower garden with benches for elderly people. Trees will be planted too. No hall games will be allowed.

Write a letter to the local newspaper giving your views. 

Your letter should be about 200 words long.

You should:

• try to be even-handed in the discussion of the issues
• discuss both advantages and disadvantages
• state your opinion firmly

PLAN

A. INTRODUCTION: explain why you are writing

B. BODY

Paragraph 1 : Points in Favour

1. Flower garden would brighten up area ; flowers and plants provide a habitat for a wide variety of insect life.
2. Old people have no meeting place ; garden would provide focal point for meeting each other.
3. Trees welcome; provide shade ; reduce pollution and noise levels, provide protection against wind.

Paragraph 2 : Points against

1. Young people need opportunity to practise ball games : most live in flats - no gardens or other space nearby.
2. Local football and netball teams are winning matches ; will be less successful if they cannot practise ; morale and team confidence will sink.
3. Young people meet friends, have picnics, watch matches, enjoy themselves here. Without this area, boredom and resentment might set in ; vandalism might be a problem.

 C. CONCLUSION : state your opinion firmly

1. Suggest an alternative solution
2. Council's suggestion will promote passive entertainment for the young

D. SIGN OFF 

TIPS

1. Always plan your letter. The plan above can help you do so.
2. Make sure you have developed all the points of the task.
3. Use transitions (linking words) to pass on smoothly from one paragraph to the next - yet do not exaggerate. Too many transitions will make your writing awkward. Use a few effective transitions.

MODEL ANSWER

Dear Editor,

I am writing to express my concern about our local council's suggestion to dig up Antalya Place in order to plant a flower garden for the elderly.

On the one hand, a flower garden will brighten up the area. Besides, flowers and plants provide a habitat for a wide variety of insect life. The garden would also provide a focal point for the elderly to meet each other. As for the trees, they are very welcome. They provide shade, reduce pollution and noise levels and offer protection against the wind.

On the other hand, young people need an opportunity to practise ball games.Most of them live in flats and there are no gardens nearby. Local football and netball teams have been winning matches for a long time now. If they cannot practise, they will certainly be less successful and , as a result, morale and team confidence will sink. In addition, young people meet friends,have picnics, watch matches and enjoy themselves here. Without this area, boredom and resentment might set in. I am also afraid vandalism might be a problem.

Therefore, I strongly feel that the council should look for another place to plant a garden for the elderly. How about the abandoned field on the outskirts of our town? I truly hope that the council will reconsider their decision as, I am sure, they wouldn't like to promote passive entertainment for the young.  (233 words)

Yours faithfully,

Bill Jones

NOW YOUR TURN

Conway's council is supporting government plans to build a new motorway. This will link Conway to the capital and to some other large cities. Do you think this will be a good development for Conway?

Write a letter to the Editor of Conway Express sharing your views.

Your letter should be about 200 words long.

You should:

• Say who is likely to benefit.
• Say who might be against the idea.
• Clearly state and justify your own opinion.