D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 16

Class

Presentation - Maria Luisa

Congratulations Maria Luisa, I think all your colleagues would agree that your presentation was well organised and confidently delivered. The fact that you fielded 15 minutes worth of questions proves that you got your audience really interested in your topic. Well done. 

Feedback and corrections

Essays - Feedback and questions

Points to remember - Essays

• To what extent do you think = how much do you agree or disagree
• Many essays did not answer the question directly. Always answer the question clearly in the introduction, stating your opinion or presenting both sides of the argument. 
• Don't use abbreviations - advert or advertisement not adv
• Check your use of articles, plural and general nouns usually don't take the, e.g. The 90% of them
• Check singular and plural forms and noun + verb agreement
• This (singular) These (plural) - be sure of the difference in pronunciation as well as meaning. 

ANIA C2 Group 6 Lesson 10

Class

Legal writing in plain English

Coping with legalese

Golden rules of writing in English

Notes: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/25080245/Legal%20Writing%20In%20Plain%20English

Vocabulay

Ropey

Stilted

Jargon

To sing from the same hymn book

Phrasal verbs and fixed expressions

To pawn off

To palm off

To give off

To live off (someone or something)

To come on (too) strong

To come undone/unstuck/unstrung/unglued

ANIA C1 Group 5 Lesson 10

Class

Correcting modals 

(N.b. The use of the modal + perfect infinitive construction for describing many past situations)

Modals in Legal English

Shall for promises, obligations and future actions or states

May for permission.

Going further:
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/languages/functions-of-modal-verbs-in-european-and-british-legal-documents.php

Vocabulary

In lieu thereof = instead

Vested in = given to

Provided = on condition

Memorandum of association = legal document that sets out the important elements of a corporation, e.g. Name, address, powers and objects

Homework

1. Find a legal document (e.g. Terms and conditions, contract) either at home or on the internet. What modals does it contain?

2. You Must Love Me (1996) This song was written for the film version of Evita and won an Oscar in 1997. What does must mean in this song? Does the meaning change during the song? Listen to the different stress that Madonna gives the modal throughout the song, how does this affect the meaning?

For lyrics go to https://genius.com/Madonna-you-must-love-me-lyrics

ANIA C1 Group 2 Lesson 10

Class
GET/Make/Do - collocations

Notes
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/89337650/Get

Corrections
make a point
do one's best
make a mistake
make a proposal
get out of doing something
get something straight
"What are you getting at?" = What do you mean/What are you trying to say? 

Homework

Make a spotify playlist with songs that have get in their title, verse or chorus. What does get mean in each song? Here are some suggestions:

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 17

Class

1. Presentation Skills - Signposting Language http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32233573/Presentations
2. Health & Safety Vocabulary (pp. 46 - 47)

Vocabulary

trailing cables

R.S.I.  - Repetitive Strain Injury

Homework

Reading p. 48, question 1.

ANIA B2 Group 8 Lesson 9

Class
Discussion

• Hackathon
• Black Point App
• road safety figures
• expressions for percentages and fractions
• verbs for describing trends

Vocabulary

• percentage
• cycling lanes
• plunge
• plummet
• soar
• rocket

Corrections

• stage internship
• check the difference between industry and business
• fastly

D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 15

Class
Opinion Led Essay - p. 55
Timed Writing

Vocabulary 
rephrase
essay
to deal with a problem/difficult situation 

ANIA C1 Group 5 Lesson 9

Class

1. Paired conjunctions
2. Modals continued - probability, ability, necessity, can. For notes go to http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442644/Modals
3. Noticing the modal perfect when listening http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442648/Pronunciation

1. He must have paid the bill, we've got all the money.

2. She can't have arrived, her car isn't here.

3. He couldn't have written this, his English isn't good enough.

4. They must have cancelled the class because the room is empty.

5. I should have taken that job, I've missed a great opportunity.

A lot of listening problems come from elision. This is also a source of much humour in the English language as this scene from Ghostbusters (2016) demonstrates. 

Corrections

I have a big flu 

Flu is uncountable but cold (with the meaning of illness) is countable, and neither collocate with the adjective big, therefore:

I have a heavy cold

I have a bad case of the flu. 

Homework

Finish the modal exercises on the handout including the questions on may and shall in legal contexts. 

ANIA C2 Group 6 Lesson 9

Class

1. Feedback on writing task

2.Listening Skills - Using Podcasts

Losing Friends In A Club - Should you move around or stand still?
Listen again or download from here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04hxmrg
The relevant story starts at 12:54 and runs until 18:04

Fixed Phrases & Phrasal Verbs
to bump into someone/each other
to stay put/still
to synch up
to smooth out
to cover (more) ground

Synonyms
steps/paces
friends/chums/companions
move/roam around

Keep
Keep your head
Keep straight (ahead)
Keep going/walking
Keep the change

Lexical sets
Experiments
test a course of action
roadtest a theory
put in some legwork

Clubbing
have a night out
head to the bar
bar, entrance, DJ booth
spill a drink (over someone)
keep the change
a half, a pint e.g. "2 half shandies please."
to get chucked out (of the club)

Homework

Listen to the podcast again (use the link above) focussing on an aspect of vocabulary.

% Films For Freedom - Short Films Brought To You By The British Council

The #FiveFilms4Freedom 2017 are available for free online from 16-26 March. They are brought to you by the British Council in partnership with BFI Flare, the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) film festival in London.

To watch the films for free go to this link https://www.britishcouncil.org/fivefilms4freedom/watch-films

Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

ANIA C1 Group 2 Lesson 8

Class

Learning modals in context - will/shall/should/must

Notes

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442644/Modals

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 16

Class

1. Feedback on report writing:

• Check collocations (e.g. spend money on something/someone) rather than translating.
• Use strong descriptive verbs rather than generic verbs (make, do, have) + a noun 
• Check nouns for nationaliites: Italians, the French (or French people), Germans, New Zealanders, the Japanese, Swedes, Danes.

2. Presentation skills - listening

• Preparation
• Delivery
• Signposting language

http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32233573/Presentations

Homework

Look at the links below and start learning examples of signposting language to help you with your upcoming presentations.
https://www.englishclub.com/speaking/presentations-language.htm
http://www.englishranch.com/FrontEndResources/Presentations%20-%20Signposting%20Language%20CO.htm

Presentation Timetable
As we discussed today, part of your assessment this year will be based on a presentation. The presentation can be on a topic of your choice and you should aim to talk for between 5 - 10 minutes including time for questions. Don't think of it as a test but as an opportunity to practise a useful skill. In my feedback I will focus mostly on how you organised your talk and your use of signposting language. Check the timetable below to see when you have to give your presentation. In the lesson the week before your presentation you will have the opportunity to have a 15 minute private coaching session with me, so make sure you attend both of those lessons. 

3/4 Andrea (so your coaching session will be next Monday, 27th March)

10/4 Luca

8/5 Loredana

15/5 Maria Grazia

22/5 Matteo

29/5 Stefano

5/6 Giovanni

If you weren't in class today, let me know when you would like to give your presentation. The dates available are 12/6, 19/6, 26/6, 3/7, 10/7.

Corrections
You should choice choose...
What are is the most important information? 

ANIA B2 Group 8 Lesson 8

Class
1. Discussion - ANIA Cares

2. Fake News and Critical Thinking
Speaking & Listening Skills

Vocabulary
Word Formation
Critic (noun - person), criticism (noun - concept), criticise (verb),  critical (adjective), critically (adverb).
Uncritical (opposite)

Fail (verb),  failure (noun)

Collocations from the listening
Make a judgment/decision (verb + noun)
Carry out research (phrasal verb + noun)
Clear/unclear, critical/uncritical thinking (adjective + noun)
Based on
Curious about (adjective + preposition)

Verb structure
Encourage someone to do something
Expect someone to do something

D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson14

Class

Discussion: Fake News and Critical Thinking

Listening skills - What is critical thinking?

Reading skills - critical thinking.

Text: New Language Leader Intermediate pp. 54 - 55

Unit 5, recording 8, track 33

Homework

P. 55 question 5a (1 - 8) critical thinking reading task. Come to the next lesson ready to discuss your ideas and findings.

Vocabulary

Harm

Worthwhile

Outweigh

Producer

Thoughtful

Tasty

Iron out (problems/difficulties/a situation)

Collocations from the listening

Make a judgment/decision (verb + noun)

Carry out research (phrasal verb + noun)

Clear/unclear, critical/uncritical thinking (adjective + noun)

Based on

Curious about (adjective + preposition)

Verb structure

Encourage someone to do something

Expect someone to do something

Word Formation

Critic (noun - person), criticism (noun - concept), criticise (verb),  critical (adjective), critically (adverb).

Uncritical (opposite)

Presentation Timetable

As we discussed last week, part of your assessment this year will be based on a presentation. The presentation can be on a topic of your choice and you should aim to talk for between 5 - 10 minutes including time for questions. Don't think of it as a test but as an opportunity to practise a useful skill. In my feedback I will focus mostly on how you organised your talk and your use of signposting language. Check the timetable below to see when you have to give your presentation. In the lesson the week before your presentation you will have the opportunity to have a 15 minute private coaching session with me, so make sure you attend both of those lessons. 

Date 

30th March Maria Luisa (so your coaching session will be next week)

6th April Andrea

13th April Barbara

27th April Pierluigi

4th May Simonetta G.

11th May Luca

18th May Antonio

25th May Giuseppe

1st June Angelo

8th June Simonetta R. 

15th June Martina

22nd June Lorenzo

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any doubts or questions.

ANIA C2 Group 6 Lesson 8

Class
CPE Writing - Part One Summary

• Discussion of criteria and assessment of model answer (Proficiency Test Builder, 4th Edition, Test 1, pp. 24 - 27)
• Timed practice (Proficiency Test Builder, 4th Edition, Test 2,  p. 57

ANIA C1 Group 5 Lesson 8

Class
Learning modals in context - will/shall/should/must

Notes
http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/11442644/Modals

Homework
Paired Conjunctions - both... and, neither... nor, either... or etc. 
https://www.thoughtco.com/paired-conjunction-quiz-4078805

ANIA C1 Group 2 Lesson 8

Class
Listening Skills - Using Podcasts
Losing Friends In A Club - Should you move around or stand still?
Listen again or download from here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04hxmrg
The relevant story starts at 12:54 and runs until 18:04

Fixed Phrases & Phrasal Verbs
to bump into someone/each other
to stay put/still
to synch up
to smooth out
to cover (more) ground

Synonyms
steps/paces
friends/chums/companions
move/roam around

Keep
Keep your head
Keep straight (ahead)
Keep going/walking
Keep the change

Lexical sets
Experiments
test a course of action
roadtest a theory
put in some legwork

Clubbing
have a night out
head to the bar
bar, entrance, DJ booth
spill a drink (over someone)
keep the change
a half, a pint e.g. "2 half shandies please."
to get chucked out (of the club)

Homework

Listen to the podcast again (use the link above) focussing on an aspect of vocabulary.

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson 15

Class

1. Introduction to modal auxiliary verbs
2. Introduction to Health & Safety - Unit 6 p. 46

Homework

Vocabulary questions 2 - 6 pp. 46 - 47 

Notes

It is very important to know what use the modal is being put to as this will determine which structures are possible. Look at the difference when must is used to show obligation and when it is used to show deduction:

  

Obligation:

Present/Future: I must study hard for the exam.

Past: I had to study hard for the exam yesterday.

The opposite of must is mustn’t (prohibition) or don’t have to (lack of obligation)

Deduction:

Present/Future: He must be very rich, he drives an expensive car.

Past: He must have been very handsome when he was young.

The opposite of must is can’t.

It had to be him = obligation e.g. no other person had the authority to do it.

It must have been him  = deduction e.g. No other person was present so I can deduce that he did it. 

ANIA B2 Group 8 Lesson 7

Class
Listening skills - present perfect versus past simple in fast connected speech
Consciousness raising - countable and uncountable nouns

Homework
Listening - free practice - what features of fast connected speech can you notice? How do these features change the sound of the words?

D'Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 13

Class

• Listening - presentations: preparation, delivery, signposting language
• Group Presentations - practice and feedback

Homework
Reading - Let's ban PowerPoint in lectures - it makes students more stupid and professors more boring
Source: The Independent http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/lets-ban-powerpoint-in-lectures-it-makes-students-more-stupid-and-professors-more-boring-a7597506.html?cmpid=facebook-post

Do you agree that power point makes presentations more boring?

ANIA C2 Group 6 Lesson 7

Class

• Feedback on writing
• Free speaking - Approaches to improving writing and speaking fluency

Homework

Finish your appraisal of the CPE model answer with reference to the 4 marking criteria (see last week's lesson handout)

ANIA C1 Group 5 Lesson 7

Class

• Reading and discussion: Give pease a chance
• Food idioms
• Introduction to modal auxiliaries and their uses

Vocabulary

Swanky

Hackneyed

To scoff down (c.f. to scoff)

To gorge yourself (on something)

To hunt down

To muck about (with)

Bucket list

To kick the bucket

Homework

Consider all the different uses that modals are put to in a reading/listening text of your choice. Consider actions like threats, promises and decisions in the moment as well as grammatical structures (e.g. future in the past, conditionals) and concepts such as obligation, necessity and probability.

ANIA C1 Group 2 Lesson 7

Class

• Future in the past 
• Expressions with future meanings
• Modals of Probability

Notes:

Due

3. adjective

If something is due at a particular time, it is expected to happen, be done, or arrive at that time.

• The results are due at the end of the month.
• The first price increases are due to come into force in July.
• Jason is currently in Britain to finish recording his second album which is due out in May.
• Mr Carter is due in London on Monday.
• ...customers who paid later than twenty days after the due date.

Modals of Probability

Commonly you will find the following modals listed together under the heading “Modals of Probability”:

Will (Won’t), Must, Might, May, Could (+ be), Couldn’t, Should (Shouldn’t), Can’t

Although they follow the same form (modal + bare infinitive for present & future meanings, modal + perfect infinitive for the past) they have quite different uses.

 

Might, May (+ all verbs) & Could (+ be) are modals of possibility

 

Must, Can’t & Couldn’t are modals of deduction i.e. when you infer logically that something is true.

 

Will & Should are modals of assumption i.e. when you believe something to be true. (Will = I’m sure, Should = I expect)

 

Fill in the gap below with the correct modal (Sometimes more than one is possible):

1.      It ________ have been her husband who answered the phone, he’s been dead for 4 years.

2.      He _______ be home, but I’m not sure.

3.      He _______ be home, I saw him only two minutes ago.    (If you are at home? If you are at the office?)

4.      He _______ be home, I’m sure of it.

 

What’s the difference between the sentences below?

• He should have finished by now.
• He will have finished by now.
• It might be the key.
• It must be the key.
• She might not have seen him yesterday.
• She couldn’t have seen him yesterday.

Homework

Find a story on the internet. Do you think it is Fake news? Write a paragraph (80 - 100 words) stating if you think it is true or false. What modals will you use to accurately express your idea and the basis for it? 

D'Amico Shipping B2 Lesson Lesson 14

Class

• Timed Writing - Part 1 - IELTS report writing
• Marking criteria: Content, Organisation, Communicative Achievement, Language (Range and Accuracy) 
• Peer Correction and assessment
• Language for - comparisons, linking, referring to graphs

For notes and examples for last week's and this week's lesson go to: http://seansenglishclassroom.pbworks.com/w/page/32702969/Academic%20Writing%20Paper%20One

Model Answer

(click on image to enlarge)

Homework

Write a second draft of your answer incorporating the suggestions and corrections you received today. Don't spend more than 20 minutes on this task. 

Corrections

Collocation: big wide range

D' Amico Shipping B1 Lesson 12

Class

Listening skills

Presentation skills

Signposting language

New Language Leader p. 53

Vocabulary

Slip = when you make a small mistake due to forgetfulness or carelessness

e.g. A slip of the tongue, it slipped my mind.

Signposting Language

I'm going to talk about/discuss...

The purpose of our talk/presentation is to...

I'd like to start by...

Moving on now to...

This brings me to my next point...

To sum up...

That brings me to the end of my presentation

If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them now/at the end of the presentation.

Corrections

False friend: argument - topic

Homework

Learn today's signposting language phonetically, paying attention to what words are stressed and how the sounds change when words run together.

Going Further

• Watch the late Hans Rosling on Ted.com to see how statistics can be presented in a memorable and entertaining way. He also appears in this interesting video from the BBC (below).

• Ted.com is a great listening resource (complete with audio scripts and subtitles) as well as offering a great collection of interesting talks and presentations. Go to: http://www.ted.com

ANIA B2 Group 8, Lesson 6

Class

Error correction

Prefixes, suffixes, like/as, countable/uncountable nouns.

Countability

Nouns with countable and uncountable meanings:

Paper/a paper, toast/a toast, wood/a wood, iron/an iron, cold/a cold, time/times

Common uncountable nouns:

Luggage, advice, weather, evidence, work (meaning activity), flu, money.

Past simple or present perfect?

What have you done today?

What did you do today?

What is different about each situation in the questions above?

BEC Vantage Masterclass p. 35

Homework

Write a short paragraph describing how things have changed in your work and life using a mixture of past simple and present perfect tenses.

P. 35, question 5

Corrections

Make progress

ANIA C2 Group 6 Lesson 6

Class

1. Food idioms
2. CPE Writing Part One - Summarising Task. Guided practice and criteria. Taken from Proficiency Test Builder 4th Edition pp. 24 -27

Homework

Read the sample answer to the Perceptions of Crime task and answer the questions below to help you assess how well the candidate fulfilled the criteria.

Vocabulary

1. Food Idioms

The best/greatest thing since sliced bread

To eat crow

Another/a different kettle of fish (compare this with A fine kettle of fish)

To have your cake and eat it (too)

To stew in your own juice

Grist for the mill

As warm as toast

To know what side your bread is buttered

Think of some contexts in which you could use them. 

For definitions and more examples go to: 

http://idiomconnection.com

2. Are you a nerd or a geek?

It's not as easy as it seems. If in doubt, go to WikiHow http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-the-Difference-Between-Nerds-and-Geeks

3. Take a decision or make a decision?

The best answer I've found to this is from a discussion on http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/6431/what-is-the-difference-between-make-decision-and-take-decision#9759

psmears writes:

"The phrase "making a decision" is the more common phrase. It can refer to the actual moment where a course of action is chosen (and just that moment), but also sometimes to the whole process leading up to it (where one might undertake research, have discussions, think and so on, in order to prepare oneself for the decision itself): "The committee took several months to make a decision."

The phrase "taking a decision", by contrast, only refers to the decisive moment itself, and not to the process leading up to it. It has more formal connotation, and an implication that the decision will have serious consequences, and that the person deciding will be responsible for them; it has a sense of finality about it.

Some examples may help clarify:

• I haven't made a decision about where to go on holiday. (Informal, consequences not serious, nobody's going to hold me to account.)
• The president took the decision to invade Albania.
• Bob was fired because he took the decision to outsource the call centre to Mars.
• The decision-making process took a number of weeks: the engineers did the research and made recommendations, but it was the manager who took the final decision.

In support of this position it is worth using Google to search for "take a decision" and "make a decision" on the BBC News website. The former are (at time of writing) all about formal decisions (by governments, official bodies, international committees etc); the latter - once quotes from US politicians are filtered out - mostly about personal or informal decisions, and about the decision process rather than any decision being taken:

• "The Arab leaders should take a decision to stop negotiating..."
• "But, as a public consultation into UK future energy needs begins, he said it was time to take a decision on nuclear."
• "I usually sleep on it, relax and then make a decision which is usually the correct decision."
• "It's not to say that if you've got to make a decision you should make it in a fraction of a second - that is daft."
• "When we make a decision, we are supposed to consciously analyse the alternatives and carefully weigh the pros and cons."

ANIA C1 Group 5 Lesson 6

Class

1. Quantity terms (CAE Expert p. 35)
2. Consciousness Raising - Nouns that are both countable and uncountable e.g. glass/a glass, light/a light, egg/an egg etc.
3. Exam practice -Paper 1, Part 2, open cloze (CAE Expert p. 34) 

Areas For Revision using your textbook Complete Advanced

1. Unit 3 - No, None, Not
2. Unit 12 - nouns and articles
3. Paired/Co-ordinating conjunctions: Not only... but also, Either... or  For notes and exercises go to: http://esl.about.com/od/grammarquizzesandtests/fl/Paired-Conjunction-Quiz.htm

Homework

1. Reading 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/18/give-pease-pudding-a-chance-bucket-list-world-food

2. Food Idioms

Notes for today

• A recent expedition could have chosen either open to explore (= they could explore only one ocean but they could choose which one. If you used both it would mean that they could explore the Atlantic AND the Pacific)
• These days, people know the names of more people than ever before, not only family members but public figures. (in this case we do mean both family members AND public figures, the first is expected but the second may not be)