FCE: Use of English, part 1

                   

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Multiple Choice                                                           

FCE - Listening, Part 1

To be successful at the FCE exam, it is important to have efficient strategies to prepare effectively, and to manage the different factors that influence the proceedings on the exam day, such as time allocation, note taking and prioritising. 

As I usually say PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, so let's start.

Listening, Part 1

Expressions with POINT

There are many idioms and expressions in English which use the word ‘point’. Here’s a selection:                                                                                      

AT SOME POINT: it simply means ‘some time‘.

I’ll come around at some point this week

TO GET TO THE POINT: When you ask someone ‘to get to the point’, you want to know what their intention / objective is.

I don’t have time to waste, can you get to the point, please?

TO POINT something OUT TO someone: If you point something out, you want to draw someone’s attention to it.

He pointed this problem out to me the other day.

THERE BE NO POINT IN DOING SOMETHING / NOT TO SEE THE POINT IN DOING SOMETHING: Both expressions have the same meaning.

There is no point in talking to Karen, she never listens.

 I don’t see the point in talking to Karen, she never listens.

UP TO SOME/ A POINT: This expression puts a limit to what is being said:

You can follow other people’s advice up to some point. 

That’s true up to a point

TO MAKE A POINT & HAVE A POINT & TO GET SOMEONE’S POINT & TO SEE SOMEONE’S POINT & MY POINT IS… These idioms are used when discussing opinions.

• To GIVE your opinion you could start by saying ‘My / The point is…

The point I want to make is ..

•  When discussing someone else’s opinion, you could say ‘I get your point’ / I see your point / I see the point you want to make / You have a point! / That’s a good point! ‘  to mean that you UNDERSTAND the other person’s view on something.
•   While, if you DON’T understand the other person’s opinion, you could say

I’m sorry but…
I don’t see your point
I don’t see the point you want to make
I don’t get your point

Note: all the above expressions are followed by the preposition ‘IN’ plus the gerund (-ING):
 I don’t see your point in saying that people should mind their own business

TO MAKE A POINT OF DOING SOMETHING: If ‘you make a point of doing something’, you make sure you’re able to do it.

 I always make a point of watching the news. I want to know what’s going on in the world.

                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                                              Adapted from Teach, Taught 

Improve your writings by using different adjectives. Here you have some.

 

Do you believe in soulmates?

A beautiful short film about the possibilities of finding your soulmate. 
Below the video there's a link to an interactive questionnaire which calculates the possibilities of finding your soulmate. Try it!



http://www.lessthanone.com/

Although I'm not very fond of this day, I believe it deserves at least a post. Enjoy the video! 

CAE: Use of English, Part 4

I love this part!


Gapped Sentences

Everyday idioms

• All in the same boat: to be in the same unpleasant situation as other people 

She's always complaining that she doesn't have enough money, but we're all in the same boat. 

• Go the extra mile: to try harder to please someone or to get the task done correctly; to do more than one is required to do to reach a goal.

I like doing business with that company. They always go the extra mile. 

• It's a small world: said to show your surprise that people or events in different places are connected

So you know my old science teacher! Well, it's certainly a small world, isn't it?

• The apple of somebody's eye: the person who someone loves most and is very proud of 

His youngest son was the apple of his eye.

• Back to square one: back to the beginning. (As with a board game.) 

Negotiations have broken down, and it's back to square one. 

                                                                                               

• Under the weather: feeling unwell or ill.

I feel sort of under the weather today. Whatever I ate for lunch is making me feel a bit under the weather.

• Catch someone red-handed: to discover someone while they are doing something bad or illegal

He was caught red-handed taking money from the till.                    

• Cross your fingers (also keep your fingers crossed): to hope that things will happen in the way you want them to

We're crossing our fingers and hoping that the weather stays fine.

• A leopard can't change its spots: something that you say which means that a person's character, especially if it is bad, will not change, even if they pretend so 

I doubt very much that marriage will change Chris for the better. A leopard can't change its spots.

• Beat around the bush and beat about the bush: to avoid answering a question and not speaking directly about it

Stop beating around the bush and answer my question. Let's stop beating about the bush and discuss this matter.

CAE: Use of English,Part 3

Keep on practicing!

Word Formation