Cambridge First Certificate Writing Tips

Here are some interesting videos with useful tips on how to write in Paper 2 of the Cambridge First Certificate Test.

You can watch the videos by clicking on the link to open the videos in YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPZZfpJ_Fmk&list=PLrsdaB_KUIF7Nr3vRDAyu9de5c1whTeJM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97aY82TJbns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxeTMnCQCTU&list=PLrsdaB_KUIF7Nr3vRDAyu9de5c1whTeJM&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ExDH50vVsk

First Speaking Part 1 (answering the examiner's short questions)

Watch the video from YouTube of the Cambridge First 2015 Speaking Exam.

Take notes of the questions and answers in Part 1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tqeI9t4x9E

Too and Enough

Do you remember how to use 'too' and 'enough' to talk about how much something is?

Test yourself with this simple online drop-down menu exercise. Go to the link below to give it a try right now.

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-too-enough.php

Too and Enough

Too and enough indicate degree. They are used with adjectives.

• Too means more than what is needed.
• Enough means sufficient.

Examples

He is too old to play football with the kids.
Dave is intelligent enough to do the write thing.
You're not working fast enough
I don't have enough time.
He has too many friends.
She has got too much patience

Use of too and enough

1.Enough precedes adjectives and adverbs:

He isn't old enough to watch this program.
We're not walking quickly enough.

2.Enough may also precede nouns:

We have enough money . 
I have not got enough money to buy this computer.

3.Too comes before adjectives and adverbs:

It's too hot to wear that coat.
I was driving too fast.

4. Too may also come before nouns when it is used with the expressions too much and too many.

a. Too much is used before uncountable nouns.

There is too much salt in this food.

b. Too many is used before countable nouns

There are too many students in this classroom.

Second Conditional

Try putting the words into the correct order to form grammatically correct sentences using 'if' and 'past simple' + 'past modal'

vhttp://www.autoenglish.org/tenses/con2pal/con2pal.html

Also try this drop-down menu exercise using the second conditional

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-conditional-type-2.php

Prepositions of Time (in, on, at)

When do we use in, on and at? Do you remember?

See if you remember what you learned in class by completing this online exercise using prepositions of time when talking about a single point in time, a period of time or a specific day.

http://www.autoenglish.org/gr.time.i.htm

Confusing Vocabulary

Journey, Travel, Trip

Here are a few confusing words that you have seen recently in this week's class.
Have a go at this multiple choice exercise to practise and memorise the different meaning and use of journey, travel and trip.

http://www.autoenglish.org/trickywords/TravelandTripExercise.htm

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Take a look at these rules below for making comparisons using comparative and superlative adjectives.

Try the exercise by clicking on the link below.

http://www.autoenglish.org/gr.comp.i.htm

Past Perfect Practice

We use the Past Perfect in combination with the Past Simple to talk about a past action or event which precedes another past action or even.

Try this online gap-fill exercise to practise your knowledge of the Past Perfect.

http://www.autoenglish.org/tenses/PastPerfect.htm

Focus on Prepositions in use

Have a go at practising these preposition exercises from the Auto English website.
There are three exercises linked below. Just click on the links to go to the web page.

http://www.autoenglish.org/prepositions/gr.atin.i.htm

http://www.autoenglish.org/gr.in-on.htm
http://www.autoenglish.org/mistakes/mis-preps.i.htm

Comparative Adjectives and Superlative Adjectives

Go to the link below to practise comparatives and superlatives

http://martinsgigafce1.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/adjectives-and-superlative-adjectives.html

Congratulations to all the students in the July 2016 FCE class for finishing their course

Flo-Joe Word Bank

Don't forget to visit the Flo-Joe website every day for your routine practice of FCE Phrasal Verbs, Collocations and Word Formations.

Click here to go to Flo-Joe

Linking words

Like other languages, English has a lot of cohesive or transitional devices and linking words that can be used to express and join ideas.

1. Expressing addition

To add information, you can use these expressions:

Examples:

in addition, - as well as - moreover - what is more - not only...but also... - furthermore - besides - also - too - and...

• If the project fails this will have terrible consequences not only on our department, but also on the whole organisation
• John's grades are terrible because he has been so lazy these days. In addition to this, his relationship to his parents got worse.
• The report is badly written. Moreover, it's inaccurate.

2. Expressing contrast

To express contrast, you can use these expressions:

Examples:

although - even though - in spite of / despite - however - yet - nevertheless - nonetheless - on the contrary - whereas - on the one hand ...but on the other hand... - conversely - but...

• Brain drain has terrible consequences on the developing countries. Nevertheless, nothing has been done to solve the problem or at least reduce its negative effects.
• In spite of / despite Fred's old age, he goes jogging every morning.
• Although she's very nice, her classmates hate her.
• They have got two children, a boy and girl. The boy takes after his father whereas the girl takes after the mother.

3. Expressing cause and effect

To express cause and effect, you can use these expressions:

Examples:

consequently - as a consequence - as a result - therefore - because of this - for this reason - because - since - as - for - due to - owing to

• She remained silent, for she was so depressed to talk.
• We can't go to Sue's party because we'll be busy working on our project.
• The plane was delayed because of the foggy weather.
• He had spent most of his time hanging around instead of revising his lessons. Consequently, he had a lot of trouble answering the exam questions.

 

5. Expressing purpose

To express purpose use the following words:

Examples:

in order to - in order not to - so as to - so as not to - to - not to

• She wakes up early in order to be on time to work.
• They visited him so as to offer their condolences for the death of his wife
• He helped the new policewoman so as not to fail in her first mission.

4. Summarising

To summarise, you can use the following expressions:

Examples:

in conclusion - to conclude - to sum up - in a nutshell - in brief - in short - all in all - everything considered...

Difficult Words - Do and Make

Some words are hard to remember when to use in collocations - 'do' and 'make' are an example.
Try practising with this online link.

http://www.autoenglish.org/trickywords/DoandMakeExercise.htm

Use of English Part 2 (gap-fill)

This online exercise will test your ability to understand which word correctly fits the gap in Use of English Part 2 sentences, but with particular attention to 'linkers'. Have fun. Click on the link and try the exercise.

http://www.autoenglish.org/generalgrammar/LinkersExercise.htm