Introductory video
Just, yet and already online exercise
Present perfect with ever and never online exercise
https://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-4147.php
Since and for online exercise
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/since-for
Exercises 5,6 and 7 on page 37
Exam task on page 37
Video about Britain's got talent
Exercise 4 on page 36
Exercises 1 and 2 on page 36
How to write a story for B1 level
The first thing to mention is that at B1 level they want a simple text with some complex grammar. It should be very easy to read and follow with very few mistakes. You must follow the instructions in the question!
TO AVOID ERRORS YOU SHOULD NOT GUESS VOCABULARY OR GRAMMAR STRUCTURES. ONLY USE WHAT YOU KNOW WELL. YOU SHOULD EXPERIMENT WITH LANGUAGE IN CLASS AND WHILE STUDYING, NOT IN THE EXAM
When writing a story, there are a few problems that most students find:
The good thing about B1 Preliminary writing tasks is that you can always organise them in the same way. It is a little bit like a good cooking recipe because it works every time.
A good story usually has a beginning, a main part and an ending. The main part is the most important one so you want make it longer than the other parts. Most of the time, we get to a structure that looks like this:
Of course, you might have three main part paragraphs, but in most tasks the structure with only two works very well.
Now, we are going to find out what the different parts of a story typically look like and I will give you some useful tips about good language that will help you get good marks.
First sentence / Beginning
As I said above, in a PET story you always have to start with a sentence that you get directly from the task. Don’t change this sentence in any way, but simply copy it onto you answer sheet and begin your story from there.
I recommend adding one more sentence to complete the beginning of your story. For our example task this could look like this:
As the plane flew lower, Lou saw the golden beaches of the island below. The sun was shining brightly and he said to the woman next to him, “I’m so excited about my holidays!”
When we look at the first sentence from the task, there are a couple of things that are not 100% clear. For example, why was Lou on the plane? What island did he see? Why did the plane fly lower? In my second sentence I tried to make things a little bit clearer. Lou was on his way to spend his holidays on the island and the plane was getting ready for landing.
In terms of good language, I used past continuous (was shining), which we use to say what was happening in the background or at the same time as our main events. I also included an adverb (brightly) and an adjective (golden), which makes an action more interesting, and there is some direct speech (“I’m so excited about my holidays!”). This brings the reader closer to the characters compared to indirect or reported speech.
Once we set the scene, we can move on to the main part of the story. Here, we try to develop the plot and all the main events happen in these paragraphs. You can decide how many paragraphs you want to make, but in general you should be fine with two or three of them.
For our example task I chose two paragraphs:
As soon as Lou got off the plane he left the airport and took a taxi to the city centre because he really wanted to swim in the clear water and sunbathe on the beautiful beach he had seen earlier.
However, when he arrived at the beach he saw that the weather was changing and five minutes later it was raining heavily. Lou ran into a bar and was surprised because someone shouted, “Hi, it’s you again!”
Every good story has an ending. In PET, you want to finish your story in a surprising and/or funny way so the reader is happy.
Make sure that the ending is connected to the topic. Don’t introduce new characters or let the story move in a completely different direction. Just write one or two last sentences and that’s it.
There was the woman from the plane! They started to talk and became very good friends.
It’s a short ending with a little surprising element (the woman from the plane). It is nothing special or crazy, but it brings the whole story together in a nice way. That’s all you have to do to make the examiner happy and get great marks.
Ways to start your story
Time Phrases (for the middle of the story)
Ways of ending the story
Complex grammar
Source: https://www.intercambioidiomasonline.com/2017/08/30/how-to-write-a-perfect-story-for-the-cambridge-b1-preliminary-free-pdf-with-example-questions/
https://teacherphill.com/pet-how-to-write-a-story/
Phrasal verbs with take
Phrasal verbs with take online exercise
https://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/exercises/ph-verb_take1.html
Daredevil:
The Blind Superhero
Daredevil is
one of the most famous superheroes in the Marvel Universe. He has been a symbol
of bravery and justice for many years. His real name is Matt Murdock, and he is
a lawyer by day. However, when night falls, he becomes Daredevil, a superhero
who fights crime in the dangerous streets of Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.
Matt Murdock
lost his sight as a child. He was blinded after a chemical accident, but this
accident gave him extraordinary abilities. Even though he is blind, his senses
have become much stronger than those of an ordinary person. He can hear sounds
from miles away and can even sense things around him using his other senses,
such as touch and smell. These powers help him fight criminals and protect the
people in his neighborhood.
Since he first
appeared in 1964, Daredevil has fought many famous villains, including Kingpin
and Bullseye. His adventures have been told in comic books, TV shows, and
movies. Over the years, Daredevil has become a popular character and has
inspired many fans around the world. He has never given up on his mission,
despite the many challenges he has faced in his life.
In addition to
his work as a superhero, Matt Murdock works as a lawyer. He helps people in
court, and sometimes he has used his skills as Daredevil to find justice
outside the courtroom. He has always struggled to balance his life as a lawyer
and as a superhero. Although he has kept his identity a secret for many years,
there have been times when people have almost discovered the truth about him.
Today,
Daredevil is still fighting for justice, and his story continues to inspire new
generations of readers and viewers.
Reading Comprehension Exercise on Topworksheets:
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https://wordwall.net/es/resource/30717108/simple-past-or-present-perfect
Collaborative Online Exercise about past simple vs present perfect:
https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b1/past-simple-present-perfect/
Individual Online Exercise about past simple vs present perfect:
https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b1/past-simple-present-perfect/2/
Exercises on page 34
What do you know about Batman?
Batman, also
known as Bruce Wayne, is one of the most famous superheroes in the world. He is
serious about protecting Gotham City from criminals, but not everyone is
impressed by his methods. Some citizens are amazed by his gadgets and
skills, while others are annoyed with the destruction he sometimes
causes during fights.
Commissioner
Gordon is usually satisfied with Batman's efforts to reduce crime, but
even he has been disappointed by Batman’s risky actions on occasion.
However, Gordon knows that Batman is often anxious about saving lives
and making sure the city is safe.
Batman himself
is rarely excited about his successes because he is always thinking
about the next challenge. He is sometimes surprised by the bravery of
ordinary citizens and feels impressed with those who stand up to
injustice. However, Batman’s life is not without personal struggles. He is
secretly jealous of people who live normal lives and sometimes worried
by his enemies' dangerous plans.
Meanwhile, the
Joker, his greatest rival, is amazed about how much Batman sacrifices
for the city but also annoyed by Batman’s ability to outsmart him.
Despite their differences, even the Joker is occasionally impressed by
Batman's determination.
Reading Comprehension Exercise about Batman
https://www.topworksheets.com/t/Lh88qcIe_Fo
Exercise 1 on page 33
https://wordwall.net/es/resource/82484125/adjective-collocations-with-dependent-prepostions-pet-1
Collocations: adjective + Preposition chart
Exercises 1 and 2 on page 33
How do you feel when talking in front of an audience?
Exam task on page 33
Exercise 1 on page 32
Present Perfect Structure
Subject + have + Verb in Past Participle
Present perfect chart
What do you know about Venom?
Film Review of
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
"Venom:
Let There Be Carnage" is an exciting and action-packed movie. The film
features thrilling fight scenes and an interesting story. The characters are
well-developed, with Eddie Brock, played by Tom Hardy, being both confused and
funny as he tries to control his symbiote, Venom. Their relationship is
entertaining and often amusing, with Eddie getting frustrated by Venom’s
behavior.
The villain,
Carnage, is a terrifying and dangerous character, played by Woody Harrelson.
His evil actions make the movie more intense and exciting. The special effects
are impressive, especially during the action scenes where Venom and Carnage
battle. The movie is fast-moving, keeping you interested from start to finish.
Overall,
"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" is an enjoyable and fun movie for fans
of superhero films. It’s full of action, humor, and exciting moments. If you
liked the first movie, you will probably enjoy this one too!
Adjectives finished in -ed or -ing chart
Adjectives finished in -ed or -ing online exercise
https://agendaweb.org/exercises/grammar/adjectives/-ed-ing-1
Video about the top 20 greatest films of all time.
Exercises 1,2,3 and 4 on page 30
Speaking Closing Practice about your favorite film saying its name, genre and plot.
Spiderman's trailers video
Exam task on page 31
What do youngsters do in their free time in your town?
For example, 'They go to the beach.'
Exercise 6 on page 29
Collaborative Oline Exercise about Subject and Object Pronouns
https://test-english.com/grammar-points/a1/object-pronouns/
Individual Exercise 8 on page 29
Listening Exercise about pronouns
https://www.liveworksheets.com/w/en/english-second-language-esl/372986
Individual Exercise 10 on page 29
Closing Speaking Practice
1.- Think about someone who is special in your life.
Someone who is special for me is my wife.
2.- Think about something which is important for you.
Something which is important for me is my laptop.
3.- Think about a place where you feel good.
A place where I feel good is Malecon Americas.
Where can we read an article?
What sort of articles do you like reading most?
The most popular magazines in the world
Exercise 1 on page 28
How to write an article for B1
An article is a text that expresses your opinion and knowledge about something. It should be an entertaining text that gets the readers attention and informs them.
The 2020 version of the B1 Preliminary involves writing two texts of 100 words. You need to write an email, and then either an article or a stroy. You have the choice between the two, do not write both of them. For more information on how to write an article, see this post.
The examiners are looking at the following criteria:
All of the content in the writing should be aimed at answering the question. It should be easy to understand and also take into account who is reading it. E.g. if it is a letter to a friends, it must be informal and familiar.
The organisation aspect of the evaluation refers to how clearly you present your ideas. If it is a letter, it must resemble a letter. You need to do it with paragraphs, the paragraphs must not be too short and they need to be set into separate topics. If you write a story it can be all in one paragraph but it needs to include a beginning, middle and end.
This part of the assessment focuses on the use of vocabulary and grammar. You need to show flexibility in their use and also include cohesive devices (X5) such as because, as, but, however, for example, like, and, in addition etc. To get a good grade in this part your grammar and vocabulary need to be accurate, appropriate and easy to understand.
They are looking at communication of ideas; it must be clear, relevant to the question and the target reader, use good simple language with some complex grammar.
For some simple ideas on how to improve your writing, see 5 Simple Ways to Improve your Written English
Structure of an article:
Separate each part into a separate paragraph.
Beginning:
Engage the reader and make them want to read more, you can begin with a question or a general opinion
Middle:
State your main points and relate them to personal experiences and opinions
Ending:
Summarize your main points but make an overall point to make the reader think they have learned something from reading the article
Suggested grammar structures:
Impersonal passive: It is said that HBO make the best movies in the world.
Modal verbs: It might be a good idea to take your time.
Conditionals: If I were you, I would watch it at the cinema.
Relative clauses: I know someone who lives in that area.
Wish: I wish I could eat chocolate every day.
Example of a question:
You see this post on an English language website
What types of books do you most enjoy?
Do you prefer reading or watching TV and what is the best way to take advantage of your free time?
Write an article about these questions. The best articles will be published on the site.
Example answer:
The most interesting way to spend your free time
Have you ever thought about the best way to spend your free time? If you want to know the key to making the most of your leisure time, this article is a must read.
Instead of turning on the TV every time you get home, why not try picking up a book. Reading is a great way to relax and it is also a fantastic way to open your mind. There is nothing like looking forward to getting home and reading a book that you are into. It helps you unwind, improve your imagination and it can even help you to learn a foreign language.
I have no doubt that reading will improve your life. If I were you,I would choose a new book today!
Useful language: Use these key phrases to answer the questions in the task
Involving the reader
Try to use extreme adjectives instead of intensifiers
Making the article lively and interesting (use adverbs)
Developing your points
Giving your own opinion
Justifying opinions
To begin, you can use these basic (B1) phrases to justify an opinion in English:
Making recommendations and suggestions:
Exercises 4 and 5 on page 28
Exercises 2 and 3 on page 28
Halloween Listening Exercise https://test-english.com/listening/b1/halloween-history-listening-test/ Halloween Listening Exercise 2: https...
