Lesson 5
In our fifth lesson we spoke about sounds. For grammar homework you will look at some different ways to make comparisons. For vocabulary homework I asked you to read about some words related to sound, and look at some multi-word verbs related to social interaction.
Here’s a video that gives a good overall explanation of comparisons; including how to modify comparisons, and also different structures:
For homework I asked you to do all of exercises 2 and 3 on pages 20 and 21. You also need to do the grammar exercises on page 140.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 4
Welcome back to the course blog!
In our fourth lesson we went through the vocabulary homework which looked at different ways of describing change. For grammar we did some exercises which looked at the perfect aspect.
Here is a video that explains Present Perfect Simple:
This video looks at the difference between Present Perfect Simple and Present Perfect Continuous:
Here is a video that explains the Past Perfect Simple tense:
This video looks at the difference between Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous:
Here is a video that looks at Future Perfect Simple:
Here is a video that looks at the Future Perfect Continuous:
For homework, I asked you to complete exervise 5c and 5d on page 13. I also asked you to read and complete all of the exercises for ‘1B The perfect aspect’ on page 139. Finallt, if you have the textbook and access to the website, you should complete Unit 1B in the Digital Workbook.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 3
Hello again.
In our third lesson we began by going through the homework from the previous lesson. As we did this, the topic of idioms came up. Click here for a very comprehensive list of commonly used English idioms (they are categorised by theme – simply click on the theme to see the relative idioms).
We also spoke about pronunciation, and about Phonemic ( sometimes called ‘Phonetic’) Symbols, which are symbols which represent the various sounds used in English pronunciation. The textbook shows these symbols on page 177. The following is information that I provided in the previous course, but new students will find it useful. Click here for a link to a website which displays the Phonemic Chart with all the symbols, and allows you to click/press on each symbol to hear the sound that it represents.
Below is a video which explains the Phonemic (/Phonetic) Chart in a logical manner of grouping, with an explanation of the position of the mouth and tongue when making the sounds, and whether they are voiced or unvoiced consonant sounds. ***PLEASE NOTE***: This video excludes the /i/ sound (as in ‘happy‘), because in some dialects the /i:/ sound (as in ‘tree‘) is used instead:
Here is a video playlist that will help you to relax, or ‘soften’, your accent. The videos will play one one after the other:
We finished the lesson by discussing words that have only entered the English language in the last 120 years.
For homework I asked you to complete Reading exercises 2a and 2b on page 11, which looks at how the English language is constantly changing. I also asked you to complete exercise 3a on page 12.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 2
Welcome back to the course blog. In our second lesson we continued to speak about language learning. We looked at some related words and phrases related to language learning. We also discussed issues related to having bilingual upbringing, and did a listening exercise regarding this topic.
Click here for a link to a page that has some phrasal verbs and idioms related to learning, and also a podcast that you might find interesting.
Here is another link with some simple phrasal verbs related to education.
For homework I asked you to complete all of the exercises on page 158. You should also complete Unit 1A in the Digital Workbook (which you can only access if you have the textbook and registered it with the website).
If you would like to do some extra writing homework, you can also complete exercise 5d, with explanations, on page 10. Send your work directly in an email to steven.brown@folkuniversitetet.se and I will check your work.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 1
Hello everyone, and welcome to the course blog!
This blog will help you get the most out of this course. After each lesson I will update it with details of what we have done in each lesson, as well as tell you what homework has been given. In future blogs I may also include links to videos or other webpages to read to help your learning.
The textbook we will be using is Cambridge English EMPOWER Second Edition Advanced C1 Combo A with Digital Pack. For this course, you DO NOT need to buy the textbook if you don’t want to. However, please be aware that if you do not have the book you may not be able to complete some of the exercises that are given as homework.
If you do decide to buy the book, the easiest and quickest place to buy the book is from Ferdosi Bookshop, Odengatan 21, Stockholm.
We began our first lesson by introducing ourselves to each other. It was very nice to meet you all.
We then discussed various issues related to learning a second language. We also completed a reading exercise on the same topic.
For grammar, we looked at adverbs and adverbial phrases.
Here is a very detailed video that explains what adverbs are and how they are used:
Here is a video which focuses on how adverbial phrases are used:
For homework, you need to complete exercise 2b on page 9. You should then read and complete the exercises on page 138.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 7
Our course finishes on Wednesday. Click here if you wish to see the details and register for the next course.
In our seventh lesson we looked at ‘5A – A place where you have to look over your shoulder’. For grammar we looked at relative clauses, and for vocabulary we spoke about crime and justice.
Here is a detailed video that looks at defining relative clauses:
Here is a detailed video that explains non-defining relative clauses:
For homework I asked you to finish exercise 3 on page 58, and then complete the Vocabulary Focus exercises on page 162. You also need to complete the Grammar Focus exercises on page 146, and then complete exercise 2e on page 57. Finally, should complete Unit 5A in the Digital Workbook.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 6
Our course finishes next week. Click here if you wish to see the details and register for the next course.
In our sixth lesson we talked about memories and remembering. Click here for a link to the Cambridge Dictionary with some examples of more vocabulary related to memory (click on each specific word or phrase for a definition).
For homework I asked you to complete exercises 3c and 3d on page 48. Next you should complete exercise all of 4 on page 49, and then do the Vocabulary exercises for 4B on page 161. Finally, you should complete Unit 4B in the Digital Workbook.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 5
Hello everyone,
In our fifth lesson we spoke about pronunciation, and about Phonemic ( sometimes called ‘Phonetic’) Symbols, which are symbols which represent the various sounds used in English pronunciation. Click here for a link to a website which displays the Phonemic Chart with all the symbols, and allows you to click/press on each symbol to hear the sound that it represents.
Below is a video which explains the Phonemic (/Phonetic) Chart in a logical manner of grouping, with an explanation of the position of the mouth and tongue when making the sounds, and whether they are voiced or unvoiced consonant sounds. ***PLEASE NOTE***: This video excludes the /i/ sound (as in ‘happy‘), because in some dialects the /i:/ sound (as in ‘tree‘) is used instead:
Here is a video playlist that will help you to relax, or ‘soften’, your accent. The videos will play one one after the other:
For homework I asked you to complete all of the LISTENING AND GRAMMAR exercises on page 47, and then to complete the reading and exercises on page 47. This homework will look at causative structures with ‘have’ and ‘get’.
Here is a video that specifically looks at the causative verbs ‘have’ and ‘get’:
Here is another, longer, video which looks at all the different ways (including causative structures) that ‘have’ and ‘get’ can be used in English:
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 4
In our fourth lesson we looked at ‘4A That little voice in your head’. We spoke about using instinct and reason.
For grammar homework you were asked to look at noun phrases.
Please click on this link to the British Council website for a comprehensive explanation of all forms of noun phrases. I also recommend completing the exercises given on this webpage.
For homework you were asked to complete exercises 4a and 4b on page 45. You should then read the information and complete the grammar exercises on page 144. Next, you need to complete the Vocabulary Focus exercises for 4A on page 161. Finally, you shuld complete Unit 4A in the Digital Workbook.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 3
Hello again.
In our third lesson we finished Unit 3B. We did some listening exercises, and then some reading exercises.
For vocabulary we looked at some descriptive verbs. For grammar we looked at Narrative Tenses.
Here are two videos that will help you with your homework. They discuss how to talk about the future in the past.
Here are 2 good videos that explain Narrative Tenses:
For homework I asked you to read the information and complete the exercises for 3B on page 143.
If you would like to do some extra writing homework, you can complete exercise 6b and 6c on page 37. Send your work to me at steven.brown@folkuniversitetet.se and I can check it for you.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 2
Welcome back to the blog.
In our second lesson we finished Unit 3A by discussing some vocabulary related to wealth and poverty (page 34).
Next, we began to look at ‘3B I was expecting it to be tough.’ We did a reading and grammar exercise which looked at how we can talk about the future from a past perspective. We then finished our lesson by discussing some vocabulary used for landscape features.
Click here to read and article about how society is segregated by wealth, and some associated grammar exercises for describing trends.
Click here for a reading comprehension exercise related to the broader issue of the state of the world.
Click here for a video that discusses poverty.
Here is a video with some useful vocabulary for discussing social issues such as poverty and basic needs:
Here is a good video which explains some vocabulary related to nature and landscapes:
For homework, I asked you to complete the exercises for 3B on page 160. You should also complete Unit 3A in the Digital Workbook. If you haven’t already (and still wish to), you can also complete the writing task that I gave you after the first lesson.
That’s all for today.
Steve
Lesson 1
Hello everyone, and welcome to the course blog!
This blog is intended to help you get the most out of this course. After each lesson I will update it with a brief outline of what we cover in each lesson, as well as inform you of the homework that has been set. In future blogs I may also include links to videos or other web-pages to read to help your learning.
We began our first lesson by introducing ourselves to each other. It was very nice to meet you all.
The textbook we will be using is Cambridge English EMPOWER Second Edition Advanced C1 Combo A with Digital Pack.
The easiest and quickest place to buy the book is from Ferdosi Bookshop, Odengatan 21, Stockholm.
These books have a code that will let you use the supporting website for the textbook. The code is on the inside cover of your textbook (You need to carefully scratch the grey material to see the code underneath). You will need then need to scan the QR code OR go to http://www.cambridgeone.org to register your textbook. Before you can register your textbook you will need to create an account. CLICK HERE to see instructions for how to create an account.
*PLEASE NOTE: You do NOT need to Join a Class, that is only for online courses. However, I recommend you use the ‘Self Study’ section. Please have a look at all of this website, it is very helpful. The ‘Getting Help’ section might be useful if you have any problems.
We began our first lesson by introducing ourselves to each other. It was very nice to meet you all.
We then discussed various issues related to learning a second language. We also completed a reading exercise on the same topic.
In our first lesson we looked at ‘3A Never have I had such a rewarding experience’. We read about volunteering. For grammar we looked at how to emphasise positive and negative experiences using inversion.
Here is a short video that explains how and why we use inversion:
Here is a much longer video which provides many different examples of how inversion is commonly used:
For homework I asked you to complete the grammar exercises on the photocopy of page 142. You should also complete the exercises for Unit 3A on the other side of that photocopy (I forgot to mention this in class).
If you would like to complete some extra writing homework, you can write me a few paragraphs about a travel experience that you have had. Use the instructions for exercise 3c and 3d as a guide for what to write. Send your work directly in an email to steven.brown@folkuniversitetet.se and I will check your work for you.
That’s all for today.
Steve