jueves, 10 de agosto de 2017

FCE Speaking Part 3: Discussing, agreeing and disagreeing

In FCE Speaking Part 3, the examiner will ask you to speak to your partner and give you a task to do together. Listen carefully to the question given with this task. You are often asked to imagine a situation. Usually, you are asked to do two things in the task (sometimes three). Remember to do both of them.



When you start, don’t talk to or look at the examiner. Always talk to and look at your partner, this is supposed to be a conversation. Make one point and then ask your partner for their opinion. A good way to start is by asking your partner a question using a phrase such as “Do you think…?” Use all the good phrases you know for making suggestions and recommendations and for agreeing and disagreeing with your partner.

Make sure you speak for about three minutes. After that, don’t worry if the examiner interrupts you. They have to do that so there is time for the whole interview.

You will be given four or five pictures or a mind map with different options around a situation. You must discuss with your partner and answer all the questions you are asked. Take the following as an example:



Here are some words and phrases students often used for part 3 (they can also be suitable for part 4):

Asking your partner’s opinion
So what do you think about…? 
What about…? 
What if…? 
Do you agree with me? 
Do go along with that? 
Are you alright with that?
Stating your opinion
As far as I’m concerned, … 
As I see it, … 
I’d like to suggest… 
If you ask me, … 
I think that… 
It seems to me that… 
From my point of view, … 
Personally, … 
To my mind, … 
From my perspective, … 
In my view, ... 
From my standpoint, ... 
I think the best option may be…
Agreeing with your partner
I completely/absolutely/totally agree. 
That’s absolutely right. 
You’re right. 
That’s a very good point. 
Yes, I hadn’t thought of that. 
I couldn’t agree more. 
That’s exactly what I was thinking. 
Absolutely.
Partly agreeing or disagreeing
I partly agree. 
In a way, you are right. 
There’s a lot in what you say, but… 
You’ve got a point, but… 
I agree with you up to a point. 
I agree in part. 
That’s right to some extent, but… 
Surely, though…
Disagreeing with your partner
I completely disagree. 
I’m afraid I don’t agree. 
I have to disagree. Don’t you think…? 
But what about…? 
To be honest, I don’t think so at all. 
The way I see it is very different. 
Sorry, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.

sábado, 29 de julio de 2017

FCE Speaking Part 2: Comparing and contrasting photos

In the second phase of the FCE interview, you have to compare and contrast two pictures. Don’t describe the photographs in detail. Think of each photo as an example of an idea. For example, if one photo is a picture of a nurse, it’s the job you should talk about, not the particular nurse in the picture. The examiner will also ask you to express an opinion by answering a question. Make sure you answer the question you have been asked. Remember that you only have one minute to talk about the two photographs, so don’t spend too long talking about them. Don’t worry if the examiner interrupts you after a minute – it just means you have a lot of ideas!



Have a look at the following example and pay attention to the common expressions used to compare and contrast the pictures:

What activity seems to be more exciting?
Student:  To begin with, both photographs show holidays. The first is a photograph of people on a beach, while/whereas the second is of people riding an elephant. In both pictures, the people seem to be relaxed because they are taking a break from work. The photo of the beach was probably taken in the summer and so was the other one. One main difference is that spending your holiday lying on a beach can be a little boring, in contrast to exotic holidays, which teach you about the other countries and other people. Unlike the one of the beach, riding an elephant is not something you would do often. Compared with beach holidays, exotic holidays are more interesting, so I prefer the second one.
You can also speculate if you’re not sure of something. Remember that you will not lose marks if you say you’re not sure about something. On the contrary, you will impress the examiner with your ability to express your uncertainty.
Judging from the clothes they’re wearing, it must be summer. 
It’s not clear if the people are male or female. 
I imagine/suppose/guess that riding an elephant is quite exciting.  
It could be a beach in the Caribbean.
It’s difficult to tell, but it might/may be somewhere in India. 
Probably the people in the picture are doing a safari. 
It’s quite likely that the two people on the beach are a couple. 
I’m not really/totally sure what’s the best option to take. 

viernes, 28 de julio de 2017

FCE: What to do in speaking parts 1 & 2

Come in the room and say “hi”, “hello”, or “good morning/afternoon”. A smile is always positive, just be nice. The examiner will introduce him/herself and the assessor and ask for your names. They want to know your first name, so instead of answering “Laura Gómez”, simply say “Laura”. 

PART 1. You will be asked a few questions about yourself, your hobbies, etc. Listen to the questions and answer clearly. Try to relax. Forget about the assessor. This part of the interview is designed to help you feel more comfortable. If you’re nervous, take a deep breath and smile before continuing. These are some of the questions you might be asked:

PART 2
  • When it is your turn:

    The examiner will give you two photographs. Look at the photographs and listen to the question. You will be asked to compare and contrast the photographs and express an opinion. Listen carefully to second half of the question so you know what you are being asked to do. Compare and contrast the photographs and express the opinion you have been asked for.

    Don’t describe the photographs in much detail, you won’t have enough time for that.

    If you mention something in photo, try not to say “I can see…”. Say “there is/there are…” instead.

    Use good discursive words and phrases, such as “On the one hand… On the other hand…”, “whereas…”, “while…”, etc.

    Make sure you speak for one minute. Don’t worry if the examiner interrupts you. They have to do that so there is time for the whole interview. It doesn’t mean you have done anything wrong.
  • When it is your partner’s turn:

    Look at the photographs your partner is given and listen to the question they have been asked. While your partner is talking, listen to what they are saying. If you are asked whether you agree, you should know what they said!

    After one minute, your partner will stop and the examiner will ask you a follow-up question. This is usually something like “Which one would you prefer?” or “Do you like doing this activity?”. You only need to give a short answer here, such as “yes, I do. I usually go running in the weekends”. Don’t worry if the examiner stops you saying too much.

Click on HERE if you want to know more on how to compare and contrast photos.



miércoles, 26 de julio de 2017

ISE II Prompts

These are some prompts you can use to practice the ISE II interactive phase. Note that some words or expressions are underlined to show phrasal verbs, idiomatic expressions or words in general that the student might not be familiar with, so it's recommended to refer to these words before saying the prompt. As we know, the examiner will always start by saying:

For the next part, I’ll tell you something. You have to ask me questions to find out more information and make comments. You need to keep the conversation going. After four minutes, I’ll end the conversation. Are you ready?

1. A friend of mine has arrived in Seville and wants to meet up, but I think we will have to put off our meeting until tomorrow. 
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, persuading and discouraging, speculating, expressing emotions and feelings)

2. One of my best friends is living in Argentina for two months now and wants to move out. However, she doesn't know where.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, persuading and discouraging, speculating, expressing impossibility, expressing feelings and emotions)

3. As far as I can remember, my parents have always got along, but now they seem to want to divorce. I don't know what I should do.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, persuading and discouraging, speculating, expressing feelings and emotions)

4. Las week I came across an old friend who told me about a strange experience he had when he was a teenager. I found it hard to believe.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, speculating, expressing impossibility, expressing feelings and emotions)

5. I had a strange dream last night. I suspect it might be my brother's fault.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, speculating, expressing impossibility, expressing feelings and emotions)

6. Even though I couldn't catch any sleep at all last night, I had a shower and went to work at 7 o'clock in the morning.
(Possible functions: speculating, expressing feelings and emotions, persuading and discouraging)

7. My trip to London was an absolute mess, certainly the most horrible days of my life.
(Possible functions: speculating, expressing impossibility, expresing feelings and emotions)

8. One of my acquaintances has suggested that I should join his political party. In spite of my taste for politics, I can't make up my mind.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, speculating, persuading and discouraging, expressing feelings and emotions, expressing impossibility)

9. Yesterday morning I got a scary e-mail that kept me nervous for the rest of my day. 
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, speculating, persuading and discouraging, expressing feelings and emotions, expressing impossibility)

10. I am seriously thinking of changing my job. I have looked at various courses, but I'm not sure which course to choose.
(Possible functions: speculating, persuading and discouraging, expressing feelings and emotions, expressing impossibility)

11. Although I'd really to feel healthier, I haven't got a clue about where to start.
(Possible functions: speculating, persuading and discouraging, expressing feelings and emotions)

12. If I hadn't changed my job long time ago, my life would have been very different today.
(Possible functions: speculating, expressing feelings and emotions, expressing impossibility)

13. My oldest brother lives in the US. He's always felt comfortable there, but now he might have changed his opinion.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, speculating, persuading and discouraging, expressing feelings and emotions, expressing impossibility)

14. I feel guilty for having let down one of my employees at work. I didn't have any other option.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, speculating, persuading and discouraging, expressing feelings and emotions, expressing impossibility)

15. A few days ago, I went to the doctor. I wonder if I should ever come back again.
(Possible functions: reporting the conversation of others, speculating, persuading and discouraging, expressing feelings and emotions, expressing impossibility)

lunes, 24 de julio de 2017

ISE II Interactive Phase

Having presented your topic, for the next part the examiner will present a situation (or prompt) in which you’re expected to ask questions to know more about it and engage in an interactive conversation.  Remember the student must take the initiative and maintain the interaction. The examiner will always start by saying:
For the next part, I’ll tell you something. You have to ask me questions to find out more information and make comments. You need to keep the conversation going. After four minutes, I’ll end the conversation. Are you ready?
Subsequently, the interviewer will read the prompt. Take the following one as an example:
I received a really strange phone call yesterday. I was told something that I think might change my life!
Again, you must use some specific language functions for this part. The most logical way to do this is by following the order suggested below:

1. Reported Speech. Students usually struggle as for where to use this specific language function in the conversation, so I always recommend they use it right after the interviewer has dropped the prompt. This will not only allow you to use reported speech but also make sure you have understood the prompt. You don’t need to use the examiner’s exact words when reporting. In fact, you will be unlikely to remember the whole prompt with such accuracy. What really matters is just the introduction of reported speech. In general terms, the correct structure of reported speech is:
Subject   +   present perfect/past simple of a reporting verb   +   to me/you/him…   +   (”that”) phrase.
* Keep in mind, however, in questions you need to use an auxiliary or modal verb at the beginning.
Has she said to you (that) she’s not coming over tonight? 
They told me (that) I was being really rude to them so I just stopped. 
You asked us if/whether  we were comfortable enough in your company. 
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR A PROPER USAGE:
  • The word “that” is optional, it can be omitted. 
  • Say / tell can be used interchangeably in reported speech. However, while the verb to say needs to be followed by the preposition “to”, the verb to tell doesn’t.
Did you say to me that I was wrong?
Did you tell to me that I was wrong?
  • When using the verb to ask in place of to say/tell, the “that” phrase must be replaced by an “if/whether” phrase. Unlike “that”, “if/whether” can’t be omitted in any case.
This is how reported speech should look in the interactive phase:
Examiner: I received a really strange phone call yesterday. I was told something that I think might change my life! 
Student: Have you said that you got a phone call and it could change your life? 
Examiner: Yes, I have. That’s right.
2. Ask 3 or 4 questions to find out more information. In this step the interviewer wants to check your ability to make questions in the correct order. 
What did the caller say? 
Who was that person? 
Did you recognize the voice? 
Have you told anyone else about it? 
How did you feel when you got that call? 
Would you trust anyone you don’t know personally? 
Can you do anything about it? Have you thought of anything you could do?
* Don’t make a mere questionnaire; show some real interest in the answers of the examiner. Some recurrent phrases to show interest can be:
Oh, sorry about that. 
That sounds bad! 
That is cool, isn’t it? 
Oh, really? 
That’s a real pity/shame! 
What a shame/pity! 
Bummer! 
Oh, my goodness. 
That’s interesting!
3. Give your opinions. Once you have collected enough information, then get more personal in the conversation and always finish by giving advice.
  • Persuading and discouraging:
I don’t think that’s a bad idea at all.   
Why don’t you try calling back? 
I think it would be a great idea to talk to her. 
Are you really sure that’s true? 
Are you sure of it? 
I really think you would do well to do that. 
It would be a pity if you didn’t consider trying again. 
For your own sake, I think you should consider better options.
  • Speculating:
It might have been a silly joke. 
They may think it’s funny. 
It’s possible you actually know that person very well. 
Perhaps he didn’t mean to do you any harm. 
Maybe it was just your imagination, don’t you think? 
I guess it has just been a misunderstanding. 
I suppose there is a good reason for all that.
  • Expressing emotions and feelings:
I suspect there is something else you don’t know. 
I have mixed feelings about this situation.  
Honestly, I wouldn’t like to be in your place. 
That sounds horrible. 
I think I couldn’t cope with so much stress if I were you. 
It seems to me your situation is very difficult to deal with. 
I am optimistc/pessimistic about the result. 
It makes me scared to think about that.
  • Impossibility:
I can’t be one hundred percent sure. 
There is no way to believe that. 
Even a fool can’t possibly believe that’s true. 
You may not be able to find out the truth. 
There is no chance to do it in a different way.
  • ALWAYS finish the conversation with some advice:
If I were in your shoes, I would be honest with him. 
If I were you, I would definitely take the opportunity. 
I think you should stop talking to her for some time. 
I suggest taking (or I suggest you take) some time off before any decision. 
I recommend being (or I recommend you are) strong and self-confident about the matter. 
How about trying again? 
What if you look at it from a different point of view?

martes, 18 de julio de 2017

An Irish low self-esteem?

The historical rather dismissive attitude of the British colonizers towards the Irish and their accent is one the reasons why Irish English variety remains unique in its own, as an attempt to distinguish oneself from the conquerors. Hickey R. talks about some non-linguistic terms referring to Irish English, first raised to show the incorrectness of the Irish people when speaking English. These terms have negative connotations that have been perpetuated throughout history. One of the best examples is the term “brogue”, first mentioned by John Skelton in Speke, Parrot, where a parrot imitates different languages and dialects, including Irish. B.H. Smart made his own comments on it in the early 19th, where he gives some advice to achieve a proper Standard English accent:
“Hints for softening a Hibernian Brogue 
The first point our Western friend must attend to for this purpose is to avoid hurling out his words with a superfluous quantity of breath. It is not “broadher” and “loudher” that he must say, but the ‘d’ and every other consonant in the language must be neatly delivered by the tongue, with as little riot, cluttering or breathing as possible”
Similarly, from the end of the 16th century and later on, the image of the “Irishman” in literature has been depicted as ridiculous and laughable. One of the numerous examples of this fact is the anonymous play The Life and Death of Captain Stukeley (1596/1605). It is fair to say, however, that the inferior/primitive relationship held by the colonized and the colonizers was the norm and what was expected at that time.

Another historical reason for Irish English uniqueness might be due to the fact that English gained prominence in Ireland in the second half of the 19th century. In this sense, the adaptation of the Gaelic cultural history to the “English system” might be regarded as still not fully completed. As a consequence, in the Irish collective consciousness, the standard British accent has an immediate connection with those colonizers still nowadays. Therefore, even those Irish whose accent is relatively close to RP are classified as “un-Irish”, “traitors” or “West Brit” (a rather derogatory term in the Irish context).

Another element to consider is the absence of a supraregional modality of English in the Republic of Ireland. In contrast with official names such as Cockney, Scouse, Geordi, Estatuary, etc., Irish English variety lacks of a specific name for their own standard of English. This seems to be another consequence derived from the dismissive attitude of the British towards the Irish-speaking populations. From a psychological point of view, this has affected the Irish self-esteem so much that even nowadays there is still a great scarcity of linguistic awareness of their form of English.

         Nevertheless, Dublin variety is considered to be the most prestigious linguistic norm today in Ireland, and it is gradually spreading throughout the rest of the country with great popularity, especially among the young generations. This is common to many other nations, where the economic center ends up becoming the norm for the whole country. It is important to remember that Dublin suffered a great economic boom during the 1990s, which made it easy for the city to become the model for the whole country.

En defensa de la evolución lingüística: el habla andaluza


“El andaluz” sigue siendo una de las tantas variedades despreciadas y calificadas como “habla incorrecta” por los idealistas del inmovilismo lingüístico. Una mirada esnob alimentada por la misma ausencia de empatía con la que María Antonieta mandó al pueblo a comer pasteles a falta de pan. Nos queda la satisfacción de que el concepto de corrección –y, por ende, el de “estándar”– siempre ha resbalado de las manos de quienes han querido poseerlo y darle forma. Las lenguas están sorprendentemente vivas y sólo toleran su propio orden nacido del desorden humano; cambian a cada nueva palabra que intuitivamente vocalizamos desde la creatividad más espontánea. Aquellos académicos en estado vegetativo y cercanos al ocaso, bueno, ¿qué podría hacerse por ellos mas que observar cómo son olvidados, devorados por el incesante flujo cíclico de la evolución y el inevitable paso a nuevos horizontes? Plantemos nuestras esperanzas, pues, en ese supuesto mortal cuya impoluta juventud podría permitirle ser osadamente crítico y desarrollar una mirada más integradora… O no.

Sepa que, al despreciar el habla andaluza, desprecia también el habla de muchos otros hispanoparlantes repartidos a lo ancho y largo del planeta –puede que usted sea uno de ellos–. A partir de la década de los 50, grandes filólogos retomaron la investigación sobre la enorme influencia del “andalucismo” en Latinoamérica, observándose desde siglos atrás una similitud evidente entre el habla andaluza y aquellas que habían surgido en el continente americano. Así pues, cuando usted se observa con superioridad lingüística frente al seseo, el ceceo, el yeísmo, la aspiración por presencia de /s/, el cambio de /ch/ a /sh/, y otras características propias del habla andaluza, sepa que está subestimando el indiscutible poder del verbo de un gran número de hispanoparlantes.

Sepa que desprecia la extensa gama de ilustres literatos andaluces cuya vasta contribución ha servido para reafirmar la belleza de la lengua española en el mundo. Esta es una tierra famosa “por sus plumas”, escribía el célebre Góngora, y la suya propia acabaría impregnando la conciencia de las generaciones venideras al modo de un inmortal clásico latino. Hablemos del mito de un joven sevillano en cuyas Rimas y Leyendas expuso su alma, desnuda y sensible, para que el mundo entero la contemplase; releamos La Gaviota de Fernán Caballero y comprendamos por qué es considerada precursora de la novela realista; rescatemos a Manuel Andújar de su olvidado sepulcro y démosle el reconocimiento que se merece; recordemos la maestría de Federico García Lorca, su único y destacable nombre dentro de la literatura del siglo XX… Nuestro legado es tan extenso y de tal calado que el desprecio de millones de mortales no bastaría –nunca bastó– para impugnarlo.

Y es que es fácil estar de acuerdo con el profesor José María Pérez Orozco, quien afirma que la nuestra es una cultura de la comunicación cuyas clases más populares siempre han tenido por costumbre reunirse y crear arte desde la gracia –muchas veces desde la miseria–. Podríamos referirnos al flamenco, íntimo y social al mismo tiempo, pero el mejor ejemplo lo hallamos dando una vuelta por un pueblo andaluz a la hora en que el sol ya no abrasa: hombres, mujeres y niños en la puerta de sus casas recreándose en un incesante parloteo a la luz de la luna. Desde un punto de vista estrictamente lingüístico, esta práctica de la comunicación ha hecho de nuestro dialecto un español “evolucionado” –que no mejor ni peor–, al romper las reglas prefijadas por la lengua castellana y aprovechar los recursos del lenguaje de una manera más extraordinaria que en el caso de otras variedades.

Por ello, no sienta desprecio por la evolución de la lengua, mírela con la admiración científica que exige. Únase a la lucha contra la supuesta “corrección lingüística”, un término tan vago como arcaico, y atrévase a defender la valía de su variedad practicándola no sólo en su casa y sus calles sino también, y bien alto, en los medios de comunicación, agentes perfectamente entrenados en seguir doblegados a merced de un “estándar” imaginario. Nunca sienta vergüenza de su habla; sus palabras y las mías serán las únicas verdaderas co-creadoras de la norma.