Sources for topic selection (more references)

I. Part 1 - Interview

DREAM
– Do you remember your dream when you wake up?
– Do you like hearing other’s dreams?
– Do you think dream will affect life?
– Do you want to learn more about dreams?
– What is your dream?
– Why are dreams so important?

TOY
– Why was your favorite toy in childhood?
– Should parents buy many toys to their children?
– What are the benefits of children playing toys?
– What are the disadvantages of children playing toys?

MIRROR
– Do you often look in the mirror?
– Do you often buy mirror?
– Where do you think mirrors are a necessary decoration?

ROBOT
– Are you interested in robots? Why?
– Do you like robots to work at your home?
– Do you want to take a car which robot is the driver?
– Will robots replace human beings in the workplace completely?

SHOES
– Are people willing to buy expensive shoes?
– Do you like shoes?
– Which do you prefer, comfortable shoes or fashionable shoes?
– Do you buy shoes from online shops?
– Why do some people buy a lot of shoes?

GAMES
– Do you play any computer or cellphone games?
– Which kind of game do you like to play?
– Is it beneficial for young people to play games?

GOING OUT
– When do you usually go out, in the daytime or in the evening?
– What do you always do when going out?

BRINGING THINGS
– What will you bring when you go out?
– What necessary things you will bring when going out?
– How would you remind yourself of something you need to bring?
– Will you bring different things in the daytime or at night?
– Did you ever forget to bring things?

HOUSEWORK
– Do you do housework at home?
– What kind of housework do you often do?
– Did you do housework when you were a child?
– Do you think that children should do housework?

FRIEND
– Do you prefer to have a best friend or several not to so close friends?
– What do you do after work or study with friends?
– What do you like to do with friends? Why?

INDOOR ACTIVITIES
– Do you like indoor activities?
– Do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities?
– What are the benefits of doing indoor activities?

SWIMMING
– Do you like swimming?
– How often do you swim?
– Do you like to go swimming on holiday?
– Should everyone learn swimming? Why?
SPORTS
– What are the appropriate ways to do sports?
– What are the differences between the sports that old people and the ones
that young people do?
– What kinds of sports do you like?

FREE TIME
– Do you spend your free time at home or outside?
– What do you do in free time?
– Do you like to spend your free time with families or friends?

II. Part 2 – Individual Long Turn

An Exciting Sport
Describe an exciting sport that you know about.
You should say:
what the sport is
how you know about this sport
how easy it is to play this sport
and explain what it was about this sport that makes it exciting (for
you).

A Party
Describe a party you would like to arrange for your friends or
family.
You should say:
who you would invite to the party
when and where you would hold the party
what you (or, your guests) would do at the party
and explain why you would hold (= have) this party.
or
and explain what preparations you would do for this party.

A Newspaper or Magazine Article

Describe an article you recently read in a newspaper or magazine.
You should say:
 what magazine or newspaper it was
when you read it
what the article was about
and explain why you remember this article.

An Artistic Activity
Describe an artistic activity that you do/did (outside of normal
classes) at school or university (such as painting, woodwork or
pottery)
You should say:
what the activity is/was
when & where you do/did this activity
who you do/this activity with
how you did this activity
and explain how you felt (feel) about his activity

Success
Describe a success you would like to achieve (in the near future).
You should say:
what it is
how difficult you think it will be
what you should do to prepare for this
and explain why you want to succeed in doing this.
or
and explain how you think you will feel after you reach this goal.

An Email or Postcard
Describe a holiday postcard or email you received and that you
liked.
You should say:
who the postcard/email was from
where it was sent from
when you received it
what the contents of the postcard or email were
and explain why you liked it.

A Place where People Listen to Music

Describe a place you know where people go to listen to music
(such as a theatre or a music hall).
You should say:
where it is
what kind of music is performed there
what type of people go there
why people go there
how you know this place
and explain your impressions of this place.

A Person who has visited your Home

Describe a person who visited your home.
You should say:
who the person was
why they visited your home
how you spent the time with this visitor (or how you
entertained this visitor)
and explain how you felt about the visit.

An Adventurous Person
Describe an adventurous person who you know.
You should say:
who the person is
how you know this person
what this person does that is adventurous
and explain why you think this person likes to take risks.
Or
and explain how you feel about the risks this person takes

A Tourist Attraction
Describe a tourist site in your country that you enjoyed
visiting.
You should say
where you went (= the name and location of the place)
what sort of this place it was (or, what it looked like)
what you did there
who you went with
and explain why you enjoyed it.
or
and explain why you think people are attracted to that place.

A Piece of Furniture
Describe an item of furniture, either modern or traditional.
You should say:
what material it is made of
what style it is (modern or traditional)
who bought it (or, who chose to buy it)
and explain (how or) why this piece of furniture was bought.
Or
and explain how this piece of furniture is used.)

A Work of Art
Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen.
You should say:
when you saw this work of art
where you saw it
what it looked like
and explain your impression of it.

A Practical Skill
Describe a practical skill that you have (such as driving a car,
speaking a foreign language, cooking etc).
You should say:
what this skill is
who taught you this skill; (how and when you learned it)
how long you learned this skill
and explain how this skill is useful to you.

THE END
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SPEAKING CRITERIA – 3C- 4C

1. Task achievement/ fulfilment (Phonetic features)

2. Coherence – cohesion
3. Lexical resources
4. Grammatical range (items – sentence structures)

I. Phonetic features:
+ Correct pronunciation (44 phonemes)
+ Ending and mid sounds (grammatical endings)
+ Stress

- Basic linking (for example – he’s a good boy - for ages - two boys and
a girl - a girl and two boys)

- Pauses (meaningful / language units / in speech)

-> My father/ is in London /for a conference /on phonetics.//

- Rhythm (stressed syllables -> equal beat)

-> My fa-ther/ is in Lon-don /for a con-ference /on phone-tics.//

- Pitch change
=> intonation

****** Face to face contact:

- Eye contact
- Gestures (body language)
+ Tone (expressiveness - impressiveness)

II. Language used (handout 5-6)

1. Topic-related language
-> vocabulary

2. Grammatical items and sentence structures

- Complex tenses
 -> continuous / perfect
- Modals
- Fixed expressions:
-> rather (than), used to, seem to = be likely to = be prone to …

- Non-defining relative clauses (defining)

Ex. 1: She ate much chocolate. This has made her fat
➔ She ate much chocolate, which has made her fat.

Ex. 2: Mother Nature, which has been being severely damaged, is getting
angry.

- Passive voice
- Comparatives
-> (equal – as … as/ superlatives – the most / comparatives – more than)
- Intensifiers
- Negation

+ complex tenses
+ passive voice
+ intensifier
+ relative clause (non-defining/ non-restrictive )

3. Cohesive markers (linking elements) -> word/ phrase/ clause …

- additional info. (moreover, what is more)
- concession (though, despite …)
- conditionals (if, unless …)
- causes and effects (as a result, consequently …)
- sequence (to begin with, after that …)
- spatial (at the beginning …)
- logical (actually, obviously … -> depending on the context)

III. Idea arrangement and development (Organizational structure)

- Main ideas
=> in a certain order
- Supporting ideas -> more details
=> ways to develop and support MI.
 - Extended answer (by supporting)

- changing to a new idea -> start a new main idea (cohesive markers)

GENERAL SPEAKING CRITERIA

1. Phonetic features (clear/ native-like/ understood/ fluent/ natural)
- Pronunciation (separate sounds and combination/ clusters of consonants/
endings / mid-sounds)
- Stress (primary – unstressed) (secondary)
- Pauses (meaningful units of language)
- Linking (basic - common)
- Rhythm (equal beat between stressed syllable)
- Intonation (melody / pitch change)
- Accent (native like)

2. Speech structure (cohesive/ coherent/ well-organized)

2.1. Format/organization:
- 3 parts: introductory – development – concluding parts
2.2. Content:
- Generating idea/ Extension
- Ideas: idea arrangement – idea development
-> MAIN ideas and supporting details
3. Form: cohesive markers (linking elements: to begin with …. Finally …)

3. Language used – GRAMMAR + VOCABULARY (accuracy/ wide

range/ native-like/ natural/ complex)
- target language (topic-related language)
- general language
-> other lexical vocab and language structures

……………………………………………………………………………..
OUTLINING RULEs

➔ “Parallel form” rule: the kind of letters/ grammatical forms/ noun

phrases
➔ “Equivalent value” rule: the kind of letter numbers/ main-
supporting (-/ +/ ->)

………………………………………….

Writing an effective controlling idea

1. avoiding too general terms like several/ some/ many/ the following/ these
……
-> several reasons

2. using a certain number: two/ three/ four ….

-> two areas

3. using an adjective as a modifier to the HN in NP of controlling ideas:

significant/ principle/ critical/ crutial/ considerable/ major/ important/
regionally-typical/ interesting/obvious/ clear/ mostly-noticeable……
-> three noticeable features

4. 2 ways to Express the content of controlling ideas:

+ general: two most important features
+ specific: two most important features of culture and history

5. More examples from students:

- I am really into comming back to my hometown owing to 2 prominent
reasons namely its tranquility and beauty
- Smoking is potentially harmful due to the health and money depletion
the smoker has to suffer.
- Everyone should have a chance to travel overseas / for two principle
reasons / for improving their socialization and enriching their cutural
knowledge / for enriching their knowledge and unwinding themselves
after stressful working and studying hours / to broaden their horizon and
to recuperate after a hectic schedule / for creating new relationship circle
with interntional friends and learning new languages ……….

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Writing 1 – LETTER WRITING IN ENGLISH
Pre-writing stratergies

1. Task analysis
1.1. Basic requirements (identify)
-> words amount: 120 – 180 wds (around 150 wds)
-> time allowed: 20 minutes (+ 5’)

1.2. General introduction

-> provide + background information
+ a certain situation/ circumstance/ context
-> underline KEY words: + topic (content)
+ main ideas
Ex.1: key words
- bank acount (YOU - a few years ago)
- a letter from the bank
- $240 dollars overdraw
- be charged $70 dollars directly from YOUR
account
- incorrect (information)

Ex.2: key words

- job advertisement
- your FRIEND is planning to apply
- YOU worked for this company
Important NOTEs:
+ small groups -> 25 in size
 + excellent pay -> like pocket Money
+ plentiful of free time -> half day per week
+ paid promptly -> till November (nearly a half year later)
+ one-month contract -> both July (busier) and August (better
organized)

Ex.3: key words

- an email from Jane, English friend
- Jane got a mail from An, one of YOUR friend
- An is doing a course in London
- An wants to stay with Jane’s family untill the finding of an apartment
- Jane asks about An’s personal information

1.3. Task question

(1) WHAT -> genre(s) of writing
+ letter
+ email

(2) WHY -> purpose of writing (types of letters/emails)

+ to ask for or provide infomation
+ to describe something or somebody
+ to describe a problem and explain why/how it happened
+ to request, suggest what to do
+ to recommend sth/sb
+ to give advice/suggestions
+ to complain about sth/sb
+ to apolozige for sth/sb
+ to accept/decline a request/ an offer/ an invitation

(3) WHO -> audience/ reader/ receiver (their relationship with the writer)
+ family members/ friends/ classmates/ room-mates
 Informal language
+ social relationships: neighbours/ colleagues …
 (semi) formal language
+ social relationships: customers/ managers/ teachers/ lecturers/
adminstrators/ customer service officers/ representatives/ organizers/
authorities…
  formal language

(4) HOW
-> Content: (2) – Why
+ personal updates (Wr1)
+ giving recommendations/suggestions and advice (Wr2)
+ making inquiries and requests (Wr3)
……………………
+ explaining problems and suggesting solutions (Wr5)
+ explaining problems and apologying or complaining (Wr6)

-> Form: (3) – Who => register of language use:

+ FORMAL vs
+ INFORMAL
=> categories of language use:
+ target language (types of letters)
+ general language (content/ideas)

2. Brainstorming
- KEY words -> topic-related language (paraphrasing/ phrases/ synonymous
expressions)
-> formulaic structures (samples)

3. Outlining (BODY)
- idea arrangment -> paragraphing (2-3 paragraphs)
- idea development

………………………….
Formal vs Informal letters

1. General structure of a letter

(4 main parts)
➔ Letter openings (salutations) -> formulaic
- Dear …,
➔ Reasons for writing
 ➔ Letter main body (main content) -> develop the answer to the
question task
(at least two body paragraphs)

➔ Letter endings (closing) -> formulaic

Informal Formal
- Love, - Yours sincerely,
- Lots of love n kisses, (start the letter with a name)
- Bye, - Yours faithfully,
- Best regards, (start the letter with Dear Sir
….. or Madam)
- NAME - NAME
- P/s (post scripts)

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Writing 1 – LETTER WRITING IN ENGLISH

Formal vs Informal letters (contd.)

Informal Formal
- Love, - Yours sincerely,
- Lots of love n kisses, (start the letter with a name)
- Bye, - Yours faithfully,
- Best regards, (start the letter with Dear Sir
….. or Madam)
- NAME - NAME
- P/s (post scripts)

2. Language used in Formal and Informal letters

FORMAL INFORMAL
Grammar – Sentence structures
1. No contractions 1. Contractions
2. Formal set phrases 2. Informal set phrases
4. Inversions 0
5. Complete sentences 5. Incomplete sentences
7. Indirect questions 7. Direct questions
8. Passive voice 9. Active voice
10. Complex sentence 10. Simple sentence structures
structures
Vocabulary
3. Formal greetings in letters 3. Informal greetings in letters
6. Formal vocab. 6. Informal vocab.
- No phrasal verbs - Phrasal verbs (put up with/ get on
[well/badly] with)
- Idioms (day in day out/ flying
colors …)
- Polysemantic words (GET)
9. Formal connecting words – 9. Formal connecting words -
phrases phrases
Punctuation
11. semi-colons 11. exclamation marks
(question/interrogative marks -
>direct questions)
-If – conditionals
- Complex tenses
- Comparisons
- Fixed expressions (rather than, used to, be likely to …)