NED College General English syllabus 2024

Level B2
Course Overview: A 25 week course designed to promote developing fluency in English in a
range of professional and social settings and prepare students for the Cambridge First B2
examination.
Structure: The complete course comprises twenty five weeks (375 hours) of teaching and
learning. Students can access the course at any point and complete the cycle of tuition
within their programme start and end dates. Alternatively, students can access the course
from B1 after successfully completing the NED College change of level assessment.
Assessment: Weekly progress tests will provide an opportunity for teacher-led formative
assessment. Course culminates in summative Cambridge B2 First although students
accessing the course from B1 will need to conduct a minimum twelve weeks at this level or
have the option to take Cambridge B1 Preliminary.
Core Textbooks:
English File Upper Intermediate (4th edition) – Oxford University Press 2020
B2 First Formula – Pearson Education Ltd 2021

Extra Textbooks:
Focus 4 – Pearson Education Ltd 2020
English Grammar in Use Upper-intermediate (5 th Edition) – Cambridge 2019
English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate (5 th Edition) – Cambridge 2019

Week 1: English File 1A

Target: ‘Questions and Answers’
 Grammar: Question formation
 Vocabulary: Working out meaning from context
 Assessment: English File Workbook 1A

Extra
material: Books
 Grammar:
Focus 4 – SB – Unit 4.2: Question tags and reply questions. Pages 54, 157.
o
Focus 4 – WB – Unit 4.2: Question tags and reply questions. Page 54.
o
English Grammar in Use – Unit 49: Questions 1. Pages 98, 99.
o
English Grammar in Use – Unit 50: Questions 2: (do you know where …? / he asked me
o
where…). Pages 100, 101.
o English Grammar in Use – Unit 52: Question tags (do you? isn’t it? etc.). Pages 104,
105.
 Vocabulary:
o English Vocabulary in Use – Unit 4: Guessing and explaining meaning. Pages 14, 15.
Extra
material: Links
 Grammar:
o Question formation
o Questions – different types
o Indirect questions

CEFR Statements
Can-do:
 Listening: I can listen to conversations and identify when questions are being asked to
clarify or gather information.
 Reading: I can read an article about job interviews, including challenging or unusual
questions used by companies, and work out the underlying meaning of these questions by
analyzing clues in the text.
 Speaking: I can ask a variety of well-formed questions to gain information, seek
clarification, or explore unfamiliar topics.
 Writing: I can use follow-up questions such as “Could you clarify that?” to ensure I fully
understand the speaker’s intended meaning.

Week 2: English File 1B

Target: ‘It’s a mystery’
 Grammar: Auxiliary verbs, The…the…+comparatives
 Vocabulary: Compound adjectives, Modifiers
 Assessment: English File Test 1

Extra
material: Books
 Grammar:
o English Grammar in Use – Unit 51: Auxiliary verbs (have/do/can etc.) I think so / I hope
so etc. Pages 102, 103.
o English Grammar in Use – Units 104 to 108. Pages 208 to 217.
 Vocabulary:
o Focus 4 – SB – Unit 2.1: Compound adjectives. Pages 20, 21.
o Focus 4 – WB – Unit 2.1: Compound adjectives. Pages 20, 21.
o English Vocabulary in Use – Unit 74: Compound adjectives. Pages 154, 155.
Extra
material: Links
 Grammar:
o Auxiliary verbs
o Comparative structures – modifying comparatives
o The … the … comparatives
o Comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs
o Compound adjectives in English
o Pretty, rather, quite, fairly

CEFR
Can-do: Statements
 Listening: I can follow conversations or explanations where speakers emphasize points
using auxiliary verbs or complex comparatives, even when some phrases are unfamiliar.
 Reading: I can read articles or descriptions that use compound adjectives and modifiers
and work out how these words add nuance or detail to the text.
 Speaking: I can use auxiliary verbs to add emphasis or agree in conversations and I can
describe situations using complex comparatives to highlight cause and effect.
 Writing: I can write sentences using complex comparisons to clarify cause and effect,
especially when explaining processes or giving advice.
Week 2 English File 1B ‘It’s a mystery’
Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Auxiliary verbs Compound adjectives English File Test 1
The…the…+comparatives Modifiers
CEFR Can-do Statements
Listening I can follow conversations or explanations where speakers emphasize points
using auxiliary verbs or complex comparatives, even when some phrases are
unfamiliar.
Reading I can read articles or descriptions that use compound adjectives and modifiers
and work out how these words add nuance or detail to the text.
Spoken Interaction I can use auxiliary verbs to add emphasis or agree in conversations, like
responding with “I do” or “I have.”
Spoken Production I can describe situations using complex comparatives to highlight cause and
effect (e.g., "The harder I practice, the better I perform").
Writing I can write sentences using complex comparisons to clarify cause and effect,
especially when explaining processes or giving advice.
Strategies I can rephrase my statements using auxiliary verbs for clarity or emphasis
when I think my listener needs more detail.
Language Quality I can use a wide range of compound adjectives and modifiers to convey
detailed descriptions and make my language more precise and engaging.

Extra material:

Book Pages
Focus 4 – SB – Unit 2.1 20, 21
Focus 4 – WB – Unit 2.1 20, 21
English Grammar in Use – Unit 51 102, 103
English Grammar in Use – Units 104 to 108 208 to 217
English Vocabulary in Use – Unit 74 154, 155

Online material:

 https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b2/comparative-structures-modifying-comparatives/
 https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b1-b2/the-the-comparatives/
 https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b1/comparative-superlative-adjectives-adverbs/
 https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b2/compound-adjectives-in-english/

Week 3 English File 2A ‘Doctor, doctor!’

Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Present perfect simple and Illnesses and injuries English File Workbook 2A
continuous
CEFR Can-do Statements
Listening I can understand when someone describes recent or ongoing health issues
using present perfect simple or continuous.
Reading I can identify the difference between recent actions and ongoing conditions in
health-related texts, such as “has experienced” versus “has been
experiencing”.
Spoken Interaction I can describe or ask about recent or ongoing health issues using present
perfect simple and continuous forms accurately.
Spoken Production I can explain my own or others’ health experiences using present perfect
simple to describe past incidents and present perfect continuous to describe
ongoing conditions.
Writing I can use a variety of illness-related terms to give detailed and clear
explanations in a written account of health experiences.
Strategies I can use present perfect simple and continuous strategically to differentiate
between recent health issues and ongoing conditions.
Language Quality I have a sufficient range of vocabulary related to illnesses and injuries to
describe symptoms clearly and accurately.

Extra material:
 Book Pages
English Grammar in Use – Units 7 to 12 14 to 25
English Vocabulary in Use – Unit 28 62, 63

Online material:

 https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b1/present-perfect-simple-present-perfect-continuous/
 https://test-english.com/grammar-points/b1-b2/present-perfect-simple-continuous/
 https://test-english.com/vocabulary/b1-b2/health-problems-and-injuries-b1-b2-english-vocabulary/
 https://test-english.com/vocabulary/b2/health-and-sickness-b2-english-vocabulary/
 https://test-english.com/reading/b1/the-unhealthiest-places-in-the-world-b1-english-reading-test/
 https://test-english.com/listening/b1-b2/health-problems-b1-b2-english-listening-test/

Week 4 English File 2B ‘Act your age’

Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Using adjectives as nouns Clothes and fashion English File Test 2
Adjective order
CEFR Can-do Statements
Listening I can understand when people use adjectives as nouns to refer to groups (e.g.,
“the rich,” “the young”) and recognize the group being described.
Reading I can identify and understand descriptions that use a specific order of
adjectives (e.g., color, style, material) in articles about clothes and fashion.
Spoken Interaction I can describe clothes using correct adjective order, such as “a beautiful, long,
silk dress,” and understand others when they use similar descriptions.
Spoken Production I can give detailed descriptions of clothing items, using adjectives in the
correct order to describe the item’s look and feel.
Writing I can write descriptions of fashion trends or styles, using adjectives as nouns
to refer to different groups (e.g., “the minimalist”).
Strategies I can use adjectives as nouns when discussing general groups with particular
fashion styles to avoid repeating long phrases (e.g., “the casual” instead of
“casual dressers”).
Language Quality I am comfortable arranging multiple adjectives in the correct order to create
detailed and visually accurate descriptions of clothing items.

Extra material:

Book Pages
English Vocabulary in Use – Unit 27 60, 61

Online material:

 https://test-english.com/vocabulary/b1-b2/clothes-b1-b2-english-vocabulary/
 https://test-english.com/reading/b2/second-hand-fashion-b2-english-reading-test/

Week 5 B2 Formula Unit 3

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Future forms Phrasal verbs Practice Exam:
Make or do? Reading and Use of
Common expressions English
Exam Trainer pp92-
101

Week 6 English File 3A ‘Fasten your seat belts’

Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Narrative tenses Air travel English File Workbook 3A
Past perfect continuous
 So/such…that
CEFR Can-do Statements
Listening I can understand stories or past events related to air travel that use a variety
of narrative tenses, such as past simple, past continuous, and past perfect.
Reading I can read narratives about air travel experiences and understand the
sequence of events, including situations described in past perfect continuous.
Spoken Interaction I can share and understand someone else’s past travel experiences using a
mix of narrative tenses to clearly communicate the sequence of events.
Spoken Production I can recount detailed air travel experiences using narrative tenses to describe
what happened and I can use “so” and “such” for emphasis.
Writing I can write about air travel experiences using narrative tenses to structure the
story and show sequence, including past perfect continuous for ongoing
actions in the past, and using “so” and “such” in my writing to emphasize
significant details.
Strategies I can use narrative tenses to make travel stories engaging and easy to follow,
particularly by setting the scene with past continuous and emphasizing
completed actions with past perfect.
Language Quality I can use narrative tenses accurately and naturally to describe past travel
experiences, sequencing events clearly and using past perfect continuous
where appropriate.

Week 7 English File 3B ‘A really good ending’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
The position of adverbs Adverbs and adverbial English File Test 3
and adverbial phrases phrases

Week 8 English File 4A ‘Stormy Weather’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Future perfect and The environment English File Workbook
future continuous Weather 4A

Week 9 English File 4B ‘A risky business’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Zero and first Expressions with take English File Test 4
conditionals
Future time clauses

Week 10 B2 Formula Unit 4

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Reported speech Phrasal verbs Practice Exam:
Noun Suffixes Listening
Nature and seasons Exam Trainer pp104-
107

Week 11 English File 5A ‘I’m a survivor’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Unreal conditionals feelings English File Workbook
5A
Week 12 English File 5B ‘Wish you were here’
CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Wish for present / Expressing feelings English File Test 5
future with verbs or –ed/-ing
Wish for past regrets endings

Week 13 English File 6A ‘Night night’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Used to, be used to, sleep English File Workbook
get used to 6A

Week 14 English File 6B ‘Music to my ears’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Gerunds and infinitives music English File Test 6

Week 15 B2 Formula Unit 5

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Conditional forms Verb patterns Practice Exam:
Compound words Speaking
Exam Trainer pp108-
112

Week 16 English File 7A ‘Let’s not argue’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Past modals: must Verbs often confused English File Workbook
have etc. 7A
Would rather

Week 17 English File 7B ‘It’s all an act’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Verbs of the senses The body English File Test 7

Week 18 English File 8A ‘Cutting crime’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
The passive (all forms) Crime and punishment English File Workbook
Have something done; 8A
it is said that…; he is
thought to… etc.

Week 19 English File 8B ‘Fake news’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Reporting verbs The media English File Test 8
Week 20 B2 Formula Unit 6
CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Comparative forms Adjective suffixes Practice Exam:
Compound words Writing part 1
Feelings Exam Trainer p102
Communication and
conflict

Week 21 English File 9A ‘Good business?’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Clauses of contrast Advertising English File Workbook
and purpose Business 9A

Week 22 English File 9B ’Super cities’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Uncountable and plural Word building: prefixes English File Test 9
nouns and suffixes

Week 23 English File 10A ’Science fact, science fiction’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Quantifiers: all, every, Science English File Workbook
both, etc. 10A

Week 24 English File 10B ‘Free Speech’

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Articles Collocation: word pairs English File Test 10

Week 25 B2 Formula Unit 7

CEFR ‘Can do’ Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment
Relative clauses Easily confused words Practice Exam:
Sequencing events Phrasal verbs Writing part 2
Exam Trainer p103

Target grammar Target vocabulary Assessment

CEFR Can-do Statements

Listening
Reading
Spoken Interaction
Spoken Production
Writing
Strategies
Language Quality