B2 Archives - PolygloTopia

The 3rd Conditional

Polyglotopia Team — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 20:23:06 +0000

How would you have looked for grammar information if computers hadn’t been invented? That’s an example of the third conditional in English. In this article you can find more examples, information about its structure and meaning, as well as practice exercises to help you use the 3^rd conditional in context.

3rd Conditional in English

Table of contents

3rd Conditional Explained: Meaning

3rd Conditional Explained: Structure

Example Sentences

3rd Conditional Exercises

3rd Conditional Explained: Meaning

To begin with, we firstly need to understand what it means and when we can use it. Let’s have a look at an example sentence.

If you had told me you would visit your mum, I would have given you a present for her.

This is a situation that happened in the past, so it is not possible to change it. We can only make a hypothesis about the result of the if clause. The 3^rd conditional is often also associated with past regrets. For instance:

I would have arrived at work on time if I hadn’t overslept.

The speaker in this sentence regrets not having woken up earlier.

3rd Conditional Explained: Structure

We are going to reuse the previous examples in order to analyze the 3^rd conditional structure. To make it easier to remember and visualize, the information is presented in the tables below.

3^rd Conditional

Example Sentence 1

If you had told me you would visit your mum,

I would have given you a present for her.

Structure

If clause, (comma after the if clause)

Result clause

Analysis

If + subject + past perfect,

Subject + would have + past participle.

3^rd Conditional

Example Sentence 2

I would have arrived at work on time

if I hadn’t overslept.

Structure

Result clause (no comma)

If clause

Analysis

Subject + would have + past participle

if + subject + past perfect.

Example Sentences

If I had seen you, I would have said “hi”.
She would have bought the car if she had saved more money.
They would have visited us if we had invited them.
If I had discovered the recipe earlier, I would have been a Michelin-star chef by now.
This wouldn’t have happened if you had listened to me.

3rd Conditional Exercises

To strengthen your grasp of the 3rd conditional, practise constructing sentences with the following exercises. Start with a multiple-choice quiz and continue with a gap-fill activity.

3rd Conditional Quiz

You can find a 10-question multiple choice quiz below. Can you get 10 out of 10?

Score : /

Question : /

3rd Conditional Gap Fill

Time for a more challenging, fill-the-gap task. Change the verbs in parentheses to the correct form in order to form 3rd conditional sentences. (Make sure you spot which is the if clause and which is the result clause before completing the gaps!)

Fill the Gap Exercise

If she (study) harder, she (pass) the exam.
We (travel) to Paris if we (know) about the opportunity.
If they (invest) in that company, they (make) a profit.
I (buy) a house if I (save) more money.
She (not miss) the bus if she (leave) on time.
If we (know) it was going to rain, we (bring) an umbrella.
He (not lose) the job if he (complete) the project on time.
If they (tell) us earlier, we (help) them with the move.
We (attend) the party if we (receive) an invitation.
If I (know) it was a surprise, I (not tell) her about the celebration.

If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
We would have traveled to Paris if we had known about the opportunity.
If they had invested in that company, they would have made a profit.
I would have bought a house if I had saved more money.
She would not have missed the bus if she had left on time.
If we had known it was going to rain, we would have brought an umbrella.
He would not have lost the job if he had completed the project on time.
If they had told us earlier, we would have helped them with the move.
We would have attended the party if we had received an invitation.
If I had known it was a surprise, I would not have told her about the celebration.

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You might also be insterested in practising:

The 1st Conditional

The 2nd Conditional

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Flowers-Miley Cyrus | Worksheet

Polyglotopia Team — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 21:48:23 +0000

Miley Cyrus’s popular song Flowers is a great example of how popular songs can be adapted for classroom use and initiate meaningful discussions. Apart from being especially popular on social media, it is appropriate for English language learning lessons and can be used as a listening gap fill activity as well as a lead in for a conversation on happiness, love and independence.

It underlines the fact that people can recover from breakups and enjoy life as much as before. Contrary to many other popular songs, it emphasises on the importance of emotional independence and assertiveness. That’s why we have chosen it for this article, which includes a gap fill activity as well as conversation questions on the topic. The worksheet is free and available in PDF version. You can download our free printable song worksheet or do the activities online. Happy listening!

Complete the gaps with the correct form of the words:

We were good, we were gold
Kind of _________that can't be sold
We were right 'til we weren't
Built a home and watched it _________

Hum, I didn't wanna leave you
I didn't wanna ___________
Started to cry, but then remembered I

I can buy myself ___________
Write my name in the sand
Talk to myself for ___________
Say things you don't understand
I can take ___________dancing
And I can hold my own hand
Yeah, I can love me better ___________you can

Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better
I can love me better, baby

Paint my ___________cherry-red
Match the roses that you left
No remorse, no ____________

I forgive every word you said
Ooh, I didn't wanna leave, baby
I didn't wanna ____________
Started to cry, but then remembered I

I can buy myself ___________
Write my name in the sand
Talk to myself for _____________
Say things you don't understand
I can take _____________dancing
And I can hold my own hand
Yeah, I can love me better _________you can

Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better, ooh, I

I didn't wanna leave you
I didn't wanna ____________
Started to cry, but then remembered I
(CHORUS)

Ask and answer the questions in pairs:

What is the overall message of the song?
How does the song question the notion of relying on someone else for happiness and love?
What are some examples of the singer feeling independent and able to do things on their own in the song?
Discuss the emotions expressed in the song and how they evolve throughout the lyrics.
What are the society norms about happiness?
Are single people seen as happy or the other way round? Why?
How do people usually experience breakups?
Have you ever helped a friend get over their break up?
Should our happiness depend on romantic relationships, relationships in general or can we be totally independent from others?

Read the lyrics and check your answers :

We were good, we were gold
Kind of dream that can't be sold
We were right 'til we weren't
Built a home and watched it burn

Hum, I didn't wanna leave you
I didn't wanna lie
Started to cry, but then remembered I

I can buy myself flowers
Write my name in the sand
Talk to myself for hours
Say things you don't understand
I can take myself dancing
And I can hold my own hand
Yeah, I can love me better than you can

Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better
I can love me better, baby

Paint my nails cherry-red
Match the roses that you left
No remorse, no regret

I forgive every word you said
Ooh, I didn't wanna leave, baby
I didn't wanna fight
Started to cry, but then remembered I
I can buy myself flowers
Write my name in the sand
Talk to myself for hours
Say things you don't understand
I can take myself dancing
And I can hold my own hand
Yeah, I can love me better than you can
Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better
I can love me better, baby
Can love me better, ooh, I
I didn't wanna leave you
I didn't wanna fight
Started to cry, but then remembered I
(CHORUS)

Check the song worksheet here:

Flowers by Miley Cyrus | Pdf

Check the worksheet with the answers here:

Flowers by Miley Cyrus answers | Pdf

Practise with songs here:

Music

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Used to, be used to, get used to

Polyglotopia Team — Sat, 13 May 2023 15:50:57 +0000

Learning to use English verbs correctly can be challenging, especially when it comes to structures like used to, be used to, and get used to. These phrases have distinct meanings and are commonly used in both written and spoken English. As a B2-level learner, it’s important to master their use to effectively communicate and express yourself in English, as well as improve your scores in your grammar exams. In this article, we will explore the differences between used to, be used to, and get used to and provide examples of their usage. We’ve also included a quiz at the end of the article to test your knowledge and reinforce your understanding of these structures.

Grammar explanation:

Structure	Use	Followed by
Used to	For past habits or states	infinitive
Be used to	Refers to being familiar with, or accustomed to a situation.	gerund
Get used to	Refers to the process of becoming familiar with, or accustomed to a situation	gerund

Here's a further explanation of each structure:

Used to:

Meaning: It expresses past habits or states that were true in the past but are no longer true in the present.

Example: “I used to live in Valencia.” indicates that in the past, the person lived in Valencia, but now, they don’t.

“I used to be lazy.” It expresses the fact that this person was lazy in the past but not anymore.

Be used to:

Meaning: It describes the state of being familiar with something or being accustomed to a particular situation.

Example: “I am used to waking up early.” This person is accustomed to waking up early.

Get used to:

Meaning: It refers to the process of becoming accustomed to something that was previously unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

Example: “I had to get used to waking up early as I got a morning job.” This person was unfamiliar with waking up early in the morning but had to change this and become accustomed to waking up early because of their morning job.

You can find be used to and get used to in different tenses, the only part that changes is “be” and “get”, depending on the tense. For example:

I got used to speaking French after living in Paris for two years.

(Get here is used in the past tense.)

Have a look at the post which summarizes the grammar explanation and when you feel ready to check your knowledge, do the quiz!

Follow us on social media for posts like this!

Quiz

Score : / 10

Question : / 10

If you need a more extended explanation and practice on the structure used to :

Used to Quiz

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Review B2 Cambridge(FIRST)

Polyglotopia Team — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:22:05 +0000

Are you preparing for your B2 exam? Or simply interested in learning more about how to write a review? In this article we are going to introduce the review format, provide you with useful vocabulary, present two sample tasks and one model answer and review the B2 writing assessment criteria.

Cambridge B2 First Writing Paper

The Cambridge B2 First Writing Paper consists of two parts. The first one is an essay and the second part can be one of the following: email/letter, review, article, or report. In Part 1 there is only one compulsory while in Part two you can choose one out of three different options. You have to write between 140-190 words.

Is the word limit important?

If you write less than 140 words, you have probably forgotten to include some of the information required whereas if you write more than 190, you have probably included unnecessary information. These can affect your score, but in general, you don’t have to worry about 2 or 3 more words.

What is a review in Cambidge exam ?

A review:

Is written for an English-language magazine, newspaper or website.
Describes and expresses a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced.
Gives the reader a clear impression of what the item discussed is like.
Description and explanation are key functions for this task, and a review will normally include a recommendation to the reader.

Sample Task

You read this in an advertisement in a reputable online gaming magazine:

Looking for gems in the mud or mud among gems

Have you ever played a game and thought: I really like this! Why isn't it more popular? Or the exact opposite?

Now you have a chance to make your favourite underrated game known to the public. Or to throw shade to a famous game that you hated.

Tell us what we missed and whether you recommend the game or not.

All the reviews will be published in our magazine and the best review will be featured in our front page for a month.

Guess the structure

Place the correct letter
A) Identify what you are reviewing and why. Catch reader´s attention (you can use a personalised question).
B) Give your opinion and comment on the questions you have been asked.
C) Summarize your review with a recommendation.
D) Use the name of the film, book or restaurant.
E) Describe the game, book, restaurant.

Tltle:
Introduction:
Paragraph 1:
Paragraph 2:
Conclusion:
Check the correct answers>

Sample review exercise

Add the correct title to each paragraph

1) Title 2) Introduction 3) Description (P1) 4) Discussion (P2 ) 5) Conclusion | Recommendation

A) Stumble Guys is a multiplayer game in which you race against 31 other players you race to get a victory. In order to finish first, you have to run between obstacles or to beat other players in elimination mini-games. The player's main abilities are running, jumping, and dashing. In addition, you can use emoticons and choose among different appearances that you acquire by spending in-game currency or money.

B) I would say that the game is quite enjoyable and it seems to me that having in-game purchases that don't change the gameplay is beneficial for both the player and the company. However, in my opinion, an important drawback of the game is that the purchasable emoticons give the user a competitive advantage. Combined with how difficult it is to obtain the in-game currency, it creates an imbalance between paying and non-paying users.

C) Is paying the new word for playing? A Stumble Guys review.

D)Have you ever felt that you can't improve in a game no matter how hard you try, even though you have spent hours on playing? Countless mobile games seek ways of giving paid users an in-game advantage without ruining the experience, but few of them achieve. Stumble Guys's unique solution to keep their game fun and profitable is a combination of rather traditional methods.

F) To summarize, I believe that the game is one of the many overrated games that are popular because of advertisement tricks. I wouldn't recommend the game to players that like the competitive side of gaming because they would be stuck into buying every new emoticon which gives an advantage that out-powers the previous ones. On the other hand, it's a great casual game to play on your phone.

Check the correct answers>

Answers

Guess the stucture

Tltle: D) Use the name of the film, book or restaurant.

Introduction: A) Identify what you are reviewing and why. Catch reader´s attention (you can use a personalised question).

Paragraph 1: E) Describe the game, book, restaurant.

Paragraph 2: B) Give your opinion and comment on the questions you have been asked.

Conclusion: C) Summarize your review with a recommendation.

Sample review exercise

1) Title
C) Is paying the new word for playing? A Stumble Guys review.

2) Introduction
D)Have you ever felt that you can't improve in a game no matter how hard you try, even though you have spent hours on playing? Countless mobile games seek ways of giving paid users an in-game advantage without ruining the experience, but few of them achieve. Stumble Guys's unique solution to keep their game fun and profitable is a combination of rather traditional methods.

3) Description (P1)
A) Stumble Guys is a multiplayer game in which you race against 31 other players you race to get a victory. In order to finish first, you have to run between obstacles or to beat other players in elimination mini-games. The player's main abilities are running, jumping, and dashing. In addition, you can use emoticons and choose among different appearances that you acquire by spending in-game currency or money.

4) Discussion (P2 )
B) I would say that the game is quite enjoyable and it seems to me that having in-game purchases that don't change the gameplay is beneficial for both the player and the company. However, in my opinion, an important drawback of the game is that the purchasable emoticons give the user a competitive advantage. Combined with how difficult it is to obtain the in-game currency, it creates an imbalance between paying and non-paying users.

5) Conclusion | Recommendation
F) To summarize, I believe that the game is one of the many overrated games that are popular because of advertisement tricks. I wouldn't recommend the game to players that like the competitive side of gaming because they would be stuck into buying every new emoticon which gives an advantage that out-powers the previous ones. On the other hand, it's a great casual game to play on your phone.

Tips for each part

Title

Write the title or the name of what you are reviewing followed by the author or creator.

Example 1: The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien

Example 2: Berners Taver: A Review

Introduction

Engage the reader! You can use a personalised question for that.

At least 2 sentences long.

Don't give a lot of information, give a reason to the reader to keep reading.

Description

Give all the necessary information about what you are reviewing and details based on the question.

Don't state your opinion yet.

Discussion

Here is where you can share your opinion.

Useful phrases:

For me,…
The way I see it,…
I believe that…
In my opinion,
From my point of view,…
As far as I’m concerned,…
It seems to me that …

Conclusion

In this part, you have to summarise and (based on what you previously stated) recommend or not the reviewed subject.

Useful phrases:

You might want to...
I recommend...
You should...

Download the B2 game review presentation

Game review presentation | PDF

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B2 Listening Part 4 on Sports, Crime and Racism

Polyglotopia Team — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 12:27:20 +0000

Listening Part 4 (Cambridge B2 Practice)

Below you can find a listening activity based on a BBC video about the infamous kick of Eric Cantona. Have ever you heard about his “infamous kick”? What do you think the listening will be about? Use this article to practise for B2 level listening and talk about sports, racism and crime.

Before you listen:

Words that can help you before listening:

Deal with = face, confront (a problem)
Appeal= (law) to request a change in the decision of a court, by applying to a higher court in order to obtain a more favourable decision
Put up with= tolerate
Assault= physically attack

While Listening:

Watch or listen and look at the options. Choose the best answer: a, b, or c.

1. What does Garry Palister believe was the reason behind Cantona's reaction?

(a) The journalists’ pressure on footballers.

(b) Several abuse incidents Cantona had to face before.

2. People who were at the pitch describe that:

(a) Eric Cantona started moving rapidly.

(b) A fan was shouting at Eric Cantona.

3. The court of appeal finally decided to:

(a) Suspend Cantona for the rest of the season.

(b) Imprison Cantona for two weeks.

4. Why was Prosecutor Jeffrey McCann attacked by Simmons?

(a) McCann wanted to ban Simmons from football grounds.

(b) McCann claimed Cantona was innocent.

5. The speaker on the panel stresses that:

(a) Some fans treat players as if they were their property.

(b) Fans should be able to say anything they want to the players.

6. Why did people use to put up with racism in football grounds?

(a) Because back then they did not realise it was an issue.

(b) Because nobody took serious action against it.

7. The last speaker is convinced that:

(a) Cantona should have gone to prison because he was guilty of assault.

(b) The situation would have ended in a different way if Cantona was black.

Download the B2 Listening Part 4 Worksheet

B2 Listening Part 4 on Football, Crime and Racism| PDF

Download the Answers

B2 Listening Part 4 (with Answers)| PDF

After listening:

Below you can find some words related to crime and justice from the video. Can you guess their meanings? Look them up in the dictionary and check your anwers:

Sentence (law)
Community service
Guilty
Innocent
Ban

Conversation questions

Are you a football fan? How often do you watch football on TV/online?
What is your favourite football team?
Who is your favourite footballer and why?
How often do you watch live sporting events?
Have you ever witnessed a similar incident? What happened?
Is football popular in your country? Why? What attracts people to football?
What do you think the punishment should be for fans who act this way? Would banning them from football grounds solve the issue?
Are hooligans an issue in your country/city?
How do authorities deal with the problem?
What are your thoughts on community service? Do you know any other famous people who have been ordered to do community service?

For useful expressions, click here:

Giving your opinion

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Gapped Text on reducing mobile phone use (Cambridge B2)

Polyglotopia Team — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 00:08:06 +0000

Are you or your students preparing for the B2 Exam? Reading and Use of English Part 6 (Gapped text) is one of the most difficult parts, this is why we are going to offer you some tips on how to do better as well as activities to practise! Includes a free pdf printable with answers.

Cambridge B2 First Gapped Text

What does Reading and Use of English Part 6 consist of?

In this part of the exam, you are given a gapped text, followed by 7 sentences in jumbled order. You have to choose 6 of these sentences and match them to the numbered gaps. You have to think about the logical order so as to decide which sentence best fills each gap. Each correct answer gives 2 marks, so think carefully!

What does it test?

It tests your understanding of a text’s coherence, cohesion and structure.

How to improve your score?

First read through the text to get a general idea ignoring the gaps.
Look at the text before AND after the gap to make sure the sentence fits.
Look for any signs that connect the two sentences: pronouns, determiners, nouns, tenses etc. Do they match?
Make sure you check various things before making a decision, not just seeing similar words.
Underline or circle these elements so you can check again later if you are not sure.

Sample task

Cambridge Reading and Use of English Part 6

You are going to read an article about the decreasing mobile phone screen time. Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A – G the one which fits each gap (1 – 6). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

Cutting down on mobile phone usage

Have you ever tracked your smartphone usage or thought about its connection to your concentration or productivity levels? Use of new technology has become prevalent in recent years and phones are regarded as indispensable tools in our daily lives.

__(1)__ Recall the last time your focus on an assignment was interrupted by a notification, visualize people walking down a crowded street while staring at their screens, or think friends who constantly use their mobile phones instead of engaging in a conversation. You might have observed that excessive mobile phone use can hinder academic performance, hamper relationships and diminish productivity. __(2)__

First of all, it is crucial to unmask the reasons that lead to the excessive use of this device. Is it due to lack of motivation or as a result of a procrastination habit? Does it constitute an opportunity for socialization or would you label it as a mere distraction? __(3)__

If boredom is what affects you most, consider establishing alternative habits. __(4)__ Certainly, one of the most effective alternatives is to do exercise: you cannot play basketball and simultaneously use your phone, can you? It is all a matter of establishing routines: at first, it might feel daunting to set and maintain them, but it will eventually become an automatic process.

For those of you whose good intentions of focusing on a task are easily jeopardized by external distractions, mobiles might be another obstacle to your endeavour. Adjusting their settings though could prove to be remarkably helpful. For instance, you can disable push notifications, turn off your Wi-Fi or delete certain apps. __(5)__If that´s unsuccessful, consider moving your phone physically far from you. If it is in the other room, or just out of sight, the chances to distract you will significantly drop.

If an underlying urge for socialization is what mostly increases your phone usage, you could try fulfilling this need in other ways. For example, instead of chatting with your friends via instant messaging, you could have a more profound conversation with them in person. It is crucial to be conscious of the here and now, and take advantage of the opportunity to discuss face-to-face when possible. __(6)__ If your circumstances do not allow for face-to-face meetings, our suggestion would be to make a phone or video call instead of messaging each other for hours.

In addition to these tips, remember to track your usage and set realistic objectives and boundaries. Most importantly, take a moment to consider what other opportunities and experiences you are missing out on while staring at the screen. We hope our advice will aid in boosting your concentration, invite you to explore new interests and meaningfully connect with others.

A. That is why we are providing the following tips on how to decrease it.

B. In addition to this, organizing an excursion or going to a live performance are other alternatives that enable you to both socialize and considerably lower your screen time.

C. Apparently, moving your phone away from you might help in diminishing your screen time.

D. By taking these factors into consideration you can make an informed decision on how to tackle the problem, construct an individualized plan and finally confront it.

E. Nevertheless, not being able to detach from technology has its side-effects.

F. This way, you can ensure that you will maintain decent levels of concentration while performing an important task.

G. Instead of mindlessly scrolling down through Instagram, you could read one page of your favourite book, listen to an informative podcast, or make a quick sketch.

Download the B2 Part 6 Task Worksheet

B2 Reading and Use of English Part 6| PDF

Download the B2 Part 6 Task Worksheet and Answers

B2 Reading and Use of English Part 6 (with answers)| PDF

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Writing an opinion essay (Cambridge B2)

Polyglotopia Team — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 01:41:59 +0000

Are you preparing for your B2 Cambridge exam? Or simply interested in learning more about how to write an essay? In this article we are going to introduce the essay format, provide you with useful vocabulary for introducing advantages and disadvantages, present two sample tasks and one model answer and review the B2 writing assessment criteria.

Cambridge B2 First Writing Paper

Is the word limit important?

What is an opinion essay?

In an opinion essay, you are asked to give your opinion on a statement. You have to support your opinion with arguments and organize your ideas in paragraphs.

Sample Task

Many teachers let their students use their phones in class. Does it promote learning?

Notes: write about:

Motivation
Screen Time
Your own idea

Sample Structure

Opinion essay example (Model essay)

Nowadays, a great number of educators believe that mobile phone use in class can be beneficial, while others are sceptical about it.

One argument in favour is that mobile phone use can boost students’ motivation. It enables playing interactive games, revising activities in a funnier way, and therefore is welcomed by the students. For instance, teachers might project quizzes and the learners can participate using a code.

However, students, especially the younger ones, spent a lot of time in front of the screen. This can be really distracting for them so maybe using screens in class as well could be adding up to this, rather than promoting alternative ways to learn. Therefore, limiting screen time needs to be addressed.

Finally, phones can promote learning by allowing the student to be autonomous. They are able to look up words in the dictionary, practise without the teacher’s help, find out new information on the internet. All these are important positive aspects of mobile phone use in class.

In conclusion, despite the drawbacks, I firmly believe that mobile phones can aid the process of learning by increasing both motivation and learner autonomy.

Bad example essay

The use of mobile phones in the classroom is a good thing. I think it is great because it is funny.

*very simple vocabulary

Mobile phones can help motivation because it is funny to use the phones and we like it. Students will be happy and this is good for the teacher.

*very simple vocabulary, not explaining the ideas

A bad thing about mobile phones is the screen time it can be really distracting for them so maybe using screens in class as well could be adding up to this, rather than promoting alternative ways to learn and therefore, limiting screen time needs to be addressed.

*very long sentence

Finally, phones can promote learning by allowing the student to be motivated. They enable playing interactive games, revising activities in a funnier way, and therefore are welcomed by the students. For instance, teachers might project quizzes and the learners can participate using a code.

*repeating point 1 twice

In conclusion, mobile phones can promote motivation and learner autonomy but increase screen time.

*opinion is not clearly stated here

Useful vocabulary to talk about advantages and disadvantages

Now you!

Find some information online in English and then plan and write an essay on the following topic.

Some people argue that playing video games is not advisable for young people.

Notes: Write about:

Time
Creativity
Your own idea

Useful Collocations

Become addicted to video games
Develop skills
Promote learning
Educational video games
Reaction time
Social isolation
Physical problems
Adjectives: Distracting, harmful, beneficial, entertaining

Assessment criteria

Content: Have you included points one and two and also added your own idea?
Communicative achievement: Is the style appropriate to the task?
Organisation: Have you divided your essay in paragraphs? Are they logically connected?
Language: Have you used a good range of vocabulary and grammar?

Download the B2 opinion essay presentation

Opinion essay presentation | PDF

Dowload the B2 opinion essay worksheet

Opinion essay worksheet | PDF

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Work | Cambridge B2 Speaking Practice, Parts 3 and 4

Polyglotopia Team — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 22:59:53 +0000

Cambridge First (B2) Speaking Part 3

Topic: Work

In this part of the exam you are asked to discuss with a partner about a question and you are also given several ideas to discuss about for about 2 minutes. Then you have 1 minute to reach a final decision. (Remember: In the official exam, there are no pictures to help you!)

Cambridge First (B2) Speaking Part 4

Topic: Work

In part 4, you are asked to give your opinion in topics related to part 3. You also have to discuss with your partner one or more of the questions. Below you can find some sample questions.

If you are looking for useful expressions for this part, click here :

Giving your opinion

Time to practise! Good luck!

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Giving your opinion – Expressions

Polyglotopia Team — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 19:29:50 +0000

Useful Expressions

Do you constantly repeat the expression "I think" when you want to give your opinion in English? It is a perfectly valid expression! However, you might be wondering about other alternatives. In speaking exams as well as in real-life we are often asked to express our views on a specific topic. In order to do so, we can use a variety of expressions. Let's discover them in this article!

Here is a list of useful expressions to give your opinion:

For me,…
The way I see it,…
I believe that…
In my opinion,
From my point of view,…
As far as I’m concerned,…

You can practice giving your opinion using this Cambridge B2 Parts 3 and 4 Speaking activity, which is related to the topic of work.

Cambridge B2 Speaking Parts 3 and 4

Find top tips for the B2 Speaking exam here.

Top tips for B2 Speaking

The post Giving your opinion – Expressions appeared first on PolygloTopia.

Snap by Rosa Linn Lesson Plan

Polyglotopia Team — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 12:03:31 +0000

This lesson plan is focused on Rosa Linn’s song, Snap. Apart from practising listening, students get to discover several phrasal verbs and practise speaking on the topic of the song, using the new expressions, and having a meaningful conversation. The worksheet is freely available in a pdf printable version. Enjoy!

Main language learning objectives:

define and use the following phrasal verbs (turn off, turn out, get out of, get over (sth or sb), put out (a fire)

practise listening for specific information

Other aims:

eliciting meaning from context

practise scanning

practise speaking

Simplified lesson plan

Lead in: Show students the photo from the song and elicit different feelings it conveys.

Pre-teach the words snap and fade.
Give students the worksheet, they have to read and predict the missing words.
Students listen and fill in the gaps.
Students scan the text to find and circle the verbs: turn off, turn out, get out of, get over (sth or sb), put out
Students guess the meaning from context, you can give guidance depending on the needs/level and discuss the best definitions with them.
Elicit that the first 5 are phrasal verbs.
Speaking time: they discuss the questions they choose in pairs. Let them know that if they prefer not to discuss a specific question, they can say: I’d rather not talk about this/ I’d prefer not to talk about this. The objective here, apart from free speaking practice is for them to use some of the new vocabulary in a meaningful conversation, personalise the task, and maybe share something new about themselves with the group.

Phrasal verbs that appear in Snap

Turn off
Turn out
Get out of
Get over (sth or sb)
Put out (a fire)
Lose count (of)

Conversation Questions on Rosa Linn's "Snap"

1. What problem does the protagonist face?
2. What do people usually say to her?
3. How can you get over someone?
What advice would you give to the singer?
4. Did you know the singer/song?
5. How did you feel while listening to the song?
6. Have you or your friends ever been in a similar situation?
What did you do?
7. Why do you think this song has become viral on tik tok?
8. Where is the singer from?
9. Have you ever lost count of something? What was it?
10. Could you share a memory you’d never want to fade away?

Download worksheet

Practise with songs here:

Music

The post Snap by Rosa Linn Lesson Plan appeared first on PolygloTopia.

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