A2. Writing an informal email

 

Topic: Welcome Event in Your English Course

TASK: Write an email to your friend about a welcome event you attended in your English course. Use the structure below and fill in the blanks with your own ideas.

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Subject: ___________________________________

Hi [Friend’s name],

How are you? I hope you’re doing well.

I'm writing to tell you about the welcome event in my English course.
It was on _____________________ at _________________________________.
I went there with __________________________ and met ____________________.

First, we ________________________________________________
Then, we ________________________________________________
There was also _________________________________________________
I really liked it because _________________________________________________.

The teachers were ______________________ and the activities were ____________.
I think the course will be ________________________________________________.

What do you think about English classes? Have you ever joined one?

Write soon!

Best wishes,
________________________ (Your name)

C1- Distancing the facts. The passive with reporting verbs

5A NO TIME FOR ANYTHING 

👉DO THE QUIZ:https://www.whowillyouempower.com/amitoobusy

👉ORAL MEDIATION .https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/what-is-mindfulness/

Passive reporting structures: Explanation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpsrdpUKOTA

Key answers homework: page 86 unit 10. Headway

 

 READING TASK. 4 NEWS REPORT

C1 MONOLOGUES. STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE

 C1-level expressions that you can use to organise a 4-minute monologue clearly and effectively. These phrases will help structure your speech with clarity and coherence:

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🔹 1. Introduction / Opening

• "To begin with, I'd like to talk about..."
• "Let me start by giving you an overview of..."
• "The topic I’m going to discuss today is..."
• "It’s important to consider the context of..."

🔹 2. Sequencing / Ordering Ideas

• "First of all / Firstly..."
• "Secondly / In the second place..."
• "Moving on to the next point..."
• "Another key aspect to consider is..."
• "Finally / Lastly..."

🔹 3. Adding Ideas

• "In addition to that..."
• "What’s more..."
• "Not only that, but also..."
• "Furthermore..."

🔹 4. Giving Examples

• "For instance..."
• "A good example of this would be..."
• "To illustrate this point..."
• "Such as..."

🔹 5. Contrasting / Introducing Opposing Views

• "However, it’s worth mentioning that..."
• "On the other hand..."
• "Although some people might argue that..."
• "Despite this..."

🔹 6. Clarifying / Rephrasing

• "In other words..."
• "To put it another way..."
• "What I mean is..."

🔹 7. Emphasising

• "It’s essential to highlight that..."
• "I’d like to stress the importance of..."
• "One cannot underestimate the significance of..."

🔹 8. Concluding / Summarising

• "To sum up..."
• "All things considered..."
• "In conclusion..."
• "To wrap up, I’d say that..."

🗣️ Monologue: The Importance of Having a Healthy Body and Mind" 

                                                      

To begin with, I'd like to talk about why maintaining both a healthy body and a healthy mind is essential in today’s fast-paced world. With increasing levels of stress, sedentary lifestyles, and poor eating habits, it's more important than ever to pay attention to our overall well-being.

First of all, physical health provides the foundation for a productive and fulfilling life. If we don’t take care of our bodies, whether through regular exercise, a balanced diet, or adequate sleep, we’re likely to face fatigue, illness, and reduced performance in both work and personal life. For example, people who exercise regularly often report higher energy levels and a more positive mood.

Secondly, mental health is just as crucial, yet it’s often overlooked. In other words, even if your body is in top shape, neglecting your mental state can lead to serious issues like anxiety or depression. What’s more, poor mental health can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to physical illness.

Another key aspect to consider is the connection between mind and body. To illustrate this point, practices like yoga and mindfulness have gained popularity because they enhance both physical flexibility and mental clarity. Not only that, but also they teach people how to manage stress more effectively.

On the other hand, some might argue that in a busy lifestyle, it's hard to prioritise both. However, I’d like to stress the importance of even small daily actions—like taking short walks, staying hydrated, or practising gratitude—as these can make a significant difference over time.

To sum up, maintaining a healthy body and mind is not just about avoiding illness, but about thriving. All things considered, it leads to a higher quality of life, better relationships, and greater resilience in facing life’s challenges.

To wrap up, I’d say that investing time and effort into your well-being is one of the most valuable decisions you can make. After all, everything else in life becomes more manageable when you feel good—both physically and mentally.

A2 ORGANISING A MONOLOGUE

A2- 2-Minute Monologue

1. Introduction

To start the monologue:

• "Today, I want to talk about…"
• "I am going to tell you about…"
• "My topic is…"
• "I chose this topic because…"

2. Main Body

To introduce the first point:

• "First, I want to talk about…"
• "Let’s start with…"
• "One important thing about this is…"

To add more information:

• "Also…"
• "Another thing is…"
• "Besides that…"
• "Not only that, but…"

To give examples:

• "For example…"
• "For instance…"
• "A good example is…"

To show contrast or a different idea:

• "However…"
• "But on the other hand…"
• "At the same time…"

To introduce the next point:

• "Now, let’s talk about…"
• "Another important thing is…"
• "Next, I want to say something about…"

3. Conclusion

To summarize:

• "To sum up…"
• "In short…"
• "So, in conclusion…"

To give a final opinion or message:

• "I think this is very important because…"
• "In my opinion…"
• "That’s why I think…"

To finish the monologue:

• "That’s all I wanted to say."
• "Thank you for listening!"
• "I hope you liked my presentation."
• So, that’s all about...

Examples

Monologue: My Favourite Relative 

1. Introduction

• "Today, I want to talk about my favourite relative."
• "My favourite relative is my [e.g., grandmother, uncle, sister] because he/she is very special to me."
• "I will describe what he/she looks like, his/her personality, and what we do together."

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2. Main Body

Physical Appearance

• First, my [relative] is [tall/short/medium height].
• He/she has[curly/straight/wavy] hair and [brown/blue/green] eyes.
• Also, he/ she usually wears [glasses, nice clothes, a hat, etc.].

Character (Personality)

• My [relative] is very [kind, funny, friendly, helpful].
• For example, he/she always helps me when I have a problem.
• Also, he/ she tells great jokes and makes me laugh.
• Another thing is he/she is very patient and always listens to me.

Things We Do Together

• One example is we like + ing [play games, watch movies, cook together].
• We also go to the park/shopping/restaurants together.
• It is special because we always have fun and talk a lot.

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3. Conclusion

• "So, my favourite relative is my [relative] because he/ she is kind, funny, and we do many fun things together."
• "I think family is important, and I love spending time with them."

My Best Friend 

Introduction
"Today, I want to talk about my best friend. His/Her name is [Friend’s Name], and we have known each other for [X] years. I chose this topic because my best friend is a very special person in my life."

Main Body
"First, I want to talk about my friend’s appearance. He/She is [tall/short], has [brown/black/blonde] hair, and [blue/green/brown] eyes. He/She always has a big smile and dresses very nicely."

"Another important thing is my friend’s personality. He/She is very kind and friendly. Also, he/she is funny, and we always laugh together. Besides that, he/she is a good listener and helps me when I have a problem."

"Next, I want to talk about what we do together. For example, we like to go to the park, watch movies, and play video games. Sometimes, we study together. A good example is last weekend when we went to the mall and had a great time."

Conclusion
"To sum up, my best friend is very important to me. He/She is kind, funny, and always there when I need help. I feel lucky to have such a great friend. That’s all I wanted to say. Thank you for listening!"

________________________________________________

Today, I’m going to talk about my free time activities.

First of all, I really enjoy listening to music. I listen to music every day, especially when I’m walking or relaxing at home. For example, I like pop and rock music, and my favorite singer is Ed Sheeran.

Then, I like watching movies and series. I usually watch them on Netflix. One time, I watched a series called Stranger Things — it was very exciting!

After that, I sometimes go for a walk or ride my bike. I enjoy being outside, especially when the weather is nice. It helps me relax and clear my mind.

Another thing is that I like spending time with my friends. We often go to a café or to the park. We talk, laugh, and have fun together.

In my opinion, free time is very important because it helps us rest and feel happy.

To sum up, in my free time, I like listening to music, watching movies, going outside, and seeing my friends.

Thank you for listening!

C1 Complaint letters

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS ABOUT HOTELS

1. What are the most important factors you consider when choosing a hotel or place to stay? Why?

2. Can you describe the best accommodation experience you've ever had? What made it memorable?

3. Do you prefer staying in hotels, hostels, vacation rentals, or something else? Explain your choice.

4. How have hotels changed over the last 10–20 years? What trends have you noticed?

5. In your opinion, what makes a hotel truly “luxurious”? Is luxury always worth the price?

6. Have you ever had a bad experience with accommodation? What happened and how was it resolved?

7. What role do online reviews and ratings play in your decision-making when booking a place to stay?

8. Would you rather stay in a local guesthouse or an international hotel chain while traveling abroad? Why?

9. How do cultural expectations influence what is considered “good service” in hotels around the world?

10. If you were to open your own boutique hotel, what theme or experience would you offer guests?

ORAL MEDIATION /READING: Weird-hotels : TASK

"My life in ruins" task (causative verbs)

"My life in ruins" full movie (21.55)

How to write a complaint letter

FILE: NEW EDITION page 200-201
Samples and practice:
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/writing-help/letters-of-complaint
http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/OMWRITE/personal/unit49b.htm

Writing a letter of complaint is a difficult task to get perfectly right because you have to make sure that you remain sounding calm and polite, but at the same time you also want to show to the reader that you are angry (or at least dissatisfied and not happy) and want some action to be taken to resolve the problem. To be proper business English, your writing should be in a formal style, with all the appropriate phrases and correct vocabulary.

It is very easy to get lost in your emotions because you keep thinking about the bad service that you received, and then your writing will become too aggressive or sarcastic.

How to write a letter of complaint checklist

1. Who am I writing to (be specific)?
2. What is the purpose of my letter?
3. Why are you complaining? Why are you unhappy with the company?
4. What evidence do you have?
5. What would you like them to do?
6. When/how do you want them to respond?

USEFUL LANGUAGE FOR A COMPLAINT LETTER

Writing formal letters in English

Choose one of the topics below and write a letter of complaint.

💬 General Prompts for Complaint Letters

1. Product Fault: You recently bought a new iPhone online. When it arrived, it didn’t work, and the customer service hasn’t responded to your emails. Write a letter of complaint to the retailer.
2. Hotel Disappointment During a holiday, you stayed at a 4-star hotel that did not match its online description. Write a complaint letter to the hotel manager explaining the issues and asking for compensation.
3. Course Complaint: You enrolled in an online language course, but the materials were outdated, and the tutor was unresponsive. Write a letter of complaint to the course provider.
4. Rude Staff in a Restaurant. You recently had a negative experience at a well-known restaurant where the staff were rude and unprofessional. Write a formal complaint to the restaurant’s management.
5. Poor Medical Treatment: You were treated poorly during a hospital visit, with long wait times and rude staff. Write a formal complaint to the hospital administration outlining your experience.
6. Utility Overcharge You received an electricity bill that is unusually high. When you contacted the provider, they gave vague answers. Write a letter of complaint requesting a detailed breakdown and resolution.
7. Damaged Luggage by Airline: After arriving at your destination, you discovered your luggage was damaged. Write a formal letter to the airline asking for compensation and a review of their baggage handling procedures.

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Write a formal email of complaint between 180-200 words:

• Introduction. Explain why you are writing
• Main paragraphs: Say what the complaint relates to and give details politely.
• Summary paragraph: Restate your complaint briefly.
• Closing sentences: Ask for some action .

C1 Exam practice May

Dear students, 
In the link below, you´ll find some more reading, listening and mediation practice related to the topic of health. 

👉👉EXAM PRACTICE MAY


                                             

B2 -C1 THE BODY

The body http://www.languageguide.org/english/vocabulary/body/
                http://www.languageguide.org/english-uk/vocabulary/body2/
The face http://www.languageguide.org/english-uk/vocabulary/face/
The digestive system http://www.languageguide.org/english-uk/vocabulary/digestive-system/

C1. LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES

 

Talking point: Life-changing events   

Here's a list of some life-changing events a person can go through.

1. Which ones have you gone through?
2. Think of someone you know who has gone through some of the events you haven't experienced and talk about the difficulties this person had to face.
3. What are the three most significant life-changing events? Why?
4. And the least important?
5. Would you add any other life-changing events to the list?
6. How different would the list have been 100 years ago?
7. Think about yourself now and how you have changed in the last 10 years. You can talk about these topics:

work - leisure - attitude to life - daily routine - 

money - family - relationship

a year studying abroad

moving town

leaving or changing jobs

retiring

leaving your parents’ home

being called to military duty

buying a house/flat

falling in love

getting married

having a child or adopting a child

getting divorced

mid-life crisis

caring for a sick loved one

death of a loved one
winning the lottery
being involved in an accident or an unpleasant experience

catastrophes or natural disasters

______________________________________

Turning points: Oral mediation and coproduction. Pages 104-106 Headway, advanced.

_______________________________________

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/experience

Happy Easter

Enjoy Easter Holidays and see you the 24th and  28th  of April.

C1 WRITING REFERENCE. MODELS AND USEFUL LANGUAGE

CAE C1 WRITING REFERENCE. MODELS AND USEFUL LANGUAGE   

CRITERIA TO PRODUCE A GOOD PIECE OF WRITING

1- APPROPRIACY → Let’s show we understand the task! 

• The contents of the task have been answered
• The contents are relevant
• The instructions have been followed
• The message is communicated precisely and effectively
• The format and register are appropriate for the target reader
• The production causes the desired effect
• Right length
• Neat handwriting and good presentation

2- ORGANIZATION → Let’s show how well we think and write! 

• The ideas and information are well organised with effective cohesion mechanisms (linkers, internal grammatical cohesion, clear organization of the message)
• Use of correct punctuation
• Good internal coherence
• The piece of writing is easy to follow with no need to interpret the content
• Unambiguous message

3- RANGE OF VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES → Let’s show off how well we know the language! 

• Variety in both the range of vocabulary and grammatical structures
• Precision in the language used
• Repetition of lexical items avoided by using synonyms
• Variation and extensive use of the grammar of the level
  

 

4- ACCURACY → Let’s show we control the language! 

• Anything to do with the correct use of the English language: correct syntax, word order, morphology, verb tenses, noun phrases, inversions, active and passive forms, compound sentences, relative clauses, reported speech, verb patterns, modal verbs, spelling… You name it!

https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/sensitive-writing-guide/

DESCRIBING GRAPHS AND CHARTS

A2 FRIDAY MARCH-APRIL

 

Reading (ex 4), listening (ex 1)

https://cloud.educa.madrid.org/s/YWqqSd2DwJZbA22

PRODUCCIÓN TEXTOS ORALES BÁSICO A2 

MY TOWN  Talk about your town and say what you can do there. You have to speak, at least, about two of the following: ·         Attractions ·         Restaurants/bars ·         Reasons why you like it ·         What you don´t like ____________________________________________________________  CELEBRATIONS   Talk about how you celebrated your last birthday. You have to speak about, at least, two of the following:   ·         Where did you celebrate it? ·         Who did you invite? ·         What did you eat and drink? ·         What presents did you get? ____________________________________________ FREE TIME  Talk about what you do in your free time. You have to speak about, at least, two of the following:   · What you do in your free time · When / how often · Who you do things with · Your favourite activity COPRODUCCIÓN DE TEXTOS ORALES A2                                                              PLANS   You and your partner get together for a coffee and start a conversation about your plans for next weekend. Ask each other about your plans. You have to speak about, at least, two of the following: ·         What to do ·         When ·         Where ·         Who with?  ___________________________________________ NEXT SATURDAY A common friend is coming to your town on Saturday. You want to show her/him the town and have lunch together. Organise the day and decide which restaurant to go to. You have to speak about, at least, two of the following: ·         Where to meet ·         What to see ·         What clothes to wear ·         Where  to have lunch

A2 Dialogue

 

Starting a Conversation:

• Hi! How are you?
• Hello! Nice to see you.
• How was your day?
• What are you doing this weekend?

Giving Opinions:

• I think it's great!
• I like this a lot.
• In my opinion, it's interesting.
• I don't really like it.

Agreeing and Disagreeing:

• I agree with you.
• That's true!
• I don’t think so.
• I’m not sure about that.

Making Suggestions:

• Let’s go to the park.
• Why don’t we watch a movie?
• How about having lunch together?
• We could try that new café.

Inviting Someone:

• Would you like to come with me?
• Do you want to join us?
• Let’s meet at 5 o’clock.
• That sounds like a good idea!