English expressions with Spanish translations

There are so many incredible idiomatic expressions in English that are used everyday. I have chosen just a few but there are many, many more. So, have a look at these to increase your vocabulary range.

Do you know anymore?

1. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t - Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer.
2. Don't pull my leg - No me tomes el pelo
3. In for a penny in for a pound - De perdidos al río (UK)
4. In for a dime in for a dollar - De perdidos al río (US)
5. Indeed - Ya lo creo
6. Inside out - Del revés
7. It gives me goosebumps/It gives me the creeps - Me pone la piel de gallina
8. It sounds Greek to me - Me suena a chino
9. It turns out that - Resulta que…
10. It’s a rip off - Es una estafa
11. It’s bullshit - Es una mierda
12. It’s finger licking good - Está para chuparse los dedos
13. It’s high time/about time - Ya es hora / Ya va siendo hora
14. It’s in the hands of the Gods - Que sea lo que Dios quiera
15. It’s my treat / It’s on me - Invito yo
16. It’s not a big deal / It’s not that much of a big deal - No es para tanto
17. It’s on the house - Invita la casa/por cuenta de la casa
18. It’s raining cats and dogs - Llueve a cántaros
19. It’s up to you - Como tú quieras / Depende de ti (en tono amable)
20. It’s worthless - No vale nada
21. I’ve got enough on my plate - No puedo más (en la vida)
22. Just in case - Por si acaso / Por si las moscas
23. Keep an eye on… - Vigila a…/Echa un ojo a…
24. Keep dreaming - Sigue soñando
25. Keep it up - Sigue así
26. Keep you hair on! - ¡Cálmate!
27. Kind of/Give or take - Más o menos
28. Kiss and make up - Borrón y cuenta nueva
29. Knock something in the head / Nip something in the bud - Cortar algo de raíz (algún problema)
30. Last but one - Penúltimo
31. Last night - Anoche
32. Lest you forget - Para que no (te) olvides
33. Like father, like son - De tal palo, tal astilla
34. Like water off a duck’s back - Palabras necias, oídos sordos – British
35. To cut a long story short…- Resumiendo…
36. Long time no see! - ¡Cuánto tiempo!
37. Look out!- ¡Cuidado!
38. Make my day - Alégrame el día
39. Make up your mind - Decídete / Decide tú
40. Make yourself at home - Estás en tu casa (expresión de cortesía)
41. Maybe - Tal vez/A lo mejor
42. Me neither - Yo tampoco (informal)
43. Meanwhile/In the meantime - Mientras tanto
44. Mind the gap - Cuidado con el hueco
45. Moreover - Además
46. Much to my dismay - Para mi desgracia
47. My bad - Culpa mía (USA)
48. My goodness! - ¡Madre mía!
49. Never again - Nunca más
50. Never mind - No importa (tono amable)
51. No bother - No te preocupes / no es molestia
52. No brainer - Sin duda
53. No way - Ni hablar / De ninguna manera
54. No wonder - No me extraña
55. No worries - Sin problema / no te preocupes
56. Nor/neither do I - Yo tampoco
57. Not a chance / No way in hell - Ninguna posibilidad / Ni de coña
58. Not at all/You’re welcome/It’s Ok - De nada (tras agradecimiento)
59. Not Bad - No está mal
60. Not for nothing - No es por nada
61. Not half! - ¡Ya lo creo! / ¡Por supuesto! (Do you fancy a beer? not half – ¿te apetece una cerveza?, ya lo creo)
62. Not my business - No es asunto mío
63. Not my cup of tea - No es lo mío – British
64. Not worth a penny/red cent - No vale un duro
65. Not worth a shit - No vale una mierda
66. Off the top of my head - Así, de cabeza…
67. Oh dear! - ¡Oh Dios! / ¡Dios mio!
68. Oh my Gosh - Forma políticamente correcta de decir “Oh my God”
69. On one hand… on the other hand - Por un lado … por otro lado
70. On the face of it - Según las apariencias
71. On your bike! - Vete por ahí  /no me cuentes milongas/no me cuentes historias
72. Once in a lifetime - Una vez en la vida
73. Once in a while/from time to time - De vez en cuando
74. Out of the blue - Como caído del cielo
75. Over and over again - Una y otra vez
76. Paint from the same brush - Distinto perro, mismo collar – British
77. Pardon my French - Perdón por lo que voy a decir/acabo de decir (palabras malsonantes)
78. Peanut bladder - (Vejiga del tamaño de un cacahuete)… para los que  no paran de ir al baño
79. Phony baloney - Cuento chino
80. Piece of cake! - ¡Está chupado!
81. Piss off - Mandar a la mierda a alguien o cabrear alguien
82. Pleasure/Bless you - Jesús (para cuando alguien estornuda)
83. Point taken - Te entiendo (el punto de vista)
84. Pull your socks up - Mueve el culo!
85. Really? - ¿En serio?
86. Rings a bell - Me suena
87. Safe and sound - sano y salvo
88. Say when - Cuando sirves algo dices “say when” para que te digan cuando parar
89. See you anon - Te veo luego
90. Seen - Ya/’aham’ (forma de asentir en UK)
91. Shake/show a leg! - ¡Espabila! / ¡levántate! / ¡muévete!
92. Shame on you! - Vergüenza debería darte
93. She turns me on - Me pone (cachondo, a tono…)
94. Shoot the breeze - Darle a la lengua
95. Shut the fuck up! - ¡Cállate de una puta vez!
96. Shut up! - ¡Cállate!
97. So bad/badly - Mucho / Un montón (I love you so bad)
98. So do I - Como yo / Yo también
99. So long - Hasta la vista
100. Some other time - Otra vez será
101. Speaking of which - Hablando de lo cual…
102. Start froom scratch - Empezar de cero
103. Stick someone’s nose up at someone - Mirar por encima del hombro – British
104. Stop Messing around - Deja de hacer el tonto
105. Such is life/That’s life/Life’s like that - Así es la vida
106. Suck it up - Te aguantas / Te jodes
107. Take it easy - Tómatelo con calma
108. Talking of the devil - Hablando del rey de Roma
109. Thanks in advance - Gracias por adelantado
110. That’s quite dodgy - Eso es muy cutre
111. That’s the straw that brokes the camel’s back - Esta es la gota que colma el vaso
112. That’s what I mean - A eso me refiero
113. That’s what matters/That’s all that matters - Eso es lo que cuenta
114. The more the merrier - Cuanto más, mejor
115. The seal is broken - Me estoy meando. Lo usan sobre todo las chicas
116. The sooner the better - Cuanto antes, mejor
117. Think twice - Piénsalo dos veces
118. This is my bread and butter - Con esto me gano la vida
119. This is not rocket science - No es tan difícil (si alguien está intentando hacer algo fácil y no sabe cómo)
120. To be water under the bridge - Es agua pasada (cuando se hacen las paces por ejemplo)
121. To ask for the moon - Pedir peras al olmo
122. To bang/screw [alguien] - Tirarse a alguien
123. To be a bellend - Ser un capullo
124. To be between the devil and the deep - Estar entre la espada y la pared
125. To be caught between a rock and a hard place - Entre la espada y la pared – British
126. To be a cunt - Ser un capullo/gilipollas – British
127. To be cutting edge - Es el último grito/moda
128. To be a dickhead - Ser un capullo/gilipollas (se pronuncia dicked)
129. To be down to fuck all - Querer un polvo
130. To be giving him hell - Le hace la vida imposible
131. To be high/stoned - Estar colocado/ciego/borracho
132. To be on the ball- Estar en la onda/al día
133. To be/sit on the fence - Dudar
134. To be over the moon - Estar feliz, contento
135. To be spaced/spacing out - Tener la cabeza en las nubes/ Estar en Babia
136. To be such a [adjective] - Ser un auténtico [adjetivo]
137. To be wasted/blackedout/legless - Estar bastante borracho
138. To be/feel under the weather - Sentirse mal/enfermo
139. To blackmail - Chantajear
140. To call it a day - Dar algo por terminado
141. To cheat on - Poner los cuernos
142. To chew the carpet - Tragarse el orgullo
143. To clutch at straws - Agarrarse a un clavo ardiendo
144. To cut the cheese - Tirarse un pedo
145. To do [alguien] - Liarse (con alguien, plan folleteo)
146. To do (someone) a solid - hacer un favor (a alguien)
147. To feel blue - Estar deprimido, de capa caída…
148. To get along - Llevarse bien
149. To get by - Para ir tirando/Para arreglárselas
150. To get frisky - Ponerse juguetón (en sentido sexual)
151. To get laid - Acostarse, tener sexo con alguien, echar un polvo
152. To get rid of [algo/alguien - Librarse de [algo/alguien]
153. To get the hang of it - Pillarle el truco
154. To give somebody a lift - Llevar a alguien (en coche, en moto…)
155. To go all out - Hacer todo lo posible / Darlo todo
156. To hang around - Andar por ahí
157. To hang up - Colgar (teléfono)
158. To have a blast - Pasarlo bien / divertirse / pasarlo pipa
159. To have a bone to pick (with someone) - Tener cuentas que ajustar (con alguien)
160. To have a finger in every pie - Estar en misa y repicando / Intentar estar en todo a la vez
161. To have a thing about [something] - Estar loco, obsesionado por algo
162. To have an argument - Tener una discusión
163. To have forty winks - Dar una cabezadita
164. To have the face… - Estar de morros
165. To keep at bay - Mantener a raya
166. To make a point - Querer dejar clara una cosa
167. To make do - Conformarse
168. To make out - Enrollarse (pareja)
169. To make something out - Entender
170. To murder something - Modo informal de decir que te apetece comer o beber algo
171. To run an errand - Hacer un recado
172. To see eye to eye with somebody - Tener el mismo punto de vista / Ver de la misma manera
173. To set the (whole) world on fire - Comerse el mundo
174. To shag - Follar – British
175. To snog - Morrearse
176. To sow your wild oats - Ir de flor en flor
177. To spoil [somebody] rotten - Malcriar/mimar/consentir a alguien
178. To sum up… - En resumen…
179. To take [something] with a pinch of salt - Coger algo con pinzas (sobre algo que te han dicho)
180. To tan somebody’s hide - Darle una paliza a alguien
181. Toff/Posh - Pijo
182. Train bound for - Tren con destino a..
183. Upside down - Boca abajo / patas arriba / del revés / invertido (dado la vuelta)
184. Watch out! - ¡Cuidado!
185. We’re even - Estamos en paz
186. What a drag! - Vaya coñazo
187. What a horse’s ass - ¡Vaya imbécil!
188. What a palaver! - ¡Menudo follón!
189. What a pity - Qué pena
190. What a rip off! - ¡Vaya/menuda estafa!
191. What a shame! - ¡Qué vergüenza!
192. What the fuck? - ¿Qué cojones…?
193. What does it have to do with… - Qué tiene que ver esto con…
194. What were you up to? - ¿Qué estabas haciendo?
195. Whatever - Lo que sea (resignado)
196. Who is this? - ¿Quién es? (al responder una llamada de teléfono)
197. Who on earth….? - ¿Quién coño…?
198. Without any doubt - Sin ninguna duda
199. You and whose army? - ¿Tú y cuantos más?
200. You are on your own - Estás solo en esto
201. You never know - Nunca se sabe
202. You rock! - ¡Tú molas!
203. You’ve got another thing coming - Lo tienes claro (connotación irónica)
204. You’re fit - Estás en forma / Estás bueno – British
205. You’re hot - Estás bueno/a
206. You’re on thin ice - Te la estás jugando
207. You run the show - Eres el jefe (sentido coloquial)

Study the CAE or FCE online or through Skype

OSL: The Language Boutique is offering classes to prepare yourself for the Cambridge exams through Skype or online.
This is particularly aimed at those of you who have a work or study timetable that makes it complicated to attend class regularly. The idea is to create a flexible situation where you can learn and improve your English and the techniques to accomplish the exams in your time.
It works like this:

• In the classes by Skype we will practise speaking English, gaining confidence with the use of spoken English in general, in addition to practice of expressions, grammar and vocabulary as well as the parts of the Speaking Paper.

• Grammar exercises will be set for homework: a grammar explanation will be sent out accompanied by grammar exercises, to be done in your free time.

•  By Skype we will go through a review of homework, any problems or doubts about this can be sorted out by questions and answers with an explanation.

• One Writing homework will be done per week, you will be told in advance what will be expected of you in each written paper. The first ones will involve grammar practice, expressions and vocabulary that have been covered in the classes. Nearer the exam, the Writings will be specific exam practice pieces.

• Listening exercises will be sent via email, although it will be expected that you do as much as possible additional listening practice. This will involve listening to the radio, watching the TV in English and downloading various podcasts that are available online.

• In the same way, it is expected that you read as much as possible in English, at your level, to increase your vocabulary and improve your abilities to comprehend English. One problem, especially at the higher levels of the Cambridge exam is the speed at which you need to read, so an ability to read and comprehend quickly is necessary.

• In the 2 month run up to the exam, the classes will be specifically focused on exam preparation and tips for each part of the different papers of the exam: the Reading, Writing, Use of English, Speaking and Listening. The emphasis will be on timing, grammar, expressions, organization and so on. 

If you are interested in taking this opportunity to prepare for the Cambridge exams, please email: briony@onestop-language.com
or check out the website: www.onestop-language.com

Observations of a Cambridge Examiner: Preparation of Paper 4: the Listening

The next paper on the Cambridge exam is the Listening one.

While it is true that the English language can be a particularly difficult language to learn due to its phonetic peculiarities and numerous accents, it really depends on how you have learned the language. Many people learn through reading at school and so will find listening to English hard because of these idiosyncrasies and lack of practice. However, those who have learned English in a more 'natural' way, by listening to the spoken word and coming to recognize the sounds and meanings, as would a child learning their mother-tongue, then English is, debatably, no more difficult than any other language.

I have written about the importance of listening as a means to learning languages in a previous blog (http://languageboutique.blogspot.com.es/2012/09/listening-to-improve-your-speaking.html), so I won't go into further detail here, but to summarize the main details:-  

When speaking a language, there is no other way a language can enter our receptors except through the ears - by listening to the language. So you need to listen to as much English as possible, in a variety of ways and with a variety of styles and accents: TV, radio, podcasts and so on.

As with all aspects of learning English, and with all aspects of preparing for the Cambridge exams in general and specifically for the CAE exam, the one thing that you need to do is Preparation! Preparation! Preparation!
 ......... and Practise!!

PAPER 4 – LISTENING

Part 1: Multiple choice: the focus on this part is feeling, attitude, opinion, purpose, function, agreement, course of action, gist, detail, and so on. There are three short extracts from exchanges between interacting speakers with two multiple-choice questions on each extract, totaling six questions. As you are listening for the general gist of the passage, it often helps to also work by eliminating answers which cannot be right as well as choosing the best answer.

Part 2: Sentence completion: The focus here is specific information and stated opinion. There is a monologue lasting approximately three minutes. You are required to complete the sentences with information heard on the recording and not to paraphrase. Be careful, on the other hand, not to give too much information, there is a maximum of three words, it can sometimes result in losing a mark, spelling mistakes will also result in losing marks.

Part 3: Multiple choice: The focus is on attitude, feelings and opinion. There is a conversation between two or more speakers of approximately four minutes. There are six multiple-choice questions, each with four options. The information from this type of text is often summarized in the multiple-choice questions through the use of verbs and adjectives describing feelings and attitudes or the use of abstract nouns to report ideas from the text, but always be careful to listen out for synonyms and rephrasing. So it is necessary to pick up on this when listening. You should be aware of, and sensitivity to, the use of words which summarize and report the ideas expressed in the text as this is an important aspect of preparation for this task. 

Part 4: Multiple matching: The focus is on the gist, attitude, main points and interpreting the context. There are five short themed monologues, of approximately 30 seconds each. Each multiple-matching task requires selection of the correct options from a list of eight. You need to successfully pick up on specific references. This task focuses on gist listening skills. You may not understand every word and expression in the texts, but you have probably understood more than you realize of the speaker’s general message, and will therefore often choose the correct answer even if you cannot be absolutely sure why. As with Part 3, awareness of and sensitivity to the type of language used in the questions will help you feel prepared for this task. A knowledge of how verbs and adjectives are used to express attitudes and opinions is useful, as are the kind of abstract nouns that summarize ideas from the text.

Recommendations for preparation for the Listening Paper:

Listening tests are designed to give an objective assessment of a candidate's listening skills. In preparing for the Listening test, it is important to focus on developing your listening skills in general, as well as on familiarizing yourself with the format of the examination. You should listen to a range of different listening texts, if possible from a range of real-life sources, as each Listening test comprises a range of listening texts on different topics in different contexts. However, the focus of preparation should not be only on detailed listening, gist understanding of a text delivered at a natural speed is a valuable skill.

Your ability to understand what you hear can improve dramatically if you regularly listen to audio or audio-visual materials: the more English you hear, delivered at natural speed in a variety of voices and contexts, the more practised you will become in extracting key information and gist meaning, even if you may not be able to decode every single word or phrase. These skills are essential to students at CAE level. It is also something that few people do. 

You will have to deal with texts in different ways, depending on the nature of the listening task. For example, you might listen to a text once for gist, producing a summary of the main ideas or attitudes expressed. You could then listen to the same text again, this time retrieving specific information. It is necessary to be aware of how much you yourself will bring to a listening task. Make predictions about listening texts from your own experience and world knowledge. In terms of examination technique, read and think about the information provided on the question paper, both in the task instructions and within the questions themselves. A context sentence in the instructions for each task provides information about the speaker, topic and context of the recording. Use this information to help you to tune in to the text quickly when you hear it. 

You should pause before each recording to read through the task carefully, so you are prepared for what you hear. Use the task on the question paper to guide you through the listening text and keep your place as you answer the questions. In Part 2, you can begin to make predictions about the type of information which you need to listen for in order to complete the gaps.  

In Parts 1, 2 and 3, the questions generally follow the order of information in the recording – and therefore reflect the structure of the listening text. Be aware of how speakers provide signals that they are about to change topic, give an example, express a personal opinion, disagree with something, etc. Such signals help us to follow the thread of the speaker’s argument, and also to locate the piece of text targeted by each of the questions. Prepare for a listening task by identifying the focus of each question, so that you are ready to pay attention and retrieve the key information or ideas as you listen. 

In Part 2 sentence-completion tasks, you should write clearly when you copy your answers onto the answer sheet, using capital letters. In this part, answers will be the actual words heard in the recording. Answers generally focus on concrete pieces of information or stated opinions and are designed to be short and to fit comfortably into the space on the answer sheet. Do not give longer answers than necessary. Correct spelling is expected at this level. You should take care, however, not to focus on words that cause undue spelling difficulties as answers, and both US and British English spellings are accepted. 

Answer all the questions, even if they are not sure – there are no marks deducted for wrong 
answers, and you may have been able to predict or understand more than you realize.

DOs and DON’Ts for CAE PAPER 4 – LISTENING

For all parts of the test:

DO listen to, and read, the instructions. Make sure you understand what you have to do.

DO think about the topic, the speaker(s) and the context. This will help you when you listen.

DO use the pause before each listening to read the questions through and think about what

you need to listen for.

DO remember that your final answer is the one on the answer sheet. Copy carefully and

check that you’ve followed the numbering correctly.

DON’T leave a blank space on the answer sheet. If you’re not sure of an answer, you can

guess. You don’t lose marks for wrong answers and you’ve probably understood more than 
you think.

For Part 2:

DO remember that the information on the page follows the recording. It’s there to help.

DO check that your answer makes sense in the gap. Look at the information both before and

after the gap when checking your answer.

DO check that your answer is correctly spelled.

DO copy only the missing words onto the answer sheet.

DO try to use the actual words you hear on the recording.

DON’T try to write a long answer. Answers will be single words, numbers or short phrases which

fit comfortably into the box.

DON’T write numbers out as words – it wastes time and you’re more likely to make a mistake

(i.e. write ‘21’, not ‘twenty-one’).

DON’T repeat information which is already printed on the page.

For Part 4:

DO remember that there are two tasks and that the recording is heard twice.

DO read through both tasks in the pause before you hear the recording for the first time.

DO remember that there are two questions for each speaker, one in Task 1 and one in Task

2. You can choose in which order you answer the questions.

DON’T panic in Part 4. If you’re not sure of an answer, you can guess. You don’t lose marks for

wrong answers and you’ve probably understood more than you think.

For more information please check: www.onestop-language.com

Observations of a Cambridge Examiner: Preparation of the Paper 3: Use of English

The next part of the CAE exam is Paper 3, the Use of English paper. Many people consider this to be the grammar paper, but it's not exactly just grammar but, as the title suggests, how to use English in a varied and commanding way. Grammar plays an important part, but so does vocabulary, structures, collocations and expressions. It is designed to demonstrate your rich understanding of how to use English.

This is something that you are going to need to spend time studying, there is nothing natural about the exam and having a good level of English does not mean that you will be familiar enough or have enough command of all that will be asked of you in the exam. As I have mentioned in a previous blog, people often come to me around two months before the exam wanting intensive preparation for the exam, but learning all the grammar and lexical uses of English takes a lot longer to acquire.

Again, as in the other papers, techniques of how to do the paper are very important and it is necessary to learn clearly what is expected of you in the exam and how to fulfill the different tasks set in the different parts of the exam. This is something that can be done intensively before the exam if you have already studied a lot for the exam as these techniques are as important as your English ability.

In my opinion a lot of this paper is quite 'mathematical', a lot of it is formulaic with a need to recognize the structures you are presented with, you need to ask yourself questions, such as, what part of speech am I deal with? Is it a verb, noun etc and is it a collocation or phrasal verb? in which case, do I need to use a preposition? and so on.

Again, as I have mentioned before you need .... preparation, preparation..... and practice!!

Good luck!!

PAPER 3 – USE OF ENGLISH

The Use of English paper is designed to test the ability to apply knowledge of the language system,

including control of grammar, lexis, cohesion and coherence.

Part 1: Multiple-choice cloze: The focus is on lexicon and lexico-grammar. It is a modified cloze text containing twelve gaps which is followed by four multiple-choice options to choose from. It is necessary to be familiar with collocations of verbs, nouns, adjectives and prepositions. As well as having a good, rich vocabulary and knowledge of structures, phrasal verbs and grammar. It is a good idea to make a guess at what the word could be before you look at the choices as this will help you to focus your mind on the correct choice.

Part 2: Open cloze: The focus of this part of the exam is grammar and lexico-grammar. It is a modified cloze text containing 15 gaps which you must fill in with the correct word. Again, as in part 1 a solid knowledge of collocations, grammar, expressions and structures is necessary to recognize the missing word. Remember that the gaps are not going to be ransom but specifically chosen from the CAE level preparation work that you will have done by studying all the appropriate grammar and so on. It is really important to read the text carefully first before attempting to answer any of the questions, focusing on the meaning of the whole sentence, paragraph and text, rather than concentrating on the meaning of phrases in isolation.

Part 3: Word formation: The focus is again on lexicon and lexico-grammar as in Part 1. There is a text containing ten gaps, each gap corresponds to a word, the stem of which is given beside the text on the appropriate line and must be changed to form the missing word. A knowledge of the parts of speech is necessary as well as the formations of the stem word, including negatives, prefixes and suffixes and words formed from the same stem. A common error is forgetting to use the plural forms when necessary.

Accurate spelling is essential in this part of the paper. Some candidates lose marks, even though they have provided the appropriate word, because they misspelled it. It s a silly and frustrating way to lose marks.

Part 4: Gapped sentences: The focus here is lexical. the questions are made up of three discrete sentences. Each sentence contains one gap. The gapped word is common to the three sentences. You must write one word which is appropriate in all three sentences and there are five questions each is worth two points. This part is the part which most people do not like, to be honest, if you are not doing it in the exam it is quite fun to test your knowledge of vocabulary and a lot of people enjoy challenging themselves on this part. However, it can be very frustrating in the exam and often people get frustrated by the lack of inspiration - so breathe, relax and stay calm during this part. 

Part 5: Key word transformations: The focus here is on lexicon and grammar. there are eight separate questions, each with a lead-in sentence and a gapped second sentence to be completed in three to six words, one of which is a given ‘key word’.A solid knowledge and preparation is needed to be familiar with all the different structures, collocations, prepositions, tenses and general grammar points, if you prepare well, these should be easily recognizable. However, there is also frequent use of phrasal verbs and expressions which you are expected to know and unfortunately if you do not, then answering the question correctly will prove very difficult. Each question is worth two points  allowing one point for silly, small errors or spelling mistakes. Though, it also means the chance to gain points if you do it well. 

Recommendations for preparation for the Use of English Paper:

At CAE level, you are expected to read extensively so as to be able to use a wide range of

vocabulary in different contexts and to manipulate structure and form accurately. These skills are tested in different ways on the paper. To summarize points that have been mentioned above:

Vocabulary

• In Part 1, collocation is tested, as well as knowledge of phrasal/prepositional verbs and

recognition of lexical appropriacy and shades of meaning.

• Part 3 is a word-building task. You will have to understand the surrounding context in order

to produce the correct form of the word and also to recognize whether a negative affix or a plural form is required. Accurate spelling is essential.

• In Part 4, you will have to provide the one word which fits appropriately into three

unconnected gapped sentences. Accurate spelling is essential. Any activities which draw

your attention to the different meanings and collocations associated with particular lexical

items will be useful.

• Part 5 is a key word transformation task. You are required to manipulate vocabulary,

structure and form, within a defined context. Any activities which increase awareness of

collocations and expressions with parallel or synonymous meanings are useful. 

 

To be successful in these parts, you need to build up you active vocabulary. Developing an efficient personal system of recording newly acquired vocabulary, and the context in which this vocabulary is used, will help the learning process. You should also pay attention to correct spelling. 

Structure and Form

• In the Part 2 open-cloze task, you should check that your answers are correct in the context of the whole sentence, paragraph and text. Providing an answer which is correct only in the context of the immediate phrase is often not sufficient.

• Part 5 is a key word transformation task. You are required to manipulate structure and form, as well as vocabulary, within a defined context. Any activities which focus on different ways of expressing the same ideas using different structures and/or expressions would be useful. You need to study the example you are given at the start of Part 5 carefully. You must include the given key word, which should not be changed in any way, in your answer. The answer should not be more than six words in length, and the key word counts as one of the six words. Any contractions count as two words. You will not required to write the whole sentence on their answer sheets – only the missing part of the sentence.

You should remember how important it is to copy correctly from the stimulus sentence any 
words which are required in the answer. It is also important to include words/ideas in the 
answer which are crucial for maintaining the same meaning as the stimulus sentence, for 
example, a time reference. It is equally important that ideas not contained in the stimulus 
sentence should not be introduced into the answer. The meaning of the transformed sentence 
must be as close as possible to the meaning of the stimulus sentence.One way of doing this 
is by crossing out the parts already used in the sentence, thereby clearly showing you which 
are the words you must use.

DOs and DON’Ts for CAE PAPER 3 – USE OF ENGLISH 

DO think about a variety of ways in which you can develop your English outside the classroom.

DO think about how you learn vocabulary best, and then develop strategies to help this process.

DO read the whole surrounding context before deciding on an answer.

DO consider the options carefully in Part 1 before choosing your answer.

DO remember that in Part 3 at least one question will probably test the use of prefixes.

DO make sure that in Part 4 the word you produce fits correctly into all three sentences.

DO check your spelling, as incorrectly spelled words will lose you marks.

DO make sure your handwriting is clear and easy to read and that you have used capital 
letters for all your answers.

DO write only one letter in each box on the answer sheet.

DO make sure you transfer your answers to the answer sheet as you finish each part of the 
test.

DON’T change the given key word in your answers in Part 5.

DON’T use more than six words in your answer in Part 5. Contractions count as two words.

DON’T wait until the end to copy all your answers onto your answer sheet. 

For more information go to www.onestop-language.com

Teaching British people to speak standard English

English, as everyone knows is the International language of business. English is one of the official languages of the European Union despite the lack of enthusiastic participation of the UK and most international meetings, conferences or seminars are held in English.

One thing that I constantly hear mentioned by people here in Spain is that when they do business abroad or have an international event in English, they don't have such a problem communicating with people from other countries. However, what will make them very nervous is when people from the UK are present or the event is held in the UK. Dealing with native speakers puts the fear of god in them.

The fact that English is used in these meetings and for International business as a whole should not simply be looked at as an advantage for us. In this time of economic crisis with announcements this week of a dramatic fall in exports, it is essential for British businesses that they can maintain the channels of communication open to foreign businesses. Relying purely on the benefit of business being conducted in our language, without being conscious of the communication problems connected with it, is a surefire way of making the task more difficult for ourselves. There should not be problems of communication and Europeans should not hate dealing with people from the UK.

Why is that? Are people from the UK particularly fearsome or intimidating?
No! But the problem is British people's way of communicating and they are having trouble making themselves understood. It's not because Europeans have particular problems with speaking English, many people speak excellent English, it's just that the type of English that is spoken internationally and the type of English spoken by natives is not the same. People from Latin countries, of course, have a similar base of language and will usually choose English vocabulary of a Latin root as it is more similar to the vocabulary of their own languages, so can communicate in English between themselves more comfortably that way. In fact, even between people in general in Europe, a standardized English has developed, primarily for business purposes, which has been influenced by the direct Americanized way of speaking; perfect for business and perfect for communicating clearly between people who are using a second language to varying degrees of proficiency.

The problem with a lot of people in Britain is that we think English is our language, we are from England of course, but we don't have an absolute right over that language especially if we want to communicate abroad using that language. We need to start thinking of English in the international context as a means of communication, not as our language. We need to communicate in the best and clearest way, thereby using the standardized international form of our language which other people us.

Part of the problem is how we learn our language: we start as young children learning phrases such as 'sit down', 'stand up' or even 'shut up', those who know your grammar will recognise these as phrasal verbs (the bane of any English-learner's life). We then progress to a more colloquial or standard English, mixing it freely with phrasal verbs and then if we continue up to higher education we are introduced to the more formal Latin-based vocabulary. However, nowadays, the more formal, educated way of speaking is becoming less and less common due to it either being considered posh or because of our more rapid and casual way of communicating via technology. On the other hand, non-native speakers of English, particularly those from Latin countries will first learn and use the more formal English, as mentioned before, as it is more similar to their own vocabulary. To a native English speaker, this will be perceived as if the person has a high level of education and therefore a good command of English, not realising that they could well not understand any other, more natural (to the British) form of English. This is where the problem lies, non-natives will understand formal English but often little else, especially if the native speaker has a complicated accent or does not speak clearly.

So, what can British people do to help communication?
Well, without over-complicating the argument and talking about how English is taught in schools, the general attitude of acceptance of 'bad' English and the necessity of learning another language, one way we can do that in International situations is by being aware of the type of English that is spoken by non-natives abroad, being aware of our colloquial use of our language and by trying to start using the standardized International form of English. Instead of littering our speech with phrasal verbs we should choose standard, easily understood vocabulary.
Notice the difference between these questions: 'What time shall we kick off the meeting?' and 'What time does the meeting start?' or 'Shall we call it a day?' and 'Shall we finish now?'
The latter of each of these would be easily understood whilst the former ones would only be understood by someone with a very high level of English.

So, why do we insist on using the the former style? Exactly because we are unaware of how difficult it is for non-native speakers. In our defence, there are a lot of non-native people living in the UK, these people have gotten used to the way we speak English, understand it and use it themselves. Most British people come in connect with these people and are used to the fact that non-natives speak 'natural' British English very well. The thing we forget is that not all non-native English speakers live in the UK and not all of them have had the type of first-hand intensive contact with our language that residents have. People learn English at school and from books, which is not always the best way to get a handling on our form of English. So, if we want to communicate abroad we need to adapt to how English is used there.

Simplify your English use, standardize your language and do not use phrasal verbs, specific UK cultural references or jokes. Awareness of the problems works wonders.
A manager from Ernst & Young was making a presentation at an International Conference in Madrid and had come over with a presentation which he had used often in the UK. During a conversation he mentioned that he did not enjoy giving presentations abroad as the reaction or lack of reaction to what he is saying was unsettling. So, I suggested that he ran through the presentation with me to see if I could give him any ideas about why this might be.
Well, where shall I start?
Not only was the presentation full of phrasal verbs and colloquial language, but there were also many cultural references and jokes - the excuse was that these would make the presentation more enjoyable and more light-hearted, especially with such a heavy subject-matter. This would be probably true in the UK where people understand the references and get the jokes, but not for non-British non-native speakers. The problem was obvious, he was used to the reactions of people back in the UK; they relaxed and laughed at his jokes, tension was released and a heavy meeting became far more laid-back. However, he was not expecting the complete lack of any reaction abroad due to the fact that they just did not understand what he was saying. We went through the presentation, changed the phrasal verbs to more standard verbs, cut the British cultural references and UK-specific jokes, worked a bit on ensuring that his delivery and pronunciation was clear and the improvement was astonishing. Never before had he received such a positive reaction to a presentation that he had given abroad. People responded to his ideas, participated, asked questions and gave very positive feedback. It was an outright success and not only was he pleased with the result but also his boss back home when he won a new contract with a Madrid-based company.

The point of this is to highlight that the essential message of his presentation was the same in both occasions, the difference was in the way he delivered the message and his way of communicating. One received blank stares and no feedback, the other received an enthusiastic response. One was successful and the other not.

Which one would you like to receive the next time you do business abroad?

Attitudes to languages

On Saturday it was St.Patrick's Day and I was celebrating with my Irish friends in a bar watching the 6 Nations rugby Tournament. Naturally the bar was packed with English speakers from England, Scotland, Wales and of course Ireland along with French, Italian and for some reason Portuguese people. I say 'for some reason' as Portugal are not in the 6 Nations, so they had turned up to just to enjoy the International atmosphere with some excellent sport thrown in. Spanish people were noticeably absent; admittedly, Spain is not a rugby playing nation, but then neither is Portugal.

This got me thinking about the necessary attitude to language learning that is needed if you want to acquire and use another language - the desire to be international and enjoy sharing your time with people from other nations.  A few Spanish people did turn up later, to celebrate St.Patrick's Day rather than watch the rugby, but they came more with the attitude that they wanted to practise English which didn't really mix well with the atmosphere. It really was not the time or the place to do that, it was not a Language Exchange event where the idea is to practise your language with other people who want to practise too. It was a time to enjoy being with other people regardless of their native language and to enjoy something in common, a sporting event and the National day of Ireland. This is exactly what the Portuguese were doing. The Portuguese were there joining in with what the afternoon was about, and I was impressed by their level of English and by the way they were on the same wavelength as everyone else.

Why is it, then, that the Spanish people who came had more trouble assimilating to the atmosphere? Maybe it's because they are in their own country and the rest of us are abroad and for that reason we automatically think more internationally. It's possibly the case. However, and it's very well-known as many Spanish people have told me, that even when abroad Spanish people tend to stick together and do not mix with people from other nations. I went with a Spanish friend, who speaks excellent English, has travelled and lived abroad, but who sat observing in the corner and commenting on how much the international community mixed together; without realizing that you don't have to be foreign to mix. It is this insular tendency which is problematic for Spanish people in acquiring and using foreign languages. Possibly. It is also because Spanish is such a strong International language that it hinders the desire or the necessity to want to acquire and master another language. Maybe. This is definitely the problem for English speakers.

For me, the Portuguese, in stark contrast to the Spanish, were able to mix perfectly well with all people that afternoon. Why are they so comfortable with speaking English? I think one of the major reasons has to do with that fact that Portuguese TV is not dubbed. Films and TV shows from abroad are shown in the native language with sub-titles meaning that Portuguese people from a very young age are used to hearing other languages, primarily English spoken. From a very young age they are assimilating the language, recognizing it, hearing it, picking it up and learning it. English is not a strange language for them, it is and always has been something every normal for them, so they have the facility and comfort to use it naturally in all situations. Being accustomed to hearing and using another language opens up the mind automatically to the world beyond your native borders, it opens up different cultures and ways of thinking to you that you feel comfortable with; they may be different, you may not like them or agree with them, but you are aware of their existence and this makes it easier to feel comfortable being in an international atmosphere.

Spanish people, on the other hand, have been brought up in an entirely Spanish environment where English is clearly a foreign language to be learned at school or at a Language Academy; it is something different and separate from their normality. It is true that this is changing now in Spain. English teaching in school has been improving a lot and it is possible to put the TV on in the original language, something that was impossible not very long ago. But it is still something that you must choose to do, you actually change the language to be either in English (or whatever language the film is in) or in Spanish, it's not done automatically and for this reason a lot of people do not do it or do it when they need to study. As I have mentioned before in my blog, this tends to create stress and people feel they must understand and so when they don't they lose heart and feel that they will never understand English. Bring used to listening to other languages from birth makes it something normal, thereby avoiding this stress. As for the Portuguese and their obviously different approach to dealing with foreign people on Saturday.

This has a great effect on Spain and especially now that we have an economic crisis with so many people unemployed. I was told, again on Saturday, by someone who works in the Human Resources department of a big company, that they prefer to employ a native English speaker who speaks Spanish; or a foreign person, like a Portuguese who speaks excellent English, than a Spanish person with poor English. I think this is very telling.

Learning Languages

I am probably the worst kind of student there is. I don't think teachers make good students, we are too used to being the protagonist in the classroom, it's very difficult for me, anyway, to sit back and let the teacher get on with doing their job without taking over. I'm forever thinking of ideas, trying to help and generally being a pain in the neck. I am also very critical of the way in which classes are done, for instance, the methods used or the way the class is conducted. For this reason, I have never stayed very long in any establishment, plus the fact that my job keeps me busy when most classes are held so it was difficult to continue. I mainly, therefore, studied the grammar and vocabulary by myself, if you like studying languages this really is not a bad way to go, but there are always going to be questions that you have that cannot be answered by a book so I've looked for private teachers, as it's easier to fit that way into my timetable, but as I mentioned before I'm a veritable nightmare.

Really, the best way to learn a language is by being in the country that speaks it, make friends and practise it. This I did, although I know that my accent in Spanish is awful; I think it's true when they say that learning a language when you are a child is best. Children have a much better capability with listening. Of course, there are those who just have a good ear, how I envy them. I learned how to use the grammar through using it. Spanish verbs, for those who don't know, are conjugated for each person, singular and plural, it's really just a question of memorizing them. However, that is easier said than done; I had diligently learned many verbs, but of course, these rarely came up in any conversation I was having. The regular verbs are no problem as you learn the format and copy it for each verb. But not all verbs are regular, so I would pick up the 'I' form and 'you' form as in a one-to-one conversation that is normally what you would be using mostly, as you stay longer in the country you make more friends, so the conversation expands with the 'he', 'she', 'they' and 'we' forms.
For me, starting to use the 'we' form was a sign that I had managed to make a circle of friends, I had moved from the singular into the plural and it was a very satisfying feeling. As I spoke more, I started to feel more and more comfortable with the language, I picked up new vocabulary along the way, I invented quite a few words, usually by adding an 'o' to the end of an English word in the hope that it would be understood, and do you know what, in about 60% of the cases it worked. It helps if your new friends speak another language, especially if that language happens to be English, as they can then figure out what you were trying to say and correct you. You need friends who will correct you, that's an important point.

Of course, the most important thing you need is confidence, or in my case the ability to not care what people think of me. Spanish is the third language I've learned and it's true what they say, that it gets easier with each language. I don't think it's a case that the actual language learning gets easier, it's more a question of having learned how to get over the obstacles so when you face a similar obstacle in a new language you know what to do. For me, a major obstacle has always been feeling like a complete idiot when starting a new language. This is another reason why it is best to start as a child, children only really want to ask their friend what their favourite colour is, ask someone to pass them the ball or to tell someone that they don't like eggs; they then pick up the vocabulary and the grammar structure gradually as they mature into wanting to have deeper conversations. Adults want to have philosophical conversations, explain their theory of why their project is the best for the company, argue their case, chat up someone of the opposite sex in a bar and generally get to know whoever they are talking to and 'what is your favourite colour?' is not up to the job.
But it is something that you have to do and have to pass, often it is a good idea to be patient and listen to conversations. When I say listen, I mean listen and not drift off into never-never-land because you are bored. With time, you will start to pick up rhythms, words, grammar structures and you will surprise yourself by wanting to join in.
Usually, by the time you have constructed your sentence, the conversation has moved on, so this is when overcoming shyness or lack of confidence comes in; you have to leap into the conversation, let it be known that you have something to say and go for it. People, once they know you have something to say, will wait for you. It's hard and I spent many, many evenings whilst learning Japanese (my second foreign language) in silence, kicking myself as I yet again missed the opportunity to say something in a conversation. But finally, out of desperation, boredom and being totally fed-up of people commenting that I was really quiet and shy, I took the plunge and did it. Nobody laughed at me. In fact everyone was really pleased and encouraging. I felt like a baby bird taking my first flight.
And, yes, it got easier and easier.....and the best bit was when I came to Spain and started to learn Spanish I knew exactly what I had to do and did it, I was talking Spanish at a much earlier stage than with Japanese, that's because it's a much easier language to learn and you can invent, but also because I knew what was the obstacle and how to get over it.

Of course, not everyone is nice to you when you are speaking another language. This is where not caring what people think of you comes in. I remember a shop-keeper in Japan who, after 7 years there and speaking perfectly well with everyone else, decided he couldn't understand anything I said, he told me in Japanese that he didn't speak English. He had obviously taken one look at me, seen a foreigner and blocked his head of the possibility that the foreigner could speak his language. His wife, on the other hand, gave me a sympathetic look and dealt with me, understanding perfectly well what I had said. This has happened in Spain too, as I said before, my accent is not good but most people understand me, occasionally I meet someone who looks at me as if I'm an alien landed from another planet, but this is rare. Another lesson learned. Communication is a two-way street and there are some people who do not want to communicate, it is their problem not yours. It is necessary to keep reminding yourself of this as it is so easy to let an episode like this dent your confidence in your ability to speak the language.
Despite knowing this, I've had many crises due to someone not understanding me and making me feel stupid. But, to repeat, it is their problem not yours, keep remembering all the frequent times that people have understood you and as you get better at the language, these times will become more frequent until the person who criticizes you is in the minority. Now I can laugh at all these episodes. Mind you, it still happens occasionally and it probably always will. I've had people I don't know commenting on how good my Spanish is and how amazing my vocabulary is and an hour later someone just focuses on my accent and comments that it's so typical that British people don't learn foreign languages.
Grrrr.
Breathe.
It's their problem not mine, they don't want to communicate with me, that's all, I'll look for the people that do.