3 https://support.cambridgeenglish.org/hc/en-gb/articles/202839236-Computer-based-Exam-Tutorials-for-Cambridge-English-exams WATCH A TUTORIAL ABOUT THE EXAM – ALL LEVELS
No nos hemos vuelto locos, seguimos pensando que la mejor forma de aprender inglés es ser alumno de THE ENGLISH GROUP, pero por si acaso esto no es suficiente os dejamos nuestra selección de los mejores blogs para aprender inglés.
Esperamos que os guste.
Desde sus orígenes, tanto los presentadores de la televisión como los locutores de radio de la BBC se comunican en un perfecto inglés británico al igual que todos sus artículos se escriben con una gramática impecable. El blog Learning English de la BBC tiene cientos de artículos, ejercicios y vídeos gratuitos que te ayudarán a mejorar la compresión del idioma sea cual sea tu nivel de inglés.
Diagramas de oraciones… YUPI!!!! Si es broma, sabemos que no es lo más divertido del mundo, pero en este blog piensan que es una forma fácil y divertida (more or less) de dominar las partes difíciles de la gramática. Es probable que no viajes durante horas leyendo su blog, pero con solo leerlo habitualmente al menos unos minutos, notarás grandes progresos.
Si aún no conoces el blog de Deliciously Ella, ¡¿en qué planeta vives?! En Deliciously Ella encontrarás increíbles consejos sobre gastronomía y un gran número de experimentos sobre como hornear deliciosos platos a base de plantas e ingredientes no procesados y ha ayudado a todos sus seguidores a cuidar mejor de su alimentación. ¿Lo mejor? También encontraremos un montón de dulces y sabrosos postres.
Aquí os dejamos uno de los blogs más populares del Reino Unido y uno de nuestros favoritos; Rosie nos deleita con un contenido de lo más variado, desde consejos de moda, charlas sobre su perro cuando caminan por Londres o incluso recetas. Entre sus entretenidas líneas encontraremos descripciones muy detalladas y frases no aptas para principiantes; ideal y muy recomendado para estudiantes de nivel intermedio.
Una biblioteca casi inagotable de ejercicios rápidos y dinámicos sobre gramática inglesa, en este increíble blog podrás demostrar tus habilidades en múltiples temas, desde el reported speech hasta los verbos irregulares. El uso interactivo del blog hace muy entretenido conocer las reglas gramaticales más complejas.
Su creadora Hannah ayudará a mejorar claramente tu inglés más coloquial. Su escritora es una experiodista y sus artículos, con los que te identificarás rápidamente hablan de casi todo lo que puedas imaginar, desde lo que se lleva esta temporada, el último libro que esta leyendo o sus relaciones personales. En muy poco tiempo tu vocabulario se enriquecerá con frases hechas y coloquialismos muy variados.
World of Wander lust es un blog plagado de consejos en primera persona que serán de gran ayuda a la hora de planificar tu próximo viaje. Desde Estados Unidos, Japón o Costa Rica, entre muchos otros destinos. Es un blog ideal para los consumidores más voraces de cultura y que deseen practicar inglés leyendo durante horas. Además, podrás descubrir los mejores lugares para comer o los sitios poco conocidos e imprescindibles.
Repleto de confesiones graciosas y sinceras entre las páginas del blog The Young Adventuress encontraremos también historias de lo más variopintas, cuidado puede ser adictivo. Pero la razón por la que más nos gusta este blog es ella, su escritora ha tomado la gran decisión de mudarse y ha cambiado Estados Unidos por Nueva Zelanda y nos deja muchos consejos sobre lo que es trasladarse a otro país.
Yaya y Lloyd son dos buenos amigos de la Universidad de Cambrigde y en este fantástico y emocionante blog de viajes nos cuentas sus experiencias recorriendo el mundo. Después de leer unas pocas entradas, seguro que te picará el gusanillo de escribir tu propio blog de viajes.
(Somos totalmente imparciales….. bueno tal vez…). Aunque no podemos dedicarle todo el tiempo que nos gustaría, intentamos llenarlo de consejos prácticos sobre titulaciones, clases y recursos varios. Esperamos que crezca mucho y poder dedicar muchas entradas interesantes.
Al escribir o hablar en inglés es posible que cometas algunos de los errores más comunes. En el siguiente post os contamos cuáles son los errores más comunes en inglés para que conozcas como evitarlos y no caer de ellos.
Omisión del sujeto
Estamos acostumbrados a omitir en muchas ocasiones el sujeto cuando hablamos. Sin embargo, en inglés debemos de repetirlo con cada verbo.
Mal empleo de preposiciones
A la hora de utilizar las preposiciones in, at y on se suele llegar a confusiones. En el caso de in se utiliza para espacios cerrados, países, periodos de tiempo largos o partes del día. Sin embargo, on se utiliza para días especiales, día de la semana, superficies, medios de transporte, partes del cuerpo, fin de semana, etc. Y, en el caso de at, se utiliza para lugares, direcciones, acontecimientos, posiciones, horas…
Confusión de pronombres his y her
En español, para referirnos a “su”, utilizamos este pronombre tanto en femenino como en masculino. Sin embargo, en inglés se utiliza her para femenino y his para masculino.
Uso excesivo del artículo «the»
En español añadimos los artículos con mucha frecuencia a las frases antes de los sustantivos. Sin embargo, en inglés ese uso es mucho menor.
Colocamos mal el adjetivo
Realizamos una colocación errónea del adjetivo. En español, el artículo suele colocarse detrás del sustantivo pero en inglés ese adjetivo va colocado antes del sustantivo.
Well y Good
Well se trata de un adverbio cuya función es describir al verbo, por lo que debe ir acompañado de este. Sin embargo, good es un adjetivo que describe a los sustantivos.
These y Those
En el caso de these, se utiliza para referirnos a objetos (en plural) que se encuentran cerca. Por otro lado, those se utiliza para los objetos (en plural) que se encuentran más lejos.
False Friends
Existen palabras muy parecidas al español que en ocasiones utilizamos creyendo que significan lo mismo. Sin embargo, tienen significados muy distintos.
Por ejemplo:
Actually, significa de “de hecho” y no actualmente. Sensible es sensato y no sensible, y, Carpet significa alfombra y no carpeta.
Confusión de la tercera persona del singular
En tercera persona del singular en inglés es necesario añadir una -s al final de cada verbo. Muchas veces nos olvidamos de añadirla o incluso, la utilizamos en primera o segunda persona o, incluso, en tercera persona del plural, algo que es un error.
¿Quieres mejorar tu nivel de inglés y evitar este tipo de errores?
EnTHE ENGLISH GROUPte ayudamos a mejorar tu inglés para que consigas hablar de forma fluida y minimizando al máximo alguno de los errores citados anteriormente. Contacta con nosotros para conocer más sobre nuestros cursos.
Some mistakes in English are very common. In this article, we are going to reveal the biggest mistakes that people make when speak or write in English.
For example: incorrectly used preposition, confuse «There vs those», omission of the subject or the articles…
El examen Proficiency es un examen de inglés de nivel muy avanzado, nivel C2 en el marco Europeo de Referencia de las lenguas. Es el título de mayor nivel y exigencia de la escala Cambridge.
La certificación C2 Proficiency de Cambridge English te ayuda a demostrar que dominas el inglés a un nivel excepcional. Indica que puedes comunicarte con la fluidez y la complejidad de un hablante de inglés altamente capacitado.
¿Qué habilidades certifica el C2 de Cambridge?
El haberte preparado para realizar el examen y haberlo aprobarlo implica que posees el nivel de inglés necesario para estudiar o trabajar en un entorno profesional o académico de muy alto rango y estudiar materias exigentes en niveles muy altos.
La titulación C2 Proficiency demuestra que puedes:
Estudiar programas internacionales de postgrado y de doctorado
Negociar y persuadir de manera efectiva frente a un nivel directivo en una empresa nacional
Comprender las ideas principales de textos complejos
Hablar sobre asuntos complejos o delicados y abordar con fluidez cuestiones problemáticas
Aunque el progreso dependerá del tipo de curso y del estudiante concreto, los estudiantes deberían alcanzar el nivel C2 de inglés desde 1000-1200 horas acumuladas de enseñanza. Por eso, en The Globe, hemos creado uncurso de preparación para inglés C2 con el que podrás decidir tu ritmo de aprendizaje, con la máxima flexibilidad, dónde y cuándo tú quieras.
Modalidades de examen
El C2 Proficiency de Cambridge presenta dos opciones para realizar el examen: Paper-based (examen en papel) y Computer-based (examen en ordenador).
Con ambas opciones puedes obtener el mismo certificado internacionalmente reconocido, pero, aunque parezca una decisión de poca importancia, un formato u otro puede aumentar la probabilidad de éxito.
Desde The English Groupte recomendamos que elijas el computer-based, ya que son muchas las ventajas que ofrece esta modalidad para el alumno, como una mejor recepción de audio, mejor control del tiempo o poder cambiar la respuesta en el momento que lo desees.
Es importante remarcar que la prueba oral de ambos formatos se realiza de forma presencial con un examinador oficial de la universidad de Cambridge.
Estructura y partes del examen Proficiency C2 de Cambridge
Los certificados de inglés como el Proficiency C2 examinan a sus candidatos de 5 destrezas básicas. Estas son: vocabulario y gramática, comprensión lectora, comprensión auditiva, uso de inglés escrito e inglés oral.
El examen Proficiency C2 agrupa estas destrezas en 4 partes que conforman la estructura: Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening y Speaking.
La duración total del examen es de aproximadamente 3 horas y 56 minutos.
PARTE DEL EXAMEN
DURACIÓN
PUNTUACIÓN
PRUEBAS
Paper 1: Reading and Use of English
1 hora y 30 minutos
40%
7 partes/ 53 preguntas
Paper 2: Writing
1 hora y 30 minutos
20%
2 partes
Paper 3: Listening
40 minutos
20%
4 partes/ 30 preguntas
Paper 4: Speaking
16 minutos
20%
3 partes
Reading and Use of English
Es el primer bloque que se realiza del examen C2 Proficiency tiene una duración de 1 hora y media, y engloba dos partes: Reading y Use of English.
Se valorará el uso de la lengua inglesa con diferentes ejercicios que evalúan tus conocimientos de gramática y vocabulario. Por otro lado, también se valorará que puedes abordar con soltura diferentes tipos de textos de cierta complejidad. Desde textos de ficción, hasta artículos periodísticos y artículos de divulgación.
La prueba de comprensión de lectura y uso de la lengua de C2 Proficiency consta de siete partes que contienen una mezcla de diferentes tipos de texto y preguntas.
Contenido
Número de preguntas y puntuación
Part 1: Multiple-choice Cloze (Reading Part )
8 preguntas 1 punto cada pregunta
Part 2: Open -cloze (Use of English)
8 preguntas 1 punto cada pregunta
Part 3: Word -formation (Use of English)
8 preguntas 1 punto cada pregunta
Part 4: Word transformation (Use of English)
6 preguntas 2 puntos cada pregunta
Part 5: Multiple choice (Reading part )
6 preguntas 2 puntos cada pregunta
Part 6: Gapped text (Reading part )
7 preguntas 2 puntos cada pregunta
Part 7: Multiple matching (Reading part )
10 preguntas 1 punto cada pregunta
Writing
En las dos partes de la prueba de expresión escrita de el examen Cambridge Proficiency tienes que demostrar que puedes escribir diversos tipos de texto en inglés. Donde deberás escribir artículos, correo electrónico, ensayo, carta, informe, revisión.
Parte 1
(Obligatoria)
20 puntos
Ensayo 240-280 palabras
Leer dos textos e identificar los puntos principales y escribir un ensayo que resuma y evalúe esos puntos, incluyendo tus propias ideas.
Parte 2
(Elegir una)
20 puntos
Elegir 1opción de 5 280-320 Palabras
Estas opciones pueden ser: artículo (article), carta (letter), email, informe (report), propuesta (proposal) o reseña (review).
Listening
La prueba de comprensión auditiva de C2 consta de cuatro partes. En cada parte tienes que escuchar uno o más textos grabados y responder algunas preguntas. Podrás escuchar cada grabación dos veces.
Partes
Preguntas
Descripción
Parte 1 Opción múltiple
6
4 grabaciones de un minuto y cada grabación tiene 2 preguntas de elección múltiple
Parte 2 Completar frases
9
Tras un monologo de 3-4 minutos, deberás completar frases incompletas.
Parte 3 Opción múltiple
5
Contestar una serie de preguntas de elección múltiple
Parte 4 Elegir opción
10
Dos tareas de 5 preguntas donde tienes que elegir la opción correcta
Speaking
La prueba de expresión oral del examen Cambridge Proficiency consta de cuatro partes a las que te presentas junto con otro candidato. La prueba de expresión oral se realiza cara a cara, con dos candidatos y dos examinadores. Esto crea una medida más realista y confiable de su habilidad para usar el inglés para comunicarse.
La duración de esta prueba es de aproximadamente 16 minutos. Está dividida en 3 partes:
Parte 1
Entrevista
2 minutos de duración
Conversación entre el interlocutor y cada candidato.
El examinador pondrá una serie de preguntas a cada uno en su turno para daros la oportunidad de hablar
Parte 2 Tarea colaborativa
4 minutos
EL interlocutor os da unas instrucciones verbales y una o más fotos.
Primero tienes que centrarte en la pregunta relacionada con las foto(s) 1 minuto.
En la segunda parte tienes que llegar a una conclusión a través de una conversación con el otro candidato.
Parte 3
10 minutos
El interlocutor te entrega una tarjeta con una pregunta y unas ideas y tienes que hablar solo durante 2 minutos.
Cuando acabas tu compañero tiene que opinar sobre lo que has dicho y después el interlocutor os hará una pregunta sobre el mismo tema.
El interlocutor hace lo mismo y después llevara un conversación con los 2.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2021 will occur on Sunday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
Ancient Origins of Halloween
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.
This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.
In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes.
When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
Did you know? One quarter of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is purchased for Halloween.
By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the 400 years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of bobbing for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
Halloween Comes to America
The celebration of Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. Halloween was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies.
As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups and the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included “play parties,” which were public events held to celebrate the harvest. Neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other’s fortunes, dance and sing.
Did you know? More people are buying costumes for their pets. Americans spent $490 million on costumes for their pets in 2019—more than double what they spent in 2010.
Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the 19th century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the 19th century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing the Irish Potato Famine, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally.
History of Trick-or-Treating
Borrowing from European traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s “trick-or-treat” tradition. Young women believed that on Halloween they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season and festive costumes.
Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything “frightening” or “grotesque” out of Halloween celebrations. Because of these efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
Halloween Parties
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide Halloween parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague some celebrations in many communities during this time.
By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated.
Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats.
Thus, a new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
Halloween Movies
Speaking of commercial success, scary Halloween movies have a long history of being box office hits. Classic Halloween movies include the “Halloween” franchise, based on the 1978 original film directed by John Carpenter and starring Donald Pleasance, Nick Castle, Jamie Lee Curtis and Tony Moran. In “Halloween,” a young boy named Michael Myers murders his 17-year-old sister and is committed to jail, only to escape as a teen on Halloween night and seek out his old home, and a new target. A direct sequel to the original “Halloween” was released in 2018, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle. A sequel to that—”Halloween Kills,” the twelfth film in the “Halloween” franchise overall—was released in 2021.
Considered a classic horror film down to its spooky soundtrack, “Halloween” inspired other iconic “slasher films” like “Scream,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13.” More family-friendly Halloween movies include “Hocus Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Beetlejuice” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”
All Souls Day and Soul Cakes
The American Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating probably dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives.
The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as “going a-souling,” was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry.
On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.
On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
Black Cats and Ghosts on Halloween
Halloween has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic and superstition. It began as a Celtic end-of-summer festival during which people felt especially close to deceased relatives and friends. For these friendly spirits, they set places at the dinner table, left treats on doorsteps and along the side of the road and lit candles to help loved ones find their way back to the spirit world.
Today’s Halloween ghosts are often depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, and our customs and superstitions are scarier too. We avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages, when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into black cats.
We try not to walk under ladders for the same reason. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred (it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe). And around Halloween, especially, we try to avoid breaking mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road or spilling salt.
Halloween Matchmaking and Lesser-Known Rituals
But what about the Halloween traditions and beliefs that today’s trick-or-treaters have forgotten all about? Many of these obsolete rituals focused on the future instead of the past and the living instead of the dead.
In particular, many had to do with helping young women identify their future husbands and reassuring them that they would someday—with luck, by next Halloween—be married. In 18th-century Ireland, a matchmaking cook might bury a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween night, hoping to bring true love to the diner who found it.
In Scotland, fortune-tellers recommended that an eligible young woman name a hazelnut for each of her suitors and then toss the nuts into the fireplace. The nut that burned to ashes rather than popping or exploding, the story went, represented the girl’s future husband. (In some versions of this legend, the opposite was true: The nut that burned away symbolized a love that would not last.)
Another tale had it that if a young woman ate a sugary concoction made out of walnuts, hazelnuts and nutmeg before bed on Halloween night she would dream about her future husband.
Young women tossed apple-peels over their shoulders, hoping that the peels would fall on the floor in the shape of their future husbands’ initials; tried to learn about their futures by peering at egg yolks floating in a bowl of water and stood in front of mirrors in darkened rooms, holding candles and looking over their shoulders for their husbands’ faces.
Other rituals were more competitive. At some Halloween parties, the first guest to find a burr on a chestnut-hunt would be the first to marry. At others, the first successful apple-bobber would be the first down the aisle.
Of course, whether we’re asking for romantic advice or trying to avoid seven years of bad luck, each one of these Halloween superstitions relies on the goodwill of the very same “spirits” whose presence the early Celts felt so keenly.
This American Life is consistently ranked as the most popular podcast in the United States. On average, there are approximately 1 million downloads of each episode. They feature unusual and fascinating stories of real Americans from the successful radio show of the same name. The podcast follows the same format as the radio programme. Each episode is themed and includes a variety of true tales of everyday people. Past themes have included “Back to School”, “Amusement Parks” and “Fear of Sleep”.
Why This American Life is a great podcast to learn English:
The podcast features interviews with real Americans up and down the country. For the language student this is a terrific way to become familiar with regional accents and the different speeds that US English is spoken. This American Life is also an exciting listen. Some of the stories are moving, funny and surprising.
Global News is produced by the BBC World Service, the world’s largest international broadcaster. The podcast is published twice daily and is a roundup of the latest global news. The stories have been collected from World Service news output and include interviews and location reports from BBC correspondents.
Why Global News is a great podcast to learn English:
Some of the best English you will hear will be on the BBC. The presenters and reporters are well spoken and easy to understand. They possess an excellent command of the English language that will help students to increase their vocabulary.
Scientific American is one of the world’s premier science magazines, bringing the latest science news, features and analysis to the general public. The magazine’s science journalists and writers have now branched out to the podcast world with a daily update of some of the most important developments in research.
Why Scientific American Podcast: 60-Second Science is a great podcast to learn English:
Scientific American’s presenters speak with authority on many different scientific topics. They use language that communicates the excitement of scientific research and in a way that the average person can understand. This is particularly useful for anyone wanting to work in science-related fields or who has a love of astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics and how nature works. This podcast is a great way to learn English for advanced learners.
Freakonomics Radio is an award-winning podcast that “explores the hidden side of everything”. It is inspired by the series of Freakonomics books and is hosted by co-authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. The podcast is an entertaining and riveting examination of many aspects of our lives. This includes news, pop culture and global and local political issues.
Why Freakonomics Radio is a great podcast to learn English:
This is a wonderful podcast series that explores subjects from a different angles and in some depth. There is a lot of light-hearted banter between the hosts which helps to ensure that concepts, issues and points of views are understood. The breadth of topics covered means that you will be able to pick up English for many different facets of life.
Here’s the Thing is one of the most fascinating radio shows and podcasts to emerge in recent years. American film, television and stage actor, Alec Baldwin interviews some of the biggest names in politics, the arts and show businesses. He is a probing interviewer who quizzes his guests on why they do what they do, their inspirations and the pivotal decisions they have made in their careers. As a prominent movie star, Alec Baldwin is able to attract high calibre guests to his show.
Why Here’s the Thing is a great podcast to learn English:
The show features learned and inspiring discussions in several fields of human endeavour, particularly those related to creativity. Some of the guests are among the most celebrated people in their fields. It is full of rich and engaging conversations.
Prepare for your Aptis exam in one of our courses and get the certificate you need. Limited places available!
The course is specially designed to prepare you for the exam as efficiently as possible, so that you can achieve your full potential in all parts of the test: grammar and vocabulary, speaking, writing, listening and reading.
Our teachers are experts in the test; they will guide you and provide you with the techniques necessary to maximise your chances of getting the results you need.
What is Aptis?
Aptis is an innovative English language test, developed by British Council experts in the field of evaluation. It’s aimed at people who want to certify their knowledge of the English language. The exam has been designed to evaluate your English level in a practical and precise way, providing your results between 48 and 72 hours after sitting the test. Your official certificate will be available in our offices or sent by post in the seven to ten days after receiving your results.
Businesses, universities and public institutions such as the Comunidad de Madrid are increasingly using the test to evaluate the linguistic competence of employees and students.
Aptis is an innovative multilevel English language test from the British Council.
The test is designed to make a practical and accurate assessment of your level of English according to the CEFR levels.
There are various versions of Aptis. Aptis General and Aptis for Teachers are suitable for individuals who need to demonstrate an A1-A2-B1-B2-C level of English. However if you need a C1-C2 accreditation, we recommend you take Aptis Advanced. Please remember always to confirm Aptis validity with the institution where you need to present your accreditation. (see our Aptis recognition institutions list ).
Remember! Aptis General and Aptis for Teachers are the most flexible and affordable options to demonstrate your B2 or C1 level as a bilingual teaching teacher.
Aptis is a computer based test, including the ‘speaking component’ and it is delivered under the supervision of the British Council staff. You will receive your test results by email between 48 and 72 hours after taking the test. Your test report will be available for collection at our offices or will be sent to you by post within 7 to 10 days.
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Muchos estudiantes quisieran trabajar en un país de habla inglesa. Pero una de las cosas que sin duda temen es tener que enfrentarse a una entrevista de trabajo en inglés. ¿Qué vocabulario debería utilizar? ¿Cuáles son las frases y expresiones en inglés que debo usar para una entrevista de trabajo? En THE ENGLISH GROUP te preparamos para que tengas tu entrevista con éxito.
Frases y expresiones en inglés para una entrevista de trabajo en inglés
Para preparar una entrevista de trabajo en inglés, primero de todo tienes que tener un buen nivel de inglés. Si no, es más que probable que se acaben dando cuenta de que no puedes mantener una conversación.
Cuanto mayor sea la categoría del puesto al que aspiras, mayor capacidad de expresión oral se te va a exigir, especialmente si por ejemplo quieres trabajar en el mundo de los negocios y además tienes que manejar cierta jerga de tu sector, por ejemplo las finanzas, para lo que te vendria bien hacer un curso de Business English.
Dicho esto, hay algunas frases y expresiones generales que te pueden servir para una entrevista laboral.
¿Qué tipo de preguntas te haría tu entrevistador?
Más allá de los saludos de rigor, que son algo muy importante, debemos ir preparados para el tipo de preguntas que van a hacernos.
Aquí algunas ideas:
Do you think you are qualified for this position? (¿Crees que estás cualificado para desempeñar este puesto?).
What can you tell me about your work experience? (¿Qué puedes decirme sobre tu experiencia laboral?)
What is your greatest accomplishment? (¿Cuál es tu mayor logro?)
What are your weaknesses? (¿Cuáles son tus debilidades?)
Why should I hire you? (¿Por qué debería contratarte?)
What do you know about this company? (¿Qué sabes sobre nuestra empresa?)
Where would you like to be in the next ten years? (¿Dónde te gustaría estar en los próximos 10 años?).
Son preguntas genéricas, donde el entrevistador espera que puedas elaborar una respuesta honesta y profesional, al mismo tiempo que das una pequeña muestra de tus conocimientos y habilidades, todo con naturalidad y con confianza, teniendo aclaro que además de lo que se dice, es muy importante el cómo se dice.
En este sentido, a veces podemos estar muy preocupados por si hablamos bien o mal en inglés, pero la actitud y la auto-confianza es algo que nos va a ayudar a vencer la timidez, que puede ser a veces uno de los mayores problemas a la hora de hablar otro idioma.
En cuanto a las respuestas en inglés, éstas pueden ser algunas opciones:
My years of experience in Customer Support have prepared me very well for this position. I developed my skills working with customers during three years, answering their questions and helping them to find solutions. I think that my experience will be an asset for your team.
I have experience in Sales & Marketing in financial sector and also in Customer Support. I worked four years in a recognized call center in Spain.
Our customer satisfaction rate increased 15 percent during my work in [the name of the Company]. During this time, I learned to use my skills and knowledge for make clients more happy.
My weakness might be that sometimes I can be a little shy with people, although I have learn yo improve my communication skills.
Because I can do the work with exceptional results. My experience can help you to solve your needings. I am ambitious, I know your company since many years ago and I think I can be a great addition to you team.
The [name of the company] is the leading organization in Human Resources for corporations in UK. It’s a company I’ve known for many years; you’re well-known in the industry for the quality of your work and services.
My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can improve my skills and continue learning as professional in Customer Support.
Éstas son sólo algunas de las posibles respuestas, pero recuerda que debes adaptarlas al puesto concreto al que estás aspirando y la experiencia real en el área que tengas.
Prepárate con nosotros tu entrevista de trabajo!!!
Conocer los sinónimos y antónimos de las palabras, cuando aprendemos un nuevo idioma, es importante ya que te permite profundizar mucho más y te ayuda a mejorar tu comprensión y fluidez al hablar. De esta manera, si olvidas una palabra durante una conversación, podrás buscar un sinónimo rápidamente. Además, si siempre utilizas las mismas palabras, parecerás aburrido o las personas pensarán que no dominas el idioma.
Los sinónimos en inglés
Los sinónimos en inglés, al igual que en español, pueden ser adjetivos, sustantivos, verbos o adverbios. En cada uno de estos casos, dos palabras sinónimas:
Expresan una misma cualidad (adjectives)
Refieren a una misma cosa (nouns)
Indican una misma acción (verbs)
Señalan una misma circunstancia (adverbs).
Veamos algunos:
Large / Big
Como ya debes saber, el significado de estas palabras en español, es “grande”. Veamos algunos ejemplos de uso:
Your house is three times as large as mine.
The cows looked big and docile.
Otros sinónimos pueden ser: grand, huge, enormous.
Small / Tiny
Por otro lado, si quieres decir “pequeño” en inglés, puedes usar cualquiera de estas dos palabras. Aunque, la palabra “tiny” se utiliza con mayor frecuencia para describir algo muy pequeño. Por ejemplo:
There is a small garden in front of my house.
Japanese women tend to look tiny and delicate.
Otros sinónimos pueden ser: little, miniature.
Speak / Talk
Estas dos palabras significan “hablar”, por lo que puedes utilizarlas para referirte a esto. Veamos algunos ejemplos:
I don’t speak Japanese.
May I talk to Ms. Brown?
Otros sinónimos pueden ser: tell, converse, communicate, discuss.
Funny / Silly
Si algo te parece “gracioso”, entonces puedes usar estas palabras para describirlo. Veamos algunos ejemplos de uso de estas palabras:
The teacher told us a funny story.
In fact, he looked silly
Otros sinónimos pueden ser: humorous, amusing.
Clever / Smart
Para describir a una persona como inteligente, puedes utilizar cualquiera de estas dos palabras. Por ejemplo:
Bill is the clever of the two brothers. hermanos
Patty is a smart student.
Otros sinónimos pueden ser: bright, intelligent, brilliant.
Los antónimos
Los antónimos en inglés o «Antonyms» son palabras que tienen un significado opuesto o contrario referente a otra palabra.
Early / Late
La palabra “early” puede significar “temprano” y “antes” dependiendo del contexto en el que la utilices y si quieres decir “tarde” o “demorado” en inglés, puedes decir “late”.
Sinónimos de Early: beforehand, in advance, untimely, too soon, before time.
Sinónimos de Late: delayed, overdue, held up, behind time.
Por ejemplo:
What did you come here so early for?
I arrived beforehand to the meeting
What keeps you up so late?
The delayed train is now expected at 3pm
Before / After
Las personas suelen confundir con mucha frecuencia estas dos palabras. La palabra “before” significa “antes”, mientras que la palabra “after” significa “después”.
Sinónimos de Before: previously, earlier, sooner.
Sinónimos de After: next, later, following.
Por ejemplo:
Come and say goodbye before you go
We’ll get there earlier if we leave now and avoid traffic
You can watch TV after you have eaten dinner
Why don’t we go to the early show and eat later?
Happy / Sad
Es común que hablemos de cómo nos sentimos diariamente, por lo que saber expresarlo es importante. Seguramente ya debes saber que “happy” significa feliz y que “sad” significa “triste”.
Sinónimos de Happy: contented, cheerful, merry, delighted, jolly.
Sinónimos de Sad: unhappy, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, regretful.
Por ejemplo:
You look happy today.
When I woke up, I was sad.
The baby looked contented after his meal
Linda is unhappy because she’s split up with her boyfriend
Ahora que aprendiste algunos sinónimos y antónimos en inglés, estás listo para utilizarlos en tus conversaciones y sorprender a tus conocidos.
You must write an essay. (In part 2 you get a choice, but the essay is always mandatory.)
You have about 45 minutes.
The tasks always look the same.
Don’t ‘lift’ too much from the question – use your own words.
PREPARING
Do lots of mock exams.
Start early (mistakes in your writing take longest to fix). Months, not days!
Computer-based – write on the computer. Paper-based, paper.
The more you practice the less you’ll need to worry about word count.
WHAT IS AN ESSAY?
It’s a text where you present an argument (and support it with reasons).
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ESSAY AND A REPORT?
Essays tend to be general while reports are more concrete. So you might get an essay like ‘Which are more important, trains or hospitals?’ A report might be like ‘How can we improve the train network in your country?’
Reports are quite business and have subheadings. They send in a recommendation.
WHAT IS A CAMBRIDGE ESSAY?
Cambridge wants to see that you can write an academic text in a neutral/formal style, and be persuasive while having a good structure, using linking phrases etc.
Keep the reader in mind. Make sure you follow their instructions and that they can understand what your points are.
You don’t need to include a title. It’s okay if you do.
You have more access to a wider range of language if you have a negative point and a positive point.
Your essay doesn’t have to be factually accurate! Lie/make things up if it helps your essay!
PLANNING
Give yourself at least 5 minutes to plan your essay before you start writing. The more you invest in the planning stage the easier the actual writing will be.
STRONG INTRODUCTIONS
The slideshow has examples of 3 easy-to-learn intro types:
A question
A quotation
A surprising fact
KEEPING interested
Keep the reader interested by using great vocabulary and introducing surprises.
CHECKING
Learn how to check your work to spot simple mistakes and places where you could improve the language you’ve used.
RANDOM
They don’t care about your handwriting – as long as they can read it.
You can make some mistakes as long as the reader can understand what you are saying.
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