grammarist.com

Sitio interesante recomendado por +Gabriela Wolochwianski en el sitio del Colegio de Traductores de la Provincia de Santa Fe - 2º Circunscripción en LinkedIn.

An example:

Fly-by-night

Fly-by-night was originally a noun referring to one who goes out at night,1 usually for some wicked or mischievous purpose. It later gained a slang sense, referring to someone who gets out of a bill or a debt by fleeing in the middle of the night. From this derives the modern sense: today, fly-by-night is usually an adjective describing a fraudulent or dishonest business or money-making scheme. Fly-by-night operations tend to sell shoddy goods or to promise more than they can deliver, and quickly fold or disappear without providing refunds or returns on investment.

English Page, to practise EVERYTHING!

http://www.englishpage.com/index.html

Level Test

I hope you find this level test useful. Taken from "Using English for Academic Purposes".

My 2011 FCE class

Follow your instinct

El consejo de antaño para rendir el FCE, ahora con fundamento científico.
Aquí, la nota:

¿Qué es más efectivo a la hora de tomar una decisión rápida, bajo presión? Lo mejor es seguir la "corazonada".
Por lo menos, así lo indica un trabajo de investigadores de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas de la Universidad de Buenos Aires.

How language transformed humanity

Read this article and watch its related video. I found it enlightening.
Thanks Lorena Vicente, from IAPTI.org.
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Learn American English on the Way!

Un buen sitio con podcasts para aprender inglés americano, con secciones específicas para gramática, frases, pronunciación, música, juegos, entre tantos otros.
Gracias a la colega cañadense Susana Bruera.
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Diccionario de pronunciación de palabras poco frecuentes

Hope you like it.

FCE - Part 5: Speaking - sample video

Follow this link and click on B2. There is a great sample video of a Speaking exam: Gabriella & Rino.

2011 FCE exam dates

December (paper–based exams)

Tuesday 06 December (0100)
	Paper 1 (Reading)
	Paper 2 (Writing)
	Paper 3 (Use of English)
	Paper 4 (Listening)
Window for Paper 5  (Speaking)
18 November–11 December

Saturday 10 December (0102)
	Paper 1 (Reading)
	Paper 2 (Writing)
	Paper 3 (Use of English)
	Paper 4 (Listening)
Window for Paper 5  (Speaking)
18 November–11 December

2010 FCE exam results

CONGRATS! EVERYBODY PASSED! I am sooo glad!

Story of Stuff, Full Version; How Things Work, About Stuff

FCE: Speaking - FAQs

Are candidates from the same school paired together?

This depends on the centre. In some, candidates from the same school are paired together. In others, where candidates from a number of different schools are entered, you may be paired with students from other schools. Check with the centre to find out the local procedure.

Do we speak to each other as well as to the examiner?

Yes, the interaction patterns vary during the test. In Parts 1 and 2, you speak to the interlocutor but in Part 3, you must discuss something together. In this part, it is essential that you speak to each other and NOT to the interlocutor. In Part 4 you can speak to the interlocutor or to your partner, or to both.

Do both examiners speak throughout the test?

No, only the interlocutor speaks. The assessor remains silent except for greeting and saying goodbye to you.

Does knowing your partner make it easier to do well?

There is no evidence that knowing your helps you to perform better, or worse, in the Speaking test. Some people feel more relaxed and confident when they are paired with someone they know, while others may feel inhibited or that the situation is unnatural. In both cases, the examiners are trained to provide equal opportunities for all candidates to perform to the best of their ability.

What happens if candidates are "mis-matched", for example by putting a shy person with an outgoing one?

Examiners are trained to deal with this situation and ensure that no-one is disadvantaged. Everyone has the chance to show what they can do. However, you need to remember that you need to make the best use of the time to show off your language skills without dominating your partner.

FCE: Speaking - DOs & DON´Ts

DOs

• Make sure you are familiar with the focus, function and procedures of each part of the test.
• Practise speaking English as much as possible in groups and in pairs, both inside and outside the classroom.
• Listen carefully to the instructions and questions during the test and respond appropriately.
• Speak clearly, so that both the interlocutor and assessor can hear you.
• Use all the opportunities you're given in the test to speak, and extend your responses whenever possible.
• Ask for clarification of instructions or a question if you're not sure.
• Be prepared to initiate discussion as well as responding to what your partner says.
• Make full use of the time so that the examiner who is listening hears plenty of your English.

DON'Ts

• Don't prepare long answers in advance, or learn and practise speeches.
• Don't try to dominate your partner or interrupt them abruptly during the Speaking test.
• Don't leave long or frequent pauses.
• Don't worry about being interrupted by the examiner. This shows you have spoken enough. The tests have to keep to the time limit for administrative reasons.

FCE: Writing - DOs & DON´Ts

DOs

• DO read the whole question thoroughly and underline important parts.
• DO make a plan for each answer, including ALL points.
• DO expand the points in Part 1 if you can, using relevant ideas and information.
• DO write in paragraphs, whenever appropriate.
• DO use a range of vocabulary, even if you are unsure of the correct spelling.
• DO check tense endings, plural forms and word order in sentences.
• DO check irregular past tenses and question formation.
• DO use language that is appropriately formal or informal for the task.
• DO choose a Part 2 question that you feel confident you can write about.
• DO write clearly, so that the examiner can read your answer.

DON'Ts

• DON’T misspell key words which appear on the question paper.
• DON’T ‘lift’ too much language from the question paper.
• DON’T mix formal and informal language.
• DON’T use formal linkers in an informal letter.
• DON’T waste time writing addresses for a letter, as they are not required.
• DON’T answer Question 5 if you haven’t read one of the books.
• DON’T worry if you run slightly over the word limit.

FCE: Use of English FAQs

How many marks is the Use of English paper worth?

The Use of English paper makes up 40 marks or 20% of the total marks of the First Certificate examination. The other four papers also carry 40 marks each.

Are marks deducted for incorrect answers?

Candidates do not have marks deducted if they give an incorrect answer. A candidate is either awarded the mark for the correct answer or gets no mark if the answer is incorrect. Candidates should be encouraged not to leave any question unanswered.

How do candidates record their answers?

Candidates write their answers on the answer sheets provided by shading a lozenge or by writing words (between 2 and 5 words allowed for answers in Part 4). The answer sheet is marked according to a mark scheme and then scanned by computer. They must transfer their answers within the time given for the paper (45 minutes)

How important is spelling in the Use of English paper?

All spelling must be correct in this paper. Candidates will not get a mark for answers which are not spelt correctly.

What happens if a candidate gives two or more answers to a question?

If a candidate offers two or more answers and one of these is incorrect, no mark is awarded. If all answers given are correct, candidates are awarded the mark for that question. Candidates should be encouraged to write only one answer for each question.

In the cloze test (Part 2) are words like 'doesn't', 'isn't' counted as one or two words?

To count the number of words, the full form should be taken into account, e.g. 'didn't' = 'did not' = two words.

How to pronounce "the" (from BBC)

A question from Subbu:
How do you pronounce the word 'the'? There are two pronunciations: 'The' sometimes sounds like 'thee'. Sometimes it sounds like 'thaaa'.

the.mp3
Amos Paran answers:
Well done, Subbu for noticing this. I think because 'the' is such a common word in English - it is in fact the most common word both in writing and in speech - we often tend to overlook it.

It has two pronunciations. One pronunciation - the one that most learners will know - is 'the' with a vowel that we call a schwa - a very common vowel. So we talk about 'the sound' ; 'the word' ; 'the number'. This pronunciation appears before consonants. The other pronunciation 'the' comes before a vowel. So you will notice that I said 'the other pronunciation'.

One warning though - there are words that look as if they begin with a vowel, but they actually begin with a consonant. One example is the word 'university'. It starts with a /j/ sound, which is a consonant. So we say, 'the university'. Another example is the word 'one' - 'the one that most learners will know'. So remember that these words are consonants, not vowels.

The other place you would use 'the' is when you are stressing the word and adding extra emphasis to the noun coming after it. So you talk about restaurant that you like and say, ' It's THE best restaurant in town'; or 'It's THE restaurant in town'. Very useful for expressing your enthusiasm about anything.

The Woman in White - Free Audio Book!

From "Books should be free".

You can click to listen to the novel online or download it as an MP3 file.
Hope you enjoy listening to it!

Marco Común Europeo de Referencia para Idiomas

El Marco Común Europeo de Referencia establece una serie de niveles para todas las lenguas a partir de los cuales se favorece la comparación u homologación de los distintos títulos emitidos por las entidades certificadas.
Es el resultado de más de diez años de investigación de un grupo de especialistas en lingüística aplicada y en pedagogía de los 41 países miembros del Consejo de Europa. Hubo varios borradores que fueron ampliamente analizados, y el producto final es una contribución única a la lingüística aplicada, que provee una descripción absolutamente nueva y detallada de la progresión del uso de las lenguas, y de los saberes y habilidades requeridos.
El marco está dirigido a todos los profesionales en el campo de las lenguas modernas, y su finalidad es estimular la reflexión sobre objetivos y métodos, facilitar la comunicación, y proveer una base común para desarrollos curriculares, la elaboración de programas, exámenes y calificaciones, contribuyendo así a facilitar la educación internacional. Es una herramienta invalorable para los que trabajan en entrenamiento de docentes, diseños de programas y evaluaciones, y producción de textos y materiales.

Recopilando información acerca de los distintos niveles propuestos por entidades y autores, los encargados del proyecto establecen los siguientes niveles que facilita en gran medida la comprensibilidad a los usuarios de la información.

A1	Principiante
A2	Elemental
B1	Intermedio
B2	Intermedia Alto
C1	Avanzado
C2	Muy Avanzado

EQUIVALENCIAS EN LOS IDIOMAS MáS DIFUNDIDOS

	A1	A2	B1	B2	C1	C2
Alemán	Start Deutsch 1	Start Deutsch 2	ZD		ZMP	 ZOP KDS
Español			DELE Nivel Inicial	DELE Nivel Intermedio		DELE Nivel Superior
Francés	DELF A1	DELF A2	DELF B1	DELF B2	DALF C1	DALF C2
Inglés	GESE 2	KET GESE 3 Y 4	PET GESE 5 Y 6	FCE GESE 7,8 Y 9	CAE GESE 10 Y 11	CPE GESE 12
Italiano	DELI PLIDA 1	CELI 1 PLIDA 2	DILI CELI 2 PLIDA B1	DALI CELI 3 PLIDA B2	DALC CELI 4 PLIDA C1	CELI 5 PLIDA C2
Portugués		CIPLE	DEPLE	DIPLE	DAPLE	DUPLE

Alemán:
ZD: Zertifikat Deutsch
ZMP: Zentrale Mittelstufen-prüfung
ZOP: Zentrale Oberstufen-prüfung
KDS: Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom

Español:
DELE: Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera

Francés:
DELF: Diplome d´Etudes en Langue Francaise
DALF: Diplome Approfondi de Langue Francaise

Inglés:
KET: Key English Test
PET: Preliminary English Test
FCE: First Certificate in English
CAE: Cambrigde Advanced English
CPE: Cambridge Proficiency English
GESE: Graded Examination in Spoken English (Trinity University)

Italiano:
DELI: Diploma Elementare di Lingua Italiana
CELI: Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana
DILI: Diploma Intermedio di Lingua Italiana
DALI: Diploma Avanzado di Lingua Italiana
DALC: Diploma Commerciali di Lingua Italiana
PLIDA: Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri

Portugués:
CIPLE: Certificado Inicial de Português Língua Estrangeira
DEPLE: Diploma Elementar de Português Língua Estrangeira
DIPLE: Diploma Intermédio de Português Língua Estrangeira
DAPLE: Diploma Avançado de Português Língua Estrangeira
DUPLE: Diploma Universitário de Português Língua Estrangeira

Common Errors in English Usage

A dictionary of Common Errors.
This will come in useful when writing.