100 tips and activities for the Cambridge exams

1 Make sure your students are entering for the right exam. The Cambridge English Placement Test can help you confirm this. o online and look at the demo! http!""###.democpt.cam$ridgetest.org 2 %eep up to date #ith exam changes& 'pecifications are a(aila$le to do#nload from Cam$ridge )nglish *anguage Assessment. +or example, First for Schools is $eing re(ised for -anuary 201.. /isit! http!""###.cam$ridgeenglish.org" exams0and01ualifications"first0for0 schools"exam0update0for0201." 3 Co(er all four skills of reading, #riting, listening and speaking in your classes to gi(e your students the $est chance of doing #ell in a Cam$ridge )nglish exam. 4 Think a$out your students in relation to the C)+2 le(els A1 to C2. 3hich le(el ha(e they reached4 5o# do you kno#4 5 +ind out more a$out the C)+2 le(els $y (isiting the )nglish 6rofile #e$site, #here you can #atch a short (ideo! http!""###.englishprofile.org 6 7se the English Vocabulary Profile to get suggestions of suita$le (oca$ulary at the right C)+2 le(el. 'ign up for free at! http!""###.englishprofile.org"index. php"resources"#ordlists"free0 su$scription 7 i(e your students plenty of practice in #riting different text types. +rom 201., the First/ First for Schools exam #ill co(er essays 86art 19, articles, re(ie#s, stories and informal letters or emails 86art 29.

Annette Capel

8 )ncourage your :1 or :2 students to read things in )nglish online, such as short re(ie#s of their fa(ourite music. !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% &opic vocab"lar# for A2 ;magine you are teaching the topic of +ood and drink to an A2 class. 7se the Ad(anced search facility to select suita$le nouns. Then choose six #ords that may $e ne# for your students, for example! chilli, dessert, garlic, honey, sauce, slice. 3rite simple definitions in the style of Key for Schools 3riting 6art <. This small, thin (egeta$le is usually red or green and makes food hot. C = = = = = 10 'uggest that students keep a diary in )nglish and fix a regular #eekly time #hen they can read out their entries to the class or in smaller groups. 11 3ork on understanding paraphrase in class #ith any students #ho aim to take the Preliminary for Schools exam. Ask them to think of different #ays of saying the same thing in a text or sentence. 12 Make sure that your students can say the alpha$et in )nglish, and kno# ho# to spell their first and family names. 13 2emind students that in a listening note completion they don>t need to #rite num$ers as #ords ? using figures #ill $e 1uicker and they are less likely to make mistakes. 14 -oin Cambridge English Teacher to ha(e access to online #e$inars and lots of resources! http!""###.cam$ridgeenglish teacher.org

Annette Capel 2013

15 i(e students exposure to common )nglish #ords #ith se(eral meanings, such as take and give. These #ords are (ery po#erful as they are used so often. 16 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% %hrase b"ilding et students to make phrases #ith these (er$s. 'ome nouns can go #ith more than one (er$. /er$s! gi(e keep reach take @@@@@ a party @@@@@ a $reak @@@@@ a call @@@@@ a conclusion @@@@@ an exam @@@@@ a promise @@@@@ a $us @@@@@ a sho#er @@@@@ a moment 3hich (er$ is used the most4 #ait

21 7se the Cam$ridge assessment scales to mark #ritten home#ork. The four su$0scales are Content, Communicati(e achie(ement, Arganisation and *anguage. 22 2emind students that in a Cam$ridge )nglish listening test e(erything is heard t#ice, so they can check their ans#ers and complete any missing ones. 23 Think a$out the differences $et#een :2 and C1 students. Ane C)+2 Can do statement suggests that C1 learners Bcan make critical remarks or express disagreement #ithout causing offence>. 3hat language #ill they need to do this4 24 Make sure your students ha(e seen examples of the exam ans#er sheets. 25 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% %hrasal verbs for '2 Craft a 1uiD to gi(e your :2 students, using the Cictionary examples in )/6 entries to gi(e you typical contexts. 1 3hat might take off4 i(e another example. A : C a $usiness a #alk a coat

17 ;ntroduce simplified multiple0choice comprehension early on in a course, $y reducing the num$er of #rong options. 18 )ncourage students at lo#er le(els to say as much as they can #hen speaking. They #ill pro$a$ly get a higher mark in their 'peaking test if they ha(e the confidence to extend their responses. 1 'pend fi(e minutes re(ising topic #ords from a pre(ious lesson. 'tudents can $rainstorm ideas in teams and then use the language in a #ritten home#ork. 20 Train students to read more efficiently and explain that they #on>t al#ays need to read an exam text #ord $y #ord. The multiple matching tasks re1uire scanning techni1ues to find specific information.

2 3ho do you take after4 )xplain #hy. A : C my mother my grandfather someone else

26 'earch online for interesting images to use for speaking practice in class. 27 +ind #ays to acti(ate kno#ledge of phrasal (er$s. Appropriate informal use of these impresses examiners&

Annette Capel 2013

28 )ncourage A2 students to gi(e detailed ans#ers to the Key/ Key for Schools instruction Tell me something about your family/ your favourite film/ your last holiday, etc!" 2 *ook for e(idence of Communicati(e achie(ement in your students> #riting ? ha(e they used the right register and tone4 3hat is the effect on the reader4 30 :ro#se the list of functions in the Preliminary/ Preliminary for Schools 5and$ook and think of #ays to elicit this language in class. As an example, for Bexpressing degrees of certainty and dou$t> you could put a set of phrases on the $oard and ask students to order them from most certain 819 to least certain. 31 Ce(elop your students> (oca$ulary $y getting them to record #ord families and add to the sets. There are #ord formation tasks on First/ First for Schools, #dvanced and Proficiency. 32 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% (ord formation Choose t#o #ords from an )/6 3ord family panel and gi(e students sentences #here one #ord is missing. +or example! The person #ho directs a film is the @@@@@.. . 8(er$ and noun9
Word family: Nouns: direction, directions, director Verbs: direct Adjectives: direct, indirect Adverbs: directly, indirectly

33 3ork on any particular sounds that your students find difficult in )nglish ? their pronunciation #ill $e assessed in the 'peaking test. 34 2e(ise $asic grammar points #ith :1 and :2 students so that their accuracy impro(es ? errors in simple structures like present simple 3rd person singular form $s really shouldn>t $e happening& 35 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% )dioms for C1 and C2 Fou can search for idioms relating to a topic or #ord. 3hich idiom #ith take fits in the text $elo#4 Ane of these nouns features in the idiom 0 make idioms #ith take using the others. board breath eyes heart %lunge &ay
Id wanted to move to a place of my own for ages but living at home with my parents was just so easy. Not only that, the apartments I could afford were either way out of town or really tiny. Eventually I found one at a reasonable rent and I loved the place as soon as I walked through the door. So... I and went for it. I moved in the same day.

8take the %lunge is at C2 in the )/69 36 +ocus on Arganisation in some of your home#ork feed$ack. ;s the order of ideas logical4 5a(e suita$le linking phrases $een used4 Coes the piece of #riting re1uire more 8or fe#er9 paragraphs4 37 i(e A2 students the chance to ask 1uestions #ith &hat, &here, &hen, ho& much, etc., as training for Key/ Key for Schools 6aper 3 6art 2

;f there is a difference $et#een t#o things, they are @@@@@. from each other. 8noun and adEecti(e9

Annette Capel 2013

38 'uggest that :2 students use more ad(er$s in their #riting. 3ords like a%%arently, eventually, generally, highly, and sur%risingly sho# a good range of language and add interest for the reader. 3 Ask students to record themsel(es at home regularly, so they can see they are making progress. They #ill then $ecome more confident for their 'peaking test. 40 Make sure students can spell the days of the #eek correctly. The learner data in the Cambridge 'earner Cor%us sho#s that 3ednesday is a particular pro$lem 83ensday, 3ednsday, 3edensday9. 41 +ocus on #ord order in sentences and 1uestions. 'tudents often make mistakes in this area. 42 2emind students that in an open cloDe task 8Key/ Key for Schools 6aper 1 6art H, First/ First for Schools 6aper 1 6art 29, each ans#er is only one #ord. 43 2e(ise (oca$ulary for pre(ious topics regularly, or students #on>t $e a$le to recall all the ne# #ords. 44 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% &opic vocab"lar# for '1 'elect G0< #ords from three topics in the Ad(anced 'earch menu and put them on the $oard mixed together. Ask students to sort them $y meaning. +or example at :1! ant, athlete, button, coach, collar, frog, goalkee%er, heel, %enguin, sandal, tiger, tournament Animals ant Clothes 'port

45 Make sure students can start and end letters and emails accurately. A common mistake at :1 and :2 is B; look for#ard to hear from you> 8needs the gerund form9. 46 )ncourage students to impro(e their range of language, especially #ith regard to adEecti(es ? instead of using great all the time, they can use #ords such as a&esome, fantastic, lovely, &onderful, etc. 47 Consider ha(ing a selection of graded readers> titles that students can choose. )xtensi(e reading gi(es students more confidence in their language kno#ledge. 48 3ork closely #ith teachers of other su$Eects if your school has introduced C*;* ? you need to focus on functional language needed for defining, descri$ing, e(aluating, explaining, etc. 4 Cra# students> attention to #ords #ith similar spelling ? for example, to, too and t&o! )xam candidates fre1uently make mistakes #ith these simple #ords. 50 'uggest students contri$ute to a class $log in )nglish, taking it in turns to post something that interests them. 51 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% !erbs in the passive There are 3G (er$s listed up to :2 le(el that are often used in the passi(e in one or more meanings 8this is a search a(aila$le in the rammar menu9. 7se some of the dictionary examples in a matching acti(ity! 1 ; #as hired $y 2 The meeting has $een scheduled for 3 'he is regarded as G Motor (ehicles are prohi$ited from a dri(ing in the to#n centre. $ the first company ; applied to. c tomorro# afternoon. d one of the greatest singers this century.

'tudents could then include the #ords from one topic in a #ritten home#ork.

Annette Capel 2013

52 Tell students that if they use American )nglish (oca$ulary and spelling in the exam, they should use it consistently throughout their ans#ers. Mixing :ritish and American spelling sho#s a lack of control and #ould $e marked do#n. 53 +ind out a$out the re(ised specifications for Cambridge English #dvanced (ia this #e$ address! http!""###.cam$ridgeenglish.org" exams0and01ualifications"ad(anced" exam0update0for0201." There #ill $e four papers not fi(e from -anuary 201. and the exam #ill $e a$out G. minutes shorter than it is no#. 54 Train students to look for specific information across texts and to recognise similar or opposing (ie#s. 6aper 1 6art < of the 201. #dvanced exam is ne# and re1uires comparison and contrast across texts 0 a rele(ant su$0skill for reading academic texts, critical re(ie#s, etc. 55 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% %repositional phrases 'elect the category Bphrases> and enter a preposition in the #ord $ox. +or example, the results for at up to :2 include! A2! at least :1! at all, at least, at first, at the same time, at once, at %resent :2! at least, at all costs, at fault, at risk i(e :2 students sentences illustrating the three uses of at least and ask them to explain the differences in meaning. The A2 meaning is more Bconcrete> ? at least ()** ? #hereas the :1 and :2 meanings can $e used to emphasiDe or lessen the effect of #hat someone says. 56 Tell students that they must gi(e a story a clear $eginning, middle and end. +rom 201., the story task option in 6art 2 of First for Schools #ill ask for t#o things to $e included. ;f these are omitted, the mark gi(en for Content #ill $e lo#er.

57 ;ntroduce useful prepositional phrases to students e(ery fe# #eeks, grouping them $y preposition. These can often $e indicators of a$o(e a(erage range in a 'peaking test 8see uses of at least in the next acti(ity9. 58 Check that students can spell the pronoun &hich $ #hich is commonly mis0 spelled as &ich at most C)+2 le(els& 5 )ncourage students to look at re(ie#s for $ooks, films, (ideo games, etc. online, as this #ill help them in #riting their o#n re(ie#s. A positi(e re(ie# #ill normally recommend, so elicit #ays of expressing recommendations. 60 3ork on the gapped text task 0 First/ First for Schools 6art < has missing sentences, #hile Ad(anced and 6roficiency gapped text tasks ha(e missing paragraphs. 'tudents need to read through the #hole text once they ha(e chosen their ans#ers, to check it makes sense. 61 Ad(ise students not to make a rough (ersion of their #ritten ans#ers, as they #ill not ha(e time to do this in the exam. ;f they need to make changes to #hat they ha(e #ritten, they can do this neatly. 62 Make students a#are of stressed sylla$les in #ords from A2 le(el up#ards. 63 Consider Eoining Cam$ridge )nglish 6enfriends as a school, to gi(e your students opportunities to communicate #ith other students in )nglish! http!""penfriends.cam$ridgeenglish.org 64 ;ntroduce students to informal phrases that they can use in their #riting or speaking. Fou can search for these in the English Vocabulary Profile.

Annette Capel 2013

65 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% )nformal phrases for '1 and '2 'elect Bphrases> in the Category menu and then select Binformal> in the 7sage menu. Fou #ill get 1H matches for :1 and 2G for :2. 3rite some phrases on the $oard and ask students to suggest #hen they might $e used in a con(ersation. +or example, at :2! Fair enough 8accepting an opinion or decision9 Kee% your mouth shut+ 8to #arn someone9 ,on-t ask me+ 8expressing surprise #hen you don>t kno# the ans#er to a 1uestion9 Pretty much 8meaning almost e(erything9 2emind students that informal language #ill not al#ays $e appropriate for use in the exam. 66 i(e students some practice in #riting in capital letters, #hich they may ha(e to do in certain parts of the exam ? for example, in First/ First for Schools 6aper 1 6arts 2, 3 and G and 6aper 3 6art 2. 67 :uild students> confidence in listening to longer recordings $y gi(ing them the scripts to $egin #ith. This #ill help them to follo# a discussion or a monologue. 68 Tell students to include a clear conclusion in the final paragraph of an essay, #here they sum up their opinions. 6 2emind students that they cannot add an ?s to uncounta$le nouns. The Cam$ridge *earner Corpus sho#s that students at most le(els make mistakes #ith #ords like advice, e.ui%ment, information, kno&ledge, research, &ork! 70 Check #ell $efore the exam date that students kno# ho# much time is a(aila$le for each paper, and discuss likely timing issues #ith them.

71 Consider putting students in for 6retesting ? they #ill gain practice in ans#ering exam tasks in a set amount of time and a mark is gi(en, #hich #ill help you to identify any #eaker students. 72 )ncourage students #riting a report to include an introduction, #here they say #hat the report #ill co(er. 8This task #ill remain on 6aper 2 6art 2 for First and #dvanced in 201.9. 73 /isit the Cam$ridge )nglish T/ site, #hich includes examples of 'peaking test performance, on! http!""###.youtu$e.com"user" cam$ridgeenglisht( 74 +ind Cam$ridge )nglish *anguage Assessment on +ace$ook! https!""###.face$ook.com" Cam$ridge)nglish;taly 75 *ook at the )nglish 6rofile 3ord of the 3eek archi(e, #here you #ill find interesting facts a$out 120 common #ords in )nglish! http!""###.englishprofile.org"index.php "resources"#ord0of0the0#eek 76 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% (ords *ith several meanings *ook at the entry for make! There are <2 matches $et#een A1 and C2, including a lot of phrases. Choose six at the right le(el for your class and put them on the $oard. +or example, suita$le for :2!
make u% your mind make a face make the best of make a big difference make fun of make sense

2ead out the definitions one $y one, or explain #hat each phrase means $y gi(ing your o#n example. 'tudents then #ork in pairs, each creating a short con(ersation that uses one of the phrases. <

Annette Capel 2013

77 'et regular #riting tasks for home#ork, $ut $rainstorm ideas in class so that students kno# #hat to include. 78 )xplain #hy the other options are #rong in a multiple0choice reading task. 7 2emind students #ho are taking the Computer0$ased exams that they #ill see a timer on the screen. This #ill help them to complete all the tasks #ithin the time. 80 )ncourage students to think carefully a$out #hy they are #riting something, and #ho they are #riting to ? this #ill help them produce appropriate language. 81 Ad(ise students not to lea(e any ans#ers $lank in the exam ? they might guess correctly and there are no points deducted for #rong ans#ers. 82 'uggest that students skim a reading text to get a general idea a$out its content $efore they start ans#ering its 1uestions. 83 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% &opic vocab"lar# for '2 'tudents #ill already kno# the core (oca$ulary for many topics $y :2. 7se the topic search and B:2 only> to prepare Bodd one out> sets, #hich students can discuss and explain. ;nclude one lo#er le(el Bkno#n> #ord in each set! Animals! %a&, s%ecies, tail, &ing 8s%ecies is not a $ody part9 Iatural #orld! aluminium, co%%er, element, silver 8element descri$es the other three metals9 6eople! appearance! elegant, smart, unattractive, &ell/built 8unattractive refers to a negati(e aspect of appearance9 'port and games! lead, .ualify, score, tackle 8.ualify means Breach a particular stage> so does not apply during a match9

84 2emind students to #rite in a consistent style throughout an ans#er. 85 /ary the #ays in #hich you gi(e feed$ack on students> #riting, perhaps Eust commenting on one aspect of the assessment scale, eg Arganisation. 86 2e(ise uses of modal (er$s that are rele(ant for Key and Preliminary 87 2emem$er to gi(e students some positi(e feed$ack to $uild confidence. 88 )ncourage students to keep calm in the 'peaking test. ;f they are relaxed, they #ill $e a$le to gi(e a $etter performance. 8 )xplain #hat happens on the day8s9 of their exam, so students arri(e prepared. 0 :rainstorm #ays of adding suspense or drama into a First for Schools story. 1 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% %hrases for essa#s 'earch for phrases that are likely to $e ne# at C1 8choose le(el BC1 only>9 and add BinJ> to the #ord $ox ? this yields .3 phrases, including! in the event of speculating in the form of exemplifying in the region of estimating in res%ect of linking in no &ay emphasising 8not9 in short summariDing 6ut these phrases on the $oard #ith the functional clues, and ask students to suggest appropriate use in an essay. 2 Tell students #hat they can and can>t take into the exam room ? no phones or ta$lets are allo#ed, o$(iously& 3 i(e students practice in completing the exam Ans#er 'heets in pencil.

Annette Capel 2013

4 )licit fuller #ays of descri$ing colour, such as dark blue, rich red, %ale green! 5 !ocab"lar# activit# "sing the $!% (ord formation for '2 and C1 'elect #ords #ith negati(e prefixes 86refix menu9 $ut gi(e students the Bpositi(e> (ersions and elicit the correct negati(e prefix. +or example! a%%rove 8dis09, legally 8il09, realistic 8un09 These prefixes are (ery rele(ant to 6aper 1 of First/ First for Schools and #dvanced! 6 'uggest that students re(ise tense formation so that they can #rite a$out past and future e(ents confidently.

7 2emind students to make a paragraph plan $efore they start a piece of #riting. 8 2efer to the Cam$ridge )nglish exams 5and$ooks if you are in dou$t a$out any task 0 do#nloada$le from the #e$site. Con>t forget to #ish your students the (ery $est of luck for exam success. 100 +ind a comforta$le chair and relax #ith a cup of coffee ? if you>(e read all of these tips, you deser(e a $reak& )nEoy your teaching for Cam$ridge exams.

Annette Capel 2013