Getting Ready for B1 English Exam: Study Guide and Resources

GETTING READY FOR B1
https://natalialzam.wordpress.com
http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/
Methodology
• Real materials (mostly)

• Free resources
• Writing down, recording
• Making the most of time
1. What’s my level of English?
2. Structure of exams, samples
3. Reading
4. Listening
5. Writing
6. Speaking
7. Vocabulary / grammar
IMMERSION
Use English in everyday life
•Mobile phone settings/ computer…

•Watch TV shows / films in English
•look for recipes
•Any internet search
•Wikipedia
•youtube tutorials / how to
•follow British or American institutions, media,
celebrities…on Twitter
Online courses
» https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2015/12/23/aprendizaje-de-idiomas-
online/
» https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/examenes-nivel-b1-y-b2-
ingles-validos-en-aragon-fechas-modelos-de-examen/
1. MY LEVEL OF ENGLISH
1. Level of English 
http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/cual-es-mi-nivel-en-un-idioma/ 
• Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

• DIALANG / DIALANG web
• Instituto Nacional de Evaluación Educativa (INEE) -preguntas de

comprensión (desde A1 a B2)
Other tests
• https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/duolingo-test-center-cual-
es-mi-nivel-de-ingles/
• http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis/preparation-material (Aptis, British

Council certificate)
2. STRUCTURE OF THE TESTS
• Can understand the main points of clear standard input on
familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure,
etc.
• Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in
an area where the language is spoken.
• Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar
or of personal interest.
• Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes &
ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions
and plans.
EOI
PAPER TOTAL PASS MARK
MARKS
reading comprehension 20 10
listening comprehension 20 10
written expression / interaction 20 10

(writing)
oral expression / interaction 20 10

(speaking)
SPEAKING READING
25 % 25 %
LISTENING WRITING
25 % 25 %
RESULT
EEOOII- official documents
» information for candidates (2015)

» ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
sample tests / past papers
» past papers (1)(Aragón)

» past papers (2)(Aragón)
» compilation of sample tests and past tests (whole of
Spain)
PET (Preliminary English Test)
further training resources for PET
» http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/preliminary/
preparation/
» http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/
activities-for-learners/?rows=12 (actividades todas
destrezas, todos niveles)
» http://www.examenglish.com/PET/index.html
» http://www.flo-joe.com/preliminaryenglish/index.htm
ACLES B1
» CULM Unizar, CUID UNED…
» MOOC- Cómo preparar un examen B1 inglés
» Descripción examen UNED
» Modelo de examen inglés B1: sin soluciones; con soluciones.
ISE I (TRINITY )
3. READING COMPREHENSION
• Reading:
– To understand
– get information
– To improve writing / speaking
– For fun
• making notes, underlining, highlighting>>>> incorporating

expressions into your vocabulary
• Types of texts:
– news
– literary
– pedagogical
READING COMPREHENSION- MULTIPLE CHOICE
• Highlight/ underline / circle the fragment where the

answer may be found
• Be sure you really understand

• all 4 options: only one of them is the best.
• the question (beware of negatives, opposites…)
news  
• http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/
• http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/
• http://www.newsenglishlessons.com/ (B1)
• http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/ (B1)
Pedagogical texts 
• http://www.gcflearnfree.org/reading/readingcomprehension
• http://www.eslfast.com/
• http://www.5minuteenglish.com/reading.htm
• http://www.world-english.org/english_reading.htm
Literary texts
• http://www.world-english.org/stories.htm (Classic short stories)

• Roald Dahl: Lamb to the Slaughter / The Landlady
4. LISTENING COMPREHENSION
tips
» read the questions before the first listen (you’ll be given
time)
» don’t try to understand every single word- just the
information you really need.
» careful with multiple choice questions (slight differences)
» beware if the answer contains the exact same word you
heard
Podcasts
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts
• http://learningenglish.voanews.com/podcast/0.html
BBC PODCASTS (A2-B1) 
http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/bbc-podcasts/
• The English We Speak

• 6-minute English
• 6-minute Grammar
• 6-minute Vocabulary
BRAIN OF BRITAIN (QUIZ)
sample questions
other podcasts
» Vaughan radio
Digital radio
• Phone-ins
• News bulletins
News
• http://www.cnn.es/studentnews/ (transcribed and subtitled)
• http://www.bbc.com/news/video_and_audio/international
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/ (BBC news for children / teenagers- easier to
understand)
• http://www.newsinlevels.com/ (Euronews,transcription)
• http://www.englishblog.com/ (words that appear on the media, updated almost daily)
• http://www.reuters.com/news/video/reuters-tv (transcription)
Watch TV online
• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/ver-programas-tv-otros-
paises-por-internet/
Real videos subtitled in English
Songs
• Musixmatch
• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/10/23/musixmatch-lyrics-player/
• http://musicenglish.co.uk/
• http://www.lyricstraining.com/
• http://www.lyricsgaps.com/
• http://www.its-teachers.com/interact/songs/default.asp
Films
• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/peliculas-
para-aprender-ingles/
• http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/ (trailers subtitled in
English for people with hearing loss)
• http://www.simpleenglishvideos.com/
• http://cinema.clubefl.gr/
• http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/eslvideo/index.html
• http://www.multimedia-english.com/contenidos/listado/videos
• http://dvd-subtitles.com/trailers.html
TV shows
• http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/series-para-
aprender-ingles/
• Watch TV shows (online; free; English subtitles):
http://ororo.tv/en
TED TALKS
» http://lingorank.com/talks/ (TED talks by level)

» Must-see TED talks for kids
» Talks by brilliant kids and teens
listening comprehension exercises
• http://www.listenaminute.com/
• http://www.listen-and-write.com/
• http://www.examenglish.com/index.html
5. WRITING
DOs AND DON’Ts
Don’t just answer the question show off!
Don’t think about what you •What can I say in English?

want to say in Spanish (the •What ideas do I want to
exact sentence) and then express?
translate
Tips for writing
• There’s no need to give your true opinion about a topic>>> show

your strategies, and your level of English
• Draft- plan your writing (structure, guide your text towards where you
want it to go)
Tips for writing
• Simpler sentences than in Spanish (less subordination)

• Use commas, colons, stops, full stops…
• Group ideas in paragraphs
• Coherence inside the paragraph/between paragraphs
• Use links properly
• Proper use of grammar and vocabulary
• Self-correction / external correction
Dictionary: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
• English-Spanish / English-English
• British / American / Learner’s / Advanced…
• Phonetics/ pronunciation
• Take the meaning / word you need (not necessarily the first one)
LANGUAGE EXCHANGE 
ver también: http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/para-profesores-en-apuros/
6. SPEAKING
Tips
• Record yourself speaking
• Think in English/ talk to yourself in English
• Speaking groups (people learning)
Language exchange with native speakers 
• Skype, e-mails, chats…
– http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/ (voice and text

Exchange)
– http://www.conversationexchange.com/ (live practice,
pen-pals and voice / text chats)
– http://www.sharedtalk.com/ (voice / text exchanges)
– Other websites: http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/
your-top-10-language-exchange-websites-for-speaking-
english-fluently/
http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/
PRONUNCIATION
• Wrong pronunciation can hinder understanding
• http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
• http://www.forvo.com/ (native speakers have recorded themselves
pronuncing words, names, place names…)
Tips for the exam
• = writing- use expressions that will make you “look good” (show your
level)
• Monologue: use of discourse markers (now then, I mean, you

know…).
• Interaction: it’s not 2 monologues, one after another!
Expressions to use in an oral test
• https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/expressions-to-use-in-a-
speaking-test-monologue-interaction/
• http://mythatsenglish.blogspot.com.es/2014/11/madrid-teacher-talking-
about-classifieds.html
• https://natalialzam.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/fillers-para-examenes-
orales-de-ingles/
Interaction
• question tags, to engage the other speaker in the

conversation / give the floor / ask opinion
• Expressions such as don’t you think?
• Expresssions such as no, not really (instead of a plain “no”)
• Showing agreement: definitely, absolutely…
• Showing disagreement: I’m sorry to disagree but…
• Show that you agree partly, but still…: I see your point,
but…
• Usual topics: http://englishinguiaintermedio.wordpress.com/
2014/01/21/topics-for-the-speaking-test/
• interaction practice: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/fass/projects/
examreform/Pages/ST_InduvidLT.html
• individual long turn practice:
• http://iteslj.org/questions/
• http://www.esldiscussions.com/
7. VOCABULARY
• Supports production
• Active & passive vocabulary
• Vocabulary in context: lists without a context, not very useful
• Sources: texts, articles, films, series, radio, songs …
How?
• Writing down expressions / jotting them down (notebook,

Evernote…)
• Flashcards: http://quizlet.com/
• Mind maps:
– https://bubbl.us/ https:/
– /www.text2mindmap.com/
– http://popplet.com/
• Visual dictionary: http://visual.merriam-webster.com/index.php
• How many words do you know?: http://testyourvocab.com/
http://visuwords.com/
96
Expressions in context
• http://fraze.it/: find expressions, set phrases, in real

contexts
• Oxford Online Collocation Dictionary
8. GRAMMAR
Support for skills
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/6min_gram (BBC 6-minute

grammar, podcast)
• http://www.agendaweb.org/
• http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/
• http://www.roadtogrammar.com/welcome/winload.swf
• http://autoenglish.org/basicgrammar.htm
• Use of English : http://www.flo-joe.com/preliminaryenglish/index.htm
• http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/apps/learnenglish-grammar-uk-
edition
• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/murphys-english-grammar-in/
id848215354?mt=8
9. DON’T BE A TOURIST
• “solo se aprende el idioma yendo al país”
LISTENING & SPEAKING
• Greeters:
• http://www.globalgreeternetwork.info/
• http://www.londongreeters.org/
• Google the name of the town / city you’re going to visit + greeter, for
example, “Canterbury Greeters”.
http://watchinenglish.blogspot.com.es/2013/10/the-story-of-keep-calm-and-carry-on.html
http://natalialzam.wordpress.com/

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GETTING READY FOR B1

• Real materials (mostly)

•Mobile phone settings/ computer…

• Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

• Instituto Nacional de Evaluación Educativa (INEE) -preguntas de

• http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis/preparation-material (Aptis, British

written expression / interaction 20 10

oral expression / interaction 20 10

» information for candidates (2015)

» past papers (1)(Aragón)

• making notes, underlining, highlighting>>>> incorporating

• Highlight/ underline / circle the fragment where the

• Be sure you really understand

• http://www.world-english.org/stories.htm (Classic short stories)

• The English We Speak

» http://lingorank.com/talks/ (TED talks by level)

Don’t just answer the question show off!

Don’t think about what you •What can I say in English?

• There’s no need to give your true opinion about a topic>>> show

• Simpler sentences than in Spanish (less subordination)

• Record yourself speaking

• Think in English/ talk to yourself in English

• Speaking groups (people learning)

• Skype, e-mails, chats…

– http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/ (voice and text

• Wrong pronunciation can hinder understanding

• Monologue: use of discourse markers (now then, I mean, you

• question tags, to engage the other speaker in the

• Writing down expressions / jotting them down (notebook,

• http://fraze.it/: find expressions, set phrases, in real

• Oxford Online Collocation Dictionary

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/6min_gram (BBC 6-minute

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