English Skills Training

Goals, Objectives
& Learning Approach
 Lesson objectives
1. Goals and objectives
2. Awareness of different approaches to learn English
3. Awareness of the importance of form of words, phrases
& clauses, and linking words in organizing speaking &
writing.
4. Awareness of common errors.

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Focus on learning and practice using frequently used words
Progressing from beginner level to advanced—which will greatly improves your
ability to communicate—involves mastering around 3,500 words. That’s a far
less daunting task than adding the 10,000 words necessary to move from
advanced to native speaker level.

Harvard Business Review :

Global Business speaks English
900 common verbs

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Observations & suggestions
Suggest to focus on learning collocated words & phrases & phrasal
verbs instead of learning individual words, 1 word at a time.
in context of surrounding text & it’s connotation to understand
Read _________
meaning & use appropriate words.

form of words,
Suggest to pay attention to arrangement of various _____
phrases & clauses (noun, verb, adjective & preposition)

Suggest to use an English only dictionary & collocation dictionary to

identify collocated words to practice writing & speaking, and
macmillan dictionary to identify frequently used words.
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Learning approach
1. Socratic Method : Asking relevant questions and seeking
words and ideas for developing answers.
2. Active learning approach : Identify key steps & implement
the process in daily practices.
3. Lexical approach : Identify & develop active vocabulary
through speaking & writing practices.

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Is it important to have goals?

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What is the difference between a goal
and an objective?

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What is a goal?

A goal is a short statement of a desired outcome

to be accomplished over a long time frame,
usually three to five years. It is a broad
statement that focuses on the desired results
and set the direction but does not describe the
methods used to get the intended outcome.
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What is an objective?

An objective is specific, actionable target that

need to be achieved within a specified time
frame, such as a month, or a year, to reach a
certain goal. An objective describes the tasks,
actions and priorities involved in achieving a goal.

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 Active learning as 6 cognitive & intentional process
Metacognition : Awareness and understanding of one's own
thought process and detail steps involved).
1. Knowledge acquisition (memorization & organization)
2. Comprehension (context & forms, listening & reading )
3. Application (practice using phrases)
4. Analysis (parts & pattern)
5. Synthesis (connecting the dot)
6. Evaluation (criteria & feedback loop)

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Lexical approach : intentionally learn and use
phrases and “lexical chunks” of collocated
words & phrases frequently used for speaking
& writing.

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Effective communication
Giving a lot of information clearly Logical &
and in a few words Concise consistent
A line of development
with no sharp breaks. Continuity Coherent
Fluency.
The material dealt with in
a speech, article or literary work Content
on a topic. Well
organized &
Capable of causing Convincing Cohesive forming
a united
someone to believe that whole
something is true or
real, good or bad. Easy to understand
Clear
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(pronunciation) S u i t e s
Form
1. The structure of a word, phrase, clause,
sentence or discourse.
2. Any of the ways in which a word may be
spelled, pronounced, or inflected.
‘verb, noun, adjectival, adverbial form etc’
3. The arrangement of parts in a whole.
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Content keywords
IELTS Writing test
: 3 criteria – How it is graded
most important
components to construct meaning and ideas of
sentences of your speech or essay.
Noun – subject of a topic. Adjective.
Verb – predicate stating something about the
subject.
Organization : signposting & linking words
Adverb – time (when), manner (how)
expressing a relation of time, place (where),
circumstance, manner (how), cause (who,
which, what), degree (how intense), frequency
(how often)
Preposition – time (when), place (where),
direction (where to / from), agency (who,
which, what), manner (how)
Conjunctions - FANBOYS, conjunctive adverbs,
semi-colon.
Vocabulary : paraphrase & avoid repetition
Adjective + noun adverb + verb
Flipping subject-object, active-passive voice,
Single noun- compound noun
Grammar : develop a range of structures
10 grammar rules & conjugation of verbs.
4 types of sentences
3 types of participle clauses
4 types of conditional sentences
Have you used words in the correct forms and
arranged in the correct positions?
Attributive adjective & preposition are always
before a noun; predicative adjective comes
after the subject. Adverb can be positioned
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like
ADJECTIVE
1 attributive (of a person or thing) having similar qualities or characteristics to another
person or thing.
‘I responded in like manner’
1.1 predicative (of a portrait or other image) having a faithful resemblance to the original.
‘‘Who painted the dog's picture? It's very like.’’

VERB
To find somebody/something pleasant, attractive or enjoyable.

ADVERB
1 informal Used in speech as a meaningless filler or to signify the speaker's uncertainty
about an expression just used.
2 informal Used to convey a person's reported attitude or feelings in the form of direct
speech (whether or not representing an actual quotation)
‘so she comes into the room and she's like ‘Where is everybody?’’ Contoso 16
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like
PREPOSITION
1 Having the same characteristics or qualities as; similar to.
‘he used to have a car like mine’
1.1 In the manner of; in the same way or to the same degree as.
‘he was screaming like a banshee’
1.2 In a way appropriate to.
‘students were angry at being treated like children’
2 Used to draw attention to the nature of an action or event.
3 Such as; for example.

CONJUNCTION
1 In the same way that; as.
2 As though; as if.

NOUN
1 Used with reference to a person or thing of the same kind as another.
‘the quotations could be arranged to put like with like’ Contoso 17
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Types of Phrases
1. Noun phrase
(noun + modifier or determiner)
2. Prepositional phrase
(preposition + noun or pronoun +
modifier)
3. Adjective phrase
(adjective + modifier or other
words)
4. Adverb phrase
(adverb + other words)
5. Verb phrase
(auxiliary verb + main verb)
Examples
She bought a black dress.
One of our relatives never drinks coffee.
He is sleeping on the carpet.
He drives the car in a high speed. *
The boy in the shop is my friend.
She gave me a cup full of tea.
He drives a car at a very high speed. *
They walked along the wall.
She is writing a letter. Contoso
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She is waiting for someone.
Types of Phrases Examples

6. Infinitive phrase I enjoy to drive a car. (as a noun)

(to + base form of a verb) to act as a noun, To get success in exam is the goal of every student. (as a noun)
adjective or adverb The government made a plan to help the poor. (as adjective)
She sang a song to please the audience. (as adverb)

7. Gerund phrase I enjoy listening to music. (as an object noun)

(verb + ing + modifier and other words)
The crying of a baby disturbed me a lot. (as a subject noun)
8. Participle phrase She got a mail, stating about her exam.
(present or past participle + modifier or
linked words + comma(s)) to act as an The chair, made of plastic. looks beautiful
adjective

9. Absolute phrase Sally waited for her friends to arrive, her muffins freshly baked and
(noun+ participle + other words) to modify ready.
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an independent clause. S u i t e s
Present participles Note that present participles have a similar meaning to
active verbs.
We can use participle
clauses when the To give the result of an action
participle and the verb The bomb exploded, destroying the building.
in the main clause have
the same subject. To give the reason for an action
Knowing she loved reading, Richard bought her a book.
For example,
Waiting for Ellie, I To talk about an action that happened at the same time as
made some
another action
tea. (While I was
Standing in the queue, I realised I didn't have any money.
waiting for
Ellie, I made some tea.)
To add information about the subject of the main clause
Starting in the new year, the new policy bans cars in the
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city centre. S u i t e s
Perfect participle clauses Having got dressed, he slowly went
downstairs.
show that the action Having finished their training, they
they describe was will be fully qualified doctors.
finished before the Having been made redundant, she
action in the main started looking for a new job.
clause.
Perfect participles can be structured
to make an active or passive meaning.

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Past participles Used in this way, participles can make
normally have a your writing more concise.
passive (If you use participles in this way, … )
meaning.
To give the reason for an action
Worried by the news, she called the
hospital.

To add information about the subject of

the main clause
Filled with pride, he walked towards the
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 Evaluation criteria of proficiency
• In Speaking and Writing, your proficiency will
be assessed on four separate criteria.

• Writing: a) Task achievement; b) Coherence and

Cohesion; c) Grammatical range and accuracy;
d) Lexical resource
• Speaking: a) Fluency and coherence;
b) Lexical resource ; c) Grammatical range and
accuracy; d) Pronunciation

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What is lexical resource?

IELTS assessors judge candidates on their

‘lexical resource’. This is basically:

• Use of a wide range of vocabulary

• Use of idiomatic expressions
• Use of paraphrasing

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Here are some suggestions for SMART learning objectives.
Specific:
Focus on only one topic a day and determine how many new words you want to
learn. Focus on applying key phrases and collocated words in constructing
sentences you can apply in your work and daily conversation.
Measurable:
At the end of the two weeks, measure your progress. Do the exercises and make
sentences.
Achievable:
You should spend 20–30 minutes studying every day. You could read, listen and learn
vocabulary or test yourself on the key phrases and words used to make sentences.
Realistic:
There are enough learning material for each topic, and be realistic about how much
you can study each day.
Time:
If you don’t have time to study every day, give yourself more time. You will only know
how much time you really need once you start studying.
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Summary of types of common errors

1 Grammatical errors
2 Incorrect word choice - vocabulary
3 Incorrect linking words used to connect clauses or sentences
4 Inaccurate or wrong topic keywords as the subject
5 Not using correct subordinating conjunctions to connect clauses
6 Not using articles correctly for countable & uncountable nouns
7 Not using parallel constructions to improve style of writing

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Type of error Errors and examples
1. Grammar Last year, my wife had done her shopping before the end of
November.
2. Vocabulary What is your home town like? (what is the meaning & form of
the word like in this question?)

Collocated I am looking forward to the summer holidays.

words
We can define a generation gap as a difference of opinions
3. Linking words
between one generation and another.

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as
PREPOSITION
1 used to describe somebody/something appearing to be somebody/something else
2 used to describe the fact that somebody/something has a particular job or function3
Such as; for example.

ADVERB
1 as… as… used when you are comparing two people or things, or two situations
2 used to say that something happens in the same way
3 as… as… used to emphasize an amount

CONJUNCTION
1. Used to indicate that something happens during the time when something else is taking
place. ‘Frank watched him as he ambled through the crowd’
2 Because; since. Even though. ‘I must stop now as I have to go out’
‘Try as he might, he failed to pull it off’
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Important for me
something you need, or that will help you in something you value, something is personal to you
to achieve something (objective). (subjective)
FOR PREPOSITION
1 In support of or in favour of (a person or policy)
Affecting, with regard to, or in respect of.
On behalf of or to the benefit of.
Having (the thing mentioned) as a purpose or
function.
Having (the thing mentioned) as a reason or cause.
Having (the place mentioned) as a destination.
Representing (the thing mentioned)
In place of or in exchange for.
In relation to the expected norm of.
Indicating the length of (a period of time)
Indicating the extent of (a distance)
Indicating an occasion in a series.
CONJUNCTION
Because; since.
Important to me
TO PREPOSITION, INFINITIVE PARTICLE
1 Expressing motion in the direction of a particular location
1.1 Expressing location, relative to a specified point of reference.
1.2 Expressing a point reached at the end of a range or after a
period of time.
1.3 mainly British (in telling the time) before (the hour specified)
2 Approaching or reaching a particular condition
2.1 Expressing the result of a process or action.
2.2 Governing a phrase expressing someone's reaction to
something. ‘to her astonishment, he smiled’
3 Identifying the person or thing affected.
3.1 Identifying the recipient or intended recipient of something.
4 Identifying a particular relationship between one person and
another. ‘she is senior advisor to the chief executive officer’
5 Indicating that two things are attached.
6 Concerning or likely to concern (something, especially
something abstract)
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7 Used to introduce the second element in a comparison.
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Exercises

1 Using linking words

2 Collocated words

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Combine the following sentences by making use of linking words.

1. You speak up. Nobody is going to know.

2. You are the only friend. You taught me right from wrong.
3. I was not happy. I went to the reception for the sake of my friend.
4. You do not finish it. You will have to face the consequences.
5. I do not know the person. He owns a brand new Mercedes Benz.
6. My brother does not watch animation movies. My brother liked Kungfu
Panda.
7. I don’t think I will be able to make it. I missed the bus.
8. You should do it. I will have to ask Praveen to do it.
9. There are no trains available. We took a flight.
10. Seetha finishes her work. Seetha will be on her way.
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Combine the following sentences by making use of linking words.

1. You speak up. Nobody is going to know.

Unless you speak up, nobody is going to know.
2. You are the only friend. You taught me right from wrong.
You are the only friend who taught me right from wrong.
3. I was not happy. I went to the reception for the sake of my friend.
Though I was not happy, I went to the reception for the sake of my friend.
4. You do not finish it. You will have to face the consequences.
If you do not finish it, you will have to face the consequences.
5. I do not know the person. He owns a brand new Mercedes Benz.
I do not know the person who owns a brand new mercedes Benz.

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Combine the following sentences by making use of linking words.

6. My brother does not watch animation movies. My brother liked Kungfu

Panda.
Even though my brother does not watch animation movies, he liked Kung Fu
Panda.
7. I don’t think I will be able to make it. I missed the bus.
I don’t think I will be able to make it because I missed the bus.
8. You should do it. I will have to ask Praveen to do it.
Either you should do it or I will have to ask Praveen to do it.
9. There are no trains available. We took a flight.
As there were no trains available, we took a flight.
10. Seetha finishes her work. Seetha will be on her way.
As soon as Seetha finishes her work, she will be on her way.
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Task. Insert correct collocated word. (more than 1 word is possible in some case)

1. The meeting took almost five hours so it was impossible to ____ attention all the time.
2. The problem is difficult to _____ under control.
3. Mary is going to be a mother soon, she is ______ a baby.
4. It took them over a week to _____/_____ a decision.
5. It goes without _____ that we’ll all support your new proposal.
6. There are three important points I'd like to _____.
7. Don’t ______ to conclusions, I haven't had a chance to explain it to you yet.
8. The professor _____ her a compliment about her well-written essays.
9. John _____/______ his dream / goal / ambition of becoming a Doctor.
10. . Everyone at our table was taken _______ / taken by surprise at his rudeness toward a
paying customer.
11. I _______ into her on the way back from the hospital. (Meet someone by chance.)
12. The economic recovery is in danger of ________ out. (Decrease or fade gradually before
coming to an end.)
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Task. Insert correct collocated word.

1. The meeting took almost five hours so it was impossible to pay attention all the time.
2. The problem is difficult to keep under control.
3. Mary is going to be a mother soon, she is expecting a baby.
4. It took them over a week to reach / make a decision.
5. It goes without saying that we’ll all support your new proposal.
6. There are three important points I'd like to raise.
7. Don’t jump to conclusions, I haven't had a chance to explain it to you yet.
8. The professor paid her a compliment about her well-written essays.
9. John fulfilled his dream / goal / ambition of becoming a Doctor.
10. . Everyone at our table was taken aback / taken by surprise at his rudeness toward a
paying customer.
11. I bumped into her on the way back from the hospital. (Meet someone by chance.)
12. The economic recovery is in danger of petering out. (Decrease or fade gradually before
coming to an end.)
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Thank you!

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