Ih Belgrade Syllabus, CELTA Training

CELTA Language Awareness Task

Name: Sariyya Ahmadova

Course dates: 29 July- 23 August 2024 Full time F2F
Section One: Correcting Mistakes

Each of the exchanges below contains a mistake.

In each case:
1. underline a mistake.
2. write the corrected version in the space provided.
3. write in simple terms, as if speaking to a learner of English, how you would
make the correction clear.
“I’d like some informations about your courses.”
“Certainly, here’s our brochure”.

Corrected version: information

Correction: Instead of informations, it must be information, as uncountable
nouns do not get any plural suffixes.

“Have you got any money?”

“Yes, I’ve been to the bank yesterday.”
Corrected version: been to the bank today, this week.
Correction: Due to “yesterday we cannot use have been, even when we put was
in the bank, the meaning does not sound very good.

“Is John ill? He’s lost a lot of weight.”

“Yes, he’s rather slender these days, isn’t he?”
Corrected version: skinny
Correction: in informal situation skinny is used commonly

“Why didn’t you answer the telephone?”

“Because I had a bath.”
Corrected version: was having a bath.
Correction: Instead of “had a bath”, we use I was having a bath to indicate that
the time is ongoing at that time
 Ih Belgrade Syllabus, CELTA Training

Section Two: Helping students understand differences in meaning

1. Comment on the differences in meaning between the following pairs of

sentences.
2. Outline some ideas on how you might teach these differences in meaning.

a. If I had the money, I’d buy a new car.

b. If I have the money, I’ll buy a new car.

1. The Subjunctive mood – the speaker does not currently have money to buy a
car, if he did, he would buy it.
2. The First Conditional - We use the first conditional when we talk about future
situations, we believe are real or possible. He might have money to buy a car.

a. Start with explanation how they are formed.

b. Provide the context with a guided and individual method.
c. Give them worksheets to fill in gaps.
d. Let them ask questions from each other, for example, what will you do if you
lose your phone, would you run away if you saw a angry bull coming towards
you?

a. The house was very isolated.

b. The house was very secluded.

1. The house is far away from anybody, anywhere. Perhaps, it is in a remote

place.
2. This house has been hidden, sheltered, so that nobody could find it, since it is
in a private place.
a. Start by telling its definition, synonyms.
b. Use illustrations or google photos on the screen, they could get it with ease.

a. Give me a hand with this bag!

b. Could you give me a hand with this bag, please.

1. The first direct request is used among friends who are close to each other.
2. The latter one is more polite and formal by adding “could” and “please”. If we
ask strangers to do anything, politeness is much more important.

a. Show them how each of the sentences sound to them, ask their differences.
b. Tips to me more polite and kinder, for example, please, can, will, shall etc.
 Ih Belgrade Syllabus, CELTA Training

Section Three: Write approximately 300 words describing either a successful or an

unsuccessful learning experience you have had. State your reasons why the
experience was successful or otherwise.
I have had enough learning experience in my life, one of the most prominent ones was
to try to learn the Russian language. The reason why I decided to learn is the prospers
I could obtain at work, communicate with Russian students properly.
At first, I was enthusiastic about learning this language, bought a new copybook to
write down any unfamiliar words, searched a lot of online resources, installed apps to
motivate myself to memorize vocabulary. I set specific goals, such as being able to
explain myself with basic conversation, write short texts on medias to my students.
What made me so successful was the numbers of recourses that was available in any
platforms.
Firstly, I did a language course with my Russian teacher twice a day individually. I
really enjoyed having lessons with her, since her energy to teach me was the greatest
inspiration. I dedicated an hour for 4 sections each day to study. Additionally, I found
out a lot of websites, such as Russian podcasts, films with subtitles, even started to
chat with native speakers as much as I could do. By doing so, I enhanced my skills,
overall comprehension in 3 months.
Furthermore, I applied technologies to supplement learning methods. Recommended
language apps provided me with interactive exercises, enjoyable games. One of the
most useful apps was for me “Duolingo”. I had been using this app when I started to
prepare with my tutor.
However, despite all these methods, I had encountered during my study. One of the
most challenging parts was to memories exceptions in the grammar part. Whenever
she was explaining a new rule, 70% of it was exceptions, which made me so
depressed. Secondly, due to these rules, speaking was so tough for me rather than
writing a short text. It was not about making a mistake while talking, the thing was
not to be able to talk how I had wished.
Overall, it is such a great skill to learn a new language, in spite of all those hardships
on the way. Besides that, learning a language makes a person very dedicated, punctual
as well.
 Ih Belgrade Syllabus, CELTA Training

Language Analysis
Please analyse the items in bold (meaning, form, pronunciation).

1. a. If I had the money, I’d buy a new car.

b. If I have the money, I’ll buy a new car
Meaning: (statements of meaning)
1. The speaker does not have money, so he is making a dream to have money so that he would be able
to purchase a car.
2. It shows us the future form, he has money, he will buy which is a possible scenario.

Form: (Should be generative and broken down)

(e.g. Future Perfect =S+will+have+past participle)
a. Second Conditional Type 2
Subject + past simple (“had”) + main clause with “would” + base form verb (“buy”)
B. First Conditional Type 1
Subject + present simple (“have”) + mail clause with “will” + base form verb (“buy”)

2. Stroll down Skadarska Street.

Meaning: (statements of meaning)
Informal way of saying to go for a walk
Form: (should be generative, e.g. adjective - to be happy about sth)
Verb (“stroll”) + preposition (“down”)

3. Prices are steep

Meaning:
Expensive, high

Form:
Subject + linking verb + adjcetive
Ih Belgrade Syllabus, CELTA Training