GA & BEP CEFR LB1+

Program # 6

CEFR General English Level B1+

At this level one –

1.    has a sufficient range of language to be able to give clear descriptions, express viewpoints on most general topics, without much con­spicuous searching for words, using some complex sentence forms to do so.      

2.    shows a relatively high degree of grammatical control. does not make errors which cause misunderstanding, and can correct most of his/her mistakes.   

3.    can produce stretches of language with a fairly even tempo; although he/she can be hesitant as he or she searches for patterns and expressions, there are few noticeably long pauses.

4.    can initiate discourse, take his/her turn when appropriate and end conversation when he / she needs to, though he /she may not always do this elegantly.  can help the discussion along on familiar ground confirming comprehen­sion, inviting others in, etc.         

5.    can use a limited number of cohesive devices to link his/her utterances into clear, coherent discourse, though there may be some "jumpiness" in a long con­tribution.

Grammar

•        Passives (all tenses) •        Third conditional and Mixed Conditional •        In case / if – contrasted •        Time clauses: after, as soon as, before, by the ·        time, once, etc.) •        Modal verbs: deduction in Present/Past (must ·        be, must have been, can’t be / couldn’t have ·        been) •        If, when, unless, (review) even if, as long as, ·        provided that, make sure •        Adverbial clauses (+ ing clauses Getting up, ·        I went to see if the baby was alright) •        Gerunds and infinitives

•        Need + -ing •        Wishes and regrets (Wish + Past Perfect/If ·        only as an alternative / wish + would) •        Prepositions + ing •        Verbs of sensation (see/hear/feel/listen ·        to/notice – when to use plain infinitive/-ing) •        Causative constructions with have /get •        To be used to/to get used to (review) •        As/like •        Connectors (review) •        Word formation (from ‘root’ word) ·        • Future progressive

Vocabulary (All of B1 and Most of the following topics should have been dealt with at previous levels. However, greater coverage is required at this level.)
•        Health and illness •        Body care •        Education, schools •        The environment •        World issues •        Personal qualities •        Careers •        Consumer complaints •        Crime and punishment	•        Computers •        Job interviews and meetings •        Telephoning •        Relationships •        Services •        Intellectual and artistic pursuits •        Arts and crafts •        Sport

Functions

•        Describing regrets about the past •        Describing a photo (N.B. essential for the second part of the oral paper) •        Talking about the environment •        Talking about world issues •        Giving and acknowledging opinions on controversial issues •        Talking about learning methods, strategies to improve •        Describing personalities •        Making formal and informal telephone calls •        Compositions in general •        Formal and informal letters •        Understanding /discussing authentic newspaper articles •        Take messages, communicating inquiries, explaining problems •        Provide concrete information required in an interview

•        Preparing a CV •        Interview / consultation: e.g. describe symptoms to a doctor •        Explaining why something is a problem •        Summarizing and giving opinion on article, short story, documentary, etc. •        Carrying out a prepared interview •        Communicating at work: understand employment advertisements, understand and follow joining procedures, understand safety and security regulations and instructions, communicate appropriately with superiors, colleagues and subordinates, participate in the social life of the company •        Social conventions in English-speaking countries

Useful Expressions

•        Bark up the wrong tree •        Be above board •        Be a (total) pain in the neck •        I really must be off •        Be on the go •        Be on the same wavelength •        Be on the tip of one’s tongue •        Be up to one’s eyes in … •        Be / feel under the weather •        Bear in mind •        Brand new •        Catch somebody red-handed •        I can’t make (Monday), how about …? •        Cost an arm and a leg •        I could do with (a holiday, etc.) •        Dirt cheap •        Easier said than done •        Fall in love •        Get in touch

•        Get to the bottom of something •        How’s it going? •        If all else fails, …. •        In all •        It’s a piece of cake! •        It’s not my kind of thing! •        Laugh one’s head off •        Learn by heart •        Look like death warmed up •        Look on the bright side •        Long time, no see! •        Keep cool - don’t lose your temper •        Meet the deadline •        No rest/peace for the wicked! •        Pull someone’s leg •        Scared stiff •        Slip the mind •        Take for granted •        Whereabouts (is it?)

Phrasal Verbs (Revision of all phrasal verbs taught at the previous level is essential)

•        Account for •        Accuse of •        Aim at •        Approve of •        Back up •        Be down (fall / depress) •        Be off (start a journey / gone bad) •        Be out of •        Belong to •        Break out (start) •        Bring on (cause, lead to) •        Call for (require / collect someone/thing) •        Call off (cancel) •        Call on (visit) •        Carry on •        Cheer up •        Clear up (tidy) •        Count on •        Come across •        Cut down on •        Deal with (do business with / do something about)

•        Face up to •        Turn up •        Get away with •        Get behind •        Get down •        Get out of •        Go off (become bad/ of alarm – suddenly make a noise) •        Go on (happen / continue) •        Go with (combine well with) •        Grow up •        Head for •        Look up to •        Look down on •        Go off (go bad/explode) •        Make out (manage to see or hear clearly) •        Show up •        Take after •        Take up (a hobby) •        Take to (like) •        Turn out (produce)

	General (This is just an idea of the kind of vocabulary students of this level are expected to use. It is impossible to cover all lexical fields here. This section should be further developed according to students’ needs, ability and interests)
•       Newspaper language (axe=abolish – blaze=fire etc.) •       Verbs taking the infinitive: afford, agree, appear, ask, decide, expect, help, hope, manage, mean, offer, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, threaten, want, etc. •       Verbs taking –ing: appreciate; avoid; be busy; be worth; be no use; be no good; be used to; consider; delay; detest; enjoy; fancy; feel like; give up; involve; keep on; look forward to; mind; miss; postpone; practise; put off; recommend; resist; can’t bear; can’t stand; can’t help; etc. •       Collocations e.g.: Meet  ...  Miss  ...  Set  ...  Impose a deadline; Set a(n) (good ... bad) example; Encounter difficulties; Abstain from; widely available; poor visibility; Rely on; Depend on; Comment on; the reason for; Participate in; Adapt to; dissatisfied with; difference between; Be good for; Complain about; Apologise for; Charge with; Accuse of; crystal clear; red in the face; from (my) point of view; concerned about; Enrol in ... on; Apply for; Need help with; at the earliest possible opportunity; a marked change; Be in a state of utter chaos; Make a donation; Take (sole) charge of; Ruin one’s chances; Drop in for a friendly chat; Make a change; by force of circumstances; Have a (legitimate) claim to; Live in precarious circumstances; Use well-worn clichés; a head-on crash  ...  clash; Come  ...  Reach a conclusion; a foregone conclusion; terms and conditions; odds and ends; bits and pieces; give and take; wine and dine; peace and quiet; here and there; on and off; down and out; inside out; back to front; all or nothing; slowly but surely; light  ...  steady  ...  heavy  ...  torrential – rain; light  ...  stiff – breeze; dense  ...  thick  ...  patchy – fog; clear  ...  blue  ...  grey  ...  cloudless - sky •       Appearance: stocky; plump; green-eyed; balding; scarred; freckled; spotty •       Crimes: burglary; theft; shoplifting; robbery; mugging; embezzlement; murder; vandalism; hooliganism; terrorism; kidnapping; hijacking; rape; arson; blackmail; fraud; smuggling; petty theft; drink-driving; drug peddling; hijacking; manslaughter; arson; forgery; baby ... wife-battering; obscenity; shoplifting; bribery and corruption; fine ... ticket; sue; Dismiss a case; Suspend sentence; on probation; Find guilty •       Employment: wages; salary; temporary; training; apply for; experience; rates; leave; position; qualifications; flexitime; shiftwork; referee; Be fired  ...  sacked; redundancy; in charge of  ...  responsible for •       Appearance and character: (un)reliable; (un)trustworthy; tedious; argumentative; stubborn; pig-headed; big-headed; crafty; sly; shifty; grotty; lousy; dyed, spiky; shoulder-length, high-lights; fringe (hair); piecing  ...  sparkling eyes •       Sports: equipment; places; people (at appropriate level); outsider, outclassed; slaughter, handicap, dead-heat, tie, whistle; turnout •       Arts and crafts: DIY (do-it-yourself), basket-weaving, distilling, pottery, carpentry, embroidery; flat  ...  sharp; extra, supporting actor ... actress, screen adaptation, credits, trailer, shoot a film, set •       Work: overtime; shift-work; Be on flexi-time; Work nine-to-five; Go ... Be on strike; Get the sack  ...  Be fired; Make redundant; Be laid off; Be on ... Take maternity leave; Take early retirement; Be a workaholic  ...  promoted; Apply for a job •       Cookery language: mince, scramble, crack, sprinkle, dice, beat, stuff, whisk, shred, carve, chop, grate, ground, peel, baste, mash, slice, top and tail, bubble, drain, sieve, simmer, steam, scale, whip; left-overs