Pre-interview Language Awareness Task

Cambridge CELTA

Name: __________________________________________________________________________
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The Task must be completed in handwriting.

One of the following standard grammar references may be helpful:

Martin Parrott Grammar for English Language Teachers
(CUP)
Michael Swan Practical English Usage (OUP)
Raymond Murphy English Grammar In Use (OUP)
A learner’s dictionary is also useful. For example, Oxford Advanced Learners Dicti
onary

Section 1.
Verb Forms.
Write an example sentence to illustrate each of the following verb forms and und
erline the relevant form

Example: (Future Perfect) By the time he gets there, everyone will have left.
a) Present Continuous: _______________________________________________________
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b) Present Simple: ____________________________________________________
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c) Past Simple: ______________________________________________________________
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d) Present Perfect Simple: ___________________________________________________
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e) Present Perfect Continuous: _______________________________________________

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f) Past Perfect: ____________________________________________________________
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g) Future Simple: ____________________________________________________________
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h) Future Continuous: ________________________________________________________

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Section 2.
Meaning and Use. How would you explain the difference in meaning or use between
the following parts of sentences?
a) He teaches English.
b) He’s teaching in room 5.
c) I’ve seen him this morning.
d) I saw him this morning.
e) He needn’t have gone to the police station.
f) He didn’t need to go the police station.

Section 3.
Use of Modal Verb. Explain the different use of modal verbs will, should, can a
nd must in the following pairs of sentences:

a) It will be dry, with sunny spells.

b) I’ll get them for you.
c) He should be back by lunch time.
d) You should see a dentist.
e) He can speak three languages.
f) You can borrow it if you like.
g) You must come to dinner next time you’re in town.
h) That must be the postman now.

Section 4.
Vocabulary. Why shouldn’t the following pairs of words be taught as exact synonyms
?
a) large / great
b) lazy / idle
c) tall / high
d) begin / start

Section 5.
Language Function. The following language forms are used to request others to pe
rform an action:
Do me a favour and pass that paper, will you?
Could you possibly pass me that paper?
You couldn’t pass me that paper, could you?
a) Give examples of three further forms that might be used to make similar
requests
b) What factors are relevant in deciding which of these forms to use in a g
iven situation?
Section 6.
Pronunciation – Syllable Stress. Mark the syllable that carries the main stress on
the following words with a box, as in the example. Put the box over the heart o
f the syllable (i.e. the vowel).

Example: advantage

remember understand injure geology

geological

milkbottle democrat democratic demand

Section 7.
Pronunciation – Sentence Stress. Explain the difference in meaning between the fol
lowing pairs of sentences. The first sentence is neutral and in the second sente
nce the word in capitals is heavily stressed:
a) Have you met my wife before?
b) Have you met MY wife before?
c) Can you buy me a second copy?
d) Can you BUY me a second copy?
e) She has a pretty hair.
f) She has a pretty HAIR.
Section 8.
Pronunciation – Vowel Sounds. The words ‘sad’ and ‘match’ have the same vowel sound althou
gh they are spelt differently. Find the pairs that have the same sound from the
following list.
Example: sad - match
seat heard love bread bin could dawn stil
l put laugh meat
cup heart four friend soup wash
turn pool hot

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