Curso First Certificate Exam

LOS CURSOS DE INGLES GRATIS PREFERIDOS POR LOS HISPANOHABLANTES

 
PROGRAMA DEL CURSO

UNIT # 1: ENGLISH IN YOUR LIFE

 ENGLISH IN YOUR LIFE

SPEAKING: English and me. LISTENING: Students' experience. GRAMMAR: Yes/No questions. Tag questions. Question-Word questions. Indirect questions. EXERCISES: An interview. VOCABULARY: Phrasal verbs. ACTIVITIES: # 1 to 4.

 ENGLISH WORLDWIDE

READING: Using your dictionary. A useful help. 10 rules for using your dictionary wisely. EXERCISES: Dictionary skills: Pronunciation. Meaning and use. Idioms. READING: A view about the English language. Super-kissers. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 5 to 12.

 WORDLESS MESSAGES

VOCABULARY: Ways of communicating. Parts of the body. Messages and gestures. LISTENING: A journey in Africa. READING: A journey in Africa. GRAMMAR: Pronouns: Personal, objective, possessive and reflexive pronouns. Some important points about pronouns. EXERCISES: Pronouns I, II and III. LISTENING: Learning Chinese. READING: Learning Chinese. ACTIVITIES: # 13 to 22.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Your First Certificate Exam. OM Personal advice. Paper 1: Reading. Paper 2: Writing. About FCE set books. Paper 3: Use of English (gap-filling multiple-choice, gap-filling open, re-writing sentences, error correction, word formation), Paper 4: Listening. Paper 5: Speaking. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: Women in History. English spelling. SPEAKING: David Beckham (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 23 to 25.

UNIT # 2: FOOD AND DRINK

 FOOD AND DRINK

READING: The ice cream. GRAMMAR: Nouns. Countable and Uncountable Nouns. Plural of Uncountable Nouns. EXERCISES: Nouns I and II. VOCABULARY: Containers. Groups. Taste. EXERCISES: Describing taste I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 26 to 33.

 COFFEE BLEND

LISTENING: A coffee-taster speaks. Parts I and II. EXERCISES: A coffee-taster speaks. Parts I and II. GRAMMAR: Adverbs. How adverbs are formed. Adverbs of Manner. Adverbs of Degree. Confusing adverbs: much, absolutely, quite, really. EXERCISES: Use of adverbs: Parts I, II, II and IV. ACTIVITIES: # 34 to 40.

 SMART FOOD

READING: Identifying topic, purpose and source. EXERCISES: Identifying topic, purpose and source. LISTENING: Food and Drink: Parts I and II. EXERCISES: What are they doing? GRAMMAR: Phrasal Verbs. What is a phrasal verb? Adverbs and prepositions. Intransitive, separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. EXERCISES: Phrasal Verbs I and II. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 41 to 47.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Your First Certificate Exam. OM Personal advice. Gap-filling or cloze exercises. Reading a text. Filling in the gaps. About difficult gaps. Final advice. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: An elephant's diet. Open gap-filling: Isabella Beeton. Error correction: My favourite place to eat. SPEAKING: Squeaky Wheels (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 48 to 51.

UNIT # 3: ABOUT PEOPLE

 ABOUT PEOPLE

VOCABULARY: Dressing styles: Appearance. Describing age. Describing body size and shape. LISTENING: The clothes you wear. Parts I and II. EXERCISES: What are their attitudes to clothes? GRAMMAR: Conditional sentences: Part I. EXERCISES: Conditional sentences I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 52 to 57.

 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE

READING: Touareg Men (Philips Shehadi, Reuters). Activities. VOCABULARY: Personality traits. EXERCISES: Personality questionnaires. GRAMMAR: Relative Clauses. Relative pronouns: who, whom, which, that, whose. Subject/Object. Defining relative clauses and Non-defining relative clauses. EXERCISES: Describing my aunt. PRONUNCIATION: Emphasising Words: Parts I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 58 to 63.

 DESCRIPTIONS

WRITING: Punctuation practice. Linkers of addition. LISTENING: Terror in London. EXERCISES: The London Dungeon. GRAMMAR: Making deductions: Part I. Use of must. Must expressing obligation, deduction and certainty. EXERCISES: Making deductions. READING: Hannie: the heroine. Activities. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 64 to 71.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Paper 2. Writing a letter. Instructions. Reading. Writing. Example question. A newspaper report. Before you write. After you write. READING: An Argentine tourist. WRITING: A letter to Eugenia. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: Tattoos. Open gap-filling: Elsa Schiaparelli (1896-1973). Error correction: My life as a Barry Manilow fan. SPEAKING: Flirting (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 72 to 76.

UNIT # 4: GEOGRAPHY

 GEOGRAPHY

VOCABULARY: Physical landmarks. READING: Country description: About Argentina. GRAMMAR: Comparatives and superlatives. Expressing similarity and difference. EXERCISES: Comparatives and superlatives I and II: GRAMMAR: How to form the Passive. Active and passive sentences. EXERCISES: Passive forms I, II and III. ACTIVITIES: # 77 to 83.

 TOWN OR COUNTRY?

LISTENING: Pros and cons I and II. EXERCISES: Which is the word? GRAMMAR: Conditional sentences: Part II. Unreal or hypothetical situations. EXERCISES: Conditional sentences I, II and III. READING: Good-bye to rural peace. ACTIVITIES: # 84 to 88.

 LIFE IN THE CITY

EXERCISES: Phrasal verbs. PRONUNCIATION: Numbers and symbols I, II and III. READING: My neighbour Mr. Paul. SPEAKING: Talking about photos: 5-step tips. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 89 to 95.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Speaking (Part I). Getting-to-know-you questions. Talking about photos. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: Lake Malawi: The Warm Heart of Africa. Open gap-filling: Aboriginal Peoples. Error Correction: Mexico: My Home Town. SPEAKING: Wallet Rescue (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 96 to 99.

UNIT # 5: HEALTH AND FITNESS

 HEALTH AND FITNESS

VOCABULARY: Health problems I and II. EXERCISES: Diseases: symptoms. Definitions. Medical equipment. VOCABULARY: Medicine: glossary and expressions. EXERCISES: Specialists. Medical problems. Questionnaire I. READING: Questionnaire I. ACTIVITIES: # 97 to 107.

 HEALTHCARE

GRAMMAR: The present. Present simple and present progressive. Verbs not used in the progressive forms. Adverbs of frequency with present simple. The subjunctive. EXERCISES: The present I, II, III and IV. LISTENING: Healthcall directory I, II and III. EXERCISES: Healthcall directory I, II and III. ACTIVITIES: # 108 to 117.

 AFRAID OF DENTISTS?

VOCABULARY: Doctors and dentists. Odd one out. PRONUNCIATION: Vowel sounds. Odd one out. GRAMMAR: Adjectives ending in -ING and -ED. EXERCISES: Adjectives (I and II). PRONUNCIATION: Individual sounds. EXERCISES: Phrasal verbs related to health. LISTENING: Afraid of the dentist? EXERCISES: Dental vocabulary. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 118 to 125.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Rewriting sentences. Some points to remember: Keywords. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: A brand new nose. Open gap-filling: A lark or an owl? Rewriting Sentences. SPEAKING: Ultrasound (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 126 to 129.

 

 PARTIAL TEST UNITS #1 TO #5

This first self-evaluation test consists of eight activities covering the grammar, expressions, glossaries and listenings studied in the FIRST PART (Lessons #1 to #20) of this First Certificate course.

UNIT # 6: HOME SWEET HOME

 HOME SWEET HOME

LISTENING: Changing neighbourhoods (Part I). EXERCISES: Changing neighbourhoods (Part II). GRAMMAR: Present Perfect. Time adverbials. Points to remember. EXERCISES: Three verbal tenses. Rewriting sentences: Present Phrasal verbs (Parts I and II). Verbal tense sequences. ACTIVITIES: # 130 to 137.

 HOME RENOVATION

LISTENING: Converting my flat (Part I). EXERCISES: Converting my flat (Parts II and III). READING: Property. GRAMMAR: Word formation. Use of hyphens. Compound adjectives. Compound nouns. Adjective formation. EXERCISES: Compound adjectives I and II. Compound nouns I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 138 to 146.

 DESCRIBING PLACES

LISTENING: Crosslands (I). EXERCISES: Crosslands (II). GRAMMAR: The Past (Part I). Past simple. Past habits. Past progressive. Past perfect simple. EXERCISES: The past I, II and III. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word I, II and III. ACTIVITIES: # 147 to 155.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Paper 1: Reading (Parts 2 and 3). EXAM SIMULATOR: Reading: Fishing for good fortune. Open gap-filling: Restoring a famous garden. WRITING: Descriptions. How to describe a place. Getting ideas. Finding a focus. Writing. SPEAKING: Helping mom (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 156 to 160.

UNIT # 7: MOVING ON

 MOVING ON

VOCABULARY: Car parts I and II. Prepositional phrases I and II. LISTENING: Motoring I and II. EXERCISES: Type and content. GRAMMAR: Reported statements. How to report. Punctuation, pronoun, pointer word and verb tense changes. Reporting verbs. EXERCISES: Reported speech I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 161 to 168.

 VACATIONS

EXERCISES: Airport situations I and II. Announcements I and II. READING: Air anxiety. GRAMMAR: Word formation. How to form nouns. EXERCISES: Word formation: nouns I and II. GRAMMAR: Writing. A letter to a friend. Layout and organization. Beginnings and endings. EXERCISES: A letter to a friend I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 169 to 185.

 TRAVELLERS

LISTENING: Two writers on the radio I and II. GRAMMAR: Modal verbs: part 1. Which are they? Possibility and obligation. Which ideas do modal verbs express? EXERCISES: Modal verbs. VOCABULARY: Phrasal verbs. Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 186 to 190.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: About set books. An optional part. Points to study: plot, characters, background, ideas and personal reaction. Tips on writing practice. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: A unique way to see the world. Rewriting Sentences. Word formation: Travelling alone. SPEAKING: Passport (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 191 to 194.

UNIT # 8: IN THE NEWS

 IN THE NEWS

GRAMMAR: Headline English. Grammar. Vocabulary. Abbreviations. Humour. EXERCISES: Headline English I and II. LISTENING: The news: Parts 1ab, 2ab, 3ab, 4ab and 5ab. EXERCISES: Parts 1c, 2c, 3c, 4c and 5c. ACTIVITIES: # 195 to 201.

 HISTORIC MOMENTS

GRAMMAR: The past: Part II. Three points to remember. EXERCISES: The past I, II, III and IV. Past simple versus present perfect I and II. GRAMMAR: Pronunciation. Weak forms: the schwa /ə/. PRONUNCIATION: Weak forms I, II and III. EXERCISES: History yesterday. LISTENING: History today I. EXERCISES: History today II. GRAMMAR: Conditional sentences: Part III. Three points to remember. EXERCISES: Conditional sentences. LISTENING: JFK's assassination I and II. EXERCISES: JFK's assassination I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 202 to 213.

 DISASTERS

VOCABULARY: Natural and man-made disasters. EXERCISES: Disasters: definitions, causes and headlines. GRAMMAR: Time expressions: part 1. About this grammar. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Time expressions: part 2. One thing before another. Things happening at the same time. One thing after another. Time when. Connecting two periods or events. EXERCISES: Time expressions I and II. READING: Krakatoa, East of Java. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 214 to 223.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Gap filling: multiple choice. Reading a text. What is tested. Final advice. EXAM SIMULATOR: Open gap-filling: Non-stop news. Rewriting Sentences. Error correction: Flood threat at Millingen. SPEAKING: Technologies (a courtesy video by VideoNet). ACTIVITIES: # 224 to 227.

UNIT # 9: A WAY IN THE WORLD

 A WAY IN THE WORLD

VOCABULARY: Jobs. Work I. GRAMMAR: Work II: Differences between words. LISTENING: My first job: Part 1a and 1b. Part 2a and 2b. GRAMMAR: Reported questions. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). EXERCISES: Reported questions I and II. READING: Women. ACTIVITIES: # 228 to 236.

 MONEY, MONEY

GRAMMAR: Questions. Asking with politeness. Pitch in British English. Audio examples. Final advice. EXERCISES: Questions. VOCABULARY: Money. LISTENING: Time for presents I. EXERCISES: Time for presents II y III. .GRAMMAR: Patterns: It's time. Would rather. Get/Have something done. EXERCISES: Patterns. Error correction. Prepositional phrases I, II and III. ACTIVITIES: # 237 to 245.

 PUNISHMENT

READING: Youth crime. LISTENING: Homeless Harlem I. EXERCISES: Homeless Harlem II. READING: Richard Gillard: ex-rogue. GRAMMAR: Reason, result and purpose. EXERCISES: Reason, result and purpose. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 246 to 253.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Error correction. Finding incorrect words. A model activity. Typical errors. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: A young businessman. Rewriting Sentences. Error correction: A model family. SPEAKING: Coming elections (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 254 to 257.

UNIT # 10: FRIENDSHIP

 FRIENDSHIP

VOCABULARY: Feelings. EXERCISES: Feelings: definitions. Expressing feelings. READING: Psychology I and II.). GRAMMAR: Modal verbs - Part II. Past form. Ability. Possibility. Probability. Certainty. Obligation. Necessity. EXERCISES: Modal verbs. GRAMMAR: Present perfect progressive. EXERCISES: Simple or progressive? I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 258 to 265.

 FAMILIES

LISTENING: Relationships. Part I. GRAMMAR: The article. Seven points to remember. EXERCISES: The article I and II. EXERCISES: Word formation: verbs I, II and III. Prepositional phrases I and II. VOCABULARY: Phrasal verbs. ACTIVITIES: # 266 to 275.

 THE GENERATION GAP

GRAMMAR: Expressing contrast. How to show contrast. However, nevertheless, but, yet, although, even though, though, in spite of, despite, EXERCISES: Expressing contrast I and II. LISTENING: Relationships. Part II. READING: The generation bridge. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 276 to 283.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Paper 4: Listening. Be prepared for... Timing. Final advice. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: An arranged marriage. Rewriting Sentences. Word formation: My real parents. SPEAKING: A typical day (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 284 to 287

 

 PARTIAL TEST UNITS #6 TO #10

This second self-evaluation test consists of seven activities covering the grammar, expressions, glossaries and listenings studied in the SECOND PART (Lessons #21 to #40) of this First Certificate course.

UNIT # 11: LEISURE TIME

 LEISURE TIME

READING: Skiing. LISTENING: Agreeing and Disagreeing (Parts I and II). GRAMMAR: Question tags. Pronunciation. Voice up and down. LISTENING: Pronunciation. Sporting life (Parts I and II). EXERCISES: Phrasal verbs. Prepositional phrases. ACTIVITIES: # 288 to 294.

 HOBBIES AND PASTIMES

READING: Dominic's tricks. GRAMMAR: Be used to doing. Used to do. EXERCISES: Be used to doing. Used to do. (Parts I, II and III). GRAMMAR: Word formation: Prefixes. WRITING: A report. Headings activity. ACTIVITIES: # 295 to 300.

 HAVING FUN

READING: At the party. GRAMMAR: The Future (Part I). What to use. Will + infinitive. Be going to + infinitive. Present Progressive. Present Simple. Be thinking of. EXERCISES: The Future: Parts I and II. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 301 to 304.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Paper 1: Reading (Parts 1 and 4). Timing. Final advice. EXAM SIMULATOR: Open gap-filling: Annie Oakley (1860-1926). Word formation. Rewriting sentences. SPEAKING: Bullfighting: Part 1 (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 305 to 308.

UNIT # 12: MIND IMPROVEMENT

 MIND IMPROVEMENT

READING: Video games, Mike Snider, USA Today. EXERCISES: Logic problems (Part I). LISTENING: Logic problems (Parts II and III). VOCABULARY: Phrasal verbs. Prepositional phrases. ACTIVITIES: # 309 to 315.

 HAPPY MEMORIES

GRAMMAR: The -ing form of the verb. The 8 basic rules. EXERCISES: The -ing form of the verb (Parts I and II). READING: School days. GRAMMAR: Wish. If only. How to use them. Tips to remember. EXERCISES: Wish. If only (Parts I and II). ACTIVITIES: # 316 to 320.

 EDUCATION

VOCABULARY: Categories (Parts I and II). GRAMMAR: Writing: An application. Parts of an application. VOCABULARY: Writing: An application. LISTENING: Studying abroad. EXERCISES: Comparatives and superlatives (revision). VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 301 to 330.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Word formation. Summary of the 'Use of English' paper. Timing. Practice. Final advice. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: Maths is the best. Rewriting sentences. Word formation: Being left-handed. SPEAKING: Bullfighting: Part 2 (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 331 to 334.

UNIT # 13: SCIENCE vs TECHNOLOGY

 PRESENT TECHNOLOGY

VOCABULARY: Daily life technology: Gadgets. Electricity. Things that go wrong. Tools. Everyday problems. LISTENING: A portable computer: Parts I, II, III and IV. ACTIVITIES: # 335 to 343.

 FUTURE TECHNOLOGY

GRAMMAR: The infinitive. What is an infinitive? The "to" infinitive. The infinitive without "to". Tips to remember. EXERCISES: The infinitive (Parts I and II). LISTENING: Tourism in space: Part I. EXERCISES: Tourism in space: Part II, GRAMMAR: The future. Future perfect. Future progressive. Future time clauses. EXERCISES: The future: Part II. A scientist speaks. ACTIVITIES: # 344 to 347.

 SCIENCE

READING: Firewalking. GRAMMAR: Quantity. Expressions with countable nouns, with uncountable nouns and with both kinds of nouns. EXERCISES: Quantity I and II. Reported speech (revision). VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 348 to 352.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Speaking (Part 2). Paper 5: Parts 3 and 4). Part 3: Doing a task together. Part 4: Discussion. Tips: Good candidate techniques. EXAM SIMULATOR: Open gap-filling: Escape from the prisons of Tharq. Rewriting sentences. Error correction: A wonderful invention. Word formation: Heron of Alexandria. SPEAKING: Bullfighting: Part 3 (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 353 to 357.

UNIT # 14: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

VOCABULARY: Pollution and waste. EXERCISES: General ecology I and II. LISTENING: Pollution of the seas: Part I, II, and III. EXERCISES: Pollution of the seas: Part I, II, and III. Your opinion. GRAMMAR: Passive reporting verbs. Expressing the same idea. More reporting verbs. ACTIVITIES: # 358 to 365.

 THE ANIMAL WORLD

VOCABULARY: Animal related words Part I: Different classes of animals. Kinds of animals in relation to humans. Animals babies. Animal body parts and coverings. Animal noises. Events in the life history of an animal. Things animals do to humans. Things humans do to animals. EXERCISES: Animal related words I and II. READING: The bizarre koatzin. GRAMMAR: The -ING form or the infinitive, What to choose. No change and change in meaning. EXERCISES: The -ING form or the infinitive I and II. ACTIVITIES: # 366 to 380.

 AWAY FROM HOME

READING: An unusual story. GRAMMAR: Impersonal IT. Useful tips with time reference, that clauses, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, to infinitive. EXERCISES: Impersonal IT: Parts I and II. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 381 to 386.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Writing. Paper 2. Stages. Assessment. Timing. Scoring. Final advice: tips. Five evaluations scoring level 5 to level 1. EXAM SIMULATOR: Multiple-choice gap-filling: Jack, the railwayman. Rewriting sentences. Word formation: Rainforest plants. SPEAKING: Think Again (videoclip). ACTIVITIES: # 387 to 390.

UNIT # 15: TRADITION AND CULTURE

 TRADITION AND CULTURE

GRAMMAR: Revision of tenses. GRAMMAR: Prepositions. Some tips. Verbs, adjectives and nouns: particular prepositions. EXERCISES: Prepositions. Traditional stories. LISTENING: Folk stories: Part I. EXERCISES: Folk stories: Part II. PRONUNCIATION: Exclamations. Voice falls: statements. Voice rises: questions. ACTIVITIES: # 391 to 394.

 ART

VOCABULARY: Describing an object. Categories: Opinion. Size. Shape. Texture. Colour. Material. EXERCISES: Describing an object: categories. PRONUNCIATION: Word linking: Part I. Cases 1 to 6. LISTENING: Word linking: Part II. GRAMMAR: Conditional sentences: Part IV. Rephrasing sentences: IF, PROVIDED (THAT), PROVIDING (THAT), AS/SO LONG AS, HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T MATTER, SUPPOSE, SUPPOSING. EXERCISES: Conditional sentences I, II and III. LISTENING: A visit to a museum I. EXERCISES: A visit to a museum II. ACTIVITIES: # 395 to 406.

 CELEBRATING

READING: A wedding with tradition. LISTENING: Festivals in Europe: Part I and II. VOCABULARY: Phrasal verbs: revision. GRAMMAR: Rewriting: revision exercise. VOCABULARY: Choosing the right word. ACTIVITIES: # 407 to 412.

 ALL ABOUT FCE

GRAMMAR: Practical matters. Answer sheets. Materials to take to the exam. Instructions. Timing. Relax. Students' comments about FCE exam. EXAM SIMULATOR: Open gap-filling: Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival. Error correction: My life as an opera singer. Word formation: Guy Fawkes night. Rewriting sentences. LISTENING: Goodbye (song). ACTIVITIES: # 413 to 416.

 END OF COURSE: FINAL EXAM UNITS #1 TO #15

This final examination consists of 100 questions split up in 10 activities covering the grammar, expressions, glossaries and listenings studied along the 15 units (60 lessons) of this First Certificate course.