some verbs can be both state and action verbs

Some words can be state verbs and action verbs. The meaning of these verbs is then different. Take a look at these:

In the TOEFL Exam, you will be required to what we call a ‘Discursive Essay’. A Discursive Essay is an Essay in which you are asked to put forward differing opinions and come to a conclusion about these at the end. It is vital for your essay to be clear and your points to be well-structured. The person reading your essay must in some way be ‘convinced’ by what you are writing. Here are some tips:

Discursive Essays….Remember:

A discursive essay is often confused with two other types of essays – persuasive and argumentative essays. The goal of a discursive essays is to make the readers see your point in clear structured way. A discursive essay is a more even-handed piece of writing. Writing in such manner is always harder – you should think about many opinions. In the end – and this is another important requirement for a discursive essay – you have to come up with a certain conclusion. It is better to build your essay this way: look at all sides, make good arguments for all of them but come up with a strong conclusion. In order to do this you must first make a plan of what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. It is better to take five minutes to make a plan at the beginning than take ten or fifteen at the end trying desperately to rearrange the text!!!

In a Discursive essay, you present two or more sides – your point of view on this issue and the opposite one. By doing so, you put a balance from the very beginning of the text. This balance is important and should remain throughout the text.

The Main Body of your Discursive essay should also be divided. Do not mix points while writing as it will cause confusion. Make good use of the paragraphs.

Finally, your Discursive essay must have a strong conclusion! The conclusion must perform its main role – it must summarize. Your summary should be based on the work you have done while writing the essay. Avoid being prejudiced and give tribute to both sides of the question that your essay was dedicated to.

Finally, practise writing as many discursive essays as you can before the exam! Get your teacher to give you a list of topics and get practising! And good luck!!!!!  

It is very common for someone who is studying English here in Dublin to have difficulty understanding what Dubliners say. In fact, the English that we speak in Ireland is called Hiberno-English (from the word Hibernia for Ireland) because some of the expressions we use are directly translated from the Irish language (Gaelic) which is a celtic language.  However, a lot of what Irish people say is often clearer to a foreign speaker that the people of many big cities in Britain, America and Australia. Every big city has a particular way of speaking. People from Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham are well-known for speaking with particular accents and a very special use of grammar. Ireland is often said to have a very ‘neutral’ English compared to many places in the world.

DUBLIN:

Dubliners pride themselves in their city and in their particular way of speaking. Sometimes, when Dubiners speak, you can perfectly understand the words but the meaning and context are different to the meaning you know. Here are some examples of this (taken from about.com):

How are you? (often shortened to Howya?)
Unless the person asking you is a doctor, nurse or paramedic this simply means “Hello!”

Are you Okay?
This is the universal greeting of the sales assistant or bartender. He or she is absolutely not interested in your health or well-being. The phrase translates as “I am ready to serve you, what is your desire?”

Come here!
If the person saying this is already next to you, you might feel that the concept of personal space is unknown in Ireland. Don’t worry, the phrase simply means “listen up”.

Deadly
Nothing to do with death!!! In everyday conversation this means “very good”, like in deadly buzz (roughly “a great time”).

Good man yourself!
A phrase denoting agreement or thanks and a bit of respect.

Hole in the Wall
A bank machine or an ATM.

Take the weight of your legs
Not a subtle hint to read up on diets but simply the offer to sit down.

Sure
Even if uttered with utmost conviction, this will always remain interpretable as meaning only “within the realms of possibility”

Sometimes, the words make no sense at all!!!!! That’s because we have our own expressions too. Here are some examples:

DIFFERENT WAYS OF SAYING HELLO:

What’s the story?, What’s the craic?, How’s she cuttin?, How’s the form?
These simply translate as “Any news?” or simply “Hello!”

Blow-in
A stranger or foreigner, basically anybody whose ancestors have not lived within sight of the parish church for at least ten generations.

Culchie
An abbreviation of “agricultural” and referring to anybody born and bred outside the few cities of Ireland. Or outside of Dublin.

Feck
This universal qualification of anything  is neither positive nor negative, it simply is. This Zen-like quality can disappear quickly, in which case the “e” is usually replaced by a “u”. Expect to hear the f-word more often in short, seemingly normal conversation than in a Tarantino movie.

Watering Hole

A very colloquial term for the pub. Dubliners see themselves as ‘plants’ who need to be ‘watered’ by beer!!!!

Sambo
A sandwich and a good example of the  Dublin tendency to shorten words with an ending with “o”. Up to and including crimbo - Christmas to you and me.

Knackered

A very colloquial term to say very very tired. Used also in some English cities.

Yer Man or Woman (often shortened to yer wan)
Denotes a person whose name is unknown (or cannot currently be remembered) but whose identity is assumed to be known to everyone. Could lead to such hilarious exchanges as
“Didn’t I see yer man in town yesterday?”
“That wasn’t him, that was yer other man …”

Saymo

This comes from ’same old’ as in ’same old story’ or just simply ‘no news’ 

WAYS OF SAYING GOODBYE:

I’m off, I’m heading now

These generally suggest you’re going somewhere

Take care! Mind yourself!
This usually means “Goodbye”, unless a total stranger shouts it in your direction. In which case it may be taken literally or it’s goodbye to you.

Now, do you think you’re ready for a typical Dublin conversation? OK, HERE WE GO…...

How’s she cuttin? (How are things?)

Ah Howya,  (Oh! hello. How are things with you?)

No probs. (Fine thanks.)

What’s the story? (Have you any news for me?)

Saymo saymo. Are ya goin for a pint? (I have no news. Would you like to go to the pub for a drink?)

Na, I’m knackered. (No, I’m really tired).

Okay, I’m off. Take it handy (Okay, I’m going now. See you).

Mind yerself (Bye).

The FCE Exam can be very scary when you first start studying for it but, infact, the person marking your exam will know exactly what to look for.

In the writing paper, FCE candidates need to know how to do the following:

1) Include EVERYTHING required by the question. Check: am I answering the question correctly? How many parts is it in? Have I answered every part?

2) Choose the appropriate style and register. Is it formal or informal? Am I using the correct vocabulary for this situation?

3) Check the spelling, grammar, punctuation and range of vocabulary to see if it is correct.

4)They should prove they can organise an essay so it is coherent, organised and easy to read. Is the text in paragraphs? Are the paragraphs logical? Are there linking words? Does the text flow?

5) Identify well who they are writing to. Always keep in mind who your target reader is. Even if you know that your ‘letter to a friend’ will be read by a FCE examiner, write to a friend. If you are unsure who you are writing to, assume they are an educated person your age. Usually you will be told in the FCE writing task description.

Every section above will be equally marked so no one is more important that the other!

Other Tips:

• READ!!!!!!!!!Before you start writing… read other people’s writing. Make use of every text that you find interesting or that could be relevant. Read as many model essays, reports, letters, short stories and articles as you can.

• PLAN!!!!!!!!! Get used to making a plan for your writing. If not, you will be lost in the exam. It is better to increase the time spent on planning, and reduce the time spent on writing and checking. If your writing is well planned, you should be able to write quickly without having to stop to think, and there should be fewer problems to correct.

• RECYCLE !!!!!!!!!! Note down words and expressions that you like or think are useful; including those you already know.
  Copy whole sentences where expressions are used in different context.
  Have a list of your favourite correct expressions. It is better to use something correctly than something “impressive” but wrong.

• BE INTERESTING!!! Make your writing interesting. An FCE examiner will not enjoy reading boring writing.

• PRACTICE!!!!!! makes perfect…..

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Have you ever wondered why we say ON or IN or AT with a particular word? Prepositions can be very difficult in any language but prepositions of time have a rule in English. Here is the basic rule:

For Specific Days and Dates, we use: ON

For example: On Friday, On September 1st etc.

For Parts of the Day, Months, Years, Decades, Centuries, we use: IN

For example: In January, In the 1980s, In the 18th Century, etc.

For times of the Day, Festivals, the beginning, the end, the moment, we use: AT

For example: At the moment, at Christmas, At Two O’Clock

For Yesterday, Tomorrow, Next Week, Last Week, Next Weekend, Last Weekend etc., we DO NOT use a preposition. Please note that last and next week DON’T take ‘the’ before them as it changes the meaning.

For example: “Last weekend, I went to the pub with my friends” and NOT the last weekend.

Some exceptions to the rules above: AT night/AT the weekend

Now Try it yourself. Fill in the gap in the following sentences:

I bought this computer ______ last summer.

This style was very popular ______ the 1970’s

They were very popular ______ the middle of the 19th Century

I was in a meeting ______ all day yesterday

I didn’t get time to come and visit you ______ last Tuesday

I didn’t see you ______ Tuesday. Will you be there _____ my birthday?

We’re very busy ______ the moment.

As English has many words that come from Latin, it s very common for students to think that the meaning of these words are exactly the same as in their own language. In fact, many words that come from Latin (especially verbs and adverbs) have a completely different meaning in English to the meaning they have in French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan etc.

Here are some of the most common ones and their meanings:

Que???? Quoi???

Actual  -.    real 

Actually –  in reality 

Advertise – to put an advert in the newspaper (so as to sell something)

Advise – to tell someone what you think they should do

Agenda – the program for the day/for a meeting (i.e. What s on the agenda?) 

Anxious - nervous

Argument – a debate or verbal fight 

Assist – to help. 

Attempt – to try 

Attend – to be present at  

Avocado – a type of vegetable that is used to make guacamole

Assume – to suppose / to undertake

Career – professional life

Conference – a meeting of many people (i.e. a congress)

Conductor – the person who checks your ticket on a bus

Conservatory – a room in the house that has a lot of sunlight where you keep plants etc.

Currently – at the moment, nowadays

Discussion – a conversation

Disgust – strong dislike

Divert – to deviate

Embarrassed - to feel shame at something

Eventually – finally

Figure – a number or amount (i.e. money) or used generally by women when talking about their weight

Idiom – expression used frequently by native speakers

Lecture – a conference or class given at university

Library – a quiet place where you can read books/study

Note – a piece of paper with something written on it 

Notice – a written announcement, to notice – to pay attention / observe

Occasion – an event

Parent – mother or father

Particular – special

Politics – to do with the government/the running of a business

Policy – the rules of a government

Presume – to assume/suppose

To pretend – to do or say something that is not true

Prove – to demonstrate

Quiet – without speaking

Realize – to comprehend, finally see or understand something

Remove – to take away

Resume – to continue doing something

Reunion – when people see each other for the first time after the have been apart (i.e. high school reunion)

Sane – not crazy

Sensible – reasonable, logical

Spectacles – glasses

Sympathetic – understanding, showing empathy

Sympathy - compassion