Vocabulary range One of the main aspects assessed under Lexical Resource is the variety of words you use to describe various topics.

In Ming Wei’s answers about cooking, she used vocabulary quite accurately, but there were three aspects in her first responses that she could have improved in relation to vocabulary range:

Inexact words: She tried to describe something white to make a cake. She was referring to flour, which she used in her second attempt.
Range: She could have used a wider variety of words, phrases and expressions related to cooking. The vocabulary in the first answers was either taken from the questions (e.g. cook, recipe) or was too simple (e.g. food, prepare, cake). This improved significantly in her second set of answers (e.g. cuisine, dishes, flour, taste good, bake).
Simple vocabulary: In her first attempt, she tended to use simple vocabulary but she then replaced this with less common words, including some idiomatic expressions:
First attempt Improved attempt
I have very little time I’m always short of time
take something quick grab something quick
almost never hardly ever
a lot of things a lot of ingredients
I am not sure If my memory doesn’t fail me
happy thrilled
There are several ways to show a wider range of vocabulary, including using phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions:

Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs consist of a base verb + a preposition or an adverb (sometimes both). This combination creates a new meaning for the verb. For example:

You look tired. (look = appear)
I look up to my father. (look up to = admire)
Using phrasal verbs can help you achieve a higher score for Lexical resource as it shows that you have a good command of the English language.

Here are a few considerations about phrasal verbs:

They take tenses: This means that you need to carefully consider the most appropriate tense. For example:

I got up late yesterday (past simple).
I usually get up at 7am on weekdays (present simple).
I’ve been getting up quite hungry lately (present perfect continuous)
I’m going to get up early tomorrow (future simple)
They can take objects: These can go at the end or in the middle of the phrasal verb. For example:

I’ll pick up my sister later.
I’ll pick my sister up later.
They can have several meanings: For example:

I was brought up by my grandparents (bring up = raise, educate a child)
He brought up the idea of having a party (bring up = introduce a topic or idea)
Below is a handout to some of the most common phrasal verbs. Download it and have it ready for an activity in the next step.

Idiomatic expressions
An idiomatic expression (or idiom) is a group of words following a particular order which convey a certain meaning different from the literal meaning of each individual word. For example:

It’s raining cats and dogs (meaning = it’s raining heavily)

The Public Band Descriptors consider the use of less common vocabulary and idiomatic expressions in Bands 7 and 8. However, idiomatic expressions need to be used at the right time and in the right context. Do not overuse them.

Below is a handout to some of the most common idiomatic expressions in English. Download it and use it to complete an activity in the following steps. @LanguageStuff

To bump into someone means to meet someone you know without having planned it. Catch up with and hang out with are planned meetings. @LanguageStuff

Connected speech In spoken English, words are not pronounced separately or in isolation. Instead, we connect sounds between words to sound more natural. This is known as connected speech.

This is one feature in which Ming Wei did not perform well in her first attempts. There are instances where she could have connected the sounds between words:

…they have a lot of things in it. She could have connected the words have_a_lot_of and things_in_it.
and also contracted sounds:

I do not cook much. Saying “I don’t cook much” would sound more natural.
I would like to cook. She could have said “I’d like to cook”.
However, her use of connected speech significantly improved in her second attempt when she used the following:

Connecting consonants with vowels: Connect the sound of the final consonant of a word to the sound of the vowel of the following word. The connected sound will seem like a new syllable in the second word. For example:

Let’s talk_about → Let’s takabout Audio

I had_an_assignment to finish → I hadanassignment to finish Audio

But_I think → BudI think Audio

They use_it for_entertainment → Theyusit forentertainment Audio

Connecting similar sounds: Connect two words when the first one ends in the same letter as the following word. For example:

• We need_data → We needata Audio

• Social_learning → Socialearning Audio

• Fish_shop → Fishop Audio

• First_stop → Firstop Audio

Making new sounds: When you connect the /t/ sound with the /j/ sound, it creates the new sound /tj/. When you connect the /d/ sound with the /j/ sound, it creates the new sound /dj/. For example:

• Last year → Lastjear Audio

• Nice to meet you → Nice to meetja Audio

• Did you call? → Didja call? Audio

• Would you mind? → Woudja mind? Audio

Dropping a sound: When the last consonant of a word has the sound of a /t/ or a /d/ and the following word starts with another consonant, drop the /t/ or /d/ sounds. For example:

• My next class → My nexclass Audio

• The most common mistake → The moscommon mistake Audio

• I used to work → I useto work Audio

Using contractions: When possible, contract auxiliary and modal verbs. For example:

• I would like → I’d like Audio

• It is not cold → It isn’t cold Audio

• We should have gone → We should’ve gone Audio

• It will not be easy → It won’t be easy Audio @LanguageStuff

Organising ideas logically Camilo’s first response was effective in that he spoke fluently and used all of the prompts on the topic card to develop his ideas. However, the following problems were identified in terms of organisation:

Poor organisation: He did not really follow the same order of the prompts given on the topic card . He provided extra information about two of the prompts after he had already covered them.
Irrelevant ideas: Camilo talked about his sister, but this did not relate to any of the prompts on the topic card and he did not logically connect this to any of his other ideas.
Failure to meet time requirement: He did not develop his ideas enough and failed to speak for two minutes (he speaks for 1 minute and 35 seconds).
Coherence is determined by how ideas are organised and connected. You should aim to provide logically organised answers across the three parts of the test in order to achieve a high mark for Fluency and coherence.

Sequencing ideas logically is particularly important in Part 2 as you are required to speak on your own for up to two minutes. You can achieve this by:

• Using all the prompts on the topic card: Using only 1 or 2 is not enough to develop an entire, coherent answer.

• Following the same order of the prompts: These are presented in a logical and sequential order.

• Adding your own prompts: As you plan your answers, include 2-3 new prompts (i.e. points) with information that is relevant to the general topic of the question.

• Developing each prompt: Include 2-3 ideas per prompt. This will guarantee that you have enough content to speak for two minutes.

• Planning properly: Use the 1-minute planning time to write down the ideas you want to include in your answer. You are allowed to read from your planning sheet as you give your answer. @LanguageStuff

This is an effective plan because it:

• is well organised (using a grid divided into four),

• is easy to follow (following the prompts clockwise),

• uses all the prompts on the topic card,

• avoids full sentences and only includes key words,

• uses abbreviations to save time (e.g. convt for convenient, W-ing assign for writing assignments)

• uses bullet points (which you can tick as you cover that point when you speak). @LanguageStuff