Speaking (expressing opinions)

There are many ways to introduce your point of view.

In my opinion…
In my view…
I think/believe (that)…

From my point of view…

To my mind…
As far as I am concerned…
I suppose/imagine (that)…
If you ask me…
It seems to me (that)…

Writing (What are you asked to do?)

Account for – give reasons for or explain why something happens
Analyze – examine in detail, identifying important points and features
Assess –decide about the value, quality, amount or importance of something
Comment on – identify the main issues giving your reactions based on what you have read
Comparative analysis – an item by item comparison of two or more sets of data, processes, products, etc
Critically evaluate – weigh the arguments for and against something, assessing the strengths on both sides
Demonstrate – make it clear or establish by arguments or reasoning
Describe – give the main characteristics of something, or outline the main events
Evaluate – look at the topic in detail and if appropriate, evaluate it critically.
Explain – make it clear why something is the way it is or why something happens

Adverbs meaning totally/completely

We were wide awake at 5am when the airplane landed.
They left the window wide open, no wonder they had their money stolen.
They were fast asleep by 9pm. It was an exhausting day.
My driving test was dead easy and I passed it the first time.
When the group started singing, everyone was dead quiet.
She can’t go on holiday as she’s flat broke. She spent all her money shopping.

Some adjectives ending in –ic and –ical

academic, aerodynamic, aesthetic, allergic, artistic, athletic, cosmic, domestic, dramatic, dynamic, egoistic, energetic, enthusiastic, epic, erotic, ethnic, exotic, fantastic, gigantic, graphic, hectic, majestic, metallic, mythic, neurotic, organic, pathetic, public, scenic, strategic, toxic, tragic

alphabetical, analytical, biological, chemical, chronological, classical, critical, economical, electrical, ethical, geographical, historical, identical, lexical, logical, magical, mechanical, medical, musical, optical, physical, philosophical, political, psychological, practical, sociological, statistical, stereotypical, technical, theoretical, tropical, vertical

Phrasal Verbs – Grow

Grow apart = gradually become less friendly as interests/opinions change e.g. We used to be close friends but now we’ve grown apart.
Grow into clothes = become big enough for clothes to fit you e.g. I got a bigger size but I’m sure my child will grow into the jeans.
Grow on somebody = to like a person or a thing more whereas in the beginning you didn’t. e.g. I didn’t like the shape of the car but now it’s grown on me.
Grow out of clothes = when clothes become too small. e.g. She grew out of the yellow dress.
Grow out of something = to develop from somewhere e.g. The exhibition grew out of the photos I took on my trip abroad.
Grow out of something = stop being interested in something e.g. He liked playing with toy cars but now has grown out of it.
Grow up = to become an adult e.g. They grew up in Indonesia.
Grow up! = stop behaving like a child e.g. Oh grow up, it’s not funny.
Grow up on something = something you did or had when you were a child e.g. We grew up on those adventure books.

Describing success/difficulty (Vocabulary)

When we talk about goals, aims, objectives, targets etc. we can use the following words to describe our success or difficulties.

Success
To succeeded in something
To attain goals/aims/objectives/targets
To reach targets/goals
To managed to do something
To achieve a great deal
To accomplished a lot
To meet expectations
To surpass/exceed expectations
To fulfill a lifelong ambition

Difficulties
To have difficulty in something
To find it difficult to do something
To have some trouble with something
To have a hard time
To be unable to cope

Asking for language help

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What does....mean?

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