Collins - English for Life Speaking B1: The ultimate resource for intermediate speakers of English
Collins - English for Life Speaking B1: A Review
Do you want to improve your speaking skills in English? Do you want to sound more like a native speaker of English? Do you want to communicate effectively in practical real-life situations? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested in Collins - English for Life Speaking B1, a book that will help you achieve your goals. In this article, we will review this book and tell you why it is a great choice for intermediate learners of English.
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What is Collins - English for Life Speaking B1?
Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 is a book that aims to help students improve how they communicate in English and to widen their range of vocabulary in line with B1+ expectations. The book contains 20 units, each of which can provide the basis of a lesson. They are divided across five sections:
Get talking: informal conversation, making and dealing with interruptions and simple information exchange.
Keep talking: controlling your conversation, clarifying, showing interest and closing.
Requests and responses: suggesting, asking for and giving advice.
Having a discussion: opinions, disagreements, compliments and emphasising.
Dealing with negatives: complaining, and giving feedback and/or bad news.
The book also comes with an audio CD that contains recordings of native and non-native speakers of English talking about their life, work and family. You can listen to these conversations and read the transcripts in the book, where key words and phrases are highlighted. You can also download additional audio resources from the Collins website.
Who is it for?
Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 is suitable for intermediate learners of English who want to improve their speaking skills. It is also suitable for students who are preparing for the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) exam, as it covers many of the topics and functions that are tested in the speaking part of the exam. The book can be used by students who are studying on their own or by teachers who want to use it in their classroom.
What does it cover?
Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 covers a wide range of topics and functions that are relevant for everyday communication in English. Some of the topics include:
Hobbies and interests
Travel and holidays
Work and career
Family and friends
Health and fitness
Culture and entertainment
Eating out and shopping
Social issues and current affairs
Some of the functions include:
Greeting people and making small talk
Making suggestions and giving advice
Expressing opinions and agreeing or disagreeing
Making requests and responding to them
Complaining and apologizing
Giving feedback and bad news
Interrupting and changing the topic
Clarifying and checking understanding
How is it structured?
All the units in Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 have the same structure and once you get to know the sections you will quickly be able to create your own lesson plan. Each unit consists of four parts:
Useful tips: This part gives you some advice about the communication focus of the unit. You can discuss these tips with your partner or group, or find examples of them in the conversations.
Conversations: This part lets you listen to a conversation and read the transcript, where key words and phrases are highlighted. You can practice these words and phrases, or perform the dialogue with your partner or group.
Understanding: This part checks your understanding of the conversational strategies and functions used by the speakers. You can do these exercises individually or in pairs or groups.
Practice: This part gives you the opportunity to practice what you have learned in the unit. You can do these activities individually, in pairs or in groups, depending on the instructions.
Why choose Collins - English for Life Speaking B1?
There are many reasons why Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 is a great choice for intermediate learners of English who want to improve their speaking skills. Here are some of them:
Authentic material from the Collins Corpus
The book uses authentic material from the Collins Corpus, the worlds largest database of the English language. This means that the words and phrases you learn are real and natural, not artificial or outdated. You can be sure that you are learning the English that native speakers use in everyday situations.
Practical tips and strategies for real-life situations
The book gives you practical tips and strategies for how to communicate effectively in real-life situations. You will learn how to start and end a conversation, how to show interest and enthusiasm, how to deal with problems and misunderstandings, how to express your opinions and feelings, and much more. You will also learn how to adapt your language to different contexts and audiences, such as formal or informal, polite or casual, etc.
Exercises to check understanding and improve fluency
The book provides you with exercises to check your understanding of the conversational strategies and functions used by the speakers. You will also get plenty of practice to improve your fluency and confidence in speaking. You will be able to use the words and phrases you have learned in different situations and scenarios, such as role-plays, discussions, debates, presentations, etc.
Audio recordings of native and non-native speakers
The book comes with an audio CD that contains recordings of native and non-native speakers of English talking about their life, work and family. You can listen to these conversations and read the transcripts in the book, where key words and phrases are highlighted. You can also download additional audio resources from the Collins website. These recordings will help you improve your listening skills, as well as your pronunciation, intonation and stress.
How to use Collins - English for Life Speaking B1?
Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 is a flexible book that can be used in different ways depending on your needs and preferences. Here are some suggestions:
For self-study
If you are studying on your own, you can use the book as a guide to improve your speaking skills in English. You can follow these steps:
Read the useful tips at the beginning of each unit and think about how they apply to your own speaking style.
Listen to the conversations on the CD or online and read the transcripts in the book. Pay attention to the key words and phrases that are highlighted.
Do the understanding exercises to check if you have understood the conversational strategies and functions used by the speakers.
Do the practice activities to use what you have learned in different situations. You can record yourself speaking or use a webcam or a smartphone to see how you sound and look.
Review what you have learned at regular intervals and try to use it in real-life situations when you have the opportunity.
For classroom use
If you are a teacher who wants to use the book in your classroom, you can use it as a supplement to your main coursebook or as a standalone resource for speaking practice. You can follow these steps:
```html Put students in pairs or small groups to discuss the useful tips at the beginning of each unit and find examples of them in the conversations.
Play the conversations on the CD or online and ask students to follow the transcripts in the book. Check their understanding of the key words and phrases that are highlighted.
Ask students to do the understanding exercises to check if they have understood the conversational strategies and functions used by the speakers.
Ask students to do the practice activities to use what they have learned in different situations. Monitor and give feedback on their performance.
Review what they have learned at regular intervals and encourage them to use it in real-life situations outside the classroom.
For exam preparation
If you are preparing for the Cambridge FCE exam, you can use the book as a supplement to your main coursebook or as a standalone resource for speaking practice. You can follow these steps:
Read the useful tips at the beginning of each unit and think about how they apply to the exam tasks.
Listen to the conversations on the CD or online and read the transcripts in the book. Pay attention to the key words and phrases that are highlighted. Compare them with the language you would use in similar exam tasks.
Do the understanding exercises to check if you have understood the conversational strategies and functions used by the speakers. Think about how you can use them in your own exam responses.
Do the practice activities to use what you have learned in different exam tasks. Record yourself speaking or use a webcam or a smartphone to see how you sound and look. Evaluate your performance using the assessment criteria for the exam.
Review what you have learned at regular intervals and try to use it in mock exams or practice tests.
Conclusion
Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 is a book that will help you improve your speaking skills in English and sound more like a native speaker. It will also help you communicate effectively in practical real-life situations and prepare for the Cambridge FCE exam. The book uses authentic material from the Collins Corpus, gives you practical tips and strategies for real-life situations, provides you with exercises to check understanding and improve fluency, and offers you audio recordings of native and non-native speakers. You can use the book for self-study, classroom use or exam preparation, depending on your needs and preferences. If you want to take your speaking skills to the next level, this book is for you!
FAQs
Where can I buy Collins - English for Life Speaking B1?
You can buy it online from Amazon, Book Depository, Collins or other online retailers. You can also find it in your local bookstore or library.
How much does Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 cost?
The price may vary depending on where you buy it from, but it is usually around 13.99 for the paperback edition with CD.
How long does it take to complete Collins - English for Life Speaking B1?
It depends on how fast you work and how often you use it, but it should take you around 20 hours to complete all 20 units.
Can I use Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 with other levels of English?
The book is designed for intermediate learners of English (CEF level B1+), but you can also use it with higher or lower levels if you want to review or challenge yourself.
Can I use Collins - English for Life Speaking B1 with other exams?
The book is suitable for students who are preparing for the Cambridge FCE exam, but you can also use it with other exams that test your speaking skills in English, such as IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, etc.
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