How to Increase your English vocabulary?

The biggest hurdle in communicating effectively and confidently in English is good ‘active vocabulary’. Active Vocabulary constitutes of those words which we actively or confidently use in our day to day conversation or writings. On the other hand, there is ‘passive vocabulary’ – words we are familiar with but are not sure when and how to use them.




So, I think, the first step towards a better vocabulary is to work on your passive vocabulary and then regularly using those words so that they become a part your active vocabulary.



The following are tips on how to increase your passive vocabulary and turn it into active vocabulary:

(a) Read, read and read:

Reading is the most effective way of increasing your vocabulary. Newspapers, magazines, novels, story books are a rich source of new words. Whenever you come across new words write them down in a separate note book. Look them up in a dictionary. Make sentences using those words and try to use them in your day to day conversations.

(b) Looking up words in dictionary:

Whenever you look up a word in a dictionary find out its word class whether it’s a noun, an adjective or a verb and also what are its other forms. Lets take the example of the word familiar . ‘familiar’ is an adjective, ‘to familiarize’ is a verb and ‘familiarity’ is a noun. Every part of speech has its own specific place in a sentence. So, if you know the different forms of a word you will be able to use it more effectively.

(c) Watch and Listen:

Programmes in English on television and radio are another source of words. They also provide us with the context so the words can easily be understood and mimicked in our day to day conversations.



The idea is that the more you use new words in your day to day conversations the better your active vocabulary becomes. So start off today and never be ashamed of making mistakes. Not knowing a language is not a crime. Its just a hurdle. You need to overcome it. Nothing more nothing less.



Written by Madhukar Dhiman. http://www.rosemounts.org/

Why Study English in India?

For international students willing to study English, India is fast becoming a popular destination. There are more speakers of English in India than in UK itself – the country of its origin! So for one there is no dearth of good English language teachers. Secondly, it is affordable and thirdly, students have the choice of mixing holidays with learning.



You call up your insurance company from America to fix up a problem and the chances are that your call is received by a person sitting in India! He is more than glad to offer you quick instructions in perfect English. At times you do not even realize that you just spoke to a person thousand of miles away from a Hindi speaking country. People are waking up to the fact that writers from India - Arunaditi Roy, Vikram Seth can win prizes for their writings in English. So be sure that when you decide to learn English in India you are in safe hands.


How much would a person shell out if he goes to UK for a few weeks to learn English? Take a wild guess – hmm – lets say, around 4000 thousand pounds and that does not include stay and meals! Well, its way cheaper to stay and study in India. You get the same level of teachers and you are given more personal attention. You get a comfortable bed and let me warn you the Indian food is addictive.


India also amazes you with its history, culture and the natural diversity. In fact, you name it and we have it. Its rich architecture seeped in folklores, the Himalayan range in the north and the Thar desert, the wild life sanctuaries – you will always have something to pick up from the menu.


In the past years air travel has become cheaper, faster and safer. But what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get moving. And don’t forget to keep me posted.


Written by: Madhukar Dhiman, Director Rose Mount's institute of English Language. http://www.rosemounts.org/

Speak English Better

Watch, Listen, Read, Speak
Ever wondered how you acquired your mother tongue! There was no magic and nobody sat down with you with loads of books to teach. You heard, watched people and one fine day everything just came to you. You were able to make simple sentences and successfully get your message across. Grammar and other technical aspects came much later.

Language needs environment to sprout, to grow. So sow the seeds today. Nothing can be more fun when both entertainment and learning can be fused. Start watching and listening English programmes on television and radio or maybe youtube. Watching is a great way to improve English language skills as its easier to understand while watching. There are lots of clues which the actors give away through gestures, facial expressions thereby helping you to understand the dialogues. Listening too improves your understanding by helping you learn new words and improve pronunciation.


Reading is a great way to acquire new words and improve grammar. And its fun too. Reading throws open up a whole new world. Its a constructive leisure activity. Initially it might be boring but when you come across topics which interest you then there is no looking back.


When you have acquired new words start throwing them around. Catch hold of your friend whose English is good and start testing his patience! Jokes apart, till the time you don’t practice you will not improve. So speak a lot.


The last piece of advice is – join a good English language Institute. Make sure that its teachers are well trained and lots of speaking activities are done in the class.


Email me at madhukar@rosemounts.org

IELTS SPEAKING

Speaking section in IELTS is an interview session where the examiner tests the students on their English fluency.

Speaking consists of three tasks:

Task I - Introduction Here the examiner asks questions pertaining to the student's personal life. Home, Work, College, Hobbies, Holiday, Sports, Free Time Time : 3-5 min Task II - Task Cards Here the student is given a specific task to speak on. Describe a Person, Book, Friend, Movies, Thing, Place Time : 1 min (preparation), 2 min (response), 1-2 min (followup question) Task III - Discussion Detailed conversation on the basis of Task Card given in Task II. Analysis, Possibilities, Oppinion, Cause and Effect Time : 3-4 min

Total Time : 11-14 min

Studetnts are assessed on: Fluency Range of Vocabulary Grammatical Sense Voice Modulation Coherence Pronounciation Expression

Useful tips on Speaking Next Week.

IELTS LISTENING

Useful Tips

1. Read the directions.
2. Read the keywords.
3. Underline them.
4. Be careful of the spelling.
5. Proper Nouns should begin with capital letters.
6. Synonyms are frequently used.
7. While writing dates, ordinal should be written.
8. Answers should have appropriate grammatical sense.
9. Do not exceed the word limit given in each section.
10. Spell-out words should be fully written in capitals.
11. Use symbols where words are not allowed.
12. Anticipate answer but only write after listening to the whole conversation of that particular question.
13. Time Management is very essential.
14. While transferring answers to answer sheets DO NOT be careless or in a hurry.
15. Handwriting has to be legible.

IELTS LISTENING : AN OVERVIEW

Total Time 30 mins* Listening Sections 4 Each section 10 questions Total Questions 40 Total Marks 40 * + 10 mins to transfer answers to an answer sheet. Section1 Conversation Section 1, 2 are based on social topics Section2 Monologue Section3 Conversation Section 3, 4 are academic Section4 Monologue Questions are in the form of : Objective Multiple Choice Sentence Completion Labeling a Diagram Notes/tables/forms/summary/flow charts questions Classification questions The students answer the questions as they listen. Sequence of the conversations and questions are same. 30 sec gap between sections gives the candidate time to read keywords. Keywords help to identify answers. Listen to complete conversation of each question before writing the final answer. Next week, check out for IELTS LISTENING USEFUL TIPS . . . .

Announcement

Fresh French Batch Level 1 (Alliance Francaise)starting first week of February.

Academic Writing : Grammar and Vocabulary

Avoiding Repetition

You will receive a higher mark if your writing uses a range of structures and vocabulary correctly rather than a limited number. For example, the candidate who writes:
The number of cases of X disease started at 50 in 1965 and then went up to 200 in 1970 and then went up to 500 in 1980 and then went down to zero in 1990.
will lose marks for being repetitive. You should therefore practise writing reports using a wide variety of terms to describe the different movements in the graphs and different structures to vary your writing.


Describing Trends


Trends are changes or movements. These changes are normally expressed in numeric items, for example, population, production volumes or unemployment. There are three basic trends:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expressing Movement: Nouns and Verbs
For each trend there are a number of verbs and nouns to express the movement. We can use a verb of change, for example:
Unemployment levels fell
Or we can use a related noun, for example:
There was a fall in unemployment levels

Direction	Verbs	Nouns
	Rose (to) Increased (to) Went up (to) Climbed (to) Boomed	A rise An increase Growth An upward trend A boom (a dramatic rise)
	Fell (to) Declined (to) Decreased (to) Dipped (to) Dropped (to) Went down (to) Slumped (to) Reduced (to)	A decrease A decline A fall A drop A slump (a dramatic fall) A reduction
	Levelled out (at) Did not change Remained stable (at) Remained steady (at) Stayed constant (at) Maintained the same level	A levelling out No change
	Fluctuated (around) Peaked (at) Plateaued (at) Stood at (we use this phrase to focus on a particular point, before we mention the movement, for example: In the first year, unemployment stood at … )	A fluctuation Reached a peak (of) Reached at plateau (at)

 Describing the movement: Adjectives and Adverbs



Sometimes we need to give more information about a trend as follows:
There has been a slight increase in the value of the dollar
(degree of change)
Unemployment fell rapidly last year (the speed of change)
Remember that we modify a noun with an adjective (a slight increase)
and a verb with an adverb (to increase slightly).

IELTS Writing Topics

Essay Topics

1. In what ways has information technology changed work and working practices in the past 10 years?
   
   
2. We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in businesses, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes. What things will they be used for in the future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?
3. To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?
4. Forests are the lungs of the earth. Destruction of the world’s forests amounts to death of the world we currently know. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
5. To what extent should economic planning be influenced by the need of environmental conservation?
6. The idea of going overseas for university study is an exciting prospect, for many people. But while it may offer some advantages, it is probably better to stay home because of the difficulties a student inevitably encounters living and studying in a different culture. To what extent do you agree or disagree  this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
7. Education is recognized as vital to the future of any society in today’s world. Governments throughout the world should make education compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 15. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
8. Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it a responsibility of the governments of poorer nations, to look after their citizens themselves?
9. Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it a responsibility of the governments of poorer nations to look after their cit
   izens themselves?
10. The rising levels of congestion and air pollution found in most of the world cities can be attributed directly ,to the rapidly increasing number of private cars in use. Discuss possible ways to encourage the use of public transport.
11. The mass media, including TV, radio and newspapers, have great influence in shaping people’s ideas. To what extent do you agree or disagree this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
12. Should rich countries pay more for environmental damage?
13. Are famous people treated unfairly by the media ? Should they be given more privacy, or is the price of their fame an invasion into their private lives?
14. Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when technology was simpler?
15. Will modern technology, such as the internet, ever replace the book or the written word as the main source of information?
16. If children behave badly ,should their parents accept responsibility and also be punished?
17. Tourism is becoming increasingly important as a source of revenue to many countries, but its disadvantages should not be overlooked. What are some of the problems of tourism?
18. News editors decide what to broadcast on TV and what to print in newspapers. What factors do you think influence their decisions?
19. To what extent should universities function as training grounds for employment?
20. Does travel  help to promote understanding and communication between countries?
    
    

Letter Writing Topics

1. Letter to an important personality telling him that you have given his name & reference.
2. Letter to a postmaster complaining about non delivery of money order.
3. Letter from  an employee to his employer for leave of absence.
4. Letter to a credit card company complaining about fraudulent charges in your credit card.
5. Letter to the manager of the bank of change of  address.
6. Letter from the  manager  confirming the services of an employee.
7. Enquiring about a vacancy in a commercial firm.
8. Letter to local residents on the formation of a recreational club.
9. Your friend has just given birth to a baby boy. Write a letter to her congratulating her on the birth of a son.
10. Letter from a principal to a parent about her child’s poor performance in his examination.

Daily Meditation

"Every job is a self-potrait of the person who did it.Autograph your work with excellence."

Daily Meditation

"It's amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit."

Daily Meditation

“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.”

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IELTS AND TOEFL iBT

TOEFL iBT - Test of English as a Foreign Language

IELTS - International English Language Testing System

1. TOEFL is conducted by ETS (United States of America) whereas IELTS is conducted by University of Cambridge UK.
2. Both TOEFL and IELTS test English.

VERSION -
TOEFL iBT has only one version i.e Academic English
IELTS has two versions :

1. Academic
2. General

ACCEPTANCE -

TOEFL is generally required in American Universities (It is now accepted by other countries as well).
IELTS is accepted in U.K. , Australia and other commonwealth countries.

RATING -

TOEFL - 0-4, total of rating converted to 120 score scale.
IELTS - 9 band.
  

LENGTH -

TOEFL - 4 hrs.
IELTS - 2 hrs, 45min.

METHOD -

TOEFL - Internet Based Test (IBT)
IELTS - Pen and Paper test

CONTENT -

TOEFL Speaking- (20min) - 6 tasks

• 2 independent tasks
• 4 integrated tasks (listen and write answers as you go along, 45-60 min speaking time)
• Recorded on the computer using headphones

IELTS Speaking- (11-14 min) - 3 tasks

• 1st task Introduction (warm up)
• 2nd task cards
• 3rd general discussion based on task cards
• Interactive session with the examiner

TOEFL LISTENING-(60-90 min)

• 4-6 lectures, 6 question each
• 2-3 conversations, 5 questions each
• Answers are multiple choices only
• Attempted after you have finished listening a lecture/conversation

IELTS LISTENING (30+10 min)

• 4 sections, 10 questions each
• Answers are written as you are listening

TOEFL Reading (60- 90 min)

• 3-5 passages,12-14 question each(level of difficulty remains same, only multiple choice)

IELTS Reading (1 hour)

• General-4 sections

TOEFL Writing (50 min)

• 1 integrated task (answer based on reading and listening on a topic in 20 min.)
• 1 independent task (essay on one topic in 30 min .)

IELTS Writing-(1 hour)

General

• letter (20 min.)
• an essay (40 min)

Academic

• graph (20 min.)
• an essay (40 min.) .

Daily Meditation

"What comes out of you when you are squeezed is what is inside you."

Daily Meditation

"Every thought you release becomes a permanent part of your character." 

Announcement

La Trobe University, Australia ANNOUNCES  
50% scholarship for 2010 at Under Graduate and Post Graduate Programmes.

For information on how to apply, eligibility and more, please visit  
Rose Mount's Institute of English Language 
or email us at info@rosemounts.org or call us at 91 135 2622585 

IELTS Overview

What is IELTS?

IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is the language of communication.

IELTS is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP: IELTS Australia. IELTS conforms to the highest international standards of language assessmen01t covers the four language skills ­listening, reading, writing and speaking.

IELTS is recognised by universities and employers in many countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. It is also recognised by professional bodies, immigration authorities and other government agencies. Please refer to a full list of recognising organisations on the IELTS website www.ielts.org

IELTS is not recommended for candidates under the age of 16.

Academic and General Training

IELTS is available in two formats - Academic and General Training. The Academic Module assesses whether a candidate is ready to study or train in the medium of English at an undergraduate or postgraduate level. Admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses should be based on the results of this module.

The General Training Module emphasises language skills in broad social and workplace contexts. It is suitable for candidates who are going to migrate to an English-speaking country, for example, to Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the UK. It is also suitable for candidates planning to undertake work experience or training programmes not at degree level, or to complete their secondary education. The General Training Module is not designed to test the full range of formal language skills required for academic purposes.

If in doubt about which module to take, contact the organisation to which you are applying for their requirements.

Announcement

Fresh French batch starting from 2nd week of January. All our courses are affiliated to Alliance Francaise (French Government). So you get an internationally recognized certification.

Daily Meditation

“The difference between school and life? 
In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. 
In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.”