Celta Pre Interview Task

English grammar and usage issues

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peroxwhygen
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Celta Pre Interview Task

Unread post by peroxwhygen »

Good afternoon, I have applied for the CELTA course at my local college in Ireland. I have an interview on Friday morning and I have to complete a pre-interview task and bring it with me.

I was wondering if someone could correct my answers and give me some feedback. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. Write a sentence giving an example of each of the following tenses.

a) Present Simple: I like sunny days.
b) Present Continuous: He's learning Japanese.
c) Present Perfect Simple: I've been to Australia.
d) Present Perfect Continuous: He's been waiting for over two hours.
e) Past Simple: He went to Paris last week.
f) Past Perfect Simple: I'd just finished work.
g) Past Perfect Continuous: He'd been waiting for over two hours when he finally arrived.
h) Future Simple: I'll meet you at the train station tomorrow.
i) Future Continuous: I'll be cooking dinner when you arrive.
j) Future Perfect Simple: I will have finished by 10pm.
k) Past Simple Passive: The window was broken
L) Present Perfect Simple Passive: She has recently been given money.

2. What would you say to a student who asked you the difference in meaning between these pairs of sentences? Identify the verb form and explain the difference in meaning.

a) He's always combing his hair (Present Continuous)
He always combs his hair. (Present Simple)

The Difference in meaning is that the first sentence implies that he's currently combing his hair at that time and has not finished. The second sentence is a general statement based on past observations.

b) She speaks Spanish. (Present Simple)
She's speaking Spanish (Present Continuous)

The difference in meaning is that the first sentence is a general statement providing information; the second sentence implies that the person is currently speaking Spanish at that time and has not finished.

c) I had breakfast this morning. (Past Perfect)
I've had breakfast this morning. (Present Perfect)

In the first sentence the verb form is past simple. In the second sentence the verb form is past perfect. I'm not sure what the difference is?

d) She stopped to listen to the music.
She stopped listening to the music.

I'm not sure about this one either, I know the difference, but explaining it is a problem.


3. Look at the following words and decide which syllable carries the main stress. Mark the words accordingly.

a) Photographer Photographer
b) Photographic Photographic
c) Politics Politics
d) Advertisement Advertisement
e) Objective Objective
f) Advise Advise
g) Practical Practical
h) Investment Investment
i) Intoxication Intoxication


4. The Following Modal verbs perform a specific language function (e.g. giving advice, making complaints, asking for permission etc.) state the use of the modal verbs underlined in the following sentences.

a) You must stay at home. Necessity
You must have left it at home. Certainty
You really must come round for a drink sometime. Strong recommendation

b) I'll (I will) help you with the washing up. Voluntary Action
I'll (I will) see you tomorrow. Prediction
I won't tell anyone. Promise

c) He should be on the train by now. Expectation
You should take an aspirin. Advice
systematic
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Re: Celta Pre Interview Task

Unread post by systematic »

You'll do just fine Peroxy. The irony is that you should not be expected to know this stuff before studying to be a TEFL teacher. The examples you list are probably already beyond the comprehension of the average pre-CELTA interviewer. Just be careful not to embarrass him/her with your knowledge.

BTW: Since when was there ever a 'pre CELTA' interview? Check that the organisation is genuinely authorised by Cambridge to dispense their course.

.
SunShine
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Re: Celta Pre Interview Task

Unread post by SunShine »

I noticed a couple of mistakes, here are two:

Past Perfect Simple: I'd just finished work. Should be I have just finished work.

She stopped to listen to the music = she stopped whatever she was doing to listen.
She stopped listening to the music= she didn't listen any more.

Two total opposites. There were other things, too, but your posting was too long to copy so I cannot remember them. Something to do with the explanations for modal verbs, I didn't quite agree.

If there had been a compulsory pre-task for my course, I would have failed and not gone. I think any school that takes any Tom Dick or Harry straight from the street is a con. That's what happened to me, the DOS was found to be a conman, tricking people. I complained to the Moderator, they removed him from their list.
gec
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Re: Celta Pre Interview Task

Unread post by gec »

systematic wrote:BTW: Since when was there ever a 'pre CELTA' interview? Check that the organisation is genuinely authorised by Cambridge to dispense their course..
I believe that there is ALWAYS a pre-course interview. The worst thing possible is that someone completely inappropriate starts the course and drops out after a week, demanding a refund. The interview maybe weans out a few nutters or people who think it the whole thing is a formality with a guaranteed certificate at the end!
gec
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Joined: 04 Mar 2009, 11:05

Re: Celta Pre Interview Task

Unread post by gec »

SunShine wrote:Past Perfect Simple: I'd just finished work. Should be I have just finished work.
If there had been a compulsory pre-task for my course, I would have failed and not gone.
Actually the OP is correct here and not SunShine :oops: - "I'd just finished work" IS the past perfect simple (had + past participle). Your example is the present perfect simple ('have' + past participle).
However to improve the sentence it needs more info, such as:
I'd just finished work when the doorbell rang. (one event happened before another in the past).
But I agree, you'll be just fine. You clearly have a perfectly good grasp of grammar for pre-CELTA. You'll learn more during the course, as well as in your teaching post-CELTA.
The pre-course tasks are not a waste of time (although they are probably not compulsory). They get you thinking about your own language, how you use it, pronunciation etc. which is invaluable once the course starts. I did mine on the 8 hour train journey to my course so it was fresh in my head when I arrived.
peroxwhygen
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Joined: 02 Mar 2009, 16:30

Re: Celta Pre Interview Task

Unread post by peroxwhygen »

Thank you for all your comments, they're very much appreciated! Hopefully all goes well on Friday :D
SunShine
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Joined: 13 Nov 2008, 17:55

Re: Celta Pre Interview Task

Unread post by SunShine »

Sorry, of course, I had the tense wrong. There was so much stuff in that posting, read it wrong. I hope it didn't cause too much confusion.

But you are right, a pre-course interview determines the level of knowledge and understanding. On my course the DOS's wife stated that of course my husband would have passed. Well, he wouldn't but they'd be financially better off. We were told straight away, no refunds available.
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