notes
An Idea About Vocabulary Notes
Here is an idea about taking vocabulary notes. I am taking notes like this to study Japanese and I think it might be useful to some of you who read this blog.
How to Take Lecture Notes
This week it’s Campus Week at Get Great English. I know the term hasn’t started yet but think of it as a little time to prepare before packing bags, unpacking, moving into halls of residence or a flat.
When you are at university you need to take lecture notes. This is something you can practise online with video lectures (about your field of study or some elective courses you might take) so you develop the skills you need before you start university.
Practise Grammar Using Your To-Do List
I have written before about using your to-do list as a way to practise English but why not use your to-do list for more repetitive grammar study? You could use this system for present perfect tense, modals and contrasting the simple future, present continuous and simple past tenses.
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Present Perfect Tense
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Modals
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Contrasting Simple Future, Present Continuous and Simple Past Tenses
Simply add the item to your list in a negative present-perfect sentence. e.g. ‘I haven’t done my homework.’
When it is finished, can write a new note in the positive form. (I know you could simply cross out the negative part, i.e. ‘I haven’t done my homework.‘, but you can get more practice by writing a new note.)
You can practice modals by writing a sentence such as ‘I should do my homework.’
As your deadline gets nearer, write a stronger modal, like ‘I must do my homework.’
If you have any incomplete items, write another note, such as ‘I had to do my homework but I didn’t.’
This is similar to the modals example. For new items, write a future tense note (both ‘will’ and ‘going to’ are fine but obviously not together). e.g. ‘I will do my homework.’
Any incomplete tasks can be written in present continuous tense. e.g. ‘I am doing my homework.’
Any finished tasks can be written in simple past tense, such as ‘I did my homework.’ or ‘I finished my homework.’
I hope this is useful. If you like this post, why not share it on Facebook or other social media using the buttons below.
Using Web Apps for Study
Since I became a teacher I have been interested in how people use technology to help them study. When I was setting up this website and the social media that I use to let people know about it, I found some interesting ways to use Pinterest and Evernote for language study.
Use Pinterest as a Picture Dictionary
Some people use Pinterest as a visual dictionary. This is an interesting way to study vocabulary and helps you to study by remembering words with pictures even if you can’t draw.
If you use Pinterest, you should follow my English pinboard.
Use Evernote as your Internet Notebook
If you use Evernote, you can take photographs of paper notes, posters and signs and search for the text in the photographs. You can also add web pages, emails, document files and audio. It syncs between devices easily. There is a post on the Evernote blog about how to use it to study in more detail here.
Why not join Evernote by clicking here.