CELTA

pre-interview task 2018

Answer Sheet

SECTION A
1. j
2. d
3. a
4. b
5. k
6. h
7. e
8. j

SECTION B
a) News
i. When something noteworthy happens, the event is usually broadcasted via television, radio, internet,
etc. It can also denote an information that wasn’t previously known.
ii. Have you heard the news? The royal couple is having another baby!
iii. To fully understand this word, learners need to be familiar with nouns and the informal use of
language.

b) Look something up
i. When you are not sure about something and search for information about the subject.
ii. If you’re not sure about the meaning of this word, just look it up on the dictionary.
iii. In order to understand this expression, the learners would need to be familiar with phrasal verbs and
informal language.

e) Sheep
i. Sheep are animal with soft, white wool that are often guarded by herding dogs. In fairytales and
fables, they are often portrayed as innocent prey for wolves. Calling someone a sheep would also imply
that said person has no capability of leading the party, following someone else instead.
ii. When I’m not able to sleep, I resort to counting sheep.
iii. To comprehend the meaning of this word, the learners would need to have basic knowledge of
nouns. Familiarity with idioms such as ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’ would also help.

f) While
i. The word ‘while’ has many different ways in which it can be used. It can represent different lengths of
time depending on the context. It can act as a conjunction, joining two clauses together. It can also be
used to imply that an event occurred simultaneously to another one, as well as suggest the idea of
opposition.
ii. I haven’t seen her in a while. = in a long time
While this pen was expensive, it’s not very good. = Although/Even though
Don’t talk while you’re chewing! = At the same time
iii. To better understand the many uses of ‘while’, the learner must know about concepts of time and
subordinating conjunction.


SECTION C
1) In the first sentence, the word ‘could’ expresses the idea of possibility. Meaning there’s a chance that
the person might be late for their meeting on the next day. In the second sentence, ‘could’ implies an
ability. Suggesting that the person was able to ride a bike by the age of five.

To explain the meaning of the word ‘could’ on the first sentence, I would draw a picture of a person
rushing to leave his house for a meeting and stress that said person may or may not arrive on time.
Then, I would draw a picture of a child riding a bicycle and tell my students that, in the second sentence,
‘could’ suggests an ability.

2) In the top phrase, it is implied that Patricia resided in Recife for a period of seven years before moving
somewhere else. Whereas the bottom sentence implies that Patricia has lived in Recife for seven years
and still does.

To explain the difference between the two sentences, I would show them two pictures side by side. One
of them showing Patricia living in another city, and the second one would show Patricia in her home in
Recife, stating that she has been there for 7 years and counting.

3) In the first sentence, ‘should’ is used to indicate what’s probable. In the second sentence however, it
is used to give an advice.

To teach the difference between the two, I would give the following example. Someone left their home
at 10:00 to go to the airport, and it usually takes about 20 minutes to get there. It’s now 10:30, which
means that, chances are, they already arrived at their destination. Then, to illustrate the second
sentence,, I would draw a picture of someone looking disapprovingly at a friend, and suggesting that
they quit smoking.

4) In the first sentence, ‘used to’ expresses something that happened in the past, but is no longer
happening. In the second sentence, ‘used to’ means that the person has grown accustomed to
something over time.

To teach the difference between the two, I would draw a picture of a woman looking rather tired in the
early morning, surrounded by her small children, then next to it I would add a panel fast forwarding it a
few years, where the woman is soundly asleep. To explain the second sentence, I would show them the
first draw again, but this turn, the progression of time would be much slower, showing the mother
growing accustomed to waking up early everyday.


SECTION D
1)
i. I WOULD like to invite you to my party.
ii. In this sentence, the expression ‘would like’ is used to express one’s wishes.

2)
i. I visited Washington two years ago.
ii. This sentence uses the past simple tense, describing an event that occurred 2 years prior. Thus, it does
not require the word ‘have’ before the verb.

3)
i. I was very upset when I saw that my car had been DAMAGED.
ii. Generally, the word ‘injury’ is more commonly applied when a person is hurt. Whereas ‘damage’ is
usually used when objects and non-living things are harmed.

4)
i. Who went with you to the cinema last night?
ii. The preposition ‘with’ comes after the subject and verb, followed by a noun.

5)
i. (Husband to wife): “Take a note please darling. For starters, I’ll have some vegetable soup, and for
main course I’ll have a steak – medium rare if you don’t mind.”
ii. In this sentence, the word ‘and’ acts as a conjunction, joining two independent clauses and thus
requiring a comma before it.

SECTION E
1)
i. “I am sorry I can’t cook dinner on Thursday evening.”
“I am sorry I can’t cook dinner on Thursday evening.”
“I am sorry I can’t cook dinner on Thursday evening.”

ii. In the first sentence, when the word ‘sorry’ is stressed, it gives an impression that the speaker is not
truly apologetic, but is actually being sarcastic.
In the second example, where the word ‘cook’ is stressed, it is implied that the speaker won’t be able
to make the food, but could find another way to get it, like buying it.
In the last sentence, where the stressed word is ‘evening’, it is suggested that the speaker won’t be
able to cook during that time, but could possibly do it if it were at some other time.

SECTION F
1 ) After graduating High School, things haven’t been exactly easy for me. I felt the weight of the world
leaning on my shoulders as I struggled to decide my next step. Out of pressure, I went on to take a
Japanese/English course that lasted for 2 years. It proved to be a real challenge, but ultimately it
inspired me to choose the path I’ve always known I wanted to take. I wanted to teach English. Except, I
had no idea where to start.
After working for a year and a half in a position I knew I wasn’t cut out for, I decided to take some time
to clear my mind. Then, coincidentally, I met a person who took the CELTA course and is now teaching in
Japan. His story was very similar to mine, everything he described sounded exactly like all my
aspirations. That’s why I chose to take this course. In the hopes that this will be what it takes to finally
realize my dream of becoming an English teacher.

171 words

2 ) This essay will focus on my personal experience with the people who made me realize my full
potential. In the following paragraphs, I will describe in fine detail my experience as an English learner,
and how my life was shaped by the wonderful people who taught me throughout my life.
Almost seventeen years ago, I was introduced to a whole new world. I was five when I went to Canada
accompanied by my mother and younger bother. Having lived in Japan up until that point, I hadn’t really
been aware that there were other languages besides Japanese and Portuguese, so I marveled at the way
those people spoke English, it sounded so foreign to my ears. I absolutely loved it!
There, I had my first experience learning English for the brief time I stayed with my aunt, my very first
English teacher. She taught me the basics so I would be able to communicate with my cousins, who
hadn’t quite mastered Portuguese yet, at the time.
My aunt was nothing but patient with me as I struggled to pronounce my words. She never once made
me feel embarrassed for making mistakes, and would repeat herself as many times as I needed it. She
was the one who encouraged me to keep practicing English even after I went back to Japan, and for that
I will always be grateful.
As the years went by, I continued to study by myself, resorting to online classes found on Youtube and
listening to the same songs, over and over, until I knew all the words by heart. At
fourteen, I met a group of Mormon missionaries who volunteered to teach English once a week near my
school. That was the opportunity I needed to practice my English with other people in the same position
as me. In 3 years, I had more teachers than I can count on my fingers. The missionaries had a rotatory
system that meat that, every 3 weeks, they would be relocated to another city. Although the time with
them was short, I will never forget what each of these people did for me.
After graduating High School, I went on to a vocational school that allowed me to improve both my
Japanese and English skills. At this institution, I had the greatest teachers I could’ve asked for. Some of
them I have become friends with, and although they were all amazing people, one teacher specifically
holds a very special place in my heart. He was the one who helped me realize my true potential, forcing
me to step out of my comfort zone and face my fears. Thanks to him, I now want to become a teacher
myself, so that one day I can inspire someone, like he inspired me.
In conclusion, what makes a teacher special cannot be measured solely by their ability to teach, but also
by the way they bond with their students. Some teachers stay with you for years, while others may only
stay for a couple weeks, but be remembered just as fondly

509 words.