Help this library grow. We’d particularly like to see more: TOEFL resources PTE Academic Password.

ESP resources – academic English (EAP) teaching resources

Here's a list of latest additions to the Academic English library.

> More about accessing these resources

174.4 k 174.4 k 78.8 k Topical lesson: Health & Science (28/06/2010) Related resources: Reading | Topical resource [The Week] | Academic English | Topical lessons: sciences The 'Health & Science' feature from p19 of The Week magazine and accompanying lesson. Includes predicting the content and giving oral and written summaries. Especially useful for students on pre-sessional EAP courses. The PDF is the magazine page. B1 | B2

132.0 k 91.8 k 74.2 k Topical lesson: Health & Science (07/05/2010) Related resources: Reading | Topical resource [The Week] | Academic English | Topical lessons: sciences The 'Health & Science' feature from p18 of The Week magazine and accompanying lesson. The lesson is geared towards students who need academic skills. It practises note-taking and summarising semi-technical scientific texts, but also includes freer discussion. The first PDF is the magazine page. B1 | B2

62.2 k 47.6 k 3.6 k Expectancy theory (27/04/2010) Related resources: Reading | Academic English | Business English An extract from an authentic university text on theories of motivation. Ideal for managers, human resources managers or people studying these subjects. The Flash file is an interactive version of task D (ranking). B1

89.3 k 59.4 k The four Es of performance measurement (22/02/2010) Related resources: Reading | Academic English | Business English | Academic reading An extract from an authentic MBA report forms the basis for this worksheet. Students identify the genre, answer comprehension questions, work on vocabulary and have plenty of opportunity for discussion. Suitable for managers and students of business English. B2 | C1 | C2

35.5 k 58.4 k 2.4 k 2.4 k The passive voice (08/02/2010) Related resources: Grammar | Academic English | Academic grammar A systematic resource on why the passive is used and how it is formed in the different tenses. Refers to a variety of academic contexts. B2 | C1 | C2

279.7 k 53.5 k 91.6 k Topical Lesson: North Korea's tricks are growing stale (23/11/2009) Related resources: Reading | Topical resource [The Week] | Academic English | Topical lessons: politics The 'Best articles: Foreign' feature from p16 of The Week magazine and accompanying lesson. Includes: reading to check expectations, comprehension questions, guessing vocabulary from context, class discussion and rewriting the article from a different viewpoint. The first PDF is the magazine page. C1 | C2

40.6 k 97.3 k 3.6 k 'I'll see you tomorrow,' she said. (30/06/2009) Related resources: Grammar | Academic English | Academic grammar A systematic guide to using indirect speech to report what was said previously, to challenge speakers and to check understanding of a presentation. Uses both non-academic and academic contexts (global warming). The interactive snap game practises the change in time expressions between direct and indirect speech. B2 | C1 | C2

34.8 k 69.6 k 'The people' or just 'people'? (30/06/2009) Related resources: Grammar | Academic English | Academic grammar A step by step guide to using the definite, indefinite and zero articles to distinguish between generalisations and specific statements. Also examines the use of articles with country names. B2 | C1

24.0 k 38.4 k 3.5 k Tense use in written assignments (22/06/2009) Related resources: Grammar | Academic English | Academic grammar Looking at examples from an assignment on teenage drinking, students analyse which tenses are typically used in which sections of an academic essay and what functions they fulfil. The interactive sequencing tasks can be used as consolidation. B1 | B2

28.2 k 35.3 k 3.6 k Summarising points of view (12/05/2009) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Critical thinking Students brainstorm some everyday problems, try to reach a group consensus about what to do, learn and use some expressions for summing up that point of view, then continue the discussion as a whole class. B1 | B2 | C1

35.2 k 86.5 k Considering the consequences of decisions (12/05/2009) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Critical thinking A resource that encourages critical thinking about everyday and economic decisions. Students are guided step by step through who is affected, in what way, and what the long-term consequences could be. Could be used with students in any subject, but would be most suitable for business studies, economics or politics students. B2 | C1 | C2

30.2 k 43.0 k Evaluating your problem-tackling skills (12/05/2009) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Critical thinking Students assess their ability to discuss problems in English and reflect on ways in which they could improve. B2 | C1 | C2

27.7 k 43.5 k 3.8 k Challenging other people's views (11/05/2009) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Critical thinking Students practise challenging other people's opinions and their own in direct and more polite ways. Includes interactive Syntex activities for students to rearrange words and punctuation into the correct order. B1 | B2

60.4 k 1,364.3 k 69.6 k 59.0 k Topical lesson: The “terrorist plot”: another police fiasco? (07/05/2009) Related resources: Reading | Topical resource [The Week] | Academic English | Topical lessons: crime and law The 'Talking Points' feature on p19 of The Week magazine and accompanying lesson. Focuses on identifying and presenting arguments, the use of quotations as well as providing speaking and writing practice. The second PDF is the magazine page. The Flash file is a whizzy (T/F) version of task 3. B2 | C1

51.0 k 70.7 k Listening to lectures 1: anticipating the content (11/02/2009) Related resources: Listening | Vocabulary | Academic English | Academic listening This resource helps learners to predict the content of a lecture from the title and to anticipate the vocabulary they may hear. B2 | C1 | C2

56.6 k 81.4 k 3.6 k 412.1 k 848.0 k Listening to lectures 2: understanding a lecturer's signals (11/02/2009) Related resources: Speaking | Listening | Vocabulary | Academic English | Academic listening Learners pool their previous knowledge of signpost phrases, study some more, listen to examples of how they can be employed in an introduction and in a main section of a talk, then practise using them in their own introductions and sections. There is an interactive version of task 2 (Matching). The MP4s are audio files. B2 | C1 | C2

49.2 k 57.9 k 594.0 k 578.7 k 645.2 k 262.5 k Listening to lectures 3: to write or not to write? (11/02/2009) Related resources: Listening | Writing | Academic English | Academic listening This resource helps learners to decide when to take notes and when not to. They are encouraged to take notes when particular signals are given, when a point is repeated, and when the lecturer speaks more loudly/slowly. The MP4s are audio files. C1 | C2

54.2 k 81.4 k 1,693.4 k Listening to lectures 4: note-taking 'shorthand' (11/02/2009) Related resources: Listening | Writing | Academic English | Academic listening Learners work on a variety of techniques to take down the main points of a lecture: omission, grammatical simplification and symbols. The MP4 is the audio file. C1 | C2

64.0 k 118.8 k Listening to lectures 5: rewriting notes (11/02/2009) Related resources: Reading | Writing | Academic English | Academic listening Learners identify which notes are irrelevant and why then rewrite them in linear form instead of spider diagrams. They also get the chance to invent a lecture title and write their own notes for it. C1 | C2

65.0 k 58.4 k Seminar skills extra: making presentations memorable (03/02/2009) Related resources: Speaking | Pronunciation | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps learners to make a striking opening to their seminars through use of generalisation, killer facts, unconventional points of view, sentence stress and intonation. C1 | C2

43.3 k 33.8 k Seminar skills 1: making a contribution (15/12/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps learners to formulate and express opinions in larger and larger groups. Very useful for reticent EAP students! B2 | C1 | C2

43.7 k 42.5 k 3.6 k Seminar skills 2: preparing a presentation (15/12/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps students to devise an appropriate title and to prepare a seminar systematically. There is an interactive version of task 3 (Sequencing). C1 | C2

54.6 k 58.9 k 3.6 k Seminar skills 3: considering different perspectives (15/12/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps students to formulate considered opinions, to see things from different perspectives, and to see flaws in arguments. Includes a useful table for analysing perspectives in written or spoken texts. There is an interactive version of task 5 (T/F). C1 | C2

47.2 k 49.7 k Seminar skills 4: weighing up arguments (15/12/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps learners to judge the weight of various points that can be used in an argument. Students are helped to develop a stance and justify it. C1 | C2

53.1 k 41.0 k Seminar skills 5: answering questions (15/12/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps students to deal with standard, difficult and irrelevant questions and to use tentative language in their answers. C1 | C2

48.6 k 55.3 k 3.6 k 984.6 k Seminar skills 6: delivery (15/12/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Pronunciation | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps students give a presentation using the appropriate body language, volume, speed, and signpost phrases. Should also raise some laughs as students direct their teacher like a remote-controlled puppet! There is an interactive version of task 6 (Matching). The MP4 is the audio file. C1 | C2

45.1 k 40.4 k Seminar skills extra: developing confidence (15/12/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Academic English | Seminar skills This resource helps students to prepare for seminars step by step. It builds their confidence through small-group work and positive feedback. C1 | C2

75.8 k 48.6 k 6.1 k Academic writing 8: references and bibliographies (27/10/2008) Related resources: Writing | Academic English | Academic writing Students work on paraphrase and quotation and learn how to order and format items in a bibliography. There is an interactive Notebook version of task 2. B2 | C1 | C2

64.7 k 43.0 k [IELTS] Academic writing 7: impressing the marker (27/10/2008) Related resources: Writing | Academic English | Academic writing This resource helps learners to realise the impression they make on the marker and how to improve that impression. B2 | C1 | C2

58.9 k 44.0 k [IELTS] Academic writing 6: editing and proofreading (27/10/2008) Related resources: Writing | Academic English | Academic writing This resource helps learners to become aware of both micro and macro errors in a script and to rewrite the script without such errors. The topics are reality TV and social networking sites. B2 | C1

64.2 k 40.4 k [IELTS] Academic writing 5: accuracy (27/10/2008) Related resources: Writing | Grammar | Academic English | Academic writing This resource encourages learners to be aware of, and to correct, the grammatical errors they make. B2 | C1 | C2

59.3 k 49.2 k [IELTS] Academic writing 4: the main body of the assignment (27/10/2008) Related resources: Writing | Academic English | Academic writing Thie resource helps learners to consider how the main body of an assignment can be organised into different sections, and to understand how these sections can be organised into paragraphs. Finally, learners have the chance to write about the advantages and disadvantages of living in the UK. B2 | C1 | C2

57.8 k 48.1 k 58.8 k [IELTS] Academic writing 3: the introduction and conclusion (27/10/2008) Related resources: Writing | Academic English | Academic writing This resource helps learners to understand the essential components of introductions and conclusions. They also have the chance to plan and write their own effective introductions and conclusions in the context of topical economics and finance issues. The interactive task is a T/F version of task 2. B2 | C1 | C2

53.8 k 47.6 k [IELTS] Academic writing 2: planning and cohesion (27/10/2008) Related resources: Writing | Academic English | Academic writing This resource helps learners to understand what a plan should consist of and also gives them practice in writing a plan. The context is modern world political history and economics. B2 | C1 | C2

54.6 k 38.9 k 15.4 k [IELTS] Academic writing 1: gathering ideas (27/10/2008) Related resources: Speaking | Writing | Academic English | IELTS | Academic writing This resource helps learners to become aware of a) their strengths and weaknesses in academic writing and to b) the processes involved in writing an academic assignment. It draws on learners' life experience rather than on any specific academic discipline. There are interactive versions of tasks 1 and 2 (Ranking and Sequencing). B2 | C1 | C2

16.4 k 42.5 k [IELTS] Intro to IELTS - Running dictation (16/06/2008) Related resources: Reading | Writing | Academic English | Exam format A lively activity that gives an overview of the tasks involved in the IELTS exam. May be used as a webquest or simply as a starting point for discussing what students already know about the exam. B2 | C1 | C2

18.8 k 68.6 k 16.2 k [IELTS] Creating a contrast (15/04/2008) Related resources: Grammar | Vocabulary | Academic English | Connectors This resource encourages students to see patterns in the use of different linkers and then to compose their own sentences using the appropriate patterns. Useful for IELTS and when studying any subject. The questions in exercise 4 are also available here as Syntex whizzies. B2 | C1

18.4 k 57.3 k [IELTS] Opinion linkers (15/04/2008) Related resources: Grammar | Vocabulary | Academic English | Connectors This resource encourages students to see patterns in the use of different linkers and then to compose their own sentences using the appropriate patterns. Useful for IELTS and when studying any subject. Could be extended into an essay-writing activity or class debate. B1 | B2 | C1

17.2 k 53.8 k [IELTS] Criticising other opinions (08/04/2008) Related resources: Grammar | Vocabulary | Academic English | Connectors This resource encourages students to see patterns in the use of different linkers and then to compose their own sentences using the appropriate patterns. Useful for IELTS and when studying any subject. C1

21.4 k 78.3 k 44.2 k [IELTS] Drawing conclusions (11/03/2008) Related resources: Grammar | Vocabulary | Academic English | Connectors This resource is intended to help IELTS students to finish their written papers with a flourish, thereby making a positive impression on the examiner! There is an interactive version of task two (Matching). C1

65.1 k 80.4 k [IELTS] Comparing things (21/02/2008) Related resources: Grammar | Academic English | Connectors Encourages recognition of patterns in the use of linkers and allows students to practise using them in their own sentences. C1

18.1 k 55.8 k [IELTS] Giving examples (21/02/2008) Related resources: Grammar | Academic English | Connectors Encourages students to see patterns in the use of different linkers and then to compose their own sentences using the appropriate patterns. C1

19.5 k 65.5 k [IELTS] Dividing things up (21/02/2008) Related resources: Vocabulary | Academic English | Connectors This resource encourages students to see patterns in the use of different linkers and then to compose their own sentences using the appropriate patterns. C1

13.4 k 48.1 k [IELTS] Explaining what you mean (21/02/2008) Related resources: Grammar | Vocabulary | Academic English | Connectors A worksheet that explores the use of different linkers used for explanation. Helpful for IELTS or EAP more generally. C1