Flueta English Academy

May the Christmas message of hope
Permeate your heart and home
And be the reason you celebrate
With precious family and friends —
And may a fresh expectation
For the New Year and all it holds,
Cause you to rejoice in God's goodness
And fill you with Love, Joy and Peace.

Idiom

Zero-sum game

Meaning

A zero-sum game is a situation in which any gain by one side or person is at the expense of a loss to another side or person involved in the situation.

For example

The stock market has become a giant zero-sum game in which one investor gains what another investor loses.

In a zero-sun game, if you add the total gains of the participants and the total losses of the participants, the sum will always be zero.

Origin: From game theory, a branch of applied mathematics that is used in the social sciences, especially economics.

Variety

This idiom is typically used in American English but may be used in other varieties of English too.

Do you know what aspects IELTS examiners look at while assessing your skills during the IELTS speaking test?

You get 1 - 9 for each of the criteria. Then they are added together and that score is divided by 4. For example, pronunciation 6, fluency 6, grammar 7, vocabulary 7. You will get (6+6+7+7)\ 4 = 6,5

25% - Pronunciation
1) you don't have to sound like a native speaker (though it would be perfect), you won't be marked on your accent!!!
2) you should speak so that you could be easily understood
3) you should pronounce all the words correctly
4) you should put the stress in words properly

25% - Fluency and coherence
1) to speak fluently does not mean to speak fast
2) to speak fluenty means to sound natural; recall the way you speak when you chat with your friends in a cafe
3) you shouldn't sound mechanical; intonation is VERY important
4) you should expand your answers
5) connect your sentences and ideas using linking words, phrases and linking devices

25% - Grammar
1) you should use grammatical structures correcty
2) you should try to use a variety of structures, otherwise an examiner will never guess that you know a lot
3) don't overuse advanced structures as this will not sound natural and you will me marked down on fluency

25% - Lexical Resource
1) you should use topical vocabulary
2) try to avoid repetition (using the same words); try to use synonyms

BUT if you don't have IDEAS, you will just sit and silently look at the examiner and won't be able to use any grammar and vocabulary. You won't have what to pronounce and won't have a chance to show how fluent you can be.

Happy Learning...

Idiom

No holds barred

Meaning: If something is done with no holds barred, it's done without restriction, rules or restraint.

For example:

The final game was played with no holds barred. It was very rough football and the referee had a hard time keeping control of things.

The election campaign turned into a no-holds-barred battle with each candidate trying to find information with which to damage their opponent's reputation.

Words To Use Instead Of Very - Part 2

Speak Your Way To Success

Idiom

behind the eight ball

INFORMAL

Meaning

If you're behind the eight ball, you're in a difficult or dangerous position.

For example

The economic recession has really put our new business behind the eight ball. Nobody's spending money.

Carlo is behind the eight ball now because his final exam is in two days and he still hasn't started studying for it.

Origin: From a version of pool in which the balls are numbered and must be potted in order. A player loses if he hits the black eight ball in first, so if the cue ball is "behind the eight ball" he's in a dangerous position.

Variety

This idiom is typically used in American English but may be used in other varieties of English too.

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