Delta Pre interview Task
Name: __________________________________________________________________
TASK ONE: LANGUAGE AWARENESS TEST
The following test will be used as a basis on which to judge your suitability for
the course for which you have applied. Please write all your answers on this
sheet. Where appropriate, you should answer in note form.
1)
Read this dialogue.
Speaker A: There’s someone at the door.
Speaker B: Is there?
Speaker A: I’ve got my hands full.
Speaker B: OK then.
In this space comment on what the speakers actually say and the intended
meaning that lies beneath.
What conclusions would you draw as a language teacher?
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2) Look at the verbs underlined in the following incorrect sentences. In each, a)
correct the tense, b) name the correct tense and c) say what the meaning of the
correct tense is. An example has been done for you.
. e.g. I read a book at the moment.
a. I’m reading a book at the moment.
b. Present Continuous.
c.. Used here to describe an action happening now, or around this time.
1. Where are you from? I’m coming from Egypt.
a.
b.
c.
2. How are things? I didn’t see you for ages.
a.
b.
c.
3. I’m not understanding Spanish.
a.
b.
c.
4. I’m not usually going to school on Saturdays.
a.
b.
c.
5. I’ve been writing 5 letters this morning. Could you take them with you to the post
office?
a.
b.
c.
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6. A: There’s the phone!
a.
B: OK, I’m going to answer it.
b.
c.
7. She’s been to the bank yesterday.
a.
b.
c.
8. I queued for the bus when I was splashed by a passing lorry.
a.
b.
c.
3) Look at these two exchanges and in particular the verbs in bold.
What tense do they use?
Exchange 1:
Do
A: yDo you want to come to the pictures tomorrow?
No,
B: II can’t, sorry. I’m working.
Exchange 2:
Can
A: Can I speak to Thomas?
I’llB:gII’ll go and get him. He’s working in the kitchen, I think.
The form is the same, but the meaning is different.
1. Explain the difference in meaning.
2. What general comment can you make about the relationship between form and
meaning in English?
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4) Look at the following pieces of language. Attempt to describe the meaning of
the words in bold, without repeating those words. The first two have been done for
you.
I used to go to Church regularly.
way or
A habit in the past which has changed in some
ceased.
She stumbled at the kerb.
so that
To put your foot down badly when walking or running
you nearly fall, or start to fall.
1. She managed to climb the mountain.
2. I had my television repaired.
3. You needn’t wear a crash helmet.
4. He should have finished this by now.
5. I’m looking forward to seeing her.
5) You have a group of adult beginner students. You want to teach them ‘I’ve got’ / ‘Have
you got?’ (as in ‘I’ve got a cold / flu’ etc rather than I’ve got brown hair). You know they
have never met this structure before. Describe what you would do.
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6) Pieces of language can be categorised grammatically, but also according to the job they
do, i.e. functionally. What are the functions of the language items on the left? The first has
been done for you.
Would you like a whisky?
offering
1. I wish I hadn’t told him!
2. You really ought to give that up.
3. Do you mind if I borrow your book?
4. Could you help me with these bags?
5. Let’s go out for dinner.
7) Look at these sentences. Describe the difference in meaning between them. The first
has been done for you.
1 a) I like going to the movies.
b) I’d like to go to the movies.
Means ‘I like it in general’ and describes someone’s
habits.
Implies on a specific occasion e.g. tonight.
I’d like = I want.
1) a) She stopped to say hello.
b) She stopped saying hello.
2) a) If they offer you the job, will you take it?
b) If they offered you the job, would you take it?
3) a) She can’t have left yet.
b) She hasn’t left yet.
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4) a) I needn’t have done it.
b) I didn’t need to do it.
5) a) I don’t really like beetroot.
b) I really don’t like beetroot.
8) Say the following words aloud (try them in a sentence) and then mark the syllables as in
the examples, giving the main stress a large symbol.
e.g.
advertisement
October
history
hotel
Leicester
application
acrimony
colleague
cardboard
photographic
contract (verb)
9) Read the following article and complete the tasks below.
Earthquakes, explosions and observations of Earth's ever-changing magnetic field are
helping scientists open up a new window on the heart of our planet.
When Jules Verne wrote A Journey to the Centre of the Earth over 100 years ago, he
imagined a place of glowing crystals and a turbulent sea, complete with prehistoric
animals and giant mushrooms.
What was actually beneath our feet was a complete enigma. Even to this day scientists
astonishingly know more about the rings of Saturn than they do about the core of our
own planet.
But that is beginning to change. "We're at a golden age in terms of the real discovery of
the bulk of the deep Earth," says seismologist Professor Rick Aster.
And remarkably, not everything Verne imagined was wrong.
Wanting to discover the truth about the centre of our world is as basic a human urge as
wondering what is on the Moon, although the latter has proved far easier to explore.
But scientists are also fascinated by the Earth's core because it is responsible for creating
our planet's magnetic field which is vital to life. (www.bbc.co.uk)
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a) Label the grammatical forms of the words in bold:
i)
….are helping scientists
ii)
Wanting to discover the truth….
iii)
….glowing crystals
b) In the final paragraph identify the 2 adjectives with dependent prepositions.
i)
ii)
c) i) ‘But that is beginning to change.’ - What does ‘that’ refer to?
ii) ‘the latter has proved far easier to explore’ – What does ‘the latter’ refer to?
TASK TWO: ESSAY
On the DELTA course you are required to write academic assignments.
To gauge the level of your writing, we would like you to write 800 – 1000
words on one of the following:
 Your approaches to teaching listening skills in class, with specific
examples of approaches/ activities/ techniques you have used to
further your students’ listening skills.
OR
 Your approaches to teaching pronunciation in class, with specific
examples of approaches/ activities/ techniques you have used to
develop your students’ pronunciation.
TASK THREE: LESSON PLAN
On the DELTA course you are required to submit detailed lesson plans.
Please submit a lesson plan for a 45-60 minute lesson that you have
taught, including any copies of materials used.
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