C1 in English by April 2020

[TeoLanguages]

Hi everybody!
My challenge for the next 5-6 months is to reach the C1 level in English and get a certificate. By now I think I've a B2+ level so I'm on the way but I still can't master some grammar rules and structures and sometimes I make dumb mistakes. I consider myself pretty much fluent in English but I wanna take a step forward. Anyway that sounds like an ambitious goal to me but I would try my best. Wish me good luck. Anyway, tips are more than welcome. Have a nice day!

[Lawyer&Mom]

Your written English is pretty great, so you clearly have a strong foundation. What is your plan of attack going forward?

Two teensy-tiny notes on your message:

You wrote “I think I’ve a B2+...” I only contract “I” and “have” in a verbal phrase, not when I use “have” as a verb to show possession. This is based 100% on what sounds right to me and not on any rule I know.

Then you say “I would try my best.” I would say “I will try my best.” Again because it sounds right...

Native speakers are just *so* helpful, right?

[Cèid Donn]

Your written English is pretty great, so you clearly have a strong foundation. What is your plan of attack going forward?

Two teensy-tiny notes on your message:

You wrote “I think I’ve a B2+...” I only contract “I” and “have” in a verbal phrase, not when I use “have” as a verb to show possession. This is based 100% on what sounds right to me and not on any rule I know.

Then you say “I would try my best.” I would say “I will try my best.” Again because it sounds right...

Native speakers are just *so* helpful, right?

Usually when a native speaker says "that's just what sounds right," it's what they understand as common usage. Common usage isn't the same thing as grammar rules (and sometimes common usage defies grammar rules). It's just how native speakers usually use their language.

Anyhow, for a little more clarity:

The contraction I've, you've, he's/she's etc is more common when to have is being used as an auxiliary verb in the present and past prefect tenses rather than the main verb:

As a main verb in present tense: I have two cats.
As an auxiliary verb in the present prefect tense: I've already fed my cats today.

Again, it's common usage and in some English dialects, speakers will contract to have when used as a main verb in some cases too, but it is more common to contract to have only when it's an auxiliary for a prefect tense. It's not really a big deal, but whenever in doubt, just skip the contractions and use the full forms of the verbs. It will sound more formal in many cases, but that's OK.

As for "I would try my best":

This is where English gets weird for a lot of L2 speakers whose native language has a strong subjunctive mood, which English no longer has. Technically English does have a subjunctive mood, but most native speakers do not learn about it in their formal schooling, since the kinds of ideas expressed by the English subjunctive mood is covered by the conditional tense (or mood).

Anyhow, whenever we want to express a future action that we have the intention of completing, we use the future tense:

I will try my best.

If that future action is based on any conditions that make it either unlikely or difficult, we still use the future tense by default, regardless of our own expectations of success:

It will be difficult. Nevertheless, I will try my best.

But when we are talking about a theoretical intention in a context not based in reality, then we use the conditional tense with an if clause (in English we can only express the subjunctive mood by using a subordinate clause):

If I was preparing to take the C1 test, I would try my best. (I personally have no real intention of taking the test, but if I was, this would be my course of action)

Would I try my best, if I was in your shoes? Of course I would! (Again, I'm not the one who's really going to take the test--I'm just imagining myself in your situation)

You see, while "I would try my best" is grammatically correct, when a native speaker hears that, it sounds like you are trying to form a sentence in the subjunctive mood, which sounds wrong to them because it's not used with an if clause. This is why in common usage, in most cases native speakers stick to the future tense to express real intentions, regardless of other conditions like doubt or probability, to avoid confusing their listeners.

I hope this helps you or any other English learner browsing the forums. Best of luck to you with your challenge and the test.

[Lianne]

If I was preparing to take the C1 test, I would try my best. (I personally have no real intention of taking the test, but if I was, this would be my course of action)

Would I try my best, if I was in your shoes? Of course I would! (Again, I'm not the one who's really going to take the test--I'm just imagining myself in your situation)

Shouldn't these be "If I were preparing" and "if I were in your shoes"? That's an example of one of the few places where English retains a clear use of the subjunctive. Although, skipping the subjunctive here does seem to be becoming quite common, so it might be one of those errors that just becomes correct through common usage.

Other examples:
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"I wish I were a mermaid."

[TeoLanguages]

Sorry guys for answering that late. Thanks for adjusting my tiny mistakes. As far as the sentence "I would try my best" is concerned, I just made a dumb mistake, I was thinking about "I will try my best" but I wrote "would". Anyway, thanks again!

And as regards my study plan I bought some books for advanced learners (and for this specific exam) and I will study on them at least 3-4 hours (or more) per day for more or less 5 months. Alongside with that I will do everything I can in English (watching movies, reading, listening to music) and probably I will have some lessons with an online tutor. That's my macro-plan until now, but it might change along the way perhaps

[TeoLanguages]

C1 in English by April 2020, my plan:

Phase 1: from 4th November to 31th December 2019

Resources:
- "Grammar and Vocabulary for Advanced" by M. Hewings & S. Haines;
- "Advanced Grammar in Use" by M. Hewings;
- "Common mistakes at CAE" by D. Powell;
- Podcasts, books, articles and series developed by and for English native speakers
- Tandem

Time management (5 days of studying per week):
- 3 hours in the morning doing 3 Units of "Advanced Grammar in Use" + 1 Unit of "Grammar and Vocabulary for Advanced" + 1 Unit of "Common mistakes at CAE";
- 4 hours in the afternoon (2 hours dedicated to listening and 2 dedicated to reading).
(Saturday and Sunday for a revised)

Extra activities:
- chatting for at least 30 minutes with natives almost every day;
- watching movies in English at least 3-4 days per week.

Phase 2: from 1st January 2020 to the exam day

Resources:
- "Advanced Examination Papers 3" by Cambridge University Press;
- "Advanced Trainer" by F. O'Dell and M. Black;
- "Objective Advanced" by F. O'Dell and A. Broadhead;
- Podcasts, books, articles and series developed by and for native English speakers;
- Tandem;
- Online classes on Italki.

Time management:
- 2 exam practice tests per week;
- 2 online classes per week (1 hour);
- 3 hours of listening every day (except when I take a practice test);
- 2 hours of reading every day (except when I take a practice test);

Extra activities:
- chatting on Tandem whenever I can;
- watching movies in English at least 4-5 days per week.

That's my plan for reaching C1 level in English by April 2020 and passing the Cae exam.
Do you agree with it? Is it enough? Will I end up being overwhelmed?
Any tip or piece of advice is more than welcome.
Wish me luck, guys. I need it!
Have a nice day!

[Cenwalh]

If I were to really nitpick, I'd say that watching films is less efficient than watching TV series (depending on the series of course) because films tend to be less dialogue heavy.

That said your plan is many people's dream, so if you pull it off it would be quite a feat!

[TeoLanguages]

If I were to really nitpick, I'd say that watching films is less efficient than watching TV series (depending on the series of course) because films tend to be less dialogue heavy.

That said your plan is many people's dream, so if you pull it off it would be quite a feat!

Thanks mate. Yes, that's the plan but the real challenge will be carry it out.

[Albysky]

Hello
Since you plan to sit an exam (The CAE from what I can understand) I would listen to a lot of radio podcasts designed for natives because this is the type of audio content you'll have to do with in the listening section. On the BBC there are plenty of them. You can of course watch movies and TV series as well, even though I think they are less effecient.

[TeoLanguages]

Hello
Since you plan to sit an exam (The CAE from what I can understand) I would listen to a lot of radio podcasts designed for natives because this is the type of audio content you'll have to do with in the listening section. On the BBC there are plenty of them. You can of course watch movies and TV series as well, even though I think they are less effecient.

Hi! Yes, that's what I was thinking even though I'm not a big fan of podcasts. I think they are the most efficient resource to improve listening because contrary to series and movies you can't rely on images when listening to a podcast.