Some Idioms

Below are some idioms to make your speaking more fluent, more natural as well as easier to understand what native speakers say.

• crack the books = start studying
• cut class = miss school
• feel at home = feel comfortable or relaxed
• keep an eye on = watch carefully
• homesick = sad at being away from home or things that are familiar
• get under someone's skin = annoy or bother someone
• stay-at-home mom = a mother who doesn't have a job outside the home
• fill up on = become full
• whip up = quickly prepare

Can you make a sentence for each idiom? Drop your ideas on the comment tool.

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Writing Task 2: Home schooling

An example of writing task 2 in IELTS test that tries to respond to a question as to which one is better home schooling or formal education at school.

There are many arguments for and against school as the best place for education. Some people believe that education at home is more effective in many ways. On the other hand, education practitioners think that school is the most suitable place to educate children. I certainly agree that formal education at school is better due to its advantages and some limitations of home schooling.
Firstly, it is hard to make a good control in home education in view of the fact that parents mostly spend their time at workplace. Children tend to waste their time to leisure activity that is not useful or inappropriate to the aims of their study if there is not an adequate control. In contrast, school can organize student’s need in study as well as their extra curricular or outdoor activities. Moreover, school always have a rule for students to keep them on the right track of the study.
Secondly, school provide a fixed curriculum to set up student’s objectives. Furthermore, the curriculum has been regularly examined to fit into student’s necessity, including how to relate theory to the real life. It follows that school give more balance between theory and practice than home education.
Another reason to consider would be that the study approach at school has changed. Parents are too likely to blame schools for the creativity limitations of their children. In fact, the learning methods that are adopted from modern education and recently used have applied to develop student’s creativity and independence.
Finally, education at school can assist students to reach a maximum achievement. School can give many advantages to students that can insure their future. It is indeed what parents need to educate their children.
(283 words)

Submitted by Riska C, ADS 2005

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