PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH COURSE

Developed and awarded by SIM, Singapore

COURSE AIMS
This course aims to improve all four Academic English language skills, speaking, listening, reading and
writing to IELTS 6.5, through two parts: from IELTS 5.5 to IELTS 6.0 in Part One and, from IELTS 6.0
to at least IELTS 6.5 in Part 2 as a through trained course. The pre- sessional English course, in
particular, is designed for students who need to improve their knowledge of spoken and written English
in preparation for academic study at master level at the University of Birmingham. This course, among
other things, seeks to provide opportunities for students to:

• Develop skills in understanding and analysing academic texts and use them in writing, listening
and speaking
• Improve abilities to speak in academic contexts, with emphasis on oral and digital
presentations
• Analyse and summarise academic texts and develop critical thinking
• Express arguments, writing and discussion more clearly, concisely and in a dynamic way in
Academic English

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students will be able to do the following:

Reading
• Understand a variety of different academic text types

Updated as of 15 January 2024

 • Skim, scan and focus on target material in all types of reading passages
• Identify the elements of a text and, where required, reproduce these elements in their own
writing
• Achieve a deep understanding of the various questions’ types found in the reading exam and
how to address them
• Deduce the meaning of unknown vocabulary from their context
• Recognise a writer’s point of view or claims and their implications
• Complete SIM reading tests in the allotted time

Writing
• Respond to the two tasks in the exam, following instructions and making the best use of the
time available
• Write a variety of different types of essay, such as persuasive, cause and effect and problem-
solution
• Write a brief report analysing graphs, tables and charts
• Interpret and describe statistical data using appropriate language and grammar
• Demonstrate enhanced vocabulary and grammatical structures
• Use suitable language and vocabulary for specific assignments with grammatical precision
• Summarize the main ideas of various types of texts
• Develop an argument and back it up in a structured essay
• Develop the ability to edit written work accurately
• Complete the SIM test tasks within the allotted time

Speaking
• Recognise the different sections and requirements of the SIM speaking test
• Confidently carry out a conversation on a topic, for example, family, hobbies, or work
• Evaluate and self-correct their speaking
• Formulate, express and defend opinions using appropriate vocabulary and grammatical
structures
• Speculate about general topics
• Fluently answer questions with clear pronunciation
• Use appropriate stress, intonation and speed patterns in their conversation
• Complete a speaking test within the allotted time

Listening
• Recognise the presentation and question patterns in SIM’s listening tests and how to address
them
• Develop predictive skills when preparing for listening tasks
• Demonstrate understanding of academic and everyday discourse such as
conversation and talks
• Identify the main ideas and distinguish relevant supporting details of academic and everyday
listening texts
• Demonstrate improved listening skills for overall comprehension and details
• Identify numbers, dates, time, letters, etc. correctly
• Accurately convey information gathered from listening to written answers within the set time
frame

Vocabulary
• Build academic vocabulary
• Broaden vocabulary over a wide range of common topics
• Strengthen understanding of common collocations in everyday and academic contexts

Updated as of 15 January 2024

 • Develop awareness of the link between word families to enable easier understanding of the
connections between questions and reading and listening texts
• Strengthen paraphrasing skills
• Develop the ability to understand metaphorical language
• Use digital literacy tools to develop vocabulary skills

Grammar
• Strengthen grammar foundations in Part One of the course
• Deepen understanding of more complex grammar structures in Part Two of the course
• Use digital literacy tools to develop grammar skills

Updated as of 15 January 2024

OVERVIEW OF PRE-SESSIONAL COURSE: PART ONE
MODULE READING VOCABULARY SPEAKING LISTENING LANGUAGE WRITING
DEVELOPMENT
WEEK ONE
1: Communication Identifying topic Collocations; Phrasal Expanding answers; Part Locating information: Present tenses Task 1: Writing an
1A: Communication sentences; Matching verbs; Multiple meanings; 1 Section 1; Note overview
Today headings; communication completion
1B: Back to the Old Matching headings; The media Part 1: Talking about the Section 1: Notes, Table Past simple Task 1: Describing a
Ways Sentence completion news and Form completion chart
Module 1 Review
2: Feelings
2A: Feeling Good Identifying key words; Definitions; Collocations; Generating ideas & Word stress & main idea; Building complex Generating ideas &
Y/N/NG questions Research; Adjectives vocabulary; Part 2 Section 2: MCQs sentences; Relative vocabulary; Task 2:
describing experiences clauses Opinion essay
WEEK TWO
2B: Looking Good Matching information; Adjectives of feeling Part 2: Describing an Section 2: MCQs; Parts of speech; Generating ideas and
Module 2 Review Y/N/NG questions event Sentence completion Intensifiers vocabulary; Task 2:
Opinion essay
3: Work and Study Using text structure to Dependent prepositions; Giving reasons for Identifying similarity & Comparative forms Choosing &
3A: Learning for Life follow main ideas; Education; Adjective opinions; Part 3; difference; Note comparing data;
Summary completion endings; Collocations completion; Section 3: Linking information;
Matching Task 1: Describing a
chart
3B: The World of Work
Y/N/NG questions; Business & finance Part 3: Discussing Section 3: Notes Verb patterns (-ing and Task 1: Writing a
Module 3 Review Summary completion shopping & retail completion; Matching infinitives) summary
WEEK THREE
4: Science Text referencing; Academic research; Part 2: Giving yourself Understanding context & Future probability; Present Structuring a
4A: Discoveries and Matching features Collocations; Science; time to think connected speech; probability paragraph; Task 2:
Inventions Verb endings Section 2: Note Opinion essay
completion
4B: Inner and Outer Matching features; Technology Part 2: Describing a skill Section 2: MCQs; Notes Future forms Task 2: Opinion
Space Sentence completion completion essay
Module 4 Review
5: Art and Leisure
5A: The Arts Identifying antonyms & Verbs/nouns + Structuring an argument; Following a sequence of Grammar to connect Generating
synonyms; MCQs; prepositions; Compound Pronunciation; Part 3; ideas; Section 3: ideas; comparisons: Task 2:
adjectives; Collocations; Labelling a diagram Opinion essay
Art
5B: Hobbies and MCQs; Matching Culture & entertainment Part 3: Discussing toys & Section 3: Labelling a Participle clauses (-ed & - Compare & contrast
Interests information games diagram; Table ing) essay
Module 5 Review completion

Updated as of 15 January 2024

 MODULE READING VOCABULARY SPEAKING LISTENING LANGUAGE WRITING
DEVELOPMENT
WEEK FOUR
6: Natural World Identifying cause & The environment; Part 2: Describing places Identifying the correct Present perfect simple Describing changes
6A: Living with our effect; Short-answer Collocations word form; Section 4: over time; Task 1:
Environment questions Summary completion Graphs
6B: Living with Other Matching headings; Wildlife Part 2: Describing an Section 2: Short-answer Articles; Countable & Task 1: Summarising
Animals Short-answer questions animal questions; MCQs uncountable nouns a graph
Module 6 Review
7: Around the World
7A: The Joy of Travel Understanding complex Travel & tourism; Part 1: Expanding Following directions; Zero & first conditional Writing an
sentences; Matching Dependent prepositions; answers; Section 2: Labelling a introduction; Task 2:
sentence endings Cause & effect; map; Cause & effect essay
Collocations
7B: Global Issues
Module 7 Review Matching sentence Global issues Part 1: Describing Section 2: Labelling a Complex noun phrases Task 2: Cause &
endings; Y/N/NG learning a language map; Matching effect essay
questions
WEEK FIVE
8: Food Dealing with unknown Nutrition; Synonyms; Stress & intonation; Listening for the correct The passive Sequencing a
8A: From the Field vocabulary; Labelling a Collocations; Prefixes Giving an opposing spelling; Section 1: Table process; Task 1:
diagram opinion; Part 3: Talking completion Describing the stages
about eating habits; in a process
8B: The Food on our Matching information; Formal synonyms Part 3: Discussing food Section 1: Table Review of formal Task 1: Describing a
Plates Labelling a diagram & culture completion structures process
Module 8 Review
9: Well-being Following a sequence of Adverbs & adverbials; Using a range of Identifying reference Modals of obligation; Writing a conclusion;
9A: World Health ideas; Flow chart Collocations; Dependents; structures words; Section 3: Table Task 2: Essays
completion Prepositions; Healthcare completion & MCQs;
Short-answer questions
WEEK SIX
9B: Life Stages Flow chart completion; Describing people Part 2: Describing a Section 3: MCQs; Short- Passive & active voice Task 2: problem-
Module 9 Review MCQs person answer questions; Note solution essay
completion
10: Community
10A: Law and Order Identifying information Crime & punishment; Asking for clarification; Following a process; Quantifiers Describing locations
not given; T/F/NG Collocations; Part 3: Discussing Section 4: Flow chart on a map; Task 1
questions school rules completion
10B: Living Together Matching headings; Town & city Part 3: Discussing Section 4: MCQs; Flow Second conditional Task 1: Describing a
Module 10 Review T/F/NG questions friends, family & chart & Summary map
community completion

PRACTICE TESTS READING SPEAKING LISTENING WRITING

Updated as of 15 January 2024

OVERVIEW OF PRE-SESSIONAL COURSE: PART TWO
MODULE READING VOCABULARY SPEAKING LISTENING LANGUAGE WRITING
DEVELOPMENT
WEEK ONE
1: Lifelong Learning
1A: Successful Learning Predicting; Scanning; Language of learning; Using a range of tenses Section 2: MCQs & Synonyms, prefixes; Word Structuring answers;
Note & Table completion Collocations; Dictionary & vocabulary; Word selecting from lists formation & Paraphrasing Task 1: Summarising
use stress
1B: Untapped Table & note completion Describing trends Part 1: Talking about Section 2: MCQs & Review of tenses Task 1: Line graphs
Resources Module 1 studying selecting from lists
Review
2: A World of Change
2A: Human Topic sentences & Academic words; Written Topic-specific Section 1: Labelling a Passive forms (simple & Using the active &
development Supporting details; & spoken language; vocabulary; Making map perfect) passive; Task 1:
T/F/NG questions; Process verbs notes & Planning Describing a process
Short-answer questions answers
2B: The Natural World
Module 2 Review T/F/NG questions; Sequencing with Part 2: Describing a Section 1: Form Relative clauses Task 1: Describing a
Short-answer questions prepositions & adverbs place visited completion & Labelling a process
map
WEEK TWO
3: The Feel-Good
Factor
3A: The Mind… Identifying main ideas; Problems and solutions; Topic-specific Identifying specific Reviewing real & unreal Developing a
Matching headings; Academic collocations vocabulary; Developing details; Section 4: conditionals; Other ways paragraph; Task 2:
MCQs answers Sentence completion & to express conditionality Problem and solution
short answer questions essay
3B: …and Body Matching headings: Adverbs of attitude Part 3: Discussing health Section 4: Sentence Modal forms & Degrees of Task 2: Problem &
MCQs: Two answers completion; short-answer certainty solution essay
Module 3 Review questions
4: A Consumer
Society
4A: The Cost of Buying Identifying functions; Academic verbs & Develop topic-specific Predicting answers; Forming clauses & Giving opinions &
Matching information; collocations (thoughts & vocabulary; Part 3: Section 2: Note & subordinate clauses; developing
Summary completion beliefs); Impersonality Using conjunctions & sentence completion Expressing opinions with arguments; Task 2:
phrases that Opinion essay
4B: Objects of Desire Matching information; Signposting words Part 3: Discussing Section 2: Note & Table Pronoun referencing Task 2: Opinion
Module 4 Review Summary completion consumerism completion essay
WEEK THREE
5: Homes of the Future
5A: Making Life Easier Recognising reference Invention & innovation Developing topic-specific Listening for agreement Reported speech & other Task 1: Bar & pie
words; Matching words: Expressing vocabulary; Part 2: How & disagreement; Section reporting patterns charts; Interpreting
features; Note quantity; Agreement & to add detail 3: Matching data; Supporting
completion disagreement trends with details

Updated as of 15 January 2024

 MODULE READING VOCABULARY SPEAKING LISTENING LANGUAGE WRITING
DEVELOPMENT
5B: Expanding Our Labelling a diagram; Noun phrases Part 2: Describing an Section 3: Matching; Reporting verbs Task 1: Describing a
Horizons T/F/NG experience Labelling a diagram chart
Module 5 Review
MCA TESTS READING MCA SPEAKING MCA LISTENING MCA WRITING MCA

WEEK FOUR
6: Law and Order
6A: Preventing Crime Unknown words; Flow Argument & opinion verbs; Developing topic-specific Section 4: Summary Linking ideas: Both, Comparing &
chart & Sentence Academic words; vocabulary; Ordering completion; neither & either contrasting
completion Argument collocations arguments; The schwa; Understanding attitude structures;
Part 3 from tone & intonation Contrasting opinions;
Task 2: Opinion
essay
6B: Solving Crime Flow chart & Sentence Cleft sentences Part 3: Discussing crime Section 4: MCQs and Using there & it Task 2: Opinion
Module 6 Review completion Summary completion essay
7: On the Move
7A: Urban Living Linking ideas & Developing topic-specific Section 1: Form Sentence fragments & Representing data
paraphrasing; Matching vocabulary; Part 1: completion & MCQ; run-on sentences; clearly & accurately;
sentence endings; Speaking more Identifying distractors Punctuation Identifying
Summary completion accurately inaccuracies in
writing; Task 1:
Tables & charts
7B: Infrastructures Matching sentence Part 1: Describing travel Section 1: MCQs & Form Improving grammatical Task 1: Describing
Module 7 Review endings; Summary & transport completion accuracy; Prepositions tables & charts
completion
WEEK FIVE
8: Social Networks
8A: Community Identifying writer’s Academic words; word Developing topic-specific Section 2: Matching; Review of future forms; Situations, causes &
claims & opinions; families; Collocations with vocabulary; Real & Table completion; Speculating on the future effects; Task 2:
Y/N/NG questions; plan hypothetical situations & Following arguments Developing a
MCQs: Two answers reactions; Part 2: situation, cause &
Pronunciation – effect paragraph
connected speech
8B: Communication Y/N/NG questions; Noun phrases 2 Part 2: Describing a Section 2: Matching; Cause & effect linking Task 2: Cause &
Module 8 Review MCQs famous person Note completion; MCQs words effect essay
9: Being Successful
9A: A Recipe for Inferring meaning & Words related to talent; Developing topic-specific Section 3: Sentence Explaining how something Working with
Success attitude; Y/N/NG Collocations for success & vocabulary; Part 3: completion; General & works; Describing an unknown vocabulary;
questions talent; Describing personal Creating thinking time specific language object’s appearance Task 1: Diagrams;
qualities Writing about
unknown processes

Updated as of 15 January 2024

 MODULE READING VOCABULARY SPEAKING LISTENING LANGUAGE WRITING
DEVELOPMEN
T
9B: Working Better MCQs; Y/N/NG Replacing thing Part 3: Discussing work Section 3: Sentence Estimation & indication Task 1: Describing
Module 9 Review questions & skills completion; MCQs changes over time
WEEK SIX
10: Cutting Edge Writing about
10A: Thinking Creatively Paraphrasing; Matching Nouns for hypothesising; Developing topic-specific Section 4: Note Unreal conditionals, wish hypothetical
sentence endings; Academic collocations; vocabulary; Part 2 & Part completion; Metaphors & & if only; Other alternatives; Task 2:
MCQs Speculation phrases 3: Speculation similes in lectures hypothetical forms Coherent arguments
10B: Innovation Matching sentence Part 3: Discussing Section 4: Table & Note Past modal verbs; Verb Task 2: Opinion
Module 10 Review endings; Y/N/NG inventions completion patterns essay
questions
EOC TESTS READING EOC SPEAKING EOC LISTENING EOC WRITING EOC

Updated as of 15 January 2024