Recommended Website of the Week: Flo-Joe

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It is highly recommended that you can prove your English language level by means of an international certification (such as KET, PET, FCE, TOEFL, IELTS, iTEP, Trinity, etc.): this will be very useful for migration, education and work purposes, and these international exams also allow you to know what your actual performance with the language is in each of the basic communicative skills (speaking, writing, reading, listening). Obviously a good mark can bring great advantages to you, but for that you need to prepare very well and get very familiar with the exam - yes, knowing the language is not enough, even if you have a very good level!

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There are many resources on the web that can help you have the necessary training for any international English proficiency test. One of the most popular and best ones is Flo-Joe, an English site that will offer you several resources to prepare for some of the most common exams. If you're preparing for a proficiency test, you'll definitely love it!

Once you find the exam you're preparing for, this website will provide useful information that will help you get familiar with the structure of the exam and the kind of questions you will find in each part, which is esencial for a good performance. You can also practise with the different exercises that resemble parts of the real exam and get immediate feedback (online exercises) and keep in mind all the useful advice they have for the different sections of the exam. 

This website has got a lot more to offer! There are free newsletters with recommended strategies for success; you can also make the most of the Writing Classes, which will offer you very useful advice on grammar, vocabulary and other aspects you must consider when writing; there are many Practice Tests for you to gain additional experience with some specific papers of the exam; , and the Word Bank which, of course, will help you enrich your vocabulary for an optimal performance.So, if you are preparing for an English proficiency test or simply if you want to improve your language skills and increase your level, Flo-Joe is certainly one of the best options for both learners and teachers. Also remember that the key to success is discipline and continuous practice. Challenge yourself to test your knowledge of English and improve your potential!


Have you ever prepared for an international exam with this or with any other website? What recommendations would you give to anyone training for this kind of tests? Don't forget to leave your comments and keep in contact!

Recommended Website of the Week: Randall's Lab

Listening can be one of the hardest skills to train for English learners, since we cannot always have as much exposition to the language as we actually need. One of the best recommendations to keep on improving your listening skills is to have short practice sessions, if possible every day, so that you can train your ears to identify the different sounds of English. Always remember it's not necessary to understand %100 of the information you listen to, but at least you should get the main idea and identify some specific, relevant information.

For your daily or weekly practice, we recommend you a website that you'll find very practical and useful: Randall's Lab (www.esl-lab.com). Here you have listening exercises for elementary, intermediate and advanced levels, in addition to material for learners who are getting prepared for international examinations and listening resources for ESP (English for Specific Purposes) courses. One limitation this website has is that all the listening exercises are only multiple choice instead of offering a wider variety of activities for comprehension.

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Something really nice about this website is that it also offers you study tips that you'll find very useful, in addition to the vocabulary quizzes that, of course, will help you understand what you'll listen. As a teacher or as a student, you can explore the many resources it has for all of you!

If you really want to improve your listening skills, here's a challenge for you: you may set a specific time of the week for your listening practice (at least once) and choose a weekly topic so as to work on the necessary vocabulary. Make sure you check the pre-listening questions, which will help you prepare and predict the possible information you'll find out. Then have a go with the listening activity (select a topic according to your level) and, once you get your score, reinforce your skills with the vocabulary activities offered. Make the most of your experience on this website!

Image taken from http://www.esl-lab.com/images/logo2007.jpg

Have you tried Randall's Lab before? Can you tell us about your experience on this site or about any other website you know to practise listening? Have you got any other extra tip to improve one's listening skills? Please have your say and leave your comment!