Category: Canada PR

Present Progressive Tense – 10 Minute English Grammar

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The sentence formation follows:

  Singular Number Plural Number
1st Person I am eating = I’m eating We are eating = We’re eating
2nd Person You are eating = You’re eating You are eating = You’re eating
3rd Person He is eating = He’s eating  
  She is eating = She’s eating They are eating = They’re eating
  It is eating = It’s eating  

Uses of The Present Progressive (Continuous) Tense:

  1. For an action happening at the time of speaking: She is weeping.   I am wearing a scarf as it will look good.    Why are you complaining me for the act which I did not do?
  2. For an action happening now, but not necessarily at the time of speaking: I am reading a novel in which the girl marries her bodyguard. (I may not be reading at the moment of speaking, but it means ‘now’ in a more general sense.)      My sister is learning French and teaching English. (She may not be doing either at the time of speaking)
  3. For a definite arrangement taking place in the near future (it refers to the immediate plans): Our company is opening up a new branch in Toronto next month.  My friends are coming tonight, and I am taking them to the theatre.
  4. With always, especially for obstinate habits – something which persists and annoys: My dog, Jericho is very silly; he is always jumping on the kitchen platform for human food.   I know you very well. You are always losing your keys.
  5. Certain involuntary actions are not usually used in the continuous tenses:
    1. Verbs of senses/perception: hear, notice, recognize, see, smell

However, there is certain deliberate use of senses, such as listen, gaze, look (at), observe (= watch), watch and stare and of course, we can use them in the progressive tense:

I am watching this place carefully, but don’t see anything unusual.

Rita is listening to the IELTS tape, but she has put on the headphones so nobody else hears it.

  • Verbs of emotions and feelings: admire (= respect), adore, appreciate (= value), care for, desire, detest, dislike, fear, feel, hate, hope, loathe, love, mind (= care), respect, prefer, refuse, value, want, wish

Some verbs can also be used in the progressive tense depending upon the context (deliberate actions). For example, admire means to look at with admiration, value means to decide the worth, appreciate means to increase in value over a period of time, enjoy and at times love/like means to enjoy, and hate means the opposite. Yet it is safer to use the simple tense with love, like and hate:

Do you like your new job? How are you liking your new job?

I hate touristy places, but I am enjoying this place for some unexplained reasons.

I love eating burgers, but I don’t know why I am not loving it today.

  • Verbs of appearing: seem, look, appear

It seems acceptable, so you are good to go.

She looks beautiful, but today she is looking stunningly a knockout girl.

  • Verbs of thinking: agree, appreciate (= understand), assume, believe, expect (= think), feel (= think), feel sure/certain, forget, know, mean, perceive, realize, recall, recognize, recollect, remember, see (= understand) see through someone (= penetrated his attempt to deceive) suppose, think (= have an opinion), trust (= believe/have confidence in), understand

I do not agree with you on this point. And I assume you have a long way to go yet.

I see through his devious plan and also feel certain that he won’t be successful in it.

  • Verbs of possession: possess, own, owe, belong

How much does she owe you?

Do you own this bungalow?

Did you know?

Some native speakers and singers do not pronounce ‘ing’ entirely, but they pronounce only ‘in’ and omit ‘g’. For example, “Quit playin games with me” instead of “Quit playing games with me.”

There is also a non-standard short form for am not, is not, are not, have not and has not. It is ain’t.  For example, “Quit playin games with me.”  ~ “No, I ain’t.”

Pleonasm

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A pleonasm refers to the use of more words than they are necessary to express an idea i.e., redundancy. It is derived from a Greek word that means ‘excess’. Some people complicate the language for no reason. They have a habit of using redundant in sentences or with the combination of unwanted words.

In other words, a pleonasm is a redundant and tautological phrase or clause.

For example,

Judy is the cousin of Joshua.

Not: Judy is the cousin sister of Joshua.

  • Tuna fish burger: We ordered a fish burger last night.
  • My own eyes: I saw him with my eyes and confirm that he was behind this crime.
  • Free gift: Every child loves to have a gift.
  • Foreign imports: Most reading glasses are imports from Germany.
  • ATM machines: you will have many ATMs in the vicinity, but a couple of them are out of operation today.
  • Actual facts: It is always unwise to judge anyone until all facts are in.
  • Busy in: James was busy gathering the required papers the other day.
  • Circle around: When you circle the building, you will see a puppy near the bench.
  • Could possibly: You could either accept or reject the validity of this paper.
  • Current incumbent: The higher voting percentage suggests that the incumbent government will be defeated in this election.
  • Crisis situation: during the financial crisis in the USA, there was a ripple effect on the banks worldwide.
  • Confused state: I am confused about whether to accept this proposal or not.
  • Cope up with something: he was not able to cope with the stress and the strains of the job, and hence he quit.
  • Discuss on/about: We discussed this matter at length.
  • Drop down: the topline revenues dropped to $13 million last year.
  • Down south/ up north: As you move towards the north, the temperature will get cooler.
  • Empty out: ‘Empty his pocket’ was a scream from the back.
  • False pretense: Politicians are masters in engineering falsehoods and pretenses.
  • Frozen tundra: North Asia is an arctic tundra in the winter time and therefore it is not a recommended neighborhood to live in.
  • Hear with my own ears: I heard him clearly owning up to his few mistakes.
  • Gather together: We gathered to discuss this matter last evening.
  • It’s déjà vu all over again: A shiver crept down my spine as I experienced a sense of déjà vu.  
  • Join together: Why don’t you join us tonight?
  • Lift up: The US fed lifted the interest rate this month and cleared the uncertainties in the stock market.
  • Meet together: Let’s all meet this weekend and have fun.
  • New innovation: This innovation will disrupt the Information Technology world.
  • Open up: Open the door. (open up means begin shooting).
  • PIN number: Don’t ever share your PIN with anyone.
  • Pursue after: I pursued this plan wholeheartedly so I don’t think that I can disown it.
  • Raise up: It is time that the company has to raise the salary package of seniors.
  • Revert back: Once you receive the email, please revert immediately.
  • Safe haven: Some countries are a tax haven for tax evaders.
  • Total destruction: The earthquake wreaked havoc and the city witnessed destruction at every corner of it.
  • True fact: The fact remains unchallenged forever.
  • Ultimate goal: my goal is to train students for a good score in the IELTS exam.
  • Visible to the eyes: It is visible; one does not need to put efforts for the same.

Saskatchewan revises the in-demand occupation list

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The Government of Saskatchewan keeps revising the in-demand occupation list periodically considering the labour market needs. The updated occupation list is far more encouraging than the previous list as nine occupations do not require licensure or professional status.

The updated 24 occupations are listed below:

NOC Occupation Title Licensure Required
0423 Managers in Social and Community Services Yes
1226 Conference and Event Planners No
1311 Accounting Technicians No
2154 Land Surveyors Yes
2174 Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers Yes
2251 Architectural Technologists and Technicians No
2255 Technical Occupations in Geomatics and Meteorology No
3211 Medical Laboratory Technologists Yes
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists Yes
3216 Medical Sonographers Yes
3234 Paramedics Yes
4151 Psychologists Yes
4212 Social and Community Service Workers Yes
4214 Early Childhood Educators Yes
4215 Instructors of Persons with Disabilities No
5254 Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness No
6331 Meat Cutters Yes
6332 Bakers No
6342 Tailors, Dressmakers, Furriers and Milliners No
7292 Glaziers Yes
7312 Heavy-duty Equipment Mechanics/Technicians Yes
7321 Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics and Mechanical Repairers Yes
7322 Motor Vehicle Body Repairers Yes
7332 Appliance Servicers and Repairers No

CELPIP Success – Your Writing Struggle Ends

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CELPIP Success is the one and only book for the CELPIP test written by an Indian author – Vinod Gambtoo. The CELPIP test is a designated English Proficiency Test accepted by IRCC for Canada PR status. Intended immigrants who are tired of taking IELTS over and over again could think of switching to this test for their English language eligibility criterion.

With CELPIP Success, test takers will be able to:

  • write both tasks with confidence
  • play with language
  • create captivating content
  • craft ideas
  • connect with the test requirements emphatically
  • leverage the hidden writing skills inherent in great communication

Have a happy reading!

Saskatchewan prunes the occupation list for OID & Express Entry Stream

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Effective from 22nd August 2018, the government of Saskatchewan has removed ten occupations from the demand list. The following occupations are no longer eligible for both SINP categories – Occupations In Demand and Express Entry Streams:

 

Occupation NOC
Engineering Managers 0211
Civil Engineers 2131
Computer Engineers 2147
Software Engineers 2173
Web Designers and Developers 2175
Economists and Economic Policy Researchers and Analysts 4162
Electronic Service Technicians 2242
Landscape and Horticulture Technicians and Specialists 2225
Manufacturing Managers 0911
Utilities Managers 0912

 

60-point Assessment Grid of Saskatchewan

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Education Points
Master’s or Doctorate Degree, Canadian equivalency 23
Bachelor’s Degree OR a three or more-year degree program at a university or college 20
Trade Certification equivalent to journey person status in Saskatchewan 20
Canadian equivalency Diploma that requires two but less than three years at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other formal post-secondary institution 15
Canadian equivalency Certificate or at least two semesters but less than a two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other formal post-secondary institution 12

 

Skilled Work Experience Points
a)      In the 5-year period prior to application submission date
5 years 10
4 years 08
3 years 06
2 years 04
1 year 02
b)      In the 6-10-year period prior to application submission date
5 years 05
4 years 04
3 years 03
2 years 02
Less than 1 year 00

Language Ability Points
CLB 8 and higher 20
CLB 7 18
CLB 6 16
CLB 5 14
CLB 4 12

 

Age Points
<18 years 0
18-21 years 8
22-34 years 12
35-45 years 10
45-50 years 8
> 50 years 0

 

Employment offer category Points
High skilled employment offer from a Saskatchewan employer 30

 

Close family relatives in Saskatchewan 20

 

Past work experience in Saskatchewan 5

 

Past student experience in Saskatchewan 5

 

Saskatchewan introduces the updated In-Demand Occupation List

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The Government of Saskatchewan keeps reviewing the occupation list periodically. It assesses the forecast of certain occupations based on labour market conditions and the future requirements.

SINP has a phenomenal run over the last three years and accepted the huge number of applications. Intended immigrants who struggle to cross over 400 CRS await the SINP opening eagerly. When the updated list of In-Demand Occupations is brought, it brings luck for some and frustration for others. Compared with other provinces, SINP has had a high volume of applications because the economy has shown a few upticks and the government’s robust funding in various sectors.

Here is the list of occupations:

Occupations that require no licensing:

NOC OCCUPATION
0821 Managers in agriculture
0911 Manufacturing managers
0912 Utilities managers
2123 Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists
2242 Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
4162 Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts
8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers

 

Occupations that require licensing:

NOC OCCUPATION
0211 Engineering managers
2131 Civil engineers
2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
2154 Land surveyors
2173 Software engineers
2173 Software designers
2175 Web designers and developers
3111 Psychiatrists
3215 Medical radiation technologists
3234 Paramedics
4151 Psychologists
4212 Social and community service workers
4214 Early childhood educators and assistants
3211 Medical laboratory technicians
3216 Medical sonographers
6331 Meat cutters
7201 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
7204 Contractors and supervisors, and carpentry trades
7311 Industrial mechanics
7312 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
7321 Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics
7322 Motor vehicle body repairers
7237 Welders
7384 Recreating vehicle service
0822 Managers in horticulture
2225 Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists

Did you know…?

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    1. Canada has a public health care system known as “medicare”. It provides medical insurance for health care services to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. You must have a valid health card and number to get eligible health care costs covered.
    2. Canada’s national health insurance program (Medicare) covers the cost of necessary hospital and doctor services. It involves the health care plans of all provinces and territories and aims to be equitable for all. Not all medical services or procedures are covered by public health care.
    3. The ancestors of Aboriginal peoples are believed to have migrated from Asia many thousands of years ago. In the 1970s, the term First Nation began to be used. Today, about half of First Nations people live on reserve land in about 600 communities while the other half live off-reserve, mainly in urban centres.
    4. When they came to Canada, many early French fur traders married First Nations women. Their descendants are called the Metis people. Most Metis live in Canada’s prairie provinces and speak their own dialect – Michif.
    5. The first four provinces to join Confederation as “Canada” in 1867 were Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Canada’s first Prime Minister was Sir John A. MacDonald. Manitoba joined in 1870, BC in 1871, PEI in 1873, NWT in 1880, Yukon in 1898, Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1905, Newfoundland and Labrador in 1949 and Nunavut in 1999.
    6. Canada’s Pacific coast province is British Columbia. The Prairie provinces are Alberta, Sasketchewan, and Manitoba. Central Canada refers to Ontario and Quebec. The North means the three territories: the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. “Maritimes” refers to the three provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. “Atlantic provinces” refers to those three plus Newfoundland and Labrador.
    7. More than 80% of Canada’s population live in towns and cities that are within 250 kilometres of the U.S. border. The U.S. borders Canada to the south. The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner.
    8. According to the 2006 Census, 6,186,950 foreign-born people lived in Canada. Not all foreign-born people who live in Canada have English or French as their mother tongue. In the 2006 census, people reported their mother tongue as:
      1. Chinese 18.6%
      2. Italian 6.6%
      3. Punjabi 5.9%
      4. Spanish 5.8%
      5. German 5.4%
      6. Tagalog 4.8%
      7. Arabic 4.7%
    9. The Inuit, which means “the people” in the Inuktitut language, live in small, scattered communities across the Arctic. Their knowledge of the land, sea and wildlife enabled them to adapt to one of the harshest environments on earth. About 65% of the Aboriginal people are First Nations, while 30% are Metis and 4% Inuit.
    10. The name “Canada” comes from the Huron-Iroquois word “Kanata” meaning village or settlement, and the name was used by the early explorer Jacques Cartier. The word Canada started appearing on maps in the 1550s.

Reference: DayPlanner

Don’t be a victim of the marriage fraud

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It is not an entirely new sensation to come across the stories of marriage-fraud victims intending to immigrate to various countries; most popular destinations are USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and other European countries.

Some people know about their ineligibility to immigrate to such countries or others might realize hard to navigate the official channels to make their new homes. So, what happens then? There are many scammers who would advise them to marry someone to jump the immigration line.

Those who have craze of settling in these countries, they go to any lengths to fulfill their desires. And more often they get entangled into a vicious circle of deceit, crime and loss of their hard-earned money. At worst, they are banned to enter some countries forever or for some years. I have arranged a video with such stories from the official website of the Government of Canada. Think twice before committing such immigration frauds.

CELPIP test arrives in India

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Paragon Testing Enterprises which is a subsidiary of University of British Columbia has finally decided to open a testing center in India by the end of Summer 2018. The first test center will be opened in the capital, New Delhi.

The CELPIP test center stands for Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP). The CELPIP is a 100% Canadian English test designed for permanent residence status. There are two designated tests accepted as evidence of English language proficiency by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for immigration purpose – one is CELPIP and the other is IELTS General module.

The CELPIP test is developed by Paragon Testing Enterprises, a subsidiary of University of British Columbia. It is the first-ever Canadian English test which is designated by IRCC and mirrors the best in Canadian research. The test is designed to give prominence to Canadian English and accents as used in Canada.

The best part of CELPIP is it measures your functional language proficiency which is more relevant for day-to-day life. It focuses on test taker’s English abilities in a variety of different situations and contexts, such as how you communicate with your colleagues and others at workplace, interact with your friends, comprehend and respond to the written materials and understand news items. It is a complete measurement of your English abilities which include four modules of your language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

The CELPIP comes in two versions: the CELPIP – General test and the CELPIP – General LS test. Those who intend to immigrate to Canada can take the CELPIP General test to fulfill the requirement of English language proficiency for IRCC.