English alphabet letter names
Letter names make spelling a name or address clearer, especially when similar letters and regional pronunciations cause confusion.
Read and practiseAdventure journal
All English lessons
Choose a topic, read the examples and try the exercises before revealing the answers. Follow a related lesson when you are ready to use the same idea in a new situation.
Adventure journal
Your lesson journal
Choose your level
No matching lesson. Try a shorter search or another topic.
Short i and long ee in English
Ship and sheep differ in their vowel: compare tongue position and duration with written pairs and practical examples.
Read and practiseShort e and short i in English
Pen and pin illustrate a vowel contrast in many accents; compare tongue and jaw positions using written word pairs.
Read and practiseThe initial h sound in English
A gentle breath distinguishes words such as house and help from vowel-initial words; practise with spelling and mouth position.
Read and practiseVoiced and voiceless th at the start
Think and this begin with different th sounds; compare tongue position and vocal vibration in common English words.
Read and practiseShort a and short e in English
Bad and bed show a vowel contrast in many accents; compare jaw and tongue positions with written pairs and examples.
Read and practiseShort u and short a in English
Cup and cap contrast two vowels in many accents; compare tongue position and jaw opening using written pairs.
Read and practiseEnglish b and v sounds
Best and vest begin differently: compare a lip closure with lip-to-teeth friction using written English word pairs.
Read and practiseV and W: making the sounds
A vest and the west begin with different sounds. Explore lip and teeth positions through written pairs and short sentences.
Read and practiseEnglish r and l: a mouth-position guide
The words right and light differ at the beginning; mouth position helps you make the contrast in everyday speech.
Read and practiseEnglish S and SH: hearing the difference
A small change in tongue position separates words like see and she; written pairs and short sentences help you practise the contrast.
Read and practiseFinal consonants in English
A word’s last sound can change its meaning: compare written pairs and practise making clear endings with your lips, tongue and voice.
Read and practisePlural endings: three English sounds
Cats, dogs and buses show how the last sound of a noun determines the pronunciation of its plural ending.
Read and practiseThree sounds of regular past endings
A past ending can sound like a stop consonant or add a syllable; compare its three pronunciations in context.
Read and practiseStress in two-syllable English words
A stronger beat can fall at the start or the end of a two-syllable word; compare common examples in context.
Read and practiseSilent initial letters in English words
A written beginning can hide a sound: explore silent initial letters in common words and compare words that sound alike.
Read and practiseSchwa in unstressed English vowels
A short, relaxed vowel appears in many unstressed syllables, even when their spellings differ; identify it and practise the rhythm.
Read and practiseFull and fool: two English vowels
The words full and fool differ in vowel quality as well as length; written pairs and mouth positions help make the contrast clear.
Read and practiseShort o and aw in English
The vowels in cot and caught differ in some accents and merge in others; compare spelling, mouth position and meaning in context.
Read and practiseCh and sh at the start of English words
A small change at the start of chip and ship changes the word; compare mouth positions and practise with written pairs.
Read and practiseEnglish j and y sounds
Jam and yam differ at the start: compare a brief closure with a smooth glide using written words and mouth position.
Read and practiseVoicing at the end of English words
Bat and bad end with different consonants; compare vocal vibration and the preceding vowel using written word pairs.
Read and practiseEnglish consonant groups at the start
Street and spring begin with groups of consonants; practise moving directly between their sounds without inserting a vowel.
Read and practiseEnglish consonant groups at the end
Helped and asks end in several consonant sounds; practise each mouth movement without adding another syllable.
Read and practiseWeak forms in connected English speech
Small grammar words often lose their full vowel in fluent speech; written examples reveal where stress and a relaxed vowel make a difference.
Read and practiseLinking final consonants to vowels
A final consonant can flow into the next word when that word starts with a vowel sound, making connected speech smoother.
Read and practiseContent words and sentence stress
In a neutral English sentence, important meaning words usually stand out while small grammatical words are less prominent.
Read and practisePitch patterns in English questions
A rising or falling pitch can signal a question type; practise common yes-no and information questions through written examples.
Read and practiseTheir, there and they’re: homophones
Three common spellings share a sound, but context tells you whether the meaning is possession, place or a shortened clause.
Read and practiseContrastive stress in English sentences
A different stressed word can correct a colour, a day or a person while the sentence itself stays the same.
Read and practiseEnglish intonation for uncertainty
A tentative pitch can accompany doubt: explore how context and wording shape uncertain statements in English.
Read and practiseWeak and strong forms of can
A small auxiliary changes its vowel with stress; context and a following verb help distinguish ability from a negative.
Read and practiseHearing consonant changes between English words
In fluent English, a consonant can change before the next word; identify common changes using spelling and mouth position.
Read and practiseElision between English consonants
In quick conversation, a consonant can disappear between its neighbours; written phrases help you notice this optional change.
Read and practiseGlides between English vowels
Adjacent vowel sounds often flow together in fluent speech; notice the small transitions made by the tongue and lips across word boundaries.
Read and practisePitch and length for English emphasis
A change in pitch and a longer stressed vowel can highlight the word that corrects a misunderstanding in a sentence.
Read and practisePitch in lists and choices
A continuing list often rises while its final item falls; explore how pitch can mark alternatives in a choice.
Read and practiseThought groups and pauses in English
Long spoken messages become easier to follow when meaningful phrases have clear boundaries, with pauses and changes in pitch.
Read and practiseSuffixes and shifting word stress
A familiar root can sound different when a suffix changes its stress; compare word families and locate the strongest syllable.
Read and practiseNoun and verb stress shifts
The same spelling can name a thing or an action, with stress moving between syllables; compare common pairs in context.
Read and practise
English subject pronouns: I, you, she and they
Use English subject pronouns to refer to the speaker, listener, other people and things, with examples and guided practice.
Read and practiseThe present of be: am, is and are
Choose am, is or are with a subject, make negative statements and ask simple questions using the present forms of be.
Read and practiseIndefinite articles: a and an
Choose a or an before a singular countable noun by listening to the next sound, including useful exceptions such as an hour.
Read and practiseThe definite article the in English
Use the to refer to a specific or identifiable thing, and compare it with a when introducing one item.
Read and practiseEnglish plural nouns: books, boxes and children
Form common English plural nouns with -s and -es, learn a spelling change and recognise irregular plurals.
Read and practiseThis, that, these and those
Point to one or several things with this, that, these and those, and compare nearby and more distant objects.
Read and practiseHave and has: possession in the present
Choose have or has in affirmative present simple sentences about possessions, relationships and characteristics.
Read and practisePossessive determiners: my, your, his and her
Use my, your, his, her, its, our and their before a noun to express ownership and relationships in English.
Read and practisePresent simple: habits and facts
Learn when to use the present simple and how the verb changes with he, she and it, with original examples and practice.
Read and practiseSubject, verb and object in statements
A simple English statement puts the person or thing doing an action before the verb and places its object after the verb.
Read and practiseEnglish object pronouns: me, him, her and them
Use English object pronouns after a verb or preposition and distinguish forms such as I and me, she and her.
Read and practiseFrequency adverbs: always, usually and often
Describe how often something happens and place always, usually, often, sometimes and never in simple sentences.
Read and practisePresent simple negatives: do not and does not
Make negative present simple sentences with do not and does not, and understand why the main verb remains in its base form.
Read and practisePresent simple questions: do and does
Ask yes-or-no questions in the present simple with do and does, and practise the order of subject and main verb.
Read and practiseAm, is and are: negatives and questions
Negative statements and yes-or-no questions with present be help you say where people are and ask how things are.
Read and practisePresent continuous: actions happening now
Build the present continuous with am, is or are and an -ing form, and use it to describe actions happening at the moment.
Read and practisePresent simple or present continuous?
Compare regular habits with actions in progress using the present simple and present continuous, with clear time cues.
Read and practiseCountable and uncountable nouns
Distinguish countable nouns such as tickets from uncountable nouns such as rice and information, and practise quantities.
Read and practiseSome and any: quantities and offers
Use some and any with plural and uncountable nouns in everyday statements, questions, negatives and offers.
Read and practiseMuch, many and a lot of
Ask about amounts and quantities using much, many and a lot of with countable and uncountable nouns.
Read and practiseThird-person singular endings in the present simple
With a third-person singular subject or thing, the present simple verb changes spelling: practise the common endings in short sentences.
Read and practiseCan and cannot: ability, permission and requests
Use can and cannot to talk about ability and ask for help or permission, with clear examples and short exercises.
Read and practiseAdding -ing to verbs: spelling rules
A final e, a short vowel or the ending ie can change how a verb is spelled before ing. See common patterns and practise them.
Read and practiseThere is and there are: saying what exists
Choose there is or there are for singular, plural and uncountable nouns, then practise questions about what is present.
Read and practisePlace prepositions: in, on, at and under
Describe where things are with in, on, at, under and next to. Compare an enclosed space, a surface and a place.
Read and practiseEnglish imperatives: clear instructions and requests
Give instructions with a base verb, form negatives with don't and choose a considerate way to address the listener.
Read and practiseAdding -ed to verbs: regular past spelling
Regular past forms change their spelling after final e, consonant plus y, or a short stressed vowel followed by a consonant.
Read and practiseSuggestions with let's and let's not
Invite someone to do something together with let's, suggest avoiding an action with let's not, and use the base verb.
Read and practiseEveryday English contractions
Apostrophes mark missing letters in common short forms used in everyday English writing and conversation.
Read and practiseAt, on and in for English time expressions
Match clock times, days and months with at, on and in, and recognise the British and American ways to talk about weekends.
Read and practiseJoining ideas with conjunctions
Addition, contrast and choice each need a different connector when you join simple English words or statements.
Read and practisePossessive apostrophes: a teacher's desk and parents' garden
Show who something belongs to with 's or a final apostrophe, including singular owners, regular plurals and irregular children.
Read and practiseAdjectives before English nouns
A descriptive adjective comes before its noun and keeps the same form with singular and plural nouns.
Read and practisePossessive pronouns: mine, yours, hers and ours
Replace repeated noun phrases with mine, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs. Practise choosing the owner and avoiding apostrophes.
Read and practiseOrdinal numbers for order and dates
First, second and other ordinal numbers express position in a sequence and appear in spoken and written dates.
Read and practiseWhose questions: asking who owns something
Ask about ownership with whose before a noun or on its own. Choose is or are and distinguish whose from who’s in practical questions.
Read and practiseHow many: questions about countable objects
Ask about the number of countable things, form questions with plural nouns and give short or complete answers.
Read and practiseHave got: possession, questions and negatives
Say what you have with have got and has got. Build questions, negatives and short answers, and avoid mixing this pattern with do you have.
Read and practiseAge in English: asking and answering
Ask someone’s age and give an answer using the present forms of be, with or without the phrase years old.
Read and practiseTransport phrases: by bus and on foot
Describe journeys by bus, train or bicycle, talk about walking and distinguish general transport from a particular vehicle.
Read and practiseSingular and plural subjects with is and are
Match the present form of be to a singular or plural noun subject, including irregular plurals such as children.
Read and practiseWho and what questions with be
Ask about the identity of a person or the name of an object using questions with the verb be.
Read and practiseWas and were: the past of be
Choose was or were to describe a past state or location, and form simple negatives and questions with be.
Read and practiseRegular past simple verbs in English
Form regular past simple verbs with -ed and common spelling changes, then describe completed events in the past.
Read and practiseCommon irregular past simple verbs
Learn useful irregular past simple forms such as went, took and ate, with examples and practice about past events.
Read and practisePast time expressions
Say when a completed past event happened using yesterday, last week and expressions with ago in English.
Read and practisePast simple questions and negatives with did
Form past simple questions and negatives with did and the base verb, including irregular verbs such as go and eat.
Read and practiseEnglish question words: where, when, what and who
Ask for information with question words and learn when who is the subject of a question without auxiliary do.
Read and practiseFuture plans with be going to
Form be going to with a base verb to talk about plans and intentions, and practise negatives and questions.
Read and practiseComparative adjectives in English
Compare two things with -er, more and than, including spelling changes and the irregular form better.
Read and practisePresent simple spelling: watches, studies and goes
Third-person present forms change their spelling according to the verb ending. Explore the patterns and complete four everyday sentences.
Read and practiseIrregular past spelling patterns
Some past verbs change their vowels, while others keep the same spelling. Notice useful patterns and choose the right form for a finished action.
Read and practiseReflexive pronouns: myself, herself and ourselves
Use reflexive pronouns when an action returns to its subject. Practise singular and plural forms, emphasis and by themselves for acting without help.
Read and practiseGoing to questions and negatives
Plans change, and questions help us find out what people intend to do. Form future questions and negative statements with the right form of be.
Read and practiseEach other and one another: mutual actions
Describe actions between people with each other and one another. Use possessive each other’s and distinguish mutual actions from reflexive ones.
Read and practisePolite wishes and offers
Express a wish or offer something politely with a noun or an infinitive, and practise questions and negative forms.
Read and practiseOne and ones: avoid repeating countable nouns
Replace a repeated countable noun with one or ones while keeping useful descriptions. Practise singular, plural and uncountable contrasts.
Read and practiseRequests with can and could
Ask someone to perform an action with a direct or more polite request, then accept or decline appropriately.
Read and practiseIndefinite pronouns: someone, anything and nobody
Refer to unnamed people, things and places with someone, anything and related forms. Practise singular agreement, adjective position and negatives.
Read and practiseQuestions about quantity and price
Ask about an amount of an uncountable substance or the price of an item, and practise forming questions.
Read and practiseBoth, either and neither: choices involving two
Talk about two items together, one acceptable option or no suitable option. Practise both with plurals and either or neither with singular nouns.
Read and practiseHow long: duration and length
Ask about the time an activity takes or the physical length of an object, and understand the different answers.
Read and practiseEach and every: individuals within a group
Focus on individual members with each or cover a complete group with every. Practise singular agreement, each of and almost every.
Read and practiseAsking about frequency
How frequently does something happen? Form everyday questions and answer with adverbs or expressions of frequency.
Read and practiseFew and little: small numbers and amounts
Choose few for countable plurals and little for uncountable amounts. See how adding a changes the emphasis from scarcity to some availability.
Read and practiseWhich and what in choice questions
A limited set or an open field of answers changes the question word: explore choices with nouns and with a phrase naming the options.
Read and practiseEnough: quantity, degree and word order
Place enough before a noun and after an adjective or adverb. Describe sufficient supplies, suitable qualities and results with for or to.
Read and practisePrepositions at the end of questions
Everyday questions often leave a preposition at the end. Ask about a person, a thing or a purpose while keeping the required word.
Read and practiseToo, too much and too many: more than suitable
Express excessive degree, amount or number with too, too much and too many. Choose the pattern by the following adjective, adverb or noun.
Read and practiseProhibition signs and negative instructions
Signs can prohibit an object or activity; negative instructions tell someone directly what not to do.
Read and practisePossession with of: parts and things
A door, a roof or the end of a film: an of phrase connects a thing or part to the whole it belongs to.
Read and practiseNo, none and none of in English
Empty seats, missing ingredients and unused tickets: learn where no, none and none of belong, with examples and three explained English exercises.
Read and practiseNoun modifiers: a coffee cup and a bus stop
A coffee cup and a bus stop show how one noun can name the type or purpose of another noun in everyday English.
Read and practiseAnother, other and others in English
An extra napkin, a different route or the remaining guests: choose another, other and others with six English examples and three explained exercises.
Read and practisePlural-only nouns: trousers, glasses and scissors
Some everyday objects have plural names even when there is only one. Count trousers, glasses and scissors with a pair of.
Read and practiseNo article for general meaning in English
Why say documentaries but the documentaries you recommended? Contrast general plural and uncountable nouns with identified groups in English.
Read and practiseA piece of and a cup of: measuring uncountable nouns
A glass of water or a piece of advice makes a quantity countable. Choose a suitable unit and make it plural when needed.
Read and practiseSuperlative adjectives: the highest degree in a group
Find the smallest suitcase or the most comfortable seat. Form English superlatives, define the comparison group and use one of the best correctly.
Read and practiseSomeone else and anything else
Another person or an additional thing: put else after an indefinite pronoun to express an alternative or something extra.
Read and practiseAs ... as: equal qualities and quantities
Compare length, comfort, speed and amounts with as ... as. Practise not as ... as, as many windows and as much water in clear English contexts.
Read and practiseEvery day or everyday: a useful difference
A daily routine and an ordinary object need different spellings. See how a time phrase differs from an adjective before a noun.
Read and practiseAdverbs of manner: how an action happens
Pack carefully, answer politely and play well. Form English manner adverbs, place them around verbs and objects, and distinguish hard from hardly.
Read and practiseThis one and those ones: choosing without repeating a noun
A choice between objects can be clear without repeating their name. Point out one item or several, nearby or farther away.
Read and practisePast continuous: an action in progress then
Use was or were with an -ing verb to show what was happening at a past moment. Practise statements, negatives and questions without adding did.
Read and practiseShared and separate possession with apostrophes
One shared kitchen or two separate kitchens? Apostrophe placement shows whether people own something together or separately.
Read and practisePast simple or continuous: events and background
Tell a past story with completed events and activities already in progress. Compare put on with was putting on and avoid choosing tense by duration alone.
Read and practiseAt or in for places: points and enclosed spaces
A bus stop is a meeting point, while a drawer has an inside. See how the choice of preposition changes the way a place is described.
Read and practisePresent perfect for life experience: ever and never
Discuss experiences with have or has plus a past participle. Ask with ever, answer with never, and switch to past simple when you give a finished past time.
Read and practiseBetween and among: places and groups
Separate landmarks or a surrounding group? Choose the right preposition for positions and relationships without counting a fixed number.
Read and practiseJust, already, yet and still with the present perfect
Distinguish a recent action, earlier completion, an expected event and a continuing delay. Learn natural positions for just, already, yet and still.
Read and practiseNear and next to: distances between places
A café can be close to a station without being right beside it. Distinguish general proximity from a position immediately alongside.
Read and practisePresent perfect with for and since: time continuing now
Connect a past beginning to the present with for and since. Distinguish a duration from a starting point and ask how long a continuing state has lasted.
Read and practiseAbove and over: position and movement
A picture above a sofa or a cyclist crossing a bridge: choose the right word for higher positions, movement and covering.
Read and practiseWill and won't: predictions, decisions, offers and promises
Build will with a base verb for predictions, immediate decisions, offers and promises. Practise won't, questions and the difference between a forecast and a guarantee.
Read and practiseLower positions: below and under
A village on a hillside or shoes beneath a bed? Compare lower levels with positions directly beneath something.
Read and practisePresent continuous for future arrangements
Use am, is or are with -ing to describe arranged future activities. Add a clear time, form questions and distinguish an arrangement from an action happening now.
Read and practiseStarting points and end limits
A journey between two places or a period ending at noon: mark where movement begins and when an activity stops.
Read and practisePresent simple for future timetables and scheduled events
State future departures, opening times and course dates with the present simple. Keep subject agreement and use does with a base verb in timetable questions.
Read and practisePunctual or early enough?
A scheduled start or a ferry you can still catch? Distinguish punctuality from being early enough for an event.
Read and practiseUsed to: former habits and states
Describe a routine or state that belonged to the past with used to and a base verb. Form did you use to and didn't use to, and distinguish a single past event.
Read and practiseOrdering events with time clauses
Two actions can happen in either order. Connect them with time clauses and work out which event comes first.
Read and practiseCould: past ability and particular successes
Talk about earlier abilities with could, a failed attempt with couldn’t, and a particular achievement with was able to or managed to. Practise the verb patterns.
Read and practiseMust and have to: obligation, questions and past forms
Explain what is necessary with must and have to. Practise has to, questions with do and does, past had to and future will have to without treating usage tendencies as rules.
Read and practisePast events and background activities
A sudden noise can interrupt an activity in progress. Connect past events and their background with time words.
Read and practiseMustn’t or don’t have to: forbidden or optional?
Distinguish prohibition from no obligation. Learn must not, mustn’t, don’t and doesn’t have to, and past didn’t have to through clear rules and optional arrangements.
Read and practiseReasons and results with because and so
A closed shop or a late bus can explain a result. Connect the two ideas and choose the word that introduces each part.
Read and practiseShould and ought to: advice and reasonable expectations
Give advice with should and ought to, make negative suggestions with shouldn’t, and recognize expected outcomes. Practise the different verb patterns and question order.
Read and practiseCan I, could I or may I: asking permission politely
Ask permission with can, could and may, and give or refuse it with can and can’t. Distinguish asking to do something yourself from asking another person to act.
Read and practiseAlso, too and either: adding similar information
A friend shares an experience and you have something similar to say. Place also, too or either naturally in affirmative and negative sentences.
Read and practiseZero conditional: regular results, routines and instructions
Explain what regularly happens under a condition using if or when and the present simple. Practise clause order, third-person forms and instructions after a condition.
Read and practiseFirst conditional: realistic future conditions and results
Plan possible future outcomes with if plus the present simple and will in the result. Include negative conditions, permissions, questions and conditional instructions.
Read and practiseBut and however: contrasting statements
Two ideas can contrast within one sentence or across sentences. Compare the punctuation for but and however in everyday contexts.
Read and practisePresent simple passive: is made, are checked and isn't served
Describe regular services and processes with am, is or are plus a past participle. Form negatives and questions, and add by when the person doing the action matters.
Read and practisePast existence with singular and plural
Describe things that existed in the past, ask questions and make negatives using singular and plural patterns.
Read and practiseIng after prepositions: before sending, without taking
Use ing after prepositions in thanks, interests, methods and actions before another action. Recognise prepositional to in look forward to hearing your ideas.
Read and practiseInfinitives of purpose: explain why you do something
Answer why with to plus a base verb, including explanations of past actions. Compare intentions with an object's function expressed by for plus ing.
Read and practisePast possession and present possession
Talk about things someone possessed in the past and distinguish that form from a common way to express possession now.
Read and practiseSubject questions: who moved it and who did you meet?
Ask who or what performs an action with subject questions. Compare who moved with who did you meet, and keep tense and agreement in the verb.
Read and practiseShort answers with auxiliaries: yes, I am and no, they didn't
Answer English yes/no questions with a subject and the matching auxiliary. Practise be, do, can and have, adjust pronouns and avoid unfinished positive contractions.
Read and practisePreferences with two verb patterns
A preference for an activity can be expressed with two patterns. Compare their forms and practise talking about what you enjoy.
Read and practiseBecause or because of: explain reasons with the right structure
Explain a reason with because plus a clause or because of plus a noun phrase. Move a reason to the start, punctuate it and give a natural answer to why.
Read and practiseWhile or during: connect actions or name a time period
Choose while before a clause and during before a noun phrase. Distinguish a time period from a duration, using for twenty minutes during our walk.
Read and practiseManner adverbs after verbs and objects
The position of a word such as slowly depends on whether the verb has a direct object. See natural word order in everyday sentences.
Read and practiseMovement prepositions: into, onto, through, across, past and along
Describe entering, crossing and following a route with six movement prepositions. Use clear directions and distinguish walking along a canal from crossing it.
Read and practiseNot any or no: expressing zero quantity
An empty fridge or a lack of time calls for a clear negative. Compare two ways to say that there is none.
Read and practiseToo + adjective + infinitive
A degree can prevent an action: see how to describe something that is too hot, heavy or difficult for someone to do.
Read and practiseAdjectives with enough to
A room can be quiet enough to study in, or a child old enough to travel alone. Express a sufficient quality for an action.
Read and practiseVery, quite and rather with adjectives
A hot soup and a rather late bus show how degree adverbs change the strength and tone of everyday descriptions.
Read and practiseIrregular comparisons of good, bad and far
Better weather, the worst meal and a farther walk: compare two things or identify an extreme with irregular English forms.
Read and practiseWith and without before nouns
A bag with pockets or a drink without sugar: describe what accompanies something and what is absent.
Read and practiseGeneral possibility with can and cannot
Free internet, a closed tunnel or hot weather: describe what is generally possible or impossible in a situation.
Read and practiseAll, most and some: general groups or specific sets
Distinguish most gardens from most of the gardens. Use all, most and some with general nouns, defined groups, uncountable amounts and pronouns.
Read and practiseStative verbs and simple forms
Knowing an answer, owning a bakery or needing water: recognise state meanings and choose simple rather than continuous forms.
Read and practiseWhole and all: complete units and entire groups
A whole afternoon, all the pages, all the glue: learn how English distinguishes complete units, every member and entire amounts, with three exercises.
Read and practiseState or activity: verbs that change meaning
An opinion, a meal or an appointment? Choose a simple or continuous form according to what the verb means.
Read and practisePresent simple in stories and commentary
Stories, live sports and step-by-step demonstrations often put events in the present, even when a plot was written long ago.
Read and practiseArticles with English geographical names
Paris or the Paris? Learn article patterns for countries, rivers, seas, mountain ranges, lakes and peaks, including the Netherlands and Mount Fuji.
Read and practisePresent perfect in unfinished time
A day or week may still be in progress when you count events. Compare that perspective with a completed period and choose a suitable tense.
Read and practiseCompleted visits and current absence
A completed visit or a trip still in progress? Distinguish experience from absence with two present perfect forms.
Read and practiseDuration, starting point and time before now
Compare expressions for a length of time, its starting point and a finished event measured back from now.
Read and practiseSchool or the school? Purpose and place in English
Going to school differs from visiting the school. Explore article choices for education, hospital care and bed, including British and American usage.
Read and practisePast perfect or past simple: event order
Two past events can be placed in order with the past perfect, while a clear sequence often needs only the past simple.
Read and practisePresent perfect in future time clauses
A future action can follow a completed event: see how when and once connect the two, and practise the present perfect in time clauses.
Read and practiseAdjective order: describing things naturally
Arrange English descriptions such as a beautiful old wooden chair. Learn usual adjective order, material and purpose modifiers, and when and belongs.
Read and practiseFuture arrangements and plans: present continuous or going to?
A booked appointment and a personal intention can call for different future forms, though both forms can describe some plans.
Read and practiseA practical choice with may or might as well
Suggest a reasonable action when no better option is apparent, using two informal expressions followed by a base verb.
Read and practiseExpectations and arrangements with supposed to
A bus due at noon or a rule about helmets can be described as an expectation, even when events turn out differently.
Read and practiseAdjectives in -ed and -ing: feelings and their causes
Was the talk fascinating, or were you fascinated? Distinguish English emotion adjectives in -ed and -ing, including people who cause a reaction.
Read and practiseBe allowed to: permission across tenses
Permission can change with time: describe what people may do now, what they could do before and what they will be permitted to do later.
Read and practiseBe likely to: express probability
A delayed train or an early closing can be probable without being certain. Express expectations with likely to and likely that.
Read and practiseComparative adverbs: faster, more carefully and better
Compare how actions are performed with faster, more carefully and better. Learn English adverb forms, than phrases and lower degrees with less.
Read and practisePresent and past inability with negative modals
A high shelf today and a locked gate yesterday call for different negative modals when describing inability.
Read and practiseModal continuous: possibility in progress
A light is on or a person is missing: describe what may be happening now and distinguish a possibility from a strong deduction.
Read and practiseAdjectives after look, feel, sound, smell and taste
Why does soup smell delicious, while a chef tastes carefully? Choose English adjectives for a subject's qualities and adverbs for performed actions.
Read and practiseShould I and should we: asking for advice
A decision can prompt a question with should. Ask for guidance about your own actions or a choice shared with others.
Read and practiseWhy don’t we and how about: making suggestions
A shared plan can begin with a friendly question. Compare two common suggestion patterns and choose the right verb form.
Read and practiseGerund clauses as subjects
An activity can be the subject of a sentence: form a clause with a verb ending in ing and give it singular agreement.
Read and practisePresent perfect or past simple: choose the time frame
Compare a present result or experience up to now with an event in a finished past period. Practise last month, so far and follow-up questions with when.
Read and practiseEvaluating actions with introductory it
An adjective can evaluate an action before the action is named. See how introductory it and an infinitive work together, including patterns with people.
Read and practiseAdjectives with prepositions and ing forms
An adjective and its preposition can introduce an activity: explore patterns such as interested in learning and good at making things.
Read and practisePresent perfect continuous: activity up to now
Form have or has been plus -ing for ongoing or recent activity. Describe duration, repeated routines and visible evidence without claiming a task is finished.
Read and practiseVerb plus preposition and -ing
Some verbs take a particular preposition before an action. See how the following verb takes the -ing form in everyday sentences.
Read and practiseWho performs an ing action?
Possessive and object forms before an ing clause identify its actor, with a difference in formality and sentence position.
Read and practisePerfect simple or continuous: result, activity and state
Choose a completed total, an activity in progress or a continuing state. Compare repaired with been repairing and learn why lived can work in either form.
Read and practiseAllow and permit with infinitives and gerunds
Permission can name the person involved or describe an activity in general. See how the verb pattern changes in each case.
Read and practisePrefer and rather than: comparing preferences
From drinks to daily activities, compare two choices with matching forms and express what you would rather do in a particular situation.
Read and practisePast perfect: look back from a past moment
Use had plus a past participle to connect an earlier event or state to a later past moment. Practise questions, time order and before with an unfinished action.
Read and practiseWould like or like: wishes and preferences
A cup offered now and a favourite drink express different ideas. Compare specific wishes and offers with general preferences.
Read and practiseWill or going to: intention, evidence and a decision now
Compare an existing intention with a decision made while speaking. Use going to for a prediction grounded in present evidence and recognise overlap with will.
Read and practiseQuestions and negatives with used to
Former habits and states come into focus through questions and negatives, including the spelling used after did and the less common alternative.
Read and practiseMyself and yourself for emphasis: doing it personally
A reflexive pronoun can highlight who did something personally, while by plus a reflexive pronoun can show that someone acted alone.
Read and practiseFuture continuous: an activity in progress later
Use will be plus -ing to picture an activity at a future moment or a temporary future routine. Practise negatives, plan questions and ongoing versus finished meaning.
Read and practiseSingular they: referring to one person
A person’s gender may be unknown, or their pronouns may be they and them. See how these forms work with singular reference.
Read and practiseIt, one and that: referring back to a noun
A lost key, a replacement cup or a comparison: the choice of pronoun shows whether the referent is the same item or another.
Read and practiseWould for past habits: repeated actions in a story
Use would and a base verb for recurring actions within an established past setting. Contrast those memories with a continuing past state and a single completed event.
Read and practiseGeneric you and formal one
Everyday speech and formal writing have different ways to talk about a general experience or rule that applies to people.
Read and practiseBe used to and get used to: familiarity and adjustment
Distinguish being accustomed to something from becoming accustomed to it. Follow be or get used to with a noun, pronoun or -ing form, not an infinitive.
Read and practiseDeterminer order: all my friends and the first two days
Words before a noun follow a useful order: quantity words, articles or possessives, and then position words and numbers.
Read and practiseA few, few, a little and little
A small amount can be welcome or insufficient: choose the phrase that matches the noun and the meaning you want to convey.
Read and practiseBe able to: ability across different verb forms
Express ability with will be able to, have been able to, to be able to and being able to. Learn where can cannot fit and keep to before the main verb.
Read and practiseLess or fewer: amounts and numbers
A smaller number of objects or a smaller amount of something calls for a choice between fewer and less, with useful exceptions for measurements.
Read and practiseHad better: strong advice for a specific situation
Use had better and had better not for advice when an unwanted consequence is possible. Decode ’d as had, keep the base verb and distinguish this form from past time.
Read and practiseMay and might: expressing uncertain possibilities
Describe uncertain present and future situations with may and might. Form negatives and may be doing, and avoid assigning fixed probability percentages to these modals.
Read and practiseA number of and the number of: verb agreement
Several people or a single count? The article before number helps you choose a plural or singular verb in these common phrases.
Read and practisePresent deductions: must, might and can’t
Draw conclusions from clues with must, express an uncertain explanation with might, may or could, and reject an explanation with can’t. Separate inference from obligation.
Read and practiseShould have: looking back on choices and expectations
Reflect on earlier choices with should have and shouldn’t have, ask what was advisable, and recognize an expected completed event. Practise have plus a past participle.
Read and practiseWould rather: preferences, alternatives and another person’s action
State preferences with would rather, compare alternatives with than and place not correctly. Learn why I’d rather you kept uses a past form for a present or future preference.
Read and practiseIndefinite pronouns and singular verbs
Everyone and nobody refer to people without naming them. Match these pronoun subjects with singular verbs in statements about people and things.
Read and practiseSecond conditional: imagining a different present or future
Explore imagined situations with if plus a past form and would in the result. Give advice with if I were you, use could for possibility and distinguish form from past time.
Read and practiseUnless and if not: state an exception clearly
Use unless to name an exception to a plan or rule. Compare it with if not, place the comma, and avoid adding a negative that reverses your meaning.
Read and practiseCollective nouns: the team is or are
A team can act as one unit or as individual members. Agreement also varies between British and American English.
Read and practiseIn case: prepare for a possibility, then distinguish if
Explain precautions with in case and compare a response introduced by if. Practise present and past situations, just in case, and in case of before a noun.
Read and practiseWish and if only: imagine a different present
Express present wishes with past forms after wish and if only. Practise states, habits, ongoing actions and could, then contrast a wish with a realistic hope.
Read and practisePast simple passive: report what was done
Report completed events with was or were plus a past participle. Practise questions, negatives and irregular forms, while choosing whether the agent matters.
Read and practiseCompound subjects: bread and butter is or are?
Two subjects joined by and can name separate things or one unit. Choose the verb by considering what the subject means.
Read and practiseModal passives: can be done, must be done and must not be done
Combine modal verbs with be and a participle to express options, advice and requirements. Distinguish a forbidden action from one that is simply unnecessary.
Read and practiseBy or with in the passive: agent, cause and tool
Name who did an action with by, distinguish a tool introduced by with, and decide when an agent can be omitted. Include nonhuman causes and the phrase by hand.
Read and practiseThe rich and the elderly: groups of people
A simple adjective can name a whole group of people after the. See why the verb is plural and how to refer to one person.
Read and practiseHave something done: arrange repairs, cleaning and translation
Describe a service with have plus object and past participle. Change the tense of have, preserve word order, and recognise an unwanted experience in the same pattern.
Read and practiseReported statements: said, told and context-sensitive backshift
Report statements with say or tell, change pronouns to match the speaker, and practise backshift without assuming every tense and time word must change.
Read and practiseReported questions: if, whether and statement word order
Retell questions with if, whether or a question word. Practise subject–verb order, recognise subject questions and choose tense changes from context.
Read and practiseAdjectives followed by that-clauses
Feelings and certainty can introduce a complete situation: connect an adjective to a clause with that, or sometimes leave it out.
Read and practiseReporting requests and instructions with ask and tell
Describe what someone asked or told another person to do. Use object plus to-infinitive, form negative instructions and distinguish requests from questions.
Read and practiseDefining relative clauses: identify people and things
Identify the neighbour, bag or coat you mean with who, which or that. Build defining relative clauses without commas or repeated subject and object pronouns.
Read and practiseInterested in and interesting to: describing reactions
A person can be interested in a subject, while that subject may be interesting to them. Choose the form and complement that fit.
Read and practiseWhen can you omit a relative pronoun?
Shorten defining relative clauses by omitting object who, which or that. Keep subject relatives, preserve stranded prepositions and avoid doubled objects.
Read and practiseWhose in relative clauses: belongings, family and connections
Connect a person or thing to its bicycle, father, rooms or cover with whose plus a noun. Distinguish whose from who's and match verbs to the correct subject.
Read and practiseWhere and when in relative clauses: place or time, not an object
Describe where an event happens or when it occurs with relative where and when. Contrast these with which or that when the noun is the clause's subject or object.
Read and practiseToo or very: degree and excess
A room can be very warm without being too warm. Compare strong descriptions with degrees that cause a problem.
Read and practiseVerbs followed by ing: enjoy, avoid, consider, finish and mind
Build natural verb patterns with enjoy doing, avoid doing and consider doing. Use finish, mind and miss with ing, including future possibilities and polite requests.
Read and practiseVerbs followed by to-infinitives: decide, hope, agree and manage
Express decisions, hopes, plans, agreements, refusals and achievements with to-infinitives. Keep the base verb and distinguish intended actions from successful ones.
Read and practiseEven with comparative forms
A difference can be surprising in its size: put even before a comparative to emphasize a greater or smaller degree.
Read and practiseVerb, object and to-infinitive: say who should do something
Name who should act with want, ask, advise, encourage, remind and expect plus an object and to-infinitive. Practise object pronouns and negative infinitives.
Read and practiseRemember and forget: a memory of doing or a task to do?
Distinguish remember doing from remember to do, and forgetting an experience from forgetting a task. Use context rather than a simple past-versus-future shortcut.
Read and practiseStop and try: how ing and to change the meaning
Contrast stop doing with stop to do, and trying a method with trying to achieve a result. Learn why an attempt can succeed and a tested method can fail.
Read and practiseAs if and as though: appearance and comparison
A dark sky can look as if rain is coming. Describe appearances and imaginary comparisons, and choose a tense that fits the meaning.
Read and practiseLet, make and help: when the infinitive has no to
Use let and make with an object and bare infinitive, restore to in passive be made to, and recognise both help someone do and help someone to do as correct.
Read and practiseNegative infinitives: decided not to or did not decide?
Place not with the action you mean to negate. Compare decided not to with have not decided, practise reminders and express a negative purpose with so as not to.
Read and practiseWhether or not: alternatives and uncertainty
A decision may be uncertain, or an action may happen in either case. See how this expression introduces both possibilities.
Read and practiseQuestion tags: isn't it, didn't she and aren't I?
Check information with English question tags. Match the auxiliary and subject, handle nobody and never, and practise the special tag after I am.
Read and practisePolite indirect questions: could you tell me where it is?
Ask for information with could you tell me, do you know and I'd like to know. Use statement word order inside the question and choose suitable punctuation.
Read and practiseNegative questions: didn't you and clear yes/no answers
Understand expectations in negative questions and answer with yes plus an affirmative verb or no plus a negative verb. Practise contracted and full not forms.
Read and practiseOtherwise as a sentence adverb
A warning, a precaution or a past action can lead to a different result; otherwise introduces that alternative outcome.
Read and practiseSo do I and neither do I: sharing the same situation
Say that an affirmative or negative statement also applies to you. Choose so or neither, match the auxiliary and distinguish so do I from so I do.
Read and practiseAlthough and despite: contrast an obstacle with the outcome
Express an unexpected contrast with although, even though, despite and in spite of. Choose a full clause or a noun/ing phrase and avoid despite of.
Read and practiseDespite and in spite of with -ing
A missed train or a surprising result: express contrast between an action and what happens using an -ing phrase.
Read and practiseSo and such with that: degree leading to a result
Connect a strong degree to its result using so icy that, such a tight knot that, so many and so much. Choose the structure that matches the following words.
Read and practiseSo that for purpose: explain what an action is meant to achieve
Explain an intended outcome with so that plus a subject and verb. Use can, could, will or would where appropriate, and recognise purpose without a modal.
Read and practiseFuture time clauses: when, until, once and as soon as
Use present forms for future events after time conjunctions. Practise when, until, once and as soon as, and distinguish a time clause from a direct question.
Read and practiseSo that with can and could: purpose and ability
A receipt, a slow explanation or an early departure can make an intended action possible. Express that purpose with a modal clause.
Read and practiseUntil or by: continuing to a time versus meeting a deadline
Distinguish until for a continuing situation from by for a latest completion time. Interpret return deadlines, staffed hours and instructions with not until.
Read and practiseBefore and after with ing: shorter time clauses with clear subjects
Shorten before and after clauses with ing when the same person performs both actions. Keep a full clause when the subjects differ and preserve the event order.
Read and practiseWhat as a fused relative
A clause with what can name the thing or things involved without a separate noun. See how it works as a subject or object.
Read and practiseSo and therefore: results, decisions and conclusions
Explain results with so and therefore. Practise cause-before-result order, sentence punctuation and the difference between a reason and a conclusion.
Read and practiseEmphatic do, does and did: confirm what is true
Add emphasis with do, does and did plus a base verb. Practise correcting an assumption, confirming past actions and making a warm invitation.
Read and practiseMuch, far and slightly: say how big a difference is
Modify comparisons with much, far, a lot, slightly and a bit. Describe large or small differences, understand even more and avoid very before a comparative.
Read and practiseThat or which in defining relative clauses
A defining clause identifies the thing you mean. Both relative words are possible, although preferences differ across varieties of English.
Read and practiseTwo object patterns: give someone something, buy something for someone
Compare person-first and thing-first patterns with give and buy. Practise to for a recipient, for for a beneficiary, and explain something to someone.
Read and practiseDependent prepositions: interested in, good at and depend on
Learn adjective and verb combinations such as interested in, proud of and depend on. Practise prepositions with nouns and ing forms in useful sentences.
Read and practiseIt and there: subjects for weather, opinions and existence
Choose it or there for weather, time, opinions and things that exist. Practise it's important to and there are, without treating every it as an object reference.
Read and practisePast perfect continuous: activity before a past point
Describe an activity leading up to a past moment with had been and -ing. Explain duration, repeated preparation and past evidence while distinguishing state verbs.
Read and practiseFormal conditional inversion
In formal conditions, had, were and should can move before the subject when if is omitted. Explore past, hypothetical and possible situations.
Read and practiseIf it were not for: a decisive condition
A person or circumstance can change an imagined outcome: contrast present situations with alternative past events.
Read and practiseIf only for: a limited reason
A single reason can be enough to justify an action, even when other reasons may exist. Explore purpose, cause and noun phrases.
Read and practiseEven if and even though: condition or fact?
A possible obstacle and a known fact call for different connectors. Compare their meanings and choose the right one in context.
Read and practiseFuture perfect: completed by a future deadline
Look back from a future point with will have and a past participle. Set completion deadlines with by, form negatives and questions, and describe states lasting until then.
Read and practiseAssuming and supposing in conditions
A proposed situation can serve as the starting point for a prediction or question about what follows.
Read and practiseOn condition that: formal agreements
An offer or agreement can depend on a specific requirement. Explore this formal expression and the verb forms that follow it.
Read and practiseDespite the fact that: full-clause contrast
A surprising result can follow a full clause introduced by despite the fact that; compare this formal phrase with the shorter although.
Read and practiseNot only but also: add emphasis with parallel structure
Two linked ideas gain emphasis when their forms match. Explore paired elements and the inversion used at the start of a clause.
Read and practiseFuture perfect continuous: duration measured in the future
Count how long an activity will have lasted at a future point using will have been and -ing. Distinguish duration from completion and keep the full auxiliary sequence.
Read and practiseAlternatives in dependent clauses
A decision, an indirect question or an outcome can involve alternatives. Compare balanced clauses and infinitive phrases in formal and everyday English.
Read and practiseWhereas and while for contrast
Two facts can point in different directions: connect contrasting characteristics clearly and distinguish comparison from a time meaning.
Read and practiseIn order that: formal purpose clauses
Formal purpose clauses explain an intended result and connect an action to what someone can, could or may do.
Read and practiseLest and for fear that: unwanted outcomes
Formal clauses can describe an outcome someone wants to prevent, from losing a file to waking a sleeping child.
Read and practiseWhatever and whichever: choices without knowing which
An open choice or a choice from a known set can both be expressed in a clause. Distinguish the two forms and use them with or without a noun.
Read and practiseFuture in the past: would, was going to and arrangements
Describe plans and expectations viewed from an earlier moment. Use would, was or were going to and past continuous without assuming every plan failed.
Read and practiseWhoever and whomever in embedded clauses
A person can be the subject or object inside a clause, even when the whole clause plays a different role in the sentence.
Read and practiseNo matter what, where and who
A result can stay the same despite an unknown person, place or choice. Explore concessive clauses and their word order.
Read and practisePast deductions: must have, might have and can’t have
Infer earlier events with modal plus have and a past participle. Distinguish confident conclusions, uncertain possibilities and negative deductions, including may not have.
Read and practiseReduced relative clauses with past participles
A passive relative clause can often be shortened after a noun: discover when a past participle preserves the intended meaning.
Read and practiseReduced relative clauses with -ing
A person carrying a bag or a bridge connecting villages: an active -ing phrase can identify a noun without a full relative clause.
Read and practiseCould have: unused opportunities and uncertain explanations
Distinguish an available option that was not taken from a possible explanation of a past event. Use could have plus a participle and interpret the surrounding evidence.
Read and practiseQuantifiers in relative clauses: subsets
A group can be followed by extra information about some or all of its members, using a quantifier and a relative pronoun.
Read and practiseWhich referring to a whole clause
A whole event can be followed by a comment about its result or effect. See how a comma and a relative clause connect the two ideas.
Read and practiseNeedn’t have: an unnecessary action that was completed
Contrast needn’t have with didn’t need to. Identify an unnecessary completed action, use have plus a participle, and read context before deciding whether an action happened.
Read and practiseReporting claims with the passive
A claim can be reported without naming its source: compare an impersonal clause with a subject followed by a passive reporting verb.
Read and practiseThird conditional: imagining a different past and its result
Reconstruct an alternative past with if plus past perfect and would have plus a participle. Decode ’d, use could or might for different meanings, and recover the actual events.
Read and practiseReporting an earlier event with a perfect infinitive
A passive reporting verb and a perfect infinitive let you report a claim about an event that happened before the reporting.
Read and practiseMixed conditionals: past causes, present results and lasting traits
Connect an imagined past change to a present result, or a continuing trait to a past result. Choose the verb forms from the timeline instead of memorising one fixed pair.
Read and practiseReported speech: time and place changes
Reporting someone’s words later or elsewhere can change expressions of time and place while preserving the original reference.
Read and practiseProvided and as long as: attach a condition to an agreement
Set conditions with provided, providing, as long as and on condition that. Practise permissions, arrangements, optional that and the difference from duration.
Read and practiseWish and if only for the past: express regret accurately
Describe a past you would like to change with wish or if only plus past perfect. Practise negative regrets, had been doing and hope when the outcome is unknown.
Read and practiseReported speech without backshift
A past reporting verb can introduce a present form when a fact remains true or a situation is relevant now.
Read and practiseWish with would: ask for a change without confusing states
Use wish plus would for a desired change, repeated annoyance or lack of response. Contrast a wish about knowledge and notice when your wording sounds critical.
Read and practiseModal perfect continuous: may have been working
A light left on or a wet road can suggest an activity in progress earlier. Express possibility and deductions about a past situation.
Read and practisePerfect and continuous passives: been or being?
Distinguish has been repaired from is being repaired. Build past perfect and continuous passives, ask questions, and recognise a state that continues in the perfect.
Read and practiseWould have for unreal past outcomes
An earlier choice or missing opportunity can lead to an imagined past result; express outcomes and willingness that never became reality.
Read and practiseGet passive: got approved, got damaged and did it get sent?
Use get plus a past participle for events affecting people or things, especially in conversation. Form questions and negatives without assuming every event is bad.
Read and practiseWas to have done: plans that did not happen
A past arrangement can be described from a later point when it is clear that the expected event did not take place.
Read and practiseReporting verb patterns: admit, deny, suggest and persuade
Choose ing, to-infinitive or object plus infinitive after common reporting verbs. Report admissions, denials, suggestions and persuasion accurately.
Read and practiseActions on the point of happening
An imminent departure or an interrupted intention can be described from either a present or a past reference point.
Read and practiseNon-defining relative clauses: extra information and commas
Add information about an identified person or thing with who, which or whose. Use commas, retain the relative pronoun and recognise whole-clause which.
Read and practiseStrong expectations about an outcome
A crowded road or a question may seem very likely without being guaranteed; express that expectation with a compact verb pattern.
Read and practisePrepositions in relative clauses: with whom or who ... with?
Compare everyday relative clauses ending in a preposition with formal preposition-plus-whom or which. Keep the required preposition and choose the right register.
Read and practiseMandative subjunctive after demands
Formal requests and essential conditions can take a base verb in a that-clause. See how the pattern works with negation and passive forms.
Read and practisePerception verbs: see someone do or doing something
Describe a whole observed event or an action noticed in progress with see, hear and watch. Use bare infinitives actively and recognise passive was seen to leave.
Read and practiseWhether or if: choices inside indirect questions
Choose whether before an infinitive, after a preposition and directly before or not. Learn where if is also valid in an indirect yes/no question.
Read and practiseIt's time with a past form
An overdue action can be expressed with a past form after it's time; explore the added urgency of high time and practise present meaning.
Read and practiseParticiple clauses: connect actions and identify their subjects
Connect actions with walking, damaged and having checked. Practise active and passive participle clauses, earlier actions and clear subject references.
Read and practiseWould sooner: preferences about actions
Express a preference for your own action or someone else's, and see why the second pattern uses a past form for a present choice.
Read and practiseHowever and whereas: contrasts with clear sentence structure
Compare however, whereas, while and but. Practise contrasts between facts, sentence boundaries and punctuation without joining complete sentences by a comma alone.
Read and practisePlace expressions and subject–verb inversion
Front a place expression to introduce a noun subject after the verb, and compare the normal order retained with a pronoun.
Read and practiseIt-cleft sentences: focus on the person, thing or time
Use it was and it is to highlight one part of a message. Compare person, object and time focus, ask a focused question and avoid repeated pronouns.
Read and practiseAuxiliary ellipsis: leaving out a repeated verb phrase
A repeated action can disappear after an auxiliary. Practise short answers, contrasts and agreement without losing the intended meaning.
Read and practiseWhat-clefts: highlight a need, action or important point
Build sentences with what I need is and what we did was. Practise statement word order, action focus and identifying the information after is or was.
Read and practiseReplacing an action with do so or do it
An earlier action need not be repeated. Compare a formal substitute with an everyday alternative and practise their verb forms in context.
Read and practiseNegative adverbial inversion: never have I and rarely does
Recognise formal emphasis with never, rarely and only after. Practise auxiliary-before-subject order and learn which clause changes after not until.
Read and practiseParallel structure in lists and comparisons
Matching grammatical forms make linked ideas easier to follow. Practise balanced lists, paired connectors and coordinated verb phrases.
Read and practiseThe more…, the less…: describe linked changes
Link changes with the longer, the more and the less. Practise comparative adjectives, adverbs and quantities, including changes in opposite directions.
Read and practise
book: reading and reserving
Learn the noun book, its plural books, and the different verb meaning used when reserving a room.
Read and practiseShoe: one and a pair
One shoe or two? Talk about footwear, sizes and pairs with clear everyday examples and short practice.
Read and practisewater: asking for a drink
Use water as an uncountable noun and ask for some water, a glass of water or two bottles.
Read and practiseShirt: getting dressed
A blue shirt or a white one? Describe a garment, its details and getting dressed in everyday English.
Read and practiseCoat: clothing for cold weather
Cold or rainy outside? Talk about coats, weather and outer clothing with everyday examples and practice.
Read and practisechild: one child, two children
Learn the irregular plural children, use child for one young person and choose matching verb forms.
Read and practiseHat: wearing headwear
A hat on your head can keep the sun off. Describe headwear and wearing it with simple examples.
Read and practiseKitchen: the cooking room
A kitchen is the room where people cook. See how to describe kitchens and locate things in them.
Read and practisefriend: a person you know well
Use friend and friends for people, describe a friendly neighbour and introduce a friend of mine.
Read and practiseBathroom: washing at home
A room for washing can also have a toilet. Talk about bathrooms at home and where things are.
Read and practiseBreakfast: the first meal
Morning food has a name. Talk about breakfast, what you eat and when you have your first meal.
Read and practisequestion: ask, answer and punctuation
Use question and questions to ask for information, answer someone and identify a question mark.
Read and practiseLunch: the midday meal
Around midday, a meal gives you a break. Describe lunch, its time and the food you eat.
Read and practiseDinner: the evening meal
At the end of the day, talk about dinner, its time and the food you share with others.
Read and practisehome: where someone lives
Use home for where someone lives, contrast house as a building and choose at home or go home.
Read and practiseTea: the drink by the cup
A warm drink can be shared by the cup. Talk about tea, its ingredients and a serving.
Read and practisename: identifying people and things
Use name and names, understand first name and last name on forms, and recognise that naming conventions vary.
Read and practiseCar: vehicles and car journeys
On the road, a car takes people from place to place. Describe one vehicle or a journey by car.
Read and practiseFamily: talking about relatives
Use family and families in everyday sentences, and describe relatives and family photographs.
Read and practiseDog: a pet and its actions
At home or outside, a dog can run, play and sleep. Describe a pet and what it does.
Read and practiseDoor: entrances and everyday requests
Use door and doors to talk about entrances, the front door and simple requests to open or close one.
Read and practiseCat: a pet and its actions
A quiet pet may sleep, watch birds or play outside. Describe a cat and its daily actions.
Read and practiseTable: furniture and places to sit
Talk about tables at home or in a restaurant, and locate objects on or under the furniture.
Read and practiseFood: meals and types of food
Use food for what people eat, and distinguish the general uncountable word from types of foods.
Read and practisePhone: devices and calls
Use phone and phones for devices, ask someone to answer, and describe talking on the phone.
Read and practiseMother: a parent in the family
A parent can share a meal, make a call or walk home with a child. Talk about a mother and family ties.
Read and practiseKey: opening locks
Use key and keys for objects that open locks, and ask for a car key or a spare key.
Read and practiseWindow: light, views and fresh air
Use window and windows to talk about light and views, and ask permission to open a window.
Read and practiseMoney: amounts and everyday spending
Talk about money for daily needs, saving and repayment, and ask how much money there is.
Read and practiseFather: a parent and his family
A father may read to a child, cook or work in a shop. Describe a parent and family relationships.
Read and practiseAddress: places and email
Ask for an address, distinguish a postal address from an email address and use the plural addresses.
Read and practiseBus: travelling and being aboard
Use bus and buses to talk about public transport, and distinguish by bus from on the bus.
Read and practiseBread: amounts, slices and loaves
Use bread as an uncountable food word and count servings with slice of bread or loaf of bread.
Read and practiseMusic: listening, playing and kinds
Use the uncountable noun music to talk about listening, playing and different kinds of music.
Read and practiseDoctor: talking about medical appointments
Use doctor and doctors to name medical professionals and talk about an appointment or visit.
Read and practiseBed: sleeping and bedroom furniture
Use bed and beds for bedroom furniture, and describe going to bed, being in bed and making a bed.
Read and practiseWord: meaning, writing and speech
Use word and words to talk about language, ask for a meaning and request slower pronunciation.
Read and practiseChair: seating and furniture
Use chair and chairs to describe seating, move a chair and ask to use one.
Read and practiseLanguage: communication and learning
Use language and languages to talk about communication, language learning and the language of a book.
Read and practiseHour: durations and future times
Use hour and hours for lengths of time, and distinguish for an hour from in an hour.
Read and practiseStudent: people who study
Use student and students to describe learners, ask about a class and name a subject of study.
Read and practiseTeacher: people who teach
Use teacher and teachers to describe a person who teaches, their subject and classroom interactions.
Read and practiseCoffee: the drink and servings
Use coffee for the drink, order a cup and understand two coffees as two servings.
Read and practiseGarden: plants and outdoor spaces
Use garden and gardens to describe places where people grow plants or spend time outdoors.
Read and practiseMeal: eating occasions
Use meal and meals to discuss eating occasions, the food served and sharing food with others.
Read and practiseProblem: describing a difficulty
Use problem and problems to name difficulties, ask for help and say what needs attention.
Read and practiseStation: places for trains and buses
Use station and stations to locate transport stops, describe journeys and arrange where to meet.
Read and practisetime: duration, clock time and occasions
Distinguish uncountable time for duration from a time or times for occasions and specific clock times.
Read and practiseadvice: suggestions you can use
Use uncountable advice when asking for guidance and count individual suggestions with a piece of advice.
Read and practiseSock: footwear and matching pairs
A sock can be warm, clean or missing its partner. Talk about footwear and a matching pair of socks.
Read and practisework: tasks, a job and functioning
Use work for activity or employment, choose a job for a countable position and recognise work as a verb.
Read and practiseGlove: hand coverings in pairs
A lost glove or a matching pair? Talk about hand coverings, protection and cold weather in everyday situations.
Read and practiseJacket: a short outer layer
A light jacket for spring or a warm one for work? Describe this outer garment, its fit and its details.
Read and practisenews: information and news programmes
Use uncountable news with a singular verb, ask for news and count one item with a piece of news.
Read and practiseDress: choosing a garment
A dress for a party or a comfortable summer outfit? Describe this garment, its details and your clothing choices.
Read and practiseroom: a room or available space
Distinguish countable rooms in a building from uncountable room meaning space for another object.
Read and practiseBoot: footwear for work and weather
Muddy boots after work or waterproof boots in the rain? Describe sturdy footwear and pairs in daily life.
Read and practiseButton: clothes and controls
A loose button or a green control? Talk about fastening clothes and operating everyday devices.
Read and practiseticket: travel, entry and receipts
Use ticket for travel or entry, count tickets and distinguish a ticket from a receipt for payment.
Read and practiseZip and zipper on clothes
A stuck fastener or an open pocket? Describe zips on clothes and bags in British and American English.
Read and practisePrice: amounts, labels and totals
Ask about the price, compare prices and describe whether a price is high or low.
Read and practiseSink: washing hands and dishes
A pile of dishes or muddy hands? Talk about the sink in a kitchen or bathroom and the things you wash there.
Read and practiseFridge: keeping food cold
Milk on a shelf or soup for tomorrow? Talk about storing food in a fridge and keeping its door closed.
Read and practiseLetter: messages and alphabet symbols
Distinguish a letter sent as a message from a letter of the alphabet, and use capital letters on forms.
Read and practiseThe oven: cooking with enclosed heat
From bread to vegetables, describe baking in an oven and talk about switching this kitchen appliance on or off.
Read and practiseInformation: asking and checking
Use information as an uncountable noun, ask for facts about a topic and count individual items.
Read and practisePan for cooking on a stove
A pan sits on a stove to cook food; explore its singular and plural forms and describe what goes inside.
Read and practisePlate: serving food at a meal
At the table, a plate holds a portion of food. Practise its singular and plural and say where the food goes.
Read and practiseMap: places and routes
Use map and maps to identify places, describe a map of an area and plan a route.
Read and practiseLid: covering a container
A jar or box can have a lid. Practise its singular and plural and describe putting a cover on or taking it off.
Read and practiseJourney: travelling between places
Use journey and journeys to describe travel between places, its duration and a safe arrival.
Read and practiseTap: controlling the water
At the sink, a tap controls the flow of water. Practise turning it on and off and recognise the American term.
Read and practiseShower: washing under water
A shower can be a place to wash or the act of washing under running water, at home or after exercise.
Read and practiseGuest: invited person or hotel visitor
Use guest and guests for people invited to an occasion or staying at a hotel.
Read and practiseBrush: a tool for hair and cleaning
A brush can tidy hair or clean shoes and other surfaces; its plural has an extra syllable in writing.
Read and practiseCustomer: buying goods or services
Use customer and customers to describe people who buy or seek goods and services from a business.
Read and practiseToothbrush: a tool for clean teeth
A toothbrush helps clean your teeth; talk about keeping one, packing it and replacing an old one.
Read and practiseToothpaste: quantities and tubes
A small amount on a brush or a new tube: talk about toothpaste and how much you need.
Read and practiseNeighbour: someone living nearby
Use neighbour and neighbours to describe people living close to you and everyday interactions.
Read and practiseLamps and electric light
A bedside or desk lamp gives light; practise naming lamps and saying when to switch them on or off.
Read and practiseReceipt: proof of a transaction
Use receipt and receipts to ask for, keep or check proof that money or goods were received.
Read and practiseBattery: powering a device
A clock stops and a camera needs power: talk about batteries and replacing them.
Read and practiseBin: rubbish containers
A paper wrapper, a full kitchen container or a recycling box: use the British word for a bin.
Read and practiseShelf: a surface for storage
Use shelf and shelves to locate stored objects and describe upper or lower storage surfaces.
Read and practiseRubbish: waste and disposal
From a picnic to the kitchen, talk about unwanted waste and putting it in the bin or taking it outside.
Read and practiseSuitcase: carrying belongings on a trip
Use suitcase and suitcases to describe travel bags, packing and where belongings are kept.
Read and practiseLaundry: clothes to wash
A basket of clothes or a full machine gives you a way to discuss washing, drying and loads of laundry.
Read and practiseStair: a step and a staircase
One step or a whole flight? Talk about individual stairs and moving up or down the stairs in a building.
Read and practiseBottle: a container for liquid
Use bottle and bottles to describe containers, their contents and where they are kept.
Read and practiseRoof: the cover above a building
Rain, snow and birds can all land on the outside cover of a house. Describe a roof and its condition.
Read and practiseCup: a container for a drink
Use cup and cups to discuss drinking containers, servings and where they are kept.
Read and practiseDoor locks and their keys
A broken door lock or a missing key can change your plans. Talk about the device that secures a door.
Read and practisePaying rent for a home
Monthly housing costs can shape a budget. Talk about the money paid to use a flat or house.
Read and practiseGlass: material or drinking container
Distinguish uncountable glass as a material from a countable glass used for a drink.
Read and practiseBills for services and meals
Electricity, phone service and restaurant meals all come with charges. Ask for, check and pay a bill.
Read and practiseKnife: a tool for cutting
Use knife and knives to name a cutting tool, its parts and where it is kept.
Read and practiseCoins and their values
A small metal piece can pay for parking or add to your savings. Describe coins and their values.
Read and practiseTowel: cloth for drying
Use towel and towels to describe an item used for drying and where it is kept.
Read and practiseDiscounts and savings
A lower price can save money at the checkout. Describe discounts and calculate how much you save.
Read and practiseMirror: see your reflection
Use mirror and mirrors to describe a reflecting surface, its position and what you see in it.
Read and practiseParcels in the post
A wrapped package can travel to an office or wait at the post office. Talk about sending and receiving parcels.
Read and practisePostage stamps for letters
A small postage label helps a letter travel. Talk about buying stamps and putting them on envelopes.
Read and practiseSoap: washing with soap
Learn to speak about soap as a washing substance and count individual bars of solid soap.
Read and practiseEnvelopes for letters
A letter needs a covering and an address before it travels. Describe envelopes, addresses and sealing letters.
Read and practiseBlanket: a warm cover
Learn blanket and blankets for a warm cover, and describe where a person or blanket is.
Read and practiseQueue: waiting your turn
A line outside a shop offers a way to talk about waiting your turn and compare common British and American terms.
Read and practisePillow: support for your head
Use pillow and pillows for a soft support on a bed, and describe its place and cover.
Read and practiseSoup in bowls and portions
A warm bowl at lunch introduces the word for liquid food and ways to describe portions and different varieties.
Read and practiseFork: an eating utensil
Learn fork and forks for a pointed eating utensil, and ask for one politely at a meal.
Read and practiseButter as an ingredient
From spreading it on bread to measuring it for baking, talk about butter and the amounts a recipe needs.
Read and practiseSpoon: serving and eating
Learn spoon and spoons for an eating utensil, and describe using one for soup or stirring.
Read and practiseSalt for seasoning and amounts
A pinch in a dish can change its flavour: describe salt, seasoning, and the amounts used in cooking.
Read and practiseWall: a vertical structure
Learn wall and walls for room boundaries or garden divisions, and describe objects on a wall.
Read and practiseSugar for sweetness and quantities
A little sweetness in tea or a measured spoonful in a sauce: talk about sugar and how much you need.
Read and practiseTrain: travel on rails
Use train for rail transport and describe a journey by train or a place on a particular train.
Read and practiseAirport: a place for flights
Use airport for a place where aircraft take off and land, and describe travel to or from it.
Read and practiseFlour in baking and recipes
A bag on the shelf or a cup in the bowl: talk about flour as a baking ingredient and measure it.
Read and practiseCeiling: the inside top of a room
Use ceiling for the inside upper surface of a room, and contrast it with the roof outside.
Read and practisePepper: vegetable and seasoning
A sweet red vegetable or black seasoning for soup? Find out how pepper names both and how to count them.
Read and practiseFlight: a journey by aircraft
Use flight for an aircraft journey and describe its destination, timing or delay.
Read and practiseOnion: a vegetable in layers
Peel the dry outside and find layers inside: talk about an onion, whole onions and chopped onion in food.
Read and practisePassenger: a person travelling
Use passenger for a traveller in a vehicle and distinguish the passenger from the driver.
Read and practiseDriver: a person who drives
Use driver for a person controlling a vehicle and identify common vehicle-specific roles.
Read and practisePotato: one vegetable, two potatoes
From a baked potato to several potatoes, practise the singular and the spelling of the plural in everyday meals.
Read and practiseApple: a countable fruit
Name whole apples, offer one and use an before the vowel sound in apple.
Read and practiseChicken: bird and food
A bird in the yard or meat on a plate? Learn when chicken is countable and when it names food.
Read and practiseMarket: a place to buy and sell
Use market for a place or event where people buy and sell, and describe trips to it.
Read and practiseFruit: food and different kinds
A bowl of fruit can contain several kinds. Practise the general food word and the plural used for different kinds.
Read and practiseCash: money in notes and coins
Use cash for physical money and ask whether payment is in cash or by card.
Read and practiseEgg: food and preparation
Use egg for a whole item or food, and ask whether someone wants it boiled or fried.
Read and practiseVegetable: one or several
Carrots, onions and other vegetables belong on the shopping list. Practise naming one vegetable and several.
Read and practiseRice: food and quantities
Use uncountable rice for the food and count containers or grains when a number is needed.
Read and practiseBag: a container for carrying
Use bag for a container that holds or carries items, and describe its contents and location.
Read and practiseSchool: a place for education
Use school for an educational place or institution and describe its location and people.
Read and practiseLesson: a period of teaching
Use lesson for a teaching session and distinguish a teacher giving it from a learner taking it.
Read and practiseHomework: assigned schoolwork
Use uncountable homework for assigned study and count individual assignments when needed.
Read and practiseClass: learners or a teaching session
Use class for a group of learners or a teaching session and distinguish it from classroom.
Read and practiseExam: a test of knowledge or skill
Use exam for a test of knowledge or skill and distinguish taking it from passing it.
Read and practiseEmail: a message or the system
Use email for an individual electronic message or the communication system.
Read and practiseBowl: a container for food
Learn to name a bowl, describe what it holds and use a bowl of to give an amount of food.
Read and practiseMilk: a drink and ingredient
Use milk as an uncountable noun, describe a quantity in cartons or glasses and name oat milk.
Read and practiseLibrary: a place to read or borrow
Learn library for a place with books, its plural libraries and useful phrases for borrowing and returning.
Read and practiseTomato: whole fruit and food
Learn tomato and its plural tomatoes, and distinguish whole tomatoes from tomato as a food ingredient.
Read and practiseBridge: a structure for crossing
Use bridge for a crossing structure and distinguish across the bridge from under the bridge.
Read and practiseRoad: a route for vehicles
Use road to name a route, give directions and distinguish travelling along it from crossing it.
Read and practiseHospital: a place for medical care
Use hospital to discuss a medical facility, its staff or a visit, and recognize common article variation.
Read and practiseCity: a large place to live and work
Use city and its plural cities to describe a place, its centre and movement to it.
Read and practisePark: an outdoor place to visit
Use park for an outdoor recreational area, describe activity inside it and movement through it.
Read and practiseClock: a device that shows time
Learn clock for a timekeeping device, read what it says and describe a clock that is fast or slow.
Read and practiseUmbrella: cover from rain or sun
Use umbrella for a folding cover, describe opening or closing it and say who is underneath.
Read and practiseHand: body part or clock pointer
Use hand for the body part, left and right hands, and the pointer on a clock.
Read and practiseAnswer: a response to a question
Use answer as a noun for a response, connect it to a question and distinguish it from the verb.
Read and practiseRestaurant: a place serving meals
Use restaurant to identify a place serving meals, ask about its location and describe eating there.
Read and practiseClothes: items people wear
Use clothes as a plural noun, name one item of clothing and distinguish the word from cloth.
Read and practiseStreet: an urban road and its sides
Use street to locate buildings, describe a route along it and say what is across the street.
Read and practiseCountry: a nation or rural area
Use country and countries for places with borders, and recognize the country as rural land in context.
Read and practiseTaxi: a paid car journey
Use taxi to arrange a ride, say where it is going, and describe travelling by taxi.
Read and practisePocket: a place in clothing for small things
Learn pocket for a sewn space in clothes, with expressions for putting things in and taking them out.
Read and practiseWallet: carrying money and cards
Use wallet for a small case for cards and money, and describe finding or losing one.
Read and practiseBicycle: travelling on two wheels
Use bicycle to name a pedal-powered vehicle and talk about riding or travelling by bicycle.
Read and practiseCheese: food and portions
Talk about cheese as food, ask for an amount, and distinguish a portion from a kind.
Read and practiseSymptoms: describing signs of illness
A rash or headache can be a sign of illness. Describe symptoms, their number and when they began.
Read and practiseResult: outcomes and consequences
Use result and results to discuss outcomes and connect a cause to a consequence with as a result.
Read and practiseFever: talking about body temperature
A high temperature can be called a fever. Describe having one, changes in it and why someone stayed home.
Read and practiseCough: describing a lasting symptom
A cough can last for days or begin at a specific time. Say how long it has continued and describe its character.
Read and practisePain: describing where it hurts
Physical pain can be sharp or constant. Explain where you feel it and how it changes using natural English.
Read and practiseDecision: choices and reasons
Use decision and decisions to discuss choices, reasons and the common phrase make a decision.
Read and practiseInjury: physical harm and recovery
A damaged knee or shoulder can mean time away from activities. Describe injuries and how people recover.
Read and practiseWound: skin injuries and care
A cut can leave an open wound. Describe wounds, their treatment and the way they heal over time.
Read and practiseMedicine: treatment and doses
A dose may be measured from a bottle. Discuss taking medicine, following instructions and changing treatment.
Read and practiseReason: causes and explanations
Use reason and reasons to ask why something happened and explain a decision or action.
Read and practisePill: a solid dose of medicine
A small solid dose may come in a container. Describe pills, their number and the act of taking one.
Read and practiseAllergy: reactions to substances
Peanuts or pollen can cause a reaction. Describe allergies and name the substance involved in English.
Read and practiseAppointment: arranging a visit
A scheduled visit may need a new time. Arrange, change or cancel an appointment and say when it takes place.
Read and practiseMethod: ways of doing something
Use method and methods to describe a procedure, compare approaches and name a method of payment.
Read and practiseTreatment: medical care and options
Medical care can follow a planned course. Discuss treatment for an injury and compare different treatment options.
Read and practiseRecovery: getting well again
Getting well can take time. Describe recovery after illness or surgery and talk about progress toward health.
Read and practiseDiet: food choices and special diets
Daily food choices and special eating plans can both be described with this useful English noun.
Read and practiseOpportunity: chances to act
Use opportunity and opportunities for occasions that make an action possible.
Read and practiseExercise: activity and movements
From cycling to a single movement, this noun describes physical activity and individual exercises.
Read and practiseSleep: rest and its duration
A quiet night or six hours of rest: describe sleep and say how much of it someone gets.
Read and practiseStress: pressure and managing it
Deadlines and difficult changes can bring mental pressure; learn to discuss stress and ways to manage it.
Read and practiseRecipe: cooking instructions
Use recipe and recipes to discuss instructions, ingredients and dishes you want to prepare.
Read and practiseHabits and changing routines
A morning walk can become a regular behaviour. Discuss habits, how they develop and how to change them.
Read and practiseEnergy for everyday activities
Enough strength for a walk or none left after work: talk about physical energy and what you have left to do.
Read and practiseBreath and being out of breath
A deep inhalation or difficulty breathing after a run: describe breath and say when you need to pause.
Read and practisePermission: being allowed to act
Use permission to request, give or refuse consent for an action and name that action with to.
Read and practiseTemperature and measuring heat
A thermometer can show how hot water is or measure body heat. Describe temperatures and changes in them.
Read and practiseSkills developed through practice
A useful ability can grow with practice. Explore how to describe skills for work, study and everyday life.
Read and practiseQualifications for a role
Degrees and certificates can show that a person meets the requirements of a job or professional role.
Read and practiseSolution: answering a problem
Use solution and solutions to describe proposed answers to problems and discuss whether they work.
Read and practiseSalary and regular job pay
An annual amount or monthly payment can describe the regular salary offered for a particular job.
Read and practiseWages and hourly pay
An hourly rate and weekly earnings are useful ways to discuss wages paid for work.
Read and practiseCareer choices and working life
A working life can take many directions. Talk about career plans, changes and goals in English.
Read and practiseRoute: a way between places
Use route and routes to describe a path between places, compare options and locate it on a map.
Read and practiseColleagues and people at work
A person you work with can be a colleague. Practise the singular, plural and spelling in workplace situations.
Read and practiseEmployer: the provider of work
An employer can be a person or organisation; explore this workplace role, its plural and common contexts.
Read and practiseEmployee: a person who works for an employer
An employee works for an organisation or person; practise the singular, plural and workplace contexts.
Read and practiseSuggestion: an idea to consider
Use suggestion to offer an idea, ask for alternatives and discuss whether a proposal is accepted.
Read and practiseInterview: preparing for job questions
A job interview brings questions about experience and skills. Prepare for the meeting and describe what happened during it.
Read and practiseApplication: requesting a job or place
A formal request for a job or a course can include a letter. Describe sending and completing an application in English.
Read and practiseChoice: selecting between options
Use choice to discuss selecting an option, the alternatives available and decisions made.
Read and practiseDeadline: the latest time for work
Friday may be the final day to submit a report. Discuss deadlines, meeting them and what happens when they change.
Read and practiseTask: a piece of work to complete
A task might take ten minutes or require a team. Describe a piece of work, sharing it and completing it.
Read and practiseEffort: energy and attempts
Use effort for work invested in a goal and an effort for a particular attempt to do something.
Read and practiseSchedules and planned times
A train timetable or a project plan sets out expected times. Discuss schedules, changes and finishing early, with pronunciation variants.
Read and practiseWork shifts and working patterns
A factory or hospital may operate around the clock. Describe a period of work, different shifts and exchanging them with a colleague.
Read and practiseExperience: knowledge or an event
Distinguish experience gained through activity from a particular experience and its plural.
Read and practiseMeetings and taking part
A team can gather to discuss a decision in person or online. Talk about arranging, attending and postponing a meeting.
Read and practiseReports of findings
A team can share what it found in writing or aloud. Describe reports, their contents and the people who receive them.
Read and practiseProgress: moving forward
Use progress to discuss improvement, movement toward a goal and work that is continuing.
Read and practiseFeedback: comments that help improvement
Comments on a draft or performance can guide improvement; explore how to ask for and give feedback.
Read and practiseTraining: developing practical skills
Training can prepare people for work or activities; see how to talk about instruction, participants and sessions.
Read and practiseGoal: something to achieve
Use goal and goals to describe an intended result and actions such as setting or reaching it.
Read and practiseEquipment: tools for a purpose
A workshop, clinic or campsite may need equipment; see how to talk about the items together and count individual pieces.
Read and practiseResearch: investigating a question
Research can mean a careful investigation or the work involved, and the noun normally has no plural.
Read and practiseFloor: surface or building level
Distinguish floor as a surface from a building level, including regional floor numbering.
Read and practiseAssignment: meaning and usage
Assignment: Explore a specific piece of work to complete through original examples, common combinations and practice in context.
Read and practiseProject: meaning and usage
Project: Explore planned work with an intended result through original examples, common combinations and practice in context.
Read and practiseBanana: fruit, bunch and peel
Learn banana for whole fruit or an ingredient and use bunch and peel to describe it in context.
Read and practiseTeam: meaning and usage
Team: Explore a group working together through original examples, common combinations and practice in context.
Read and practiseRole: meaning and usage
Role: Explore a person’s function in a group through original examples, common combinations and practice in context.
Read and practiseResponsibility: duties and accountability
Duties can be shared, and mistakes can be acknowledged. Discuss who is responsible for a task or an action.
Read and practiseContracts and signing terms
A formal agreement can set payment dates and conditions; explore how to discuss and sign a contract in English.
Read and practiseBudgets and spending limits
A spending plan helps a team decide how much it can spend and whether a project stays within its budget.
Read and practiseExpenses and reimbursement claims
A bus fare or hotel bill can be an expense; practise discussing costs and claiming work expenses for repayment.
Read and practiseIncome and its sources
Money received from work, rent or other sources can be discussed as income. Explore the word in context and practise common combinations.
Read and practiseProfit after costs
A business can earn more than it spends. Explore how to describe profit, selling at a profit and changes in profits.
Read and practiseDebt and repayment
Money borrowed must eventually be repaid. Practise discussing debts, getting into debt and paying them off in English.
Read and practiseSavings for future needs
Money set aside can fund a goal or cover an emergency. Practise talking about savings and how people use them.
Read and practiseAssumption: an idea taken as true
An assumption is an idea accepted without proof; question assumptions about people and test the ideas behind a plan.
Read and practiseEvidence: support for a claim
Use evidence as an uncountable noun, count pieces of evidence and distinguish support from proof.
Read and practiseHypothesis: a testable explanation
A hypothesis offers a possible explanation that evidence can test; its plural has a different spelling.
Read and practiseTheory: explaining how things work
A theory brings ideas together to explain a subject; evidence can support it or lead people to reconsider it.
Read and practisePrinciple: a guiding rule or belief
A principle can guide a decision or explain how something works; its spelling differs from principal.
Read and practiseCriterion: a standard for judging
Selection standards help people compare options; learn the singular and plural forms used to name them.
Read and practiseFactor: an influence on an outcome
Decisions and results often depend on several influences; factor names one element that helps shape an outcome.
Read and practiseRisk: possible harm and assessment
Use risk and risks to describe possible harm, assess alternatives and discuss ways to reduce risk.
Read and practiseVariable: a changing quantity or condition
A variable can represent a changing quantity or condition in an experiment, a model, or an everyday decision.
Read and practiseTrend: a direction of change
Charts and reports can show a general direction of change over time, even when individual observations differ.
Read and practisePattern: repeated arrangements and behaviour
Repeated shapes and recurring behaviour can both be described with this versatile countable noun.
Read and practiseCorrelation: a relationship in data
A correlation describes how two measured things vary together, without establishing that either one causes the other.
Read and practiseConsequence: the result of an action
A decision can have consequences for other people; describe its results and identify who is affected.
Read and practiseTool: equipment for a task
Use tool and tools to discuss hand equipment, its purpose and choosing the right item for a job.
Read and practiseImplication: an effect or indirect meaning
A decision can have consequences, while a remark can suggest something indirectly. Explore both meanings of implication.
Read and practiseLimits of a method or device
A test, device or method may have limits; explain what it cannot do and discuss its restrictions accurately.
Read and practiseConstraint: limits on choices
A restricted budget or deadline can shape what a project can do; discuss such conditions and the choices they limit.
Read and practiseObstacle: a barrier to progress
A blocked path or a lack of funding can stand in the way of progress; describe the barrier and how people overcome it.
Read and practiseDrawback: a disadvantage of an option
A promising option may have a drawback; describe its disadvantages and weigh them against its benefits.
Read and practiseBenefit: advantages and benefits of actions
A useful outcome can be described as a benefit; explore the noun and the pattern that names its source.
Read and practiseTrade-off: balancing competing advantages
Choosing more of one benefit can mean giving up another; explore how to describe that compromise in English.
Read and practisePriority: deciding what matters most
Some tasks matter more or need attention first; explore priorities and common ways to discuss their relative importance.
Read and practiseStrategy: planning for a long-term aim
A long-term goal needs a considered plan; explore how to describe a strategy and the actions it guides.
Read and practiseApproach: a way to tackle a task
Different ways of tackling a challenge can lead to different results. Describe a chosen method and its object in English.
Read and practiseProcedure: an established series of steps
A safety check can begin an established sequence. Describe procedures and how people follow them in English.
Read and practisePolicy: guiding rules and decisions
A school’s phone rules can guide everyday decisions. Describe an organisation’s policy and the actions it allows.
Read and practiseRegulation: an official rule to follow
Food labels may be subject to official rules. Discuss a regulation and how people comply with regulations.
Read and practiseRequirement: a condition or necessity
A helmet may be compulsory, or water essential. Express conditions and necessities with this useful noun.
Read and practiseStandard: a measure of quality
A standard sets a level for judging quality, from safety rules at work to the service customers expect.
Read and practiseAssessment: evaluating a situation or performance
An assessment can measure performance or weigh evidence about a situation, from classroom learning to safety risks.
Read and practiseAnalysis: examination in detail
An analysis examines information closely; its irregular plural, analyses, helps you discuss more than one examination.
Read and practiseInterpretation: explaining meaning
A poem or rule can have more than one meaning. Explore how to describe and compare explanations of what something means.
Read and practisePerspective: a way of seeing an issue
Different experiences can shape how people view a question. Describe and compare viewpoints with this useful English noun.
Read and practiseAttitude: feelings and views
A positive or negative outlook can influence behaviour. Describe someone’s feelings or views toward a subject in English.
Read and practiseBias: unfair tendencies in judgment
Unfair preferences can affect decisions even when people do not intend them. Discuss bias against groups and other tendencies.
Read and practiseControversy: public disagreement
Public disagreement can cause controversy: explore the noun, its plural and the phrases used to discuss an issue.
Read and practiseConsensus: reaching general agreement
A group can reach broad agreement after discussion. Explore the noun and its common patterns for describing shared views.
Read and practiseClaim: a statement needing support
A statement may be asserted without proof. Learn to describe a claim, its supporting evidence and competing claims.
Read and practiseArgument: reasons for a position
Reasons and evidence can support a position. Explore how to present an argument for or against a proposal.
Read and practiseCounterargument: a reason against a claim
An opposing reason can challenge a proposal: explore how to present and answer a counterargument in a discussion.
Read and practiseConclusion: a reasoned judgement
After examining evidence, you may reach a judgement. Practise discussing conclusions and the reasoning behind them.
Read and practise
Eating food and meals
An apple at your desk or rice for lunch: describe meals with the present and past forms of the English verb for eating.
Read and practiseSleeping and resting at night
A quiet room or a long train ride: describe where people sleep and talk about rest in the past.
Read and practiseWalking to places together
A trip to the market or a walk with a friend: describe journeys on foot and the people beside you.
Read and practiseRunning and past events
Across a field or toward a bus: describe running on foot and tell someone about a past run.
Read and practiseOpening doors and containers
A door, a bag or a jar can be opened: describe the action and make a polite request in English.
Read and practiseread: present, past and pronunciation
Practise read and reads in the present, and learn why the past read has the same spelling but a different sound.
Read and practiselisten: paying attention to sound
Use listen to before a person or sound, form listens and listened, and distinguish listening from hearing.
Read and practiseClosing doors and containers
Shut a door, box or bag: describe the action and ask someone politely to do it in English.
Read and practiseHelp: offering and receiving assistance
Use help with a person, a task or another verb, and practise asking for and describing assistance.
Read and practiseStarting an activity
A film starts at seven and people start an activity: describe when something begins in English.
Read and practiseNeed: necessities and actions
Use need and needs to express necessities, ask for help and describe an action that is necessary.
Read and practiseWait: people, events and actions
Use wait alone, wait for a person or event, and wait to do something in everyday situations.
Read and practiseLiving somewhere: home and past residence
Where do you live now, and where did you live before? Describe a home and a past residence in English.
Read and practiseLearn: knowledge and skills
Use learn, learns and learned to describe gaining knowledge or a skill and learning from an example.
Read and practiseWant: desires and actions
A cup of tea or a walk home: express a desire for a thing or an action and ask what someone wants.
Read and practiseEnjoyment and preferences with like
Warm bread or a favourite song: say what you enjoy and ask others about their preferences.
Read and practisePlaying games, sports and instruments
Chess after lunch or a tune on the guitar: describe games, sports and music with one useful verb.
Read and practiseWriting words and messages
A list before shopping or a card yesterday: describe writing now and in the past with the right forms.
Read and practiseAnswer: replying to questions
Respond to questions and people directly, answer a phone, and choose the past form in everyday situations.
Read and practiseArranging plans and events
A meeting, a phone call or a trip: talk about making the plans needed for an event or agreeing to do something.
Read and practiseBelieve: facts and confidence
A surprising story, a train time or someone’s ability: express what you accept as true and where you place your confidence.
Read and practisego: destinations and irregular forms
Use go and goes for regular journeys, went for a past journey, and go home without to.
Read and practiseBreaking and separating objects
A fallen cup, a damaged phone or a piece of bread: describe what breaks and how things separate into pieces.
Read and practisemake: creating and common phrases
Practise make, makes and made with a cake, a list and a decision, and distinguish do homework.
Read and practiseBrushing hair and teeth
Hair and teeth need different brushes: describe this daily action, name what is brushed and practise its forms.
Read and practiseteach: giving someone a skill
Use teach and teaches for instruction, taught for the past, and distinguish teaching from learning.
Read and practiseClimbing up and down
Stairs, hills and ladders offer everyday ways to describe moving upward or downward with care.
Read and practiseborrow: receive something temporarily
Use borrow when receiving something to return, contrast lend when giving it, and form borrowed for the past.
Read and practisemeet: introductions and appointments
Use meet and meets for encounters, met for the past, and distinguish meeting someone from knowing them.
Read and practiseCollecting things and fetching people
From shells on a beach to a parcel at a shop or a friend at a station, collect describes gathering or fetching.
Read and practiseGive: things and recipients
Use give, gives and gave to talk about passing something to someone, with two common word orders.
Read and practiseCounting things and numbers
Apples in a basket or steps to a door: find a total and say numbers between a starting point and an end.
Read and practiseAsk: questions and requests
Use ask to pose a question, request something or ask someone to do an action.
Read and practiseCrying and its reasons
Tears can express sadness or joy: describe crying and explain why it happens using simple English.
Read and practiseUnderstand: meaning and clarification
Use understand, understands and understood to talk about meaning and ask for clearer speech.
Read and practiseDancing to music with a partner
A slow song or a party with a partner: describe moving to music and inviting someone to dance.
Read and practiseSend: messages and deliveries
Use send, sends and sent for messages or deliveries, and name the recipient in two common ways.
Read and practiseDrawing pictures
A pencil, a page and an idea: talk about making pictures and choose the present, past and participle forms.
Read and practiseBring: movement toward a shared place
Use bring, brings and brought to describe taking someone or something toward the relevant person or destination.
Read and practiseDropping an object
A loose grip can send an object to the floor: describe what falls and form the regular past correctly.
Read and practisePay: people, bills and purchases
Use pay, pays and paid with a person, a bill or something bought, and describe payment methods.
Read and practiseChoose: options and decisions
Use choose, chooses and chose to select from options or decide to do something.
Read and practiseEnjoy: pleasure in activities
Pleasure in a hobby or a quiet moment can be expressed with a noun or an activity form after this verb.
Read and practiseBuy: purchases and past forms
Use buy, buys and bought to describe purchases and distinguish buying an item from paying for it.
Read and practiseFeeding people and animals
A hungry cat or a baby with a spoon: describe giving food to someone and use the irregular past form.
Read and practiseFind: discovering people and things
Use find, finds and found to describe discovering a person, place or object, including after a search.
Read and practiseFilling containers with things
Water in a bottle or rice in a bowl: describe putting a substance into a container until it is full.
Read and practiseDrink: liquids and past actions
Use drink, drinks and drank to describe consuming liquids and ask for permission to drink.
Read and practiseFollowing people, routes and instructions
A guide across a bridge or directions on a box: describe going after someone, taking a route or obeying instructions.
Read and practiseRepair: fixing damaged things
Use repair to explain what someone fixes, ask for help and describe completed or ongoing work.
Read and practiseGrowing plants and raising crops
Plants get bigger and people raise crops: explore the present, past and participle forms of this useful verb.
Read and practiseOffer: give or offer to help
Use offer to suggest giving something, volunteer to do something, and describe a service provided.
Read and practiseJoining a group or activity
A chess club, a shared lunch or a game: express becoming part of a group or taking part with someone.
Read and practiseInvite: asking someone to join
Use invite to ask people to join an event or activity, naming the person and destination or action.
Read and practiseDecide: making a choice
Use decide to discuss choices, intentions and conclusions with to-infinitives or question words.
Read and practiseKeeping things and continuing actions
A ticket to save or a book to carry on reading: distinguish retaining an object from continuing an activity.
Read and practiseArrive: reaching a destination
Use arrive to talk about reaching a place or receiving a delivery, with useful destination phrases.
Read and practiseKnock: door signals and replies
A knock at the door can announce a visitor; practise describing the sound and responding to it.
Read and practisePrepare: getting something ready
Use prepare to make a thing ready and prepare for to get ready for an event or future task.
Read and practiseLaughing at things and with people
A funny picture or a shared joke can make people laugh; describe both situations and use the right preposition.
Read and practiseShare: using or giving together
Use share to talk about using something with others, dividing it or giving information to someone.
Read and practiseThank: expressing gratitude
Use thank to name the person you appreciate and the action or thing you appreciate.
Read and practiseLosing objects and games
A missing key or a game without a win: describe both with the verb lose and its past form.
Read and practisePractice: repeat to improve
Use practice to describe repeating a skill and name an activity with an -ing form.
Read and practiseMissing people, buses and events
A friend far away or a bus already gone: express absence and missed opportunities in English.
Read and practiseMean: express or refer to
Use mean to ask what a word expresses or clarify what a person intended to refer to.
Read and practiseDescribe: say what something is like
Use describe to give details about a person, place or situation and name the listener.
Read and practiseMoving things, yourself and home
A chair changes places or a family changes homes: describe movement and relocation in English.
Read and practiseReturn: go back or give back
Use return to describe going back to a place or giving an object back to a person or place.
Read and practisePassing objects and places
A request at the table and a journey past a building show two everyday meanings of this useful verb.
Read and practiseWear: have clothes on
Use wear for clothing or glasses on the body and practice its irregular past forms.
Read and practisePack: put things into a bag
Use pack to describe putting belongings into a bag or preparing a suitcase for travel.
Read and practiseCut: divide with a sharp tool
Use cut to describe dividing food or paper and name the tool or resulting pieces.
Read and practiseChoosing and gathering with one verb
A choice from a list and fruit gathered from a tree show two everyday uses of this English verb.
Read and practiseWash: clean with water
Learn wash for cleaning hands, clothes and objects, with washes, washed and washing.
Read and practiseCarry: move while holding
Learn carry for moving objects or people while supporting them, with carries and carried.
Read and practisePulling and pushing objects
A door handle and a moving cart show how drawing something toward you differs from pushing it away.
Read and practiseDrive: control a vehicle
Use drive for controlling a vehicle or travelling by car, and learn drove and driven.
Read and practiseRide: bicycle, horse or passenger
Use ride for a bicycle or horse and for travelling as a passenger; learn rode and ridden.
Read and practiseRest after work or exercise
A short break after a shift or a swim can help you recover. Describe resting and say how long it lasts.
Read and practiseSell: exchange goods for money
Use sell to describe the seller, buyer and price, and learn the irregular past sold.
Read and practiseCost: the price of something
Use cost to state or ask a price, and learn that the past form is also cost.
Read and practiseCook: prepare food with heat
Use cook for a person preparing food or food being heated, and identify who receives a meal.
Read and practiseSaving money and files
Set money aside for a future purchase or store a digital file with this useful everyday verb.
Read and practiseRepeat: say or do again
Use repeat to request words again or describe doing an action another time.
Read and practiseSpell: give the letters of a word
Use spell to ask for or give the letters of a word in their correct order.
Read and practiseShouting to someone or for help
A loud voice can reach a person across the street or call for help in an emergency.
Read and practiseChange: become or make different
Use change for something becoming different or someone making it different.
Read and practiseFeel: experience a state
Use feel with adjectives to describe a physical or emotional state and learn felt.
Read and practiseClean: remove dirt
Learn the verb clean for removing dirt, its regular past cleaned and useful object patterns.
Read and practiseEnter: go into a place
Use enter for going into a room or building, with a direct object or a phrase naming the route.
Read and practiseSigning a form or document
A signature on a form shows where you have written your name to confirm a document.
Read and practisePush: apply pressure to move
Use push for applying pressure, compare it with pull and learn that pushing does not guarantee movement.
Read and practiseHold: support or keep in position
Use hold for keeping something in your hands or in a position, and learn its irregular past held.
Read and practiseLeave: depart from a place
Use leave for departing, with or without a named place, and learn the irregular past left.
Read and practiseSitting in a place
A seat by the window or a place on the floor helps you describe where someone is seated.
Read and practiseSpeak: use a language or talk
Use speak for a language, a person or a topic, and learn the irregular forms spoke and spoken.
Read and practiseSay: put words into speech
Use say for words and greetings, ask for repetition and learn the irregular past said.
Read and practiseVisit: go to see a person or place
Use visit with a person or place, describe an occasion and form the regular past visited.
Read and practiseHear: perceive a sound
Use hear for noticing sound, contrast it with listening and learn the irregular past heard.
Read and practiseSmiling at people and for photos
A friendly expression can greet a neighbour or make a photograph warmer; describe both moments in English.
Read and practiseFinish: complete an activity
Use finish for completing work or an activity ending, including finish followed by an -ing form.
Read and practiseWatch: observe over time
Use watch for paying visual attention over time, including moving events and programmes on a screen.
Read and practiseLook: direct your eyes or describe appearance
Learn look at for directing attention and look with an adjective to describe an appearance.
Read and practiseStanding in a place
An upright position beside a gate or near a counter helps describe where someone stands.
Read and practiseSwimming in different places
A pool, a river or the sea gives you a setting for describing movement through water.
Read and practiseTravelling to places by different means
A train to the coast or a boat to an island lets you describe a journey and how it is made.
Read and practiseAchieving a goal through effort
A target reached after hard work is an achievement: express goals and results with this useful English verb.
Read and practiseConsider: possibilities and judgments
Use consider with a possibility or an -ing action, and describe a judgment about a person or thing.
Read and practiseAdmitting a fact or action
A mistake acknowledged honestly: express facts and actions someone accepts as true with this English verb.
Read and practiseGiving guidance with advise
A doctor’s recommendation or a warning against a choice: express both kinds of guidance in English.
Read and practiseSuggest: offering ideas and actions
Use suggest with a noun, an -ing action or a that-clause when offering an idea.
Read and practiseAfford: money, time and choices
A bicycle within your budget or a day you can spare: express whether a purchase or action is possible.
Read and practiseAnnouncing news and decisions
A public result, a new plan or a change of hours: describe how information reaches an audience.
Read and practiseExplain: making meaning clear
Use explain with a thing, a recipient introduced by to or a clause giving a reason.
Read and practiseApologizing to someone
A late arrival or a mistake can call for an apology: identify the person and the reason in English.
Read and practiseApplying for work or study
A job, a course or a place at college: describe what you request and which organization receives it.
Read and practiseCompare: similarities and differences
Use compare to examine options, results or prices and connect the things being compared.
Read and practiseArguing with people or giving reasons
A disagreement over a route or reasons for a claim: distinguish two ways of describing an argument.
Read and practiseAttending an event or class
A meeting, course or concert can bring people together: describe being present using the English verb for attendance.
Read and practiseMention: refer to something briefly
Use mention to refer to a person or topic and say who heard or read the information.
Read and practiseBehaving in different situations
At a party or on a train, people can act calmly, politely or badly: describe their behavior in English.
Read and practiseHolding someone responsible
A missed delivery or a setback can lead to blame: describe who is held responsible and what caused a problem.
Read and practiseConfirm: make arrangements certain
Use confirm to make an arrangement definite or state that information is correct.
Read and practiseCelebrating an occasion together
A birthday, a victory or a new job can bring people together: describe an occasion and how you mark it.
Read and practiseCharging a price for a service
A price for a repair or a fee for delivery: express what a business asks someone to pay.
Read and practiseNotice: becoming aware
Use notice to say that you became aware of a detail, change or situation.
Read and practiseExpressing a complaint
A noisy room or a delayed service can prompt a complaint: say whom you tell and what the problem is.
Read and practiseLinking devices and ideas
A cable or a shared theme can create a link: describe connections between devices and ideas in English.
Read and practiseStore: keep things for later
Use store to describe keeping objects in a place for future use and say where they are kept.
Read and practiseDescribing what something contains
A jar, report or recipe may hold different things: describe its contents with this useful English verb.
Read and practisePersuading someone to believe or act
Evidence and explanations can change a person’s mind: express belief and persuaded action with a versatile English verb.
Read and practisePour: make liquid flow
Use pour to describe moving liquid from a container and name its destination.
Read and practiseDelivering goods and meals
A parcel or a hot meal needs to reach its recipient: describe who takes it to the destination in English.
Read and practiseFold: bend into layers
Use fold for paper, fabric and folding furniture, including the expression fold in half.
Read and practiseDepending on people and conditions
Weather, help or available time can determine an outcome: express reliance and conditions with the right preposition.
Read and practiseDeserving a response or reward
Hard work, kindness or a mistake can call for a response: say what someone has earned through an action.
Read and practiseHang: attach or be suspended
Use hang for placing objects so they are supported at the top, and learn the past hung.
Read and practiseFinding a place, fact or possibility
A hidden beach or an unexpected fact can be a discovery: describe finding something previously unknown in English.
Read and practiseLift: raise or move by raising
Use lift to raise objects or people, and distinguish lifting from carrying a load.
Read and practiseEncouraging someone to act
A coach or a friend can give someone confidence to take action; explore the English pattern for encouragement.
Read and practiseExpecting events and actions
An anticipated arrival or a likely outcome: express what you think will happen using three English patterns.
Read and practiseForget: fail to remember
Use forget for information or an intended action and learn the forms forgot and forgotten.
Read and practiseExperiencing events and feelings
A storm, a delay or a sudden feeling: describe what happens to people and places with this English verb.
Read and practiseRemember: recall information
Use remember to talk about names, facts and places you keep in mind or recall.
Read and practiseFailing an exam or an attempt
An unsuccessful exam or an unfinished action: describe what someone did not manage to do using this English verb.
Read and practiseRefuse: say no to an offer or action
Use refuse with an offer or invitation and refuse to do for an action, without assuming a reason.
Read and practiseImagining an activity
A future home, an unusual job or a walk at night: describe the activities you picture in your mind.
Read and practiseCall: telephone or name
Use call for telephoning a person and for the name by which someone or something is known.
Read and practiseImproving skills and situations
A skill, the weather or a service can get better, and people can make something better through their actions.
Read and practiseWhat a whole includes
Prices, lists and groups can contain different parts: describe what is present and what has been added.
Read and practiseDescribing an increase in amount
A rising price or a larger budget: describe a change in amount and say how much someone adds.
Read and practiseInfluencing a person or outcome
A teacher, a price or the weather can shape a decision or result; express that effect with a useful verb.
Read and practiseInsist: demands and claims
A firm request, a determined action or a disputed fact: express what someone insists on or insists is true.
Read and practiseManaging a challenge or task
A difficult door, a busy project or a missing resource: describe succeeding, handling a responsibility and coping without something.
Read and practisePreventing an event or action
A barrier against an unwanted event: describe what stops an action or keeps something from happening.
Read and practiseGiving your word
A promise of help or a commitment to act: express what you give your word to do and whom you promise it to.
Read and practiseKeeping someone or something safe
A coat against rain or a password for files: describe how a person or object is kept safe from harm.
Read and practiseBecoming aware of a fact
A closed shop or a sudden insight: describe the moment you become aware of a fact, with both common spellings.
Read and practiseRecognizing someone or something
A familiar face or an old photograph: express how you identify someone or something you have encountered before.
Read and practiseRecommending a choice
A favorite museum or a useful activity: suggest a good choice and explain what you would advise someone to do.
Read and practiseMaking an amount smaller
A lower price or less waste: describe a decrease and specify the amount by which something becomes smaller.
Read and practiseHelping someone remember
A note about an appointment or a request to lock a door: help someone recall a fact or remember an action.
Read and practiseReplacing an old item
A worn tire or a broken lamp can be exchanged for a new one: describe what takes its place.
Read and practiseSupporting people and ideas
A friend facing exams, a community project or a claim backed by evidence: express different kinds of support.
Read and practiseAccomplishing a goal or task
A demanding project, a shared goal or a day’s work: describe what someone succeeded in completing.
Read and practiseAcknowledging facts and contributions
A delayed project, a difficult truth or a colleague’s help can all call for an explicit acknowledgment.
Read and practiseAvoid: staying away or preventing
Use avoid with a noun or an -ing form to discuss staying away and preventing unwanted actions.
Read and practiseAdjust: changes and adaptation
A small change to a setting or a gradual adaptation to a situation can both be expressed with this versatile verb.
Read and practiseAssessing a situation or risk
A damaged bridge or an uncertain forecast calls for careful judgment: describe how people evaluate evidence and risk.
Read and practiseAssuming without proof
An unchecked belief can guide a decision, but it is not the same as a known fact: express that distinction clearly.
Read and practiseAttempting a difficult task
A steep route or a demanding repair may be tried without succeeding: describe the effort and its intended action.
Read and practiseAgree: opinions and arrangements
Use agree with a person, agree to an action or proposal, and agree on an arrangement.
Read and practiseAttributing a cause or a work
A delay linked to rain or a painting linked to its maker: identify a cause or creator with this English verb.
Read and practiseAnticipating events and difficulties
A delay, a busy clinic or a dry summer: describe what you expect and how you prepare for a possible situation.
Read and practiseInterpreting meaning in context
A silence, a survey result or a symbol can have more than one meaning; explain how you understand it in context.
Read and practiseRespond: answer or react
Use respond to describe an answer or reaction and introduce what prompted it with to.
Read and practiseMaking a point clearer
A deadline, an instruction or an unclear question may need a more precise explanation. Ask for one or offer it politely.
Read and practiseCompensating for loss or disadvantage
A damaged table or a lack of space can call for compensation: describe payment for harm and ways to offset a disadvantage.
Read and practiseReaching a judgment from evidence
Footprints, survey results or other evidence can lead to a judgment: express what you infer and where the information came from.
Read and practiseMeasure: finding or stating size
Use measure to find a size or amount and to state an object’s dimensions.
Read and practiseConducting an organized activity
Research, interviews and investigations: describe carrying out a planned activity in a formal or professional setting.
Read and practiseContributing to a shared effort
Ideas, time and resources can all support a shared project; describe what someone gives and the result it helps achieve.
Read and practiseCoping with difficult situations
Unexpected demands and change can be hard to manage. Describe how people or systems deal with difficulties.
Read and practiseDemonstrating a method or a claim
A practical demonstration or convincing evidence can show how something works or whether a claim is true.
Read and practiseDistinguish: recognizing differences
A sound, a label or a scent can reveal a difference: describe how you tell things apart or recognize something with difficulty.
Read and practiseEliminate: removing a possibility or problem
A faulty cable, an unwanted delay or a possible risk: express removing something completely or ruling it out.
Read and practiseEmphasizing a point or issue
A key concern can stand out in a speech or report: express the importance given to a point and introduce what the speaker stresses.
Read and practiseEstablish: create or confirm
A new organisation, a clear rule or a proven fact: express how something is set up or determined by evidence.
Read and practiseEvaluating value and effectiveness
A proposal, a treatment or a project can be judged against evidence and criteria to decide how well it works.
Read and practiseIdentifying people and causes
A photograph, a faulty roof or a delayed train: describe how someone recognizes a person or determines the cause of a problem.
Read and practiseJustifying an action with reasons
A difficult decision can be defended with evidence: explain when an action or expense is reasonable.
Read and practiseMaintaining a condition or a claim
Equipment needs care, a pace needs to stay steady, and a claim may face objections: explore the meanings of maintain.
Read and practiseNegotiating an agreement
A contract, a price or a deadline can be settled through discussion between people with different needs.
Read and practiseOvercoming difficulties
Fear, delays and other obstacles can be defeated: describe how people succeed despite a difficulty and choose the right verb form.
Read and practisePreserving things for the future
Old maps, local customs and food can be protected from loss or decay: express preservation in English.
Read and practiseWhen something is required
A task may need resources, while a rule may make an action compulsory. Express both kinds of necessity clearly.
Read and practiseResolving a dispute or problem
A disagreement, a complaint or a technical problem can be brought to an end through discussion or action.
Read and practiseSeeking help and opportunities
A request for advice, a search for information or an attempt to reach a goal can all call for this formal verb.
Read and practiseBig: size and comparisons
A large window, a bigger room: describe the size of things and compare two objects in English.
Read and practiseOld: age and familiarity
An old tree or an old friend: describe age and familiar people and things in English.
Read and practiseYoung: people and animals
A young cat and young children: describe people and animals at an early stage of life in English.
Read and practiseready: prepared for an event or action
Use ready to describe being prepared, then choose ready for a noun and ready to before a verb.
Read and practisefree: available or without charge
Use free for an available seat, a person with time or something that costs no money.
Read and practiseLong: distance and time
A long road or a long lunch: describe length and duration with a common English adjective.
Read and practiseCold: temperature and feeling
Describe cold weather, drinks and how you feel, and distinguish being cold from having a cold.
Read and practiseShort: length and height
A short rope or a short person: describe length and height with a common English adjective.
Read and practiseHappy: feelings and satisfaction
Describe feeling happy, being satisfied with something and being glad to see someone.
Read and practisePleasant people and things
A friendly neighbour or an enjoyable meal: describe pleasant people and experiences in English.
Read and practiseBad: quality and comparison
Spoiled bread and a worse road illustrate poor quality and the irregular forms used to compare it.
Read and practiseBeautiful people and places
A lovely garden or an attractive person: describe beauty in people, places and things with an English adjective.
Read and practiseAngry: feelings and reasons
A delayed journey or a broken window can cause anger. Describe the feeling and say who or what caused it.
Read and practisehot: temperature and spicy food
Describe hot weather, hot objects and spicy peppers, then compare temperatures using hotter.
Read and practiseSad feelings and situations
A lost bag or a moving film can bring sadness. Describe unhappy feelings and things that cause them.
Read and practisegood: describing quality and comparing
Use good to describe people and things, compare with better, and distinguish adjective good from adverb well.
Read and practiseIllness and feeling unwell
A child stays home and a visitor needs help: describe illness and feeling unwell in everyday English.
Read and practisesmall: size, quantity and comparison
Describe a small object or amount, compare two sizes with smaller and ask for a smaller size.
Read and practisetired: feeling tired and tiring activities
Describe tired people, tiring activities and being tired of waiting without confusing the two adjectives.
Read and practiseComfortable warmth
Fresh bread, sunshine and a winter coat offer ways to describe comfortable warmth in English.
Read and practiseBusy: people, activities and places
Describe an occupied person or a lively place, and use busy with a noun or an -ing verb.
Read and practiseDifferent: comparing things
Describe things that are not the same, and compare one person or thing with another using different from.
Read and practiseA little cold
Evening air, water and a shady place can feel pleasantly low in temperature without being very cold.
Read and practiseNew: recent things and comparisons
Describe new objects, places and people, and compare two things using newer than.
Read and practiseGentle sound and texture
A cushion, a voice and wool can all be described through their gentle texture or low volume.
Read and practiseOpen: doors, windows and businesses
Describe something that is not closed and ask whether a business or library is open.
Read and practiseSafe: people, places and actions
Describe people or places as safe, ask if an action is safe and request that an item be kept safe.
Read and practiseFirm surfaces and difficult tasks
A stone, a crust and a challenging question show two common meanings of the same adjective.
Read and practiseUseful: help for a purpose
Use useful to describe helpful information or tools and explain what they are useful for.
Read and practiseSugary tastes and kind gestures
A ripe pear, a fragrant flower and a kind message show how one adjective describes pleasant things.
Read and practiseQuiet: little noise
Describe a quiet place, person or sound and compare noise levels with quieter and quietest.
Read and practiseExpensive: talking about price
Describe high prices with expensive and compare costs with more expensive and less expensive.
Read and practiseFresh food and clean air
Bread from the morning and air from an open window show how to describe freshness in everyday English.
Read and practiseComfortable: feeling at ease
Use comfortable for clothing, furniture or places that feel pleasant and compare their comfort.
Read and practisePolite: respectful behaviour
Use polite to describe considerate behaviour, requests and replies, and talk about the person addressed.
Read and practiseBright light and vivid colours
A shining lamp and a vivid yellow scarf show two everyday uses of this adjective.
Read and practiseAvailable: ready to use or meet
Use available to ask about resources that can be obtained or people who have time to help.
Read and practiseDark places and deep colours
A hallway without a lamp and a deep blue notebook illustrate two common uses of this adjective.
Read and practiseWet: covered with liquid
Describe wet clothes or surfaces, rainy weather and the comparative spelling wetter.
Read and practiseDry: without moisture
Describe dry objects and places, and compare how much moisture they have with drier.
Read and practiseSlow movement and gradual processes
A train stopping in every village and a long download illustrate low speed and processes that take time.
Read and practiseEmpty: nothing relevant inside
Use empty for containers and places, and identify what is absent from the context.
Read and practiseFull: containing a lot
Use full for containers or spaces and full of to name what they contain.
Read and practiseSpeed of people and things
A swift cyclist, a train and a boat show how to describe people and things moving at high speed.
Read and practiseNoisy: making a lot of sound
Describe noisy places or groups, contrast them with quiet ones and compare with noisier.
Read and practiseCheap: low in price
Use cheap for a low price, compare prices with cheaper and distinguish price from quality.
Read and practiseWealth and full flavours
Money and a deeply flavoured sauce reveal two common meanings of this English adjective.
Read and practiseClosed: not open now
Use closed for a shut door or a place not open for business, without assuming how long it lasts.
Read and practiseCareful: giving attention to avoid problems
Use careful for attentive behaviour and identify the object or action needing attention.
Read and practisePoverty and low quality
A family with little money and a bad connection show two common meanings of this English adjective.
Read and practiseDangerous: able to cause harm
Use dangerous for things or actions that could cause harm, and distinguish risk from an event already occurring.
Read and practiseDirty: not clean
Use dirty for objects or surfaces with dirt and compare dirtier without confusing the state with cleaning.
Read and practiseKindness toward other people
A helpful neighbour and a welcoming teacher show how to describe considerate behaviour in English.
Read and practiseHungry: wanting or needing food
Use hungry to describe wanting food, ask how someone feels and distinguish it from thirsty.
Read and practiseThirsty: needing a drink
Use thirsty to describe needing a drink, ask how someone feels, and offer something to drink.
Read and practiseWelcoming people and behaviour
A warm smile or a welcoming neighbour: describe people and their behaviour with an English adjective.
Read and practiseHumour and odd situations
A joke may make you laugh, while an odd smell raises questions: explore two meanings of this English adjective.
Read and practiseUnusual or unfamiliar things
An unfamiliar place or an unexpected sound can seem odd: learn to describe such experiences in English.
Read and practiseSignificance and priorities
A decision, a date or a question may deserve attention: express significance and priorities in English.
Read and practiseUnusual and treasured qualities
A family celebration or a treasured gift can stand apart from the ordinary: describe what makes something special.
Read and practiseSimple things and easy tasks
A recipe or a plan can be uncomplicated: describe things that are easy to understand, make or follow.
Read and practiseIncorrect answers and mistaken choices
A misplaced letter or an incorrect date shows a mistake: describe answers and choices that are not correct.
Read and practiseCorrect answers and suitable choices
A correct answer or a suitable time can both be described with the same adjective: see how context guides its meaning.
Read and practiseReliable: people, services and information
Use reliable for dependable people or services and evaluate whether information deserves trust.
Read and practiseNervous: worry before an event
Before an interview or performance, a person may feel worried and tense. Express that feeling and say what causes it.
Read and practiseProud: satisfaction in achievement
A finished project or a new skill can bring a sense of achievement. Express that satisfaction in English.
Read and practiseLikely: probability without certainty
Use likely and unlikely to discuss probability, compare possibilities and avoid presenting a prediction as certain.
Read and practiseJealous: wanting another person’s advantage
Someone else’s success or possessions can provoke envy. Describe that feeling and name what causes it in English.
Read and practisePossible: ability and uncertainty
Use possible to ask whether something can be done and distinguish a possible event from a certain one.
Read and practiseLonely: sadness without enough company
A crowded room can still feel isolating. Express the sadness of lacking companionship and distinguish it from being alone.
Read and practiseLocal: connected with an area
Use local for people, services or information connected with a particular area.
Read and practiseCalm: a peaceful state and manner
A still lake and a steady voice show how to describe a peaceful state, a place or a person in English.
Read and practisePatient: waiting without irritation
A long queue or a slow computer can test your patience. Describe someone who waits without becoming annoyed.
Read and practiseRare: not common
Use rare for things, events or opportunities that occur infrequently in a particular context.
Read and practiseRude words and actions
An insulting remark or an interruption may seem impolite. Describe words and actions that show a lack of respect.
Read and practiseNecessary: needed for a purpose
Use necessary to describe a requirement for a particular task or result and ask whether it is needed.
Read and practiseGenerous: ready to give and share
A shared tool or a gift of time can show generosity. Describe people and actions that give freely to others.
Read and practiseHeavy: weight or intensity
Use heavy for weight and for strong rain or busy traffic; compare things with heavier.
Read and practiseConfidence in your ability
A presentation or a performance can call for self-belief. Describe feeling sure of your own ability in English.
Read and practiseCurious: wanting to know more
A mysterious box can make someone want to investigate. Describe the desire to learn, ask questions or discover something.
Read and practiseLight: weight, brightness or colour
Use light for low weight, a bright room or a pale colour, and compare weight with lighter.
Read and practiseActing independently
Living alone or funding a project without outside help can show independence. Describe people who can act without relying on others.
Read and practiseLocked: secured by a lock
Use locked for something secured by a lock and distinguish it from simply being closed.
Read and practiseDuties and accountability
A garden needs care and a team makes decisions. Describe who has a duty and who must answer for an action in English.
Read and practiseSleepy: wanting to sleep
Use sleepy to describe wanting sleep and distinguish it from already being asleep.
Read and practiseStubborn minds and choices
A person who refuses to reconsider a decision can be described with this adjective, even when others offer good reasons.
Read and practiseAdapting to change
Plans can change without warning. Describe people and arrangements that can adjust to new circumstances in English.
Read and practiseAfraid: feeling fear
Use afraid after a verb, with of for a thing or to plus a verb for an action.
Read and practiseSimilar: alike in some ways
Use similar to compare things that share features without assuming they are identical.
Read and practiseSaving time and effort
A nearby station or a suitable appointment can make life easier. Describe useful arrangements and times in English.
Read and practiseStrong: strength or intensity
Use strong for physical strength, resistance or intensity, and interpret it from context.
Read and practiseCrowded places and people
A busy market or a packed train has many people in a small space. Describe such places and ask when they are less busy.
Read and practiseWeak: not strong
Describe weak physical strength, a fragile object or a low-intensity signal, and compare with weaker.
Read and practisePersonal or restricted
A personal message or a members-only room can be described with this adjective. Explore privacy and restricted access in English.
Read and practiseHonest: truthful and open
Use honest for a person or answer, choose with and about, and recognize that honest is not infallible.
Read and practiseOpen to everyone
A shared garden or an open meeting offers a way to describe access and public spaces in English.
Read and practiseHigh: height or amount
Use high for a position or measured height and for a greater-than-usual price or temperature.
Read and practiseEvents from a short time ago
A storm, a visit or a discovery can be recent when it happened only a short time before now.
Read and practiseWide: distance from side to side
Use wide for side-to-side distance, ask about width and compare objects with wider.
Read and practisePatterns and usual things
Repeated breaks, a familiar seat or an even pattern can be described with this adjective in English.
Read and practiseEveryday things without anything unusual
A familiar meal or a plain pen can be described as ordinary when nothing about it stands out.
Read and practiseSerious: severity and sincerity
A damaged roof or an honest intention can both be serious; context tells you whether the word means severe or sincere.
Read and practiseObvious: easy to notice
A visible crack or a clear mistake can be obvious when people can readily see or understand it.
Read and practiseFamous people and places
A singer or a village can be famous when many people know them; say what they are known for.
Read and practiseValuable things and useful ideas
A rare painting and helpful advice can both have value; describe money, usefulness and importance with this adjective.
Read and practiseSuitability for people and purposes
Hiking shoes and a meeting room must fit their purpose; describe what is right for a person or activity.
Read and practiseAwareness of a situation
A closed road or a new rule may already be known to someone; express awareness and how it develops.
Read and practiseFeeling upset and explaining why
A cancellation or an unexpected message can cause distress; describe the feeling and identify what caused it.
Read and practiseAccurate: correct information and measurements
A reliable measurement or account matches the facts; see how accurate describes that closeness and where it fits in a sentence.
Read and practiseAppropriate: suitability in context
Use appropriate to discuss whether language, timing or a format suits a particular audience or situation.
Read and practisePrecise: exact details and expressions
Precise describes exact measurements, clear instructions and carefully chosen words, as well as a particular moment.
Read and practiseRelevant: connected to the subject
A relevant detail connects to the matter at hand; context determines which information belongs in a discussion.
Read and practiseSpecific: clearly identified details
A specific date, question or reason points to an identifiable detail instead of a broad idea.
Read and practiseEffective: achieving a result
Use effective to describe a method or action that produces the intended result in a given context.
Read and practiseSignificant: importance and noticeable size
A major discovery or a noticeable increase can both be significant; explore the difference through examples and practice.
Read and practiseConsiderable amounts and degrees
A lengthy repair or a large saving can be described in terms of considerable size, quantity or degree.
Read and practiseFamiliar: known or recognizable
Use familiar with for what a person knows and familiar to for the person who recognizes something.
Read and practisePotential future possibilities
A possible delay or future sponsor may be described before it becomes certain; explore this adjective in context.
Read and practiseCrucial decisions and essentials
A decisive vote or an essential detail can determine an outcome; practise describing such importance in context.
Read and practiseReasonable: fair judgment and acceptable limits
A fair price, a sensible decision or an acceptable amount can all be described as reasonable in the right context.
Read and practiseWilling: ready to do something
A person who is willing is ready to act or agree; explore the patterns used to express that readiness.
Read and practiseReluctant: hesitation before acting
A difficult decision can leave someone hesitant or unwilling; see how reluctant describes that feeling and the action involved.
Read and practiseCapable: ability to act
A skilled guide or a machine with enough power can be described in terms of ability and competence.
Read and practiseExposure to harm and disadvantage
Frost, flooding and debt can expose people or things to harm; explore how this adjective names that risk.
Read and practiseSustainable: able to continue over time
A sustainable plan can last without exhausting the resources or support it depends on, from ecosystems to working routines.
Read and practisePersistent: continuing despite difficulty
A determined person keeps trying; a persistent problem or sound continues over time and can be difficult to stop.
Read and practiseConsistent: agreement and steady behaviour
Accounts can agree with evidence, and habits can stay steady over time: both can be described with consistent.
Read and practiseMutual: shared by both sides
Respect between neighbours and support between teams can go both ways; explore how to describe shared feelings and arrangements.
Read and practiseComplex: connected parts
A network of interlocking elements can be complex even when its purpose is easy to understand.
Read and practiseControversial topics and public disagreement
A disputed policy or decision can divide public opinion; explore how this adjective describes such disagreement.
Read and practiseAdequate: enough for a purpose
Sufficient space, training or light meets a particular need; learn to express that standard with this adjective.
Read and practisealways: frequency and position
Use always for repeated habits, place it with a main verb or be, and distinguish not always from never.
Read and practiseoften: talking about frequency
Describe things that happen frequently with often, place it in a sentence and compare it with always and never.
Read and practiseSometimes: occasional habits
Use sometimes to describe occasional habits, place it naturally in sentences and distinguish it from sometime.
Read and practiseTogether: shared actions
Use together to describe people doing something with each other or objects placed in one group.
Read and practiseAgain: one more time
Use again to request repetition, describe a repeated event and arrange another meeting.
Read and practiseHere: this place and movement toward it
Use here to describe the current place or movement toward it, and contrast it with there.
Read and practiseNow: the present moment
Use now to describe the current situation, ask to act immediately and contrast present with past.
Read and practiseThere: a place away from the speaker
Point to another place, describe where someone works, and talk about moving toward a place away from you.
Read and practiseToday: the current day
A class, a journey or a meal can happen on the current day; say when it happens with one short word.
Read and practiseTomorrow: the next day
Plans, meetings and opening times can all refer to the day after today with one familiar time word.
Read and practisealready: something has happened
Use already for a change that has happened by now, compare it with not yet and place it in a sentence.
Read and practisesoon: before long
Use soon to discuss an expected event, ask how soon something can happen and say soon after another event.
Read and practisenever: frequency, negatives and position
Use never for no occasions, place it with main verbs and be, and distinguish it from not always.
Read and practiseQuickly: describing how an action happens
Use quickly to describe the speed of an action and distinguish the adverb from the adjective quick.
Read and practiseEarly: time before the expected moment
Use early for an action or event before the expected time, and compare timings with earlier.
Read and practiseLate and lately: time and recent periods
Use late for an action after the expected time and distinguish it from lately, meaning recently.
Read and practiseAlmost: close but not quite
Use almost to describe something close to completion, an amount near a limit or an event that nearly happened.
Read and practiseInstead: choosing an alternative
Use instead to name a replacement and instead of before a noun or -ing action.
Read and practiseCarefully: acting with attention
Use carefully to describe an action done with attention, and distinguish it from the adjective careful.
Read and practiseProbably: likely, but uncertain
Use probably to express a likely situation and place it naturally with main verbs and auxiliaries.
Read and practiseUsually: what normally happens
Use usually to describe typical routines and put it in the usual position with main verbs and be.
Read and practiseStill: a situation continues
Use still to say that a situation continues and place it with be or an ordinary verb.
Read and practiseSlowly: at a slow speed
Use slowly to describe the speed of an action and ask someone to speak more slowly.
Read and practisePerhaps: a possibility
Use perhaps to express uncertainty about a situation or suggest a possible plan.
Read and practiseUpstairs: on or to a higher floor
Use upstairs to describe a location or movement inside a building, and contrast it with downstairs.
Read and practiseTwice: two times
Use twice for two occurrences and twice a week or month to describe a repeated schedule.
Read and practiseExactly: precise information
Use exactly for a precise time or quantity, an exact match or a request for a specific detail.
Read and practiseEverywhere: in or to all places
Learn to use everywhere for all relevant places, everywhere else for the remaining places, and not everywhere for a limited area.
Read and practiseYesterday: the day before today
A visit, a call or a journey on the day before today can be placed in time with one useful word.
Read and practiseDownstairs: on or to a lower floor
A lower floor can be a location or a destination; describe both with a useful adverb and contrast it with upstairs.
Read and practiseOutside a building
A garden or street is beyond the building: describe being there or going there with a common English adverb.
Read and practiseInside a building
A seat indoors or a move through the door: describe both situations with a common English adverb.
Read and practiseAway: distance and movement
A station five minutes from here or a bird leaving a window: express distance and movement from a place.
Read and practiseTonight: the current evening or night
Plans, events and observations after dark can be located in the evening or night of the current day.
Read and practiseOnce: one occasion
One visit or one event per month: express a single occurrence and describe a simple frequency in English.
Read and practiseNearly: close to completion
A meal almost ready or a glass almost empty: describe a state that is close but has not quite been reached.
Read and practiseReally: emphasis and truth
A very cold drink or a surprising fact: add emphasis to a quality or ask whether something is true.
Read and practiseSuddenly: an unexpected change
Use suddenly to describe an unexpected event, an abrupt change or a realization in a narrative.
Read and practiseNearby: not far away
Use nearby to locate a place close to the current reference point and describe nearby places.
Read and practiseClearly: easy to understand
Use clearly to describe speech, writing or images that people can hear, read, see or understand easily.
Read and practiseRecently: not long ago
Use recently for a recent past event or a period that began not long ago, with natural verb positions.
Read and practiseMeanwhile: during the same period
Use meanwhile to connect overlapping actions or describe what happens before an expected event.
Read and practiseFinally: last or after a delay
Use finally to introduce the last step or point, or to describe an eventual result after difficulty.
Read and practiseEspecially: giving particular emphasis
Use especially to single out one example or emphasize a quality in a particular context.
Read and practiseQuietly: with little noise
Use quietly to describe an action with little noise and distinguish volume from speed.
Read and practiseAbroad: in or to another country
Use abroad for being in or travelling to a foreign country, and from abroad for return or origin.
Read and practiseActually: the real situation
A closed shop or an unexpected drink: correct an assumption and describe what is true.
Read and practiseCertainly: confidence and agreement
A steep path or a polite request: express confidence or give an emphatic yes in English.
Read and practiseDirectly: routes and timing
A bus with no stop or a return right after lunch: describe a direct route or immediate timing.
Read and practiseImmediately: without delay
A bell rings and people leave at once: express that an action happens without waiting.
Read and practiseNormally: ordinary conditions
An ordinary schedule can have exceptions: describe what happens in usual conditions and place this adverb naturally.
Read and practiseOccasionally: events from time to time
A visit twice a year is occasional: describe events that happen from time to time and position the adverb in a sentence.
Read and practiseObviously: presenting a fact as clear
A locked door can make the situation seem clear: express that judgment and consider how your listener may hear it.
Read and practiseParticularly: highlighting one thing
A favourite soup or a steep path can stand out: single out an example or emphasize the degree of a quality.
Read and practiseDoing something in a simple way
A plain meal or clear explanation can be described with an adverb that focuses on an uncomplicated manner.
Read and practiseExpressing regret about an event
A cancelled ferry or a missed exhibition can be disappointing: express your regret about an event in English.
Read and practiseNevertheless: contrast between statements
Use nevertheless to connect a contrasting outcome to a previous point and punctuate complete clauses clearly.
Read and practiseGradually: change over time
Use gradually to describe a change that develops in stages over time or distance.
Read and practiseTherefore: stating a conclusion
Use therefore to connect a stated reason with a conclusion or consequence in a clear argument.
Read and practiseElsewhere: in another place
Use elsewhere to refer to another place without naming it, including destinations and sources.
Read and practiseSeparately: not together
Use separately for distinct actions, handling or payments, and contrast the adverb with separate.
Read and practiseEventually: in the end after a process
Use eventually for a later outcome, often after effort or delay, and distinguish it from possibly.
Read and practiseReporting appearances and hearsay
An unlit house may seem empty: report an impression or something you have heard without claiming certainty.
Read and practiseConnecting a result to its cause
A damaged bridge can stop a train: connect an event to its result with a formal English adverb.
Read and practiseA substantial change or difference
A shorter route or a falling cost can show a large difference: describe its degree with an English adverb.
Read and practiseAchieving a result successfully
A filter that removes dust does its job: describe an action that achieves its intended result with an English adverb.
Read and practiseThe basic nature of a situation
Two proposals may differ in detail yet share their central character: express what matters most with an English adverb.
Read and practiseA very small amount or degree
Almost no milk remains or a sound is barely audible: express a very small amount or degree with an English adverb.
Read and practiseInferring from available clues
A locked gate suggests a closed museum: express a reasoned assumption without presenting it as a proven fact.
Read and practiseApproximate amounts and outlines
Forty visitors or an hour’s walk need not be exact: give an approximate number or a broad description.
Read and practiseCome on: encouragement and urgency
Encourage a friend or ask a group to move faster with a familiar spoken expression, and practise choosing a suitable tone.
Read and practiseCome over: visiting someone at home
Invite someone to visit your home and talk about a visit using a common informal expression with times and simple questions.
Read and practiseGet back: returning to a place
Talk about returning home or to another place, ask when someone will return, and practise the present and past forms.
Read and practiseHurry up: asking someone to move faster
Ask a person or group to act more quickly, and explore how a polite request differs from an impatient command.
Read and practiseLooking at someone or something
Direct your eyes towards a person or an object and practise the word order in simple everyday sentences.
Read and practiseGet up: leaving bed and morning routines
Describe when you leave bed with get up, gets up and got up. Compare waking with getting out of bed through examples and three exercises.
Read and practisePutting an object inside
Place an object inside a container and practise everyday word order with nouns and pronouns.
Read and practiseWake up: stop sleeping or wake someone
Talk about waking naturally or being woken by a sound. Practise wake me up, noun placement and the past form woke in three exercises.
Read and practiseTaking an object out
Remove an object from a container and practise everyday word order with nouns and pronouns.
Read and practiseSit down: taking a seat and inviting someone
Offer a seat and describe sitting down with sit, sat and sitting. Learn the spelling, common place phrases and three practical exercises.
Read and practiseWalking into a room
Enter a room on foot and practise the everyday expressions used with and without a named destination.
Read and practiseTurn on: start a device and place the object
Switch a device on with clear English word order. Learn turn the lamp on, turn it on and the difference between starting and being on.
Read and practiseTurn off: stop a device or supply
Stop an appliance or water flow with turn off. Practise turn it off, automatic shut-off and the difference between stopping and lowering volume.
Read and practiseWalking out of a room
Leave an indoor place on foot and practise naming the room you come from or leaving it understood.
Read and practisePut on: dress in an item and use put them on
Get dressed using put on for clothes and glasses. Learn noun and pronoun order, unchanged past put, and putting with a double t.
Read and practiseTurning to face the other way
Face the opposite direction with an everyday movement expression, and practise the form in simple sentences.
Read and practiseCome in: welcoming someone inside
Welcome a visitor with come in and ask permission with Can I come in? Practise come, came and coming while naming the room with into.
Read and practiseGo out: leaving home and making social plans
Plan a walk or dinner with go out. Learn goes and went, name a place with out of, and distinguish going out from simply being out.
Read and practiseLook for: searching for someone or something
Say what you are trying to find with look for. Practise looking for it and questions ending in for, and distinguish searching from looking at an object.
Read and practiseRequesting something with ask for
A polite request can name both the person you approach and the thing you want. Practise their order.
Read and practiseReturning a telephone call
Return a missed telephone call and practise where a person’s name or pronoun goes in the expression.
Read and practiseTelephoning someone with call up
A phone call to a friend or a business can be expressed with this everyday separable phrasal verb.
Read and practiseJoining an outing
Invite someone to join an outing, say who came with you and practise the forms of this friendly everyday expression.
Read and practiseStand up: rise to your feet and describe standing
Move from sitting to standing with stand up. Practise stood up, standing up and the base form after can, with examples and three exercises.
Read and practiseMoving down from a higher place
Describe movement from a higher place to a lower one and practise the past form and the starting point.
Read and practiseLie down: resting, lying and the past form lay
Rest without mixing up lie and lay. Compare lie down with lay something down, learn lying and laid, and solve three object-based exercises.
Read and practiseLeaving a place or appearing outside
Follow someone leaving an enclosed place and notice how the same everyday expression describes the sun appearing.
Read and practiseStay up: delay bedtime and describe late evenings
Explain staying awake later than usual with stay up. Use stayed up, until and activity phrases in examples, then complete three exercises.
Read and practiseCutting things into pieces
A whole apple, a carrot or a sheet of paper can become smaller pieces: see where the object goes and practise the past form.
Read and practiseTake off: remove clothing or leave the ground
Remove boots or describe a plane leaving the ground with take off. Practise take them off, took off and two distinct meanings in context.
Read and practiseEating at a restaurant
Dinner away from home can be a treat: talk about eating in a restaurant, café or similar place and practise the verb forms.
Read and practisePick up: lift an object or collect someone
Lift a fallen object or arrange to collect someone with pick up. Practise pick it up, picked up and collection points in three exercises.
Read and practiseMeeting socially with others
Friends or family can meet for a meal or a chat; describe these occasions and make plans to see people.
Read and practisePut down: stop holding something and set it on a surface
Set a carried object on a surface with put down. Practise put it down, unchanged past put and the contrast with picking something up.
Read and practiseReturning something to its owner
A borrowed umbrella or a library book needs to go back: describe returning it and practise where nouns and pronouns go.
Read and practisePut away: return belongings to their storage place
Return belongings to their usual place with put away. Learn put them away, putting away and how storing differs from discarding an item.
Read and practiseGiving up: stopping a habit or effort
A difficult puzzle or a daily habit can lead to the same expression: learn to describe stopping an effort or leaving a habit behind.
Read and practiseThrow away: discard an item and use threw or thrown
Discard unwanted things with throw away. Practise throw it away, the past threw and the participle thrown, with examples contrasting keeping and discarding.
Read and practiseGoing away: leaving or taking a trip
A visitor leaves or a family takes a holiday: explore how to describe departure and time spent away from home.
Read and practiseTidy up: put a room or collection of things in order
Organise a room with tidy up, especially common in British English. Learn tidied, tidying and tidy it up, with or without a named object.
Read and practiseGoing in: entering a room or building
A closed door can become an entrance: describe going inside, name the destination and practise the past form in everyday situations.
Read and practiseClean up: remove a mess or make someone clean
Remove a spill or clean a workspace with clean up. Practise cleaned up, clean it up and cleaning yourself, using clear objects and context.
Read and practiseGoing on: continuing an activity
After a pause or during a long event, talk about continuing an activity and practise the verb form that follows this expression.
Read and practiseWash up: British dishes and American hands
Understand the regional meanings of wash up: dishes in British English and hands in American English. Practise washed up and wash them up.
Read and practiseGrowing from childhood into adulthood
Talk about childhood homes and becoming an adult with this everyday phrasal verb, including its past and continuous forms.
Read and practiseHang up: clothing on a hook and ending a phone call
Connect hang up with coats and phone calls. Practise hung, hang them up and hang up on someone, with examples and explanations in context.
Read and practiseContinuing an activity with keep on
Follow an activity that continues over time, and practise the verb form that comes after this everyday expression.
Read and practiseFill up: bottles, busy spaces and feeling full
See how fill up works with bottles, a hall and a satisfying meal. Learn fill it up, fill up with and the difference between a process and a result.
Read and practiseMaking something fall by a blow
A ball hits a bottle and makes it fall: practise the everyday expression for knocking a person or object down.
Read and practiseEmpty out: removing everything from a container
Unpack empty out with a backpack, drawer and bowl. Learn empty it out, emptied and emptying, plus the difference between a container and its contents.
Read and practiseOmitting a person or thing
A missing name or an excluded player: practise the everyday expression for omitting someone or something.
Read and practiseWarm up: heat, exercise and preparing your voice
Move from a warmer kitchen to players preparing for a match. Practise warm it up, warming up and warms up with clear examples and exercises.
Read and practiseCaring for someone or something
A neighbour’s cat or a set of plants needs care: describe who takes responsibility and practise the position of a pronoun.
Read and practiseGet in: entering a vehicle and arriving
A taxi door and a train timetable reveal two uses of get in. Learn got, getting and gets in, and distinguish arrival from boarding.
Read and practiseExploring a place by looking
A new shop or an unfamiliar garden invites exploration: describe looking around and practise naming the place.
Read and practiseGet out: leaving a space and taking something out
Leave a taxi or remove a stuck box with get out. Practise get out of, got out and get it out, with clear roles for the person, place and object.
Read and practiseStarting life in a new home
Boxes arrive and a new address becomes home: practise describing when people start living in a place.
Read and practiseGet on: boarding buses, trains and ferries
Board a bus, train or ferry with get on. Learn get on it, questions with did and get, and how boarding differs from simply being on board.
Read and practiseLeaving a home for good
A tenancy ends and belongings are packed: describe leaving a home permanently and name the place left behind.
Read and practiseGet off: leaving public transport at the right stop
Use get off for leaving a tram, bus or train. Practise get off the tram, get off at a stop and questions that help you find where to leave.
Read and practiseReturning borrowed money
A loan or a few borrowed euros must be returned: practise the everyday phrase, its past form and the position of objects.
Read and practiseCome back: returning to a place, from a trip or for an item
Follow a return journey with come back. Distinguish to, from and for, use came back home without to, and connect the wording to the speaker's viewpoint.
Read and practiseGo back: return to a place or resume a topic
Return to the ticket office or an earlier question with go back. Practise went back home, did you go back and for when collecting a forgotten item.
Read and practiseReturning something to its place
A book or a key belongs somewhere: say how to return it to its previous place and choose where a noun or pronoun goes.
Read and practiseCheck in: flight registration, hotel arrival and checked bags
Distinguish checking in for a flight, at a hotel and checking a suitcase in. Practise for, at and check it in without confusing registration and boarding.
Read and practisePutting a picture on the wall
A picture, notice or poster needs a place on the wall: choose the object position and describe who attaches it.
Read and practiseLook up: checking information in a reference
Check words, dates and opening hours with look up. Practise look them up, looked and the contrast between in a dictionary and on a website.
Read and practiseReturning goods or a reply
A damaged purchase can go to the shop again, and a message can be sent in reply. Explore both meanings and object position.
Read and practiseFind out: discovering new information
Learn find out about, find out that and find out where. Practise found, noun and clause patterns, and the difference between learning a fact and locating an object.
Read and practiseGuiding visitors through a place
A visitor arrives at a new place: describe a guided tour with a common English phrasal verb and practise placing its object.
Read and practiseWrite down: making a written record
Record numbers, questions and instructions with write down. Practise wrote, written and write it down, plus in a notebook and on the back of a ticket.
Read and practiseTesting something in use
A new tool or game can be tested before you decide: practise a common expression for seeing how something works.
Read and practiseGrowing again after loss
Hair, leaves and grass can return after being cut or lost. Practise an everyday expression for this new growth.
Read and practiseReturning an item to its owner
A purchase or borrowed object may need to go back. Practise the everyday expression for returning it to a shop or owner.
Read and practiseTrying clothes for fit
A coat or pair of shoes may look good on a hanger. Discover how to talk about putting clothes on to check their fit.
Read and practiseLowering sound and heat
A noisy radio or a boiling pan may need adjusting. Practise asking someone to reduce volume or heat in everyday English.
Read and practiseIntroducing a subject in conversation
A difficult question or a fresh idea can enter a conversation when someone mentions it for the first time.
Read and practiseCancelling a planned event
A storm or a change of plans can stop an event from happening: say what was cancelled and place the object correctly.
Read and practiseDry up: disappearing water and British dish drying
Follow dry up from a pond losing its water to the British chore of drying dishes. Practise dried, drying and dry them up in context.
Read and practiseContinuing after an interruption
An interruption need not stop an activity: explore how to continue with a task or keep doing something in everyday conversation.
Read and practiseCatching up after falling behind
A missed lesson or a runner ahead can leave you behind. Explore how to reach the same point and use the right preposition.
Read and practiseFinding something by chance
An unexpected discovery or meeting calls for a useful expression; explore its past form and where its object belongs.
Read and practiseDo up: fastening clothes and renovating a home
A jacket zip and a renovated kitchen illustrate do up. Learn its British fastening use, object positions and the forms did and done.
Read and practiseThinking of an idea or solution
A problem needs a fresh answer: describe how someone thinks of a plan, idea or solution, and place its object correctly.
Read and practiseReducing how much you consume
Coffee, sugar or plastic cups: express a decision to consume less and practise the complete three-part verb with nouns and pronouns.
Read and practiseCool down: lower temperature and less anger
Follow cool down from a hot kitchen to an argument that has ended. Practise cool it down, cooled and the difference between temperature and emotion.
Read and practiseHandling a problem or situation
A complaint or a broken heater needs attention. Practise describing how someone handles a problem and where its object belongs.
Read and practiseCompleting a form
A registration form has empty spaces for details. Practise entering information and placing a noun or pronoun with this everyday verb.
Read and practiseSet off: starting a journey and triggering an alarm
A departure and a sounding alarm reveal two meanings of set off. Practise set, setting and set it off, and identify whether there is an object.
Read and practiseGetting along with other people
A friendly relationship can begin at work or at home. Describe how people relate to one another and practise the preposition and past form.
Read and practiseRecovering from illness or disappointment
After a cold or a setback, recovery can take time. Describe getting better and putting a painful experience behind you.
Read and practiseCheck out: hotel departure and looking into a place
Separate check out of a hotel from check out a museum. Practise of and check it out, and recognise the informal meaning of looking into something.
Read and practiseFinishing a task or reaching someone by phone
A difficult report takes effort, while a busy line takes patience. Describe finishing work and making telephone contact.
Read and practiseGiving something to someone for free
Spare chairs, seeds or books can find a new home. Explain a free gift and place its object naturally in the sentence.
Read and practiseDrop off: taking people or parcels to a destination
Give someone a lift or deliver a parcel with drop off. Practise drop me off and dropped, and distinguish collection from leaving someone at their destination.
Read and practiseExamining things carefully one by one
A stack of receipts or a list of answers deserves a careful look. Describe checking each part and using the object correctly.
Read and practiseSubmitting work or documents
A finished essay or application needs to reach its recipient: practise the English phrasal verb for submitting work, with noun and pronoun objects.
Read and practiseDistributing things to a group
Maps at the entrance and water at a break: express distribution to several people and practise noun and pronoun placement.
Read and practisePull over: stopping at the side of the road
Recognise a driver pulling over and an officer pulling someone over. Practise pulled, pull him over and the difference between stopping and passing.
Read and practiseStaying at the same pace
Cyclists on a hill or a changing schedule: describe keeping pace with people and progress using a fixed three-word expression.
Read and practiseDisappointing someone who relies on you
A missed promise of help can disappoint a team: express letting someone down and practise noun and pronoun placement.
Read and practiseBreak down: machine failure and smaller parts
Distinguish a vehicle breaking down from breaking a task down into steps. Practise broke, broken, break it down and the pattern into smaller parts.
Read and practiseAnticipating something with pleasure
A concert, a visit or a quiet walk can be something you await with pleasure; practise the fixed expression and its gerund pattern.
Read and practiseInventing a story or excuse
A dragon story or a false excuse can be invented on the spot. Practise this common verb and the position of its object.
Read and practiseRun out of: when a supply is gone
Talk about running out of fuel, paper or time. Practise ran, run out of it, supply subjects and the difference between running low and having none left.
Read and practiseFainting and losing consciousness briefly
Heat or dizziness can lead to a brief loss of consciousness. Practise the everyday expression for fainting and its past form.
Read and practiseDrawing attention to a detail
A missing page or a bird in a tree might escape notice. Practise drawing attention to a detail, including the position of pronouns.
Read and practiseHold up: delaying people and progress
Explain delays with hold up, held us up and was held up by traffic. Practise object placement, the irregular form held and causes in passive sentences.
Read and practisePostponing an activity
A picnic can move to Sunday: describe postponing plans and practise where to place nouns, pronouns and an action after this common expression.
Read and practiseTolerating an unpleasant situation
Noise, delays and rude remarks can be hard to tolerate. Describe enduring them with a common everyday expression and its correct word order.
Read and practiseMeeting someone unexpectedly
A chance meeting at a station or café is easy to describe once you know this everyday expression and its object order.
Read and practiseEstablishing groups and arranging equipment
A new club can begin and a microphone can be made ready with the same everyday verb. Practise its object position and past form.
Read and practiseArriving at an event
An empty room can fill when guests arrive: describe who appears at a place or event, including late arrivals and absences.
Read and practiseOrganising things and resolving problems
A pile of papers or a disagreement needs attention: describe putting things in order and finding a solution in everyday English.
Read and practiseSpeaking louder or expressing an opinion
A noisy fan can make voices hard to hear; an unfair rule may call for an opinion. Practise both uses of this everyday expression.
Read and practiseExplaining what an abbreviation represents
Letters on a map or units on a label can stand for longer words. Ask what an abbreviation means and explain its full form.
Read and practiseResembling an older relative
Family traits can pass between generations: describe a resemblance in appearance or character with this everyday expression.
Read and practiseStarting a new activity
A hobby can begin at any age: describe starting an activity and practise the position of nouns and pronouns.
Read and practiseConsidering a decision carefully
A job offer deserves time and attention: express careful consideration and place nouns and pronouns correctly with this everyday verb.
Read and practiseUnexpected arrivals and louder sound
A surprise visitor or a quiet radio: distinguish arriving unexpectedly from increasing volume and place objects correctly.
Read and practiseFinding answers and exercising
A tricky sum or a morning at the gym calls for the same phrasal verb, with different meanings and object positions.
Read and practiseMaking a backup with back up
A lost file can be hard to replace. Talk about making extra copies and placing objects correctly in this everyday phrasal verb.
Read and practiseEnding a romantic relationship
A couple decides to separate: talk about the end of a relationship and how someone or something can cause that separation.
Read and practiseExplaining causes and proportions
A delay needs an explanation, or a figure represents part of a total: express both relationships with account for.
Read and practiseWithdrawing from an agreement
A promised contribution may be withdrawn: express a change of mind about a plan and practise the preposition that names it.
Read and practiseCausing a change or event
A new policy can change a community: express what causes a particular result and place the object correctly in a sentence.
Read and practiseRefreshing knowledge or a skill
Before a trip or an interview, refresh something you already know and express that preparation naturally in English.
Read and practisePerforming a plan or task
From a safety inspection to a research project, describe the work of putting an agreed plan into action and completing a task.
Read and practiseWhat a decision comes down to
A difficult choice can depend mainly on one factor: identify what matters most and express the deciding question naturally.
Read and practiseFacing an obstacle
A project hits a barrier or a plan meets resistance: describe a difficult problem and place its object correctly.
Read and practiseCutting down on spending or consumption
A budget or a daily habit needs attention: describe reducing the amount of money, food or other resources you use.
Read and practisePreparing a formal plan
A team needs a plan, contract or set of rules: describe how it is prepared and place noun and pronoun objects correctly.
Read and practiseA plan that fails to happen
A cancelled concert or an unsuccessful deal can be described with a phrase for plans that do not happen as expected.
Read and practiseTaking further action after contact
A message, meeting or lead calls for another step: describe how you contact someone again or pursue an issue.
Read and practiseAvoiding punishment for wrongdoing
Someone breaks a rule and faces no penalty: describe what they did and how they escaped the consequences.
Read and practiseYielding to pressure
A long argument or repeated demand can end in a concession: express when someone stops resisting and who or what they yield to.
Read and practiseProceeding with a plan
A concert can take place despite obstacles: express proceeding with a plan, giving permission and moving on to an action.
Read and practiseHolding feelings or progress back
A smile can be restrained, and a lack of resources can slow progress: explore both meanings and where objects belong.
Read and practiseInvestigating a question or problem
A complaint or an unexpected error deserves attention: describe investigating a question and place its object after the full expression.
Read and practiseMaking up for a loss or mistake
A missed class, a mistake or a delay can be compensated for: see how this three-part verb connects an action to what went wrong.
Read and practiseGradually withdrawing a product or practice
Old packaging can disappear in stages: describe the gradual withdrawal of a product or practice and place its object correctly.
Read and practiseEvidence suggesting a possible cause
A damp wall may suggest a leak: express what evidence indicates while leaving room for other explanations.
Read and practiseExcluding an option or possibility
A test can eliminate one possible cause while others remain: express exclusion and distinguish it from uncertainty.
Read and practiseReserving time or money with set aside
An hour for reading or savings for repairs can be reserved in advance: explain the purpose and position the object.
Read and practiseLeaving a position of responsibility
A chair or captain decides to leave a position: describe the departure, the role and the organisation involved.
Read and practiseTaking control or responsibility
A colleague leaves or a company changes hands: describe who assumes control, takes on a duty or replaces someone.
Read and practisePersuading someone to act
A hesitant friend may change their mind after a conversation: express successful persuasion and describe the action that follows.
Read and practiseBriefly mention a subject
A meeting or article may mention a subject without exploring it in detail; see how to describe that and place the object.
Read and practiseBecoming unusable through wear
Boots, towels and suitcase wheels can become unusable with repeated use. Describe that gradual damage and practise object placement.
Read and practiseHave breakfast: the morning meal
Morning routines can start at home, at work or on a train. Talk about when and where people eat their first meal.
Read and practiseHaving the midday meal
A midday meal can fit around work, school or time with friends. Talk about when, where and with whom you eat lunch.
Read and practiseThe evening meal
Talk about when and where people eat their evening meal, and who joins them, using a common English expression.
Read and practiseGoing to bed
Bedtime can be early, late or at a particular hour. Talk about when people go to bed and how their routines change.
Read and practiseTaking a shower in a daily routine
A morning wash or a quick rinse after work: describe when and where someone showers in everyday English.
Read and practiseBrushing your teeth in daily life
After breakfast or before bed, talk about brushing teeth and choose the possessive word that fits the person.
Read and practiseSaying goodbye at the end of a conversation
At the door or on the phone, describe how people end a conversation and say who they say goodbye to.
Read and practiseAsking a question to get an answer
In class, at a desk or on the phone, ask a question and name the person you want to answer.
Read and practiseMaking the bed after getting up
Straighten sheets and covers: describe making a bed as part of a daily routine in English.
Read and practiseDoing the dishes after a meal
Plates, cups and cutlery need cleaning after a meal: talk about washing them as an everyday household task.
Read and practiseWashing clothes as a household task
Dirty shirts and towels need washing: describe this household chore and choose the right verb form.
Read and practiseGoing shopping for everyday needs
A trip to the market or the shops can be described with this common phrase and its changing verb forms.
Read and practisePhotographing people and places
A bridge, a garden or a group of friends: describe taking pictures in English and name the subject of a photo.
Read and practiseCatching a bus in time
From the library to the hospital, describe reaching a bus before it leaves and taking it to your destination.
Read and practiseMissing a train after it leaves
A late arrival at the station can mean losing your journey: explain in English which train you failed to board.
Read and practiseMaking a call to contact someone
A hotel, a sister or a colleague: explain in English when you call someone and where you make the call.
Read and practiseLeaving information for someone
When someone cannot answer, a short message can pass on information for them to read or hear later.
Read and practiseBooking ahead
A table for dinner or a room for a trip can be booked ahead. Find out how to ask for a place and give the details.
Read and practiseTaking a pause from an activity
A short rest after class or during work: describe when and where you pause an activity in English.
Read and practiseEnjoying an activity with others
A beach trip or a game of chess: describe enjoying an activity and wish someone an enjoyable time in English.
Read and practiseWriting items in a list
Books, questions and plans: organize items in writing and describe the list you create in English.
Read and practiseDescribing an error you made
An address, an answer or an order: explain in English when someone gets something wrong.
Read and practiseInviting someone to sit down
At a table, near a door or in a waiting room: offer someone a place to sit politely in English.
Read and practiseGoing for a walk outdoors
A river, a park or a lake: talk in English about going for a walk and say where or when you go.
Read and practiseStaying in contact with someone
Emails, calls and messages can maintain a connection: describe staying in contact with people in English.
Read and practiseFocusing on what matters
A road, a story or an instruction may need your focus. Express where your attention goes in everyday English.
Read and practiseGetting ready for an event
A concert, trip or meeting may need some preparation. Find out how to talk about being ready for different occasions.
Read and practiseFinding new friends
A new school, a journey or a local club can be a place to form friendships and meet people who become friends.
Read and practiseSpeaking honestly about events
A broken cup or a difficult question: express in English that someone speaks honestly about what happened.
Read and practiseLooking briefly at something
A map, a menu or a drawing: ask someone to look briefly or inspect something in everyday English.
Read and practiseSaving money for later or spending less
A bicycle, a journey or a cheaper ticket: describe putting money aside and spending less in English.
Read and practiseUsing time without a useful result
Lost keys and the wrong bus: explain in English when time is spent without a useful result.
Read and practiseMaking a decision in English
A route, a budget or a difficult choice: describe how someone chooses a course of action in English.
Read and practiseMaking a plan for future action
A garden, a trip or a backup: explain how to arrange future actions with this useful English expression.
Read and practiseMoving closer to a goal
A project, a skill or a recovery can advance gradually. Describe how much progress someone is making and where that progress happens.
Read and practiseTrying with purpose
A difficult task or a new habit can call for deliberate action. Explore how to describe trying hard in everyday situations.
Read and practiseMaking a suggestion in English
A menu, a route or a meeting: express an idea for someone else to consider using a common English phrase.
Read and practiseMaking a complaint
A cold meal, a damaged parcel or a delayed flight can give someone a reason to express dissatisfaction formally.
Read and practiseAccepting responsibility
A mistake, a task or a shared duty may call for someone to accept responsibility. See how to say who takes charge.
Read and practiseJoining an activity
A class, a debate or a community event can bring people together. Describe who participates and what they join.
Read and practiseLooking after people and things
A child, a garden or a pet needs attention: describe who looks after people and things in English.
Read and practiseTaking a chance despite danger
A new job or an unfamiliar idea can bring possible harm as well as opportunity. Describe the decision to act despite uncertainty.
Read and practiseTaking notes in English
A lecture, a meeting or a report can contain useful ideas: describe writing down key information in English.
Read and practiseSettling on shared terms
When people settle a question together, this expression describes the result of their discussion and the terms they accept.
Read and practiseMeeting a deadline in English
A report or an application has a fixed finishing date: explain in English how work gets done on time.
Read and practiseSolving a problem in English
A broken engine or a difficult calculation needs an answer: describe finding a solution in English.
Read and practiseSetting a goal in English
A reading habit or a garden project begins with an aim: describe choosing a goal in English.
Read and practiseAchieving a goal in English
A charity target or a running ambition can become reality: describe reaching an aim in English.
Read and practiseBuilding self-confidence
Building self-confidence: Explore how this expression works in real situations, with examples, common mistakes and practice.
Read and practiseRaising public awareness
Raising public awareness: Explore how this expression works in real situations, with examples, common mistakes and practice.
Read and practiseDescribing an influence
Describing an influence: Explore how this expression works in real situations, with examples, common mistakes and practice.
Read and practiseMaking a meaningful change
Making a meaningful change: Explore how this expression works in real situations, with examples, common mistakes and practice.
Read and practiseDrawing a conclusion from evidence
Evidence, observations and facts can lead to a conclusion: practise describing what they suggest in English.
Read and practiseForming an opinion on an issue
A view can develop as you listen and gather information. Practise describing how an opinion takes shape in English.
Read and practiseKeeping a promise: doing what you said
A promise matters when actions match words. Practise describing a commitment that someone has fulfilled in English.
Read and practiseBreaking a promise: failing to do what you said
Trust can suffer when a commitment is not fulfilled. Practise describing a broken promise in English with clear examples.
Read and practiseHaving trouble doing something
A stuck lid or a hard task can cause difficulty. Describe everyday problems with an action using this English expression.
Read and practisePaying someone a compliment
A kind remark about someone’s work or skills can brighten a conversation. Practise the English phrase for praising a person.
Read and practiseLosing your temper in anger
A jammed printer or a long delay can provoke a sudden angry reaction. Practise describing that loss of control in English.
Read and practiseKeeping calm under pressure
A sudden problem or a difficult question can put you under pressure. Practise describing how someone stays composed in English.
Read and practiseAccepting a difficult situation
Loss, defeat or a closure can take time to accept. Practise describing that gradual adjustment in English.
Read and practiseDescribing a possible threat
A leak, a storm or a weak password can endanger something. Practise describing possible dangers in English.
Read and practiseKeeping a relevant factor in mind
A cost, a limit or a fact can matter when making a decision. Practise remembering relevant factors in English.
Read and practiseVoicing an objection
A proposal, a schedule or a fence may prompt disagreement. Practise expressing an objection in English.
Read and practiseFinding middle ground
When people disagree about a plan, they may settle on a solution each can accept after making concessions.
Read and practiseA process drawing to a close
A festival, a discussion or an agreement can finish naturally. Describe the end of a process in English.
Read and practiseA part in the outcome
A person, action or circumstance can influence what happens. Describe how much it contributes to a result or process.
Read and practiseFinding a workable balance
Work, comfort and privacy can compete with other needs. Describe a solution that gives each side reasonable attention.
Read and practiseMeeting a need
A service or resource can supply what people require. Practise describing how an action meets a need in English.
Read and practiseAddressing a difficulty
A shortage or a delay calls for action: describe tackling a difficulty without claiming it is already solved.
Read and practiseAssessing the chance of harm
Before a climb or investment, consider how likely harm is and how serious its effects could be in English.
Read and practiseReducing a risk as far as possible
Gloves, backups and careful checks can make harm less likely: describe steps that reduce a risk as far as possible.
Read and practiseCollecting evidence for a claim
From public records to interviews, evidence can support or challenge an explanation. Practise describing how it is collected.
Read and practiseWeighing alternatives before a decision
A decision about travel or a workspace may need careful comparison. Practise describing how people consider their choices.
Read and practiseDirecting notice toward an issue
A poster or report can bring a hidden issue into view. Practise describing how attention is directed toward something.
Read and practiseHelping a shared effort
Ideas, research or funds can support a shared effort. Practise describing the part someone or something contributes.
Read and practiseTaking action to achieve a result
A noisy street or a security concern can prompt action: describe practical steps taken to achieve a particular result.
Read and practiseFacing a difficult situation
A housing shortage or a new task may be hard to deal with: describe confronting such difficulties in English.
Read and practiseKeeping quality at an expected level
Consistent safety or service requires sustained effort: describe how an organisation keeps its standards at an expected level.
Read and practiseArriving at broad agreement
A committee or community can discuss a proposal until broad agreement emerges: describe that outcome in English.
Read and practiseGreetings and farewells: hello and goodbye
A meeting begins with a greeting and a departure calls for a farewell. Compare two everyday expressions.
Read and practiseMorning and evening in English
A greeting at breakfast and plans after dinner show how to talk about two different parts of the day.
Read and practiseInside or on a surface?
A bag, a table and a wall show how to choose the right preposition for containers and surfaces.
Read and practiseMan and woman: singular and plural
One adult or several? Compare the words for men and women and choose the right form in everyday sentences.
Read and practisePossession and being: your and you are
A bag belongs to you, while a sentence can describe you. Compare the possessive form with a subject and verb.
Read and practiseIndefinite article and number: a versus one
A single object can be introduced without counting it, or its quantity can be stressed. Compare the article and the number.
Read and practiseWords for children: boy and girl
A child can be called a boy or a girl. Compare these common words and their plural forms in simple sentences.
Read and practisePositive and negative answers in English
A simple question can receive an affirmative or negative answer. Compare two short responses and practise matching them to facts.
Read and practiseBring and take: directions in English
A parcel, a picnic and a visit show how the chosen point of view changes the verb for moving something.
Read and practiseComing and going in English
A visit to an office or a trip to the library shows how the reference point shapes your choice of verb.
Read and practiseGetting to a place and arriving
A station, a city and home show how to describe reaching a destination with the right preposition.
Read and practiseA job and a career: position or working life
A position at one workplace and a working life across many years are different ideas. Compare these two common nouns.
Read and practiseSalary and wage: ways to describe pay
A fixed annual amount and pay based on hours are two common ways to describe earnings from work. Compare them in context.
Read and practiseTrip and travel: counting journeys
A weekend visit can be counted, while the general activity of travelling is usually expressed with an uncountable noun.
Read and practiseTrip and journey: visit or route
A day out includes activities at the destination; the journey focuses on getting from one place to another. Compare their uses.
Read and practiseFun and funny: enjoyment or laughter
A pleasant activity and a joke that makes people laugh call for different words. Compare the two meanings in context.
Read and practiseActually and currently: truth and the present
A surprising fact and a situation happening now call for different adverbs. Compare their meanings in everyday sentences.
Read and practiseAppearance and qualities: two questions
A question about someone’s appearance and a question about their character use different expressions. See how each works.
Read and practiseKnowing someone and knowing about a subject
Personal familiarity and information about a topic use different patterns. Compare the meaning when the object is a person or subject.
Read and practiseWearing clothes and dressing a person
Having a coat on and putting clothes on a child describe different actions. Compare the verbs and their usual objects.
Read and practiseBringing and fetching: movement and return
A blanket for a picnic and keys from another room show two ways to describe moving an object. Compare the verbs in context.
Read and practiseWinning a contest and beating an opponent
A match, a prize and a rival call for different verbs: see how to choose the right one in English.
Read and practiseMiss or lose: catching and keeping
A missed bus and a lost key show how English distinguishes failing to catch something from no longer having it.
Read and practiseSpending and saving money and time
A lunch, a bicycle and a train journey show how spending and saving describe what happens to money and time.
Read and practiseBecoming or changing something
A yellow leaf, a new plan and a replacement bulb show how these two common verbs work in different sentences.
Read and practiseCreating things and doing activities
Soup, plans and homework illustrate common English combinations for producing something and carrying out an activity.
Read and practiseTalk and tell in everyday conversations
A chat about a trip and a story for a friend show when to use each verb and how to name the listener.
Read and practiseAsking and answering questions
A question to a guide and a reply to a teacher show how English distinguishes requesting information from responding.
Read and practiseBorrowing or renting: paying for temporary use
A free pencil from a neighbour and a hired car for the weekend illustrate two ways to use something temporarily.
Read and practiseBeginning an activity and opening a place
A lesson at nine and a library at ten show the difference between beginning an activity and making a place accessible.
Read and practiseWaiting and expecting: time or belief
A bus at the gate and rain in the forecast show the difference between spending time waiting and thinking something will happen.
Read and practiseHigh and tall: describing height
A tree beside a house and a shelf above a child illustrate common choices for vertical size and position.
Read and practiseAdvice and advise: noun and verb
A helpful recommendation and the act of recommending it need different spellings. See how the noun and verb work in context.
Read and practisePractice and practise across English varieties
The spelling changes with the word’s role in Britain, while American English uses one form for both the noun and the verb.
Read and practiseInfluence and results: affect and effect
A change in a journey or a garden can reveal whether you need the verb for influence or the noun for a result.
Read and practiseRaising something and rising
A hand moves upward and a river climbs: the object of the verb helps you choose the right form.
Read and practisePutting down or resting?
A coat on a chair and a person on a rug show how objects and time help you choose the right verb.
Read and practiseReclining and telling an untruth
The same present-tense verb takes different past forms when someone reclines and when someone says something untrue.
Read and practiseAccepting and excluding in English
An invitation, a payment and a closed museum day show how receiving or agreeing differs from leaving something out.
Read and practiseExpectations and hopes in English
A forecast and a wish can point to different outcomes: one expresses a belief about what will happen, the other a desired result.
Read and practiseHope and wish: possible or unreal?
A delayed parcel and a forgotten umbrella show how English expresses a possible outcome and an unreal situation.
Read and practiseRemembering and reminding in English
A birthday, a note and a song show the difference between recalling something yourself and helping someone else recall it.
Read and practiseRob and steal: choosing the object
A stolen phone and a robbed bank show how the object after each verb changes what the sentence means.
Read and practiseLooking for things and searching places
A lost object or a room to examine? The choice depends on whether the next words name the target or the place.
Read and practiseFun and pleasure: activities and enjoyment
A lively game and the quiet joy of reading can both bring enjoyment; compare everyday fun with pleasure and polite expressions.
Read and practiseChance and opportunity in English
A forecast, a workshop and a meeting show when a possibility differs from a favorable occasion to act.
Read and practiseReasons for choices and causes of events
A choice of transport and a broken pipe show how motives differ from the things that bring events about.
Read and practiseOutcomes and their effects in English
A test score, a closed road and a new park show how an outcome can be named or considered in terms of its effects.
Read and practiseProblems and issues in context
A broken lift and a meeting agenda show when a difficulty is a problem, when a topic is an issue, and where the words overlap.
Read and practiseCustomer and client in context
A purchase at a shop and a meeting with an adviser show how English names people who buy goods or receive services.
Read and practiseWork and career: activity or professional path
Tasks to be done and a professional path over many years are different ideas. Compare their meanings and use them in context.
Read and practiseMeeting or appointment: choosing the right word
A team discussion and a dentist visit call for different words, even though both are arranged for a particular time.
Read and practiseNews of an event or a message from a person
A festival in the news and an email from a cousin show two different ways to receive information.
Read and practiseAttendance and assistance in English
A concert audience and a helpful volunteer illustrate the difference between being present and giving help.
Read and practisePrevent and avoid: stopping or staying away
A lock stopping theft and a traveller avoiding a crowd show two distinct ways of dealing with unwanted things.
Read and practisePermission with allow and let
Visitors taking photos and a neighbour lending a ladder show how two permission verbs use different patterns.
Read and practiseSupplying and offering in English
A hotel supplies towels while a neighbour offers tomatoes: see how giving and proposing differ in English.
Read and practiseReaching and achieving: common objects
A station, a temperature and an aim reveal how English describes arriving at a point or accomplishing something.
Read and practiseJobs and tasks: positions and assignments
A bakery position, a painted fence and a checklist show how a job can contain several specific tasks.
Read and practiseOrdinary and usual: different kinds of normal
A plain stone and a familiar bus illustrate the difference between being unremarkable and happening regularly.
Read and practiseAdapting and adopting: change or take up
A recipe changed for a smaller oven and a new policy taken up by a school show two different actions.
Read and practiseDisapproval and analysis: criticize or critique
A complaint about a decision and a careful analysis of a design illustrate overlapping uses of two English verbs.
Read and practiseBelief and action: convincing and persuading
Evidence can change a belief, while an appeal may lead someone to act; explore the overlapping verbs and their patterns.
Read and practiseEstimating risk and judging value in English
A flood risk and a proposal judged against criteria show common emphases of two closely related English verbs.
Read and practiseAmount and number: choosing by noun
Rain and visitors reveal how the type of noun guides the choice between two common quantity expressions.
Read and practiseFewer vs less: what is the difference?
Count books and measure sugar: the choice changes with the noun, while totals of time or money often take less.
Read and practiseLater or latter: time and order
A delayed train and two choices show how a word for subsequent time differs from one for the second item mentioned.
Read and practiseHistoric and historical: significance and the past
A landmark victory and an archive of records show the difference between historical importance and a connection to the past.
Read and practiseClassic examples and classical arts
A familiar mistake, a vintage car and a Mozart sonata show how these two adjectives point to different qualities.
Read and practiseCredible and creditable: belief or praise?
A reliable account and a praiseworthy effort call for different adjectives, even when the words look almost alike.
Read and practiseEfficiency and results in English
A quicker route and a successful campaign show how saving resources differs from achieving a goal.
Read and practiseAssume and presume: degrees of certainty
An unchecked opening time and an office with its lights off show how two verbs express beliefs with different grounds.
Read and practiseSuggesting and concluding in English
A smile and a set of tracks reveal the difference between suggesting a meaning and drawing a conclusion.
Read and practiseMaking certain, reassuring and insuring
A locked door, a calm guest and a protected boat call for three different English verbs.
Read and practisePraise and completion: two similar spellings
A kind remark and a well-matched scarf reveal the difference between praise and a useful addition.
Read and practiseA leader, the main thing and a guiding rule
A school leader and a rule of fairness show how two similar spellings serve different purposes.
Read and practiseStillness and writing materials: two spellings
A stopped bus and a packet of paper reveal why two nearly identical English spellings have different meanings.
Read and practiseImpartial or simply not interested?
A judge with no stake and a bored spectator show how impartiality differs from a lack of interest.
Read and practiseJudgment and sensitivity in English
A practical decision and a reaction to sunlight illustrate two adjectives that learners often confuse.
Read and practiseEconomic or economical?
A report on inflation and a fuel-saving car show how two similar adjectives describe different things.
Read and practise
English greetings and goodbyes
Greet someone in the morning or afternoon, introduce yourself, and say goodbye with simple English phrases.
Read and practiseIntroduce yourself in English
Say your name, origin, home and work, and ask another person simple questions when you meet.
Read and practiseAsk someone to repeat or clarify in English
Ask someone to repeat, speak more slowly or spell a word, and check what you understood with polite English phrases.
Read and practiseCounting objects and quantities
Count everyday objects, ask how many there are and choose singular or plural nouns in simple English sentences.
Read and practiseTalking about family in English
Introduce relatives and describe family relationships with common English words and possessive determiners.
Read and practiseDescribe a daily routine in English
Talk about waking up, meals, work and bedtime using practical daily-routine phrases and simple time expressions.
Read and practiseColours in English
A blue bag or a yellow cup? Name common colours and choose the item you want in everyday situations.
Read and practiseLikes and preferences in English
Talk about things you like or prefer, ask another person and distinguish a general preference from a polite request.
Read and practiseTalk about the weather in English
Ask about the weather and describe sun, rain, wind and temperature with short English sentences.
Read and practiseGiving personal details in English
A simple form asks for your age, nationality and contact details. Answer these common questions with clear English phrases.
Read and practiseOrder food and drinks at a café in English
Ask for a menu, order food and drinks politely, check an ingredient and request the bill in a café.
Read and practiseShopping for clothes in English
Ask about a price, a different size, trying clothes on and paying by card during a simple shop conversation.
Read and practiseTell the time in English
Ask the time and understand o’clock, quarter past, half past and quarter to with clear examples and practice.
Read and practiseAsk about days and schedules in English
Understand opening days and departure times, and use on for a weekday and at for a clock time in everyday questions.
Read and practiseMonths and dates in English
Birthdays, appointments and plans: name the months and give a calendar date in everyday English.
Read and practiseDays of the week in English
Learn the seven days of the week in English, use their names with on and practise identifying a scheduled day.
Read and practiseAsk for directions in English
Ask where a place is and understand simple directions such as go straight, turn left and next to the bank.
Read and practiseClassroom requests in English
Ask for a pen, find the right page and request help with a classroom activity using polite English questions.
Read and practiseMeals at home in English
Name everyday meals and describe what you eat at home for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Read and practisePlaces in town and where to go
A library, a park or a bank: name familiar town places and say where you go in simple English sentences.
Read and practiseHobbies and free-time habits
Chess, painting or swimming: name leisure activities and explain how often you do them in everyday English.
Read and practiseTake a bus in English
Find out about a bus destination, tickets, departure time and the right stop using short English questions.
Read and practiseArrange or change a meeting in English
Ask about availability, suggest another day or time and confirm a meeting using clear, polite English.
Read and practiseBook an appointment in English
Ask to make an appointment, check an available day, give your name and confirm the time and address.
Read and practiseOrdering a restaurant meal
Ask about a dish, order food and drinks politely, and request the bill at the end of a meal.
Read and practiseTalking about work in English
Ask about someone’s work and describe a role, workplace or task in simple English sentences.
Read and practiseMaking a phone call in English
Introduce yourself on the phone, ask for someone and leave a clear message with a request to call back.
Read and practiseWriting short messages in English
Write a clear short message to suggest a meeting, report a change and ask someone to confirm the details.
Read and practiseChecking in at a hotel
Check in at a hotel, give the name on a reservation and ask practical questions about your stay in English.
Read and practiseTalking about last weekend
Ask about a past weekend and describe completed activities using past simple forms, time words and a short opinion.
Read and practiseFood allergies at a restaurant
Explain a food allergy to a server, ask about ingredients and request a check with the kitchen.
Read and practiseFinding groceries and asking for quantities
At the grocery shop, find an aisle, request a quantity of fresh produce and ask how much an item costs.
Read and practiseReturning a purchase
Explain a problem with something you bought, show the receipt and ask for an exchange or a refund.
Read and practiseBuying medicine at a pharmacy
A sore throat or a cough can bring you to a pharmacy; explain the symptom and ask how to use a product.
Read and practiseDescribing symptoms to a doctor
A sore throat, a cough or a pain in your knee: explain what you feel and when it started at a medical appointment.
Read and practiseVisiting the dentist in English
A painful tooth, a dental examination and questions after treatment: describe your symptoms and follow simple instructions.
Read and practiseBuying a train ticket in English
At the station, ask for a destination, choose a single or return ticket and say which class you want.
Read and practiseTaking a taxi in English
Give a taxi driver your destination, ask about the fare and check the route with practical English phrases.
Read and practiseAirport security in English
Understand common security instructions and ask where to place or collect your belongings at the airport.
Read and practiseReporting missing luggage in English
Describe a missing bag, give its tag and flight details, and ask how to follow up in English.
Read and practiseChecking in for a flight in English
Give flight and booking details at check-in, ask about baggage and find out the boarding gate and time.
Read and practiseAsking for wireless internet access
Ask for a guest network and its password, then explain a simple problem connecting your device.
Read and practiseReceiving a delivery in English
A parcel arrives at your door: identify who it is for, ask the courier to leave it somewhere, and sign for it.
Read and practiseSending a parcel at the post office in English
At the post office, ask about postage, delivery times and tracking while sending a parcel to someone.
Read and practiseOpening a bank account in English
At the bank, ask about required documents, account fees and debit cards, and explain which account you would like.
Read and practiseUsing a cash machine
Read common cash machine instructions, choose a withdrawal amount and ask for help if a transaction goes wrong.
Read and practiseAsking about a room to rent
Ask whether a room is available, how much rent costs, when you can move in and which bills are included.
Read and practiseReporting a broken appliance
Tell a landlord which appliance has stopped working, describe the problem and ask when it can be repaired.
Read and practiseInviting someone to an event
Invite a person to an event, give the place and time, and ask them to let you know whether they can come.
Read and practiseResponding to an invitation
A warm yes or a polite no with a short reason helps you reply to an invitation and keep the conversation friendly.
Read and practiseTalking about upcoming plans
Ask what someone intends to do and describe your own upcoming activities using a simple future plan.
Read and practiseDescribing someone in a group
Notice hair, clothes and position to describe a person and identify them clearly in a group.
Read and practiseAsking prices and checking a total
A price for one item, several items or a whole purchase can be checked with these practical questions.
Read and practiseComplaining about a meal politely
A cold dish or a mistaken order can be addressed clearly: explain the problem and ask the restaurant for a reasonable solution.
Read and practiseReserving a restaurant table
Arrange a restaurant booking with the number of guests, a preferred time and any seating requirements.
Read and practiseExplaining dietary needs at a restaurant
Dietary restrictions and preferences affect what you can eat: explain your needs and ask staff which dishes are suitable.
Read and practiseAsk about a delayed delivery
A parcel is overdue and its tracking has stalled: give the order reference and ask the seller when it is expected to arrive.
Read and practiseQuestioning an incorrect bill in English
An unexpected charge on a bill can be queried politely: identify the item and ask staff to check the total.
Read and practiseRequesting an online refund in English
A damaged online order calls for a clear written request: describe the issue, provide evidence and ask for your money back.
Read and practiseChanging a travel booking in English
A new travel date may mean different fares: ask about available services, fees and the final price before confirming.
Read and practiseExplaining a missed connection in English
A late first journey can make a connection impossible: explain what happened and ask staff about the next service.
Read and practiseAsking about access needs in English
A step-free entrance, captions or large print can make a visit possible: ask a venue about the specific access you need.
Read and practiseTalking to a vet in English
A pet may stop eating or begin limping: describe symptoms and ask the vet when and how to provide care at home.
Read and practiseClarifying prescription directions
A new prescription can raise questions about timing, food and missed doses. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber to explain the directions clearly.
Read and practiseExplaining where an accident happened
At a crossing or near a station, an accident can unfold quickly. Describe its location and put the events you saw in order.
Read and practiseReporting a lost belonging
A missing bag or umbrella is easier to identify when you describe its appearance and explain where you last saw it.
Read and practiseAsking someone for a recommendation
A quiet café or a beginner course can be hard to find. Ask for a suggestion and explain the qualities that matter to you.
Read and practiseResponding with sympathy
Bad news can leave someone needing space or support. Respond with care, listen, and offer help without pressing for details.
Read and practiseCongratulating someone on good news
A new job, an award or a happy event calls for a warm response. Congratulate someone and recognise what makes the moment special.
Read and practiseApologising and making amends
A misplaced file or a missed meeting calls for an honest apology. Acknowledge your mistake and offer a practical way to put it right.
Read and practiseSetting a personal boundary
A request for your time or private information can need a clear limit. State your boundary politely and keep it when someone presses.
Read and practiseOpening a small-talk conversation
A shared event or a pleasant observation can open a conversation. Ask a suitable question, listen, and follow up on the answer.
Read and practiseClosing a conversation politely
A friendly closing helps a conversation end smoothly. Signal that you need to leave, acknowledge the exchange and say goodbye.
Read and practiseDisagreeing while acknowledging a point
A different view can be expressed politely by recognising the other person’s point before giving your own reason or preference.
Read and practiseGiving an opinion with a reason
A clear personal view becomes more useful when you add a simple reason. Practise expressing preferences and explaining the choice.
Read and practiseDiscussing stories without revealing the ending
A story’s setting, characters and mood can help you describe a book or film and share your reaction while keeping its ending a surprise.
Read and practiseAsking about experiences and adding details
An experience question can open a conversation; a particular occasion then gives you a chance to add when, where and what happened.
Read and practisePlanning a group outing in English
A museum visit, a picnic or another shared activity: discuss the budget, compare options and agree on a plan together.
Read and practiseExplaining a delay and arrival time
A late tram or a closed road can disrupt plans: explain the cause and give someone a useful updated arrival estimate.
Read and practiseContacting a service provider in English
An internet outage or a heating problem calls for clear details and a polite request when you contact your service provider.
Read and practiseAsking about rental terms in English
Before signing a lease, ask about the deposit, notice period, bills and repairs so you understand your responsibilities.
Read and practiseNegotiating a refund in English
A voucher may not solve the problem: explain its limits and propose a different refund or remedy with tact.
Read and practiseChallenging an unfamiliar bank transaction
An unexpected charge on a statement calls for clear details, a dispute and questions about the bank’s next steps.
Read and practiseResolving a dispute with a neighbour
A shared hallway can become a source of friction: raise a recurring problem tactfully and suggest a workable compromise.
Read and practiseComplaining about persistent noise
Late music or repeated drilling can disturb a home: describe the pattern and request a specific change without escalating.
Read and practiseWriting a billing dispute in English
A recurring charge appears on your bill after cancellation: explain the discrepancy and request a correction in a clear written message.
Read and practiseAsking about an unclear contract term
An unclear fee, deadline or cancellation clause can affect an agreement. Ask precise questions before you sign.
Read and practiseMaking an insurance claim in English
A stolen bicycle or a damaged home: explain what happened, provide evidence and ask an insurer about the next steps.
Read and practiseReporting suspected fraud in English
A suspicious message or unfamiliar payment calls for a clear account of what happened and questions about protecting your account.
Read and practiseNegotiating rent in English
A rent proposal can start with local prices or needed repairs, then move toward a workable response to a counteroffer.
Read and practiseRequesting disability accommodations
A service is inaccessible: explain the barrier, ask for a practical adjustment and discuss what would help.
Read and practiseResolving a travel disruption
A cancelled connection or delayed journey can change your plans; explain the impact and negotiate a workable alternative.
Read and practiseAppealing a service decision in English
A cancelled booking or disputed charge calls for a clear explanation, supporting evidence and a polite request to reconsider.
Read and practiseResolving a misunderstanding in English
A missed assumption or an unclear message can cause friction; check what each person meant and agree on the next step.
Read and practiseGiving constructive feedback in English
A late report or an interrupted conversation can be addressed respectfully by naming the effect and suggesting a practical change.
Read and practiseSeparating knowledge from assumptions
A closed shop is a fact; tomorrow’s delivery may be a guess. Mark uncertainty clearly and check what you do not know.
Read and practiseDiscussing sensitive topics in English
A difficult question about family, money or change calls for tact and space for the other person to choose whether to respond.
Read and practiseOffering realistic reassurance
An uncertain result can be unsettling. Acknowledge the concern, suggest a concrete next step and offer support without making promises.
Read and practiseNegotiating a fair share of tasks
An uneven workload can cause tension at home or work. Discuss the division of tasks, suggest a fair change and agree when to revisit it.
Read and practiseWriting a structured complaint
A damaged purchase deserves a clear response: set out the facts, explain the impact and request a specific remedy in a formal letter.
Read and practiseClarifying conflicting instructions in writing
Two documents give different deadlines. Identify both sources and ask a focused question so the recipient can resolve the conflict.
Read and practiseIntroduce yourself to colleagues in English
A name, a role and a friendly greeting help you start a conversation with a new colleague in English.
Read and practiseAsking for office supplies in English
A missing pen or an empty printer tray is a good reason to ask a colleague politely for the supplies you need.
Read and practiseUnderstanding workplace signs in English
Doors and signs at work indicate where people can enter, leave, or find areas reserved for staff.
Read and practiseFinding places at work
A new workplace can be easier to navigate when you can name common areas and ask where to find them.
Read and practiseShift times at work in English
Starting at seven or finishing at five: ask about a shift and tell a colleague your working hours in English.
Read and practiseAsk for a break at work in English
A short pause and a clear return time help colleagues plan their work; practise asking for a break in English.
Read and practiseDescribe your job duties in English
Regular tasks and the people you work with are easier to explain using simple present-tense sentences in English.
Read and practiseYour first day at work in English
A new workplace brings practical questions: find where to report, whom to speak to and what to do first in English.
Read and practiseHow do I do this task?
A clear question about a task and a check of its first step help you begin work with confidence.
Read and practiseReporting a problem at work
A broken device or a wet floor needs a clear description and a precise location when you tell a colleague.
Read and practiseRequesting days off work
A polite request with exact dates lets your manager understand which days you need away from work.
Read and practiseCalling in sick at work
An illness message tells your manager you cannot work and gives a time for your next update.
Read and practiseAgreeing to exchange shifts
A change of plans at work calls for a polite request, a clear reply and confirmation of the new shift times.
Read and practiseHanding over a shift in English
At the end of a shift, tell the next worker what is finished, what remains and when to act.
Read and practiseWelcoming a customer in English
A customer enters a shop or café: a warm greeting and a simple offer of help make the first conversation easier.
Read and practisePutting a caller on hold in English
A caller needs to wait while you check a detail: ask politely, explain the reason and thank them when you return.
Read and practiseTransferring a work call
A caller needs the right person: explain that you are connecting the call and ask them to wait.
Read and practiseLeaving a workplace voicemail
A clear recorded message tells a colleague who is calling, why they called and how to return the call.
Read and practiseConfirming a task is finished
A clear update tells a colleague what is done and identifies anything still needed before the work is closed.
Read and practiseAsking when work is due
A deadline question and a date check help colleagues agree when a piece of work must be finished.
Read and practiseDescribing your work experience
A previous job becomes easier to explain when you can name your workplace, duties and the people you worked with.
Read and practiseAnswering basic job interview questions
A short interview answer can describe your past work, the tasks you enjoy and when you are ready to start.
Read and practiseJoining a video call in English
A video meeting starts with a sound check; ask if others can hear you and explain common microphone or audio problems.
Read and practiseReporting a safety hazard at work
A wet floor or a loose shelf can put colleagues at risk. Say what the hazard is and where someone can find it.
Read and practiseGiving a project status update
A concise project update brings completed work, current progress and the next planned action together.
Read and practiseAsking for feedback on your work
Specific questions about a draft or presentation can lead to useful feedback and a clearer understanding of suggestions.
Read and practiseGiving clear task instructions
Ordered steps and a question at the end help a colleague understand how to carry out a workplace task.
Read and practiseDelegating a workplace task
A clear assignment names the result needed and lets both colleagues agree on when the work will be ready.
Read and practiseAgreeing on task priorities
Competing deadlines call for a clear comparison and a shared decision about which piece of work comes first.
Read and practiseReporting a project delay
A delayed project needs a clear reason, a realistic new delivery date and an update for the people affected.
Read and practiseRequesting more time at work
A delayed delivery or a longer task can put a deadline at risk; explain the reason and suggest a workable new date.
Read and practiseClarifying who does what
A shared project runs smoothly when everyone knows who owns each task and confirms their own role.
Read and practiseJoining a meeting discussion
A well-timed contribution opens a discussion, adds a useful point and gives another person room to respond.
Read and practiseClosing a meeting with clear actions
A meeting ends with decisions to record, people responsible for tasks and deadlines that everyone can confirm.
Read and practiseDescribing a chart at work
A clear chart presentation highlights the main trend and compares figures so colleagues can understand the result.
Read and practisePresenting a work proposal
A clear proposal connects a suggested action with its purpose and expected benefit, then invites colleagues to respond.
Read and practiseResponding to a customer complaint
A late order or damaged item calls for an acknowledgement, a clear question and a realistic next step.
Read and practiseExplaining a product feature
A folding handle or a timer becomes more useful to a customer when you explain what it does and why it helps.
Read and practiseDiscussing strengths in a job interview
A job interview is a chance to name a relevant strength, describe a specific example and explain the result.
Read and practiseDiscussing a challenge in a job interview
A job interview answer can show how you handled a difficult situation, what you did and what happened afterwards.
Read and practiseAsking about job conditions
Working hours, daily duties and benefits are worth clarifying with an employer before you accept a position.
Read and practiseNetworking at a professional event
Professional interests can start a useful conversation at an event when you introduce your work and invite the other person to share theirs.
Read and practiseRequesting workplace training
A new skill can improve your work: explain the gap, connect a course to your duties and ask how to apply.
Read and practiseReporting an error at work
A wrong date or address can affect a colleague or customer: explain what happened, its effect and your response.
Read and practiseCoordinating across time zones
A shared task starts with a clear time zone, a comparison of local times and an agreed meeting time.
Read and practiseNegotiating the terms of a job offer
A reasoned counterproposal can open a discussion about salary, paid leave and other terms before you accept a job.
Read and practiseNegotiating a change to project scope
A new request can change deliverables, effort and timing; clarify the trade-offs before agreeing on the revised scope.
Read and practiseNegotiating a realistic deadline
When a delivery date risks the quality of the work, explain the constraint and propose a workable alternative.
Read and practiseNegotiating competing priorities at work
Two urgent commitments can compete for the same hours; explain the conflict and agree which task comes first.
Read and practiseEscalating a risk in a project
A supplier delay may threaten delivery; describe the possible impact and request a timely decision from the right person.
Read and practiseGiving constructive difficult feedback
A specific observation and its effect make a difficult work conversation more useful; agree on a clear improvement together.
Read and practiseResponding productively to critical feedback
When feedback is difficult to hear, ask for an example, recognise valid concerns and agree on a practical next step.
Read and practiseFacilitating a meeting in English
A focused meeting gives everyone space to contribute and ends with decisions and clear responsibilities.
Read and practiseHandling interruptions in meetings
An interruption need not end your point: regain your turn respectfully and make space for another speaker.
Read and practiseResolving a team disagreement in English
Different views can lead to an agreed solution when colleagues restate concerns and explore shared priorities.
Read and practisePushing back on a work request
A clear constraint and a realistic alternative make it easier to challenge an impractical request respectfully.
Read and practiseExplaining a business decision
A decision can save resources while creating new costs; explain the reasons, alternatives and trade-offs clearly.
Read and practiseProposing a process improvement
Repeated data entry can waste time and cause errors; describe the issue and support a practical change with a trial.
Read and practiseCommunicating a service outage
A service interruption calls for a clear account of the known impact, available alternatives and the next update.
Read and practiseNegotiating supplier terms
Price and delivery conditions can be balanced through a conditional offer and a clearly recorded agreement.
Read and practise
Capital letters for names and places
A person, city or country starts with a capital letter in English. Practise writing names correctly in short sentences.
Read and practiseFull stops and question marks
A full stop ends a statement; a question mark ends a direct question. Choose the right mark in short everyday sentences.
Read and practiseComplete a personal details form
Names, addresses and contact details go in separate labelled fields. Practise reading a simple English form and entering the right information.
Read and practiseWrite a simple shopping list
A clear shopping list names each item and its quantity. Practise counting groceries and using containers for milk, rice and bread.
Read and practiseWrite a birthday card
A birthday card can be short and warm: greet a friend, add a birthday wish and sign your name at the end.
Read and practiseWrite a holiday postcard
A short postcard brings a holiday to life: describe the place, share activities and send a friendly closing.
Read and practiseWrite a thank-you note
A thoughtful thank-you note names the gift or kind act and adds a personal detail about why it mattered.
Read and practiseWrite a party invitation
A useful party invitation tells guests the occasion, place and time and asks them to reply by a clear date.
Read and practiseDecline an invitation politely
A kind refusal thanks the host, makes your answer clear and gives a short reason without a long explanation.
Read and practiseApologize for a late reply
A delayed message needs a brief apology and an answer to the original question, followed by any useful next step.
Read and practiseWriting a lost item notice
A useful notice describes a missing object, says where and when it was last seen, and tells the finder how to contact its owner.
Read and practiseHousehold instructions for visitors
A visitor can follow a short household note more easily when each action is clear and the steps appear in order.
Read and practiseWrite a short personal profile
A personal profile introduces your background, interests and current activities. Practise putting these details into clear English sentences.
Read and practiseDescribe furniture in a room
A room comes into focus through the position, colour and shape of its furniture. Practise writing a clear description.
Read and practiseWrite a daily diary entry
A diary captures what happened during a day and how it felt. Practise ordering events and adding a personal feeling in English.
Read and practiseAsk for information by email
A clear enquiry tells an organisation what you need and asks for specific details politely. Practise writing a concise email.
Read and practiseReporting an online order problem
An incorrect delivery needs a clear order number, a short description and a polite request. Practise writing to a shop.
Read and practiseEvent announcements
A clear event announcement tells people what is happening, when and where to go, and whether they need a ticket or a booking.
Read and practiseWrite a study plan in English
A weekly study plan sets out activities and times, making it easier to decide what to do each day.
Read and practiseDescribe a photo in writing
A photo description names the setting, people and visible actions, then adds details about where things are.
Read and practiseClear email subject lines
A useful subject line names the purpose and a relevant detail, so the recipient can understand the message before opening it.
Read and practiseFormal email greetings and endings
A formal message needs a greeting and a closing that fit the recipient, whether you know their name or are writing to an unknown person.
Read and practiseComplaining about a service
A clear complaint explains what went wrong, how it affected you and what action you would like the provider to take.
Read and practiseWriting a refund request
A clear refund request identifies the purchase, explains the problem and asks politely for the money back.
Read and practiseJob application emails
A clear application email names the role, connects your experience to it and identifies the documents you have attached.
Read and practiseMotivation in a cover letter
A convincing cover letter connects your reason for applying with a relevant skill and shows how both fit the role.
Read and practiseWork experience on a CV
Strong CV entries summarise responsibilities and achievements with concise action verbs and evidence of results.
Read and practiseFollowing up after a meeting
A useful follow-up email records agreed actions, names their owners and gives deadlines so everyone knows the next steps.
Read and practiseRequesting more time for a deadline
A delayed report needs a clear explanation and a realistic new date; ask politely and check whether the recipient can agree.
Read and practiseGiving constructive written feedback
A clear strength and a specific suggestion can help someone improve their work while keeping your written feedback tactful.
Read and practiseWriting a paragraph’s topic sentence
One main idea gives a paragraph direction; introduce it in a topic sentence and connect the details that follow to that idea.
Read and practiseSupporting a paragraph with examples
A well-chosen example makes a main point concrete; explain its connection so readers can follow the argument in your paragraph.
Read and practiseWriting an opinion paragraph
A clear opinion paragraph states a position, supports it with reasons and an example, and ends by returning to the main point.
Read and practiseComparing two options
A clear comparison brings together shared features and useful differences, then recommends an option for the reader’s priorities.
Read and practiseDescribing a process in writing
A clear process description guides the reader through familiar stages in order, from the first action to the final result.
Read and practiseSummarize a short article
A short summary gives the central idea and the most useful supporting details in your own words.
Read and practisePunctuating direct speech
Quotation marks set spoken words apart from a reporting clause. Practise commas, question marks and capitals in direct speech.
Read and practiseRepairing run-on sentences
Two independent clauses need a clear boundary. Separate them or join them with suitable punctuation and a linking word.
Read and practiseEscalating an unresolved complaint
A complaint that remains unresolved needs a concise account of earlier contact and a clear request for the next action.
Read and practiseMaking a proposal recommendation
A strong recommendation names an option, explains how it meets the criteria and identifies a practical next step.
Read and practisePresenting report findings objectively
Survey results and other findings become clearer when observations are separated from interpretations and their limits are stated.
Read and practiseWriting a concise executive summary
A busy reader needs the purpose, principal findings and recommendation of a report in a brief, self-contained overview.
Read and practiseBuilding a balanced written argument
Competing views deserve fair consideration before a conclusion weighs the reasons and explains the position it supports.
Read and practiseResponding to an opposing argument
An effective rebuttal represents an opposing concern accurately and answers it with a reason that addresses the actual objection.
Read and practiseQualifying claims with evidence
A cautious claim matches its strength to the evidence, distinguishes possibility from certainty and specifies the scope of a finding.
Read and practiseParaphrasing with attribution
A source’s idea can be restated in fresh wording while its author and intended degree of certainty remain clear.
Read and practiseSynthesizing ideas from sources
Two sources can answer one question together when their shared points, differences and limits remain clear to the reader.
Read and practiseDescribing chart trends
A clear chart summary highlights the main changes and comparisons, using figures and time periods accurately.
Read and practiseChoosing a register for your reader
A request to an office and a note to a friend call for different vocabulary and tone while keeping the message clear.
Read and practiseClear reference between sentences
A pronoun or a repeated noun can link sentences while making it clear exactly which person, object or event is meant.
Read and practise
A new student joins the class
Mira introduces herself at her new school and meets a classmate. Follow their visit to a place where they read together.
Read and practiseThe key in the bag
Follow a search around the house and discover where Sam finally finds the missing house key.
Read and practiseA wet journey to work
Rain changes the start of Lea’s day: follow her clothing choices and morning journey to work.
Read and practiseA breakfast birthday surprise
A family breakfast brings a small surprise: identify the people, the food and the gift in the box.
Read and practiseA cat explores the garden
A bird sings above a garden cat: follow the animal’s movements and find where it goes after the bird flies away.
Read and practiseThe bus that got away
Maya misses her bus on the way to work. Follow her change of plans and find out how a friend helps her get there.
Read and practiseA wallet finds its owner
A wallet lies beside a park bench. Follow Mia and a café worker as they find its owner and return it.
Read and practiseA first shift at the café
Maya arrives nervous at a small café, learns from her manager and serves a customer during her first shift.
Read and practiseAn unexpected guest at Maya’s door
A knock interrupts soup-making: follow an unexpected family visit and see how the host makes room for a guest.
Read and practiseA market trip for soup
Maya shops for a soup recipe, but one ingredient is missing. Follow her choice at the market and what she cooks at home.
Read and practiseThe wrong train to York
Mia boards a train to visit a friend, but the next stop reveals a mistake. Follow her journey and find out how she reaches York.
Read and practiseA neighbour lends a hand
Two heavy grocery bags need to go upstairs. Follow Maya and Ella as they share the load and reach the door.
Read and practiseA forgotten umbrella and sudden rain
Rain catches Nora on the way to the station; follow her return to the café and discover where her umbrella was waiting.
Read and practiseA library book comes back
A book is due on Friday, but rain complicates the trip. Follow Sam from the search at home to the library desk.
Read and practiseA bicycle trip with a flat tire
A ride to the park takes longer than planned when a tire goes flat. Discover who helps and how the journey ends.
Read and practiseA picnic changes plans
Dark clouds and heavy rain interrupt a group’s riverside plans. Find out where the friends meet and what they share.
Read and practiseA rabbit finds a new home
A family prepares for a rabbit and visits a shelter; follow the animal’s first day in its new home.
Read and practiseA wrong delivery and its label
A delivery goes astray because of an address mix-up. Follow the neighbour’s call and the parcel’s journey to its owner.
Read and practiseA shared project about trees
Three classmates divide their work on a tree poster. Follow their separate contributions and see when the class displays it.
Read and practiseA concert ticket mix-up
Two friends discover a seat problem on their tickets at the station. Follow the correction and their journey to the concert.
Read and practiseAn interview takes a turn
A surprising question tests a candidate’s ability to respond to change after careful preparation for a job interview.
Read and practiseA garden made together
An empty lot becomes a shared garden as neighbours get permission, clear the ground and divide the work.
Read and practiseA soup recipe passed down
A family soup travels from a grandmother to Maya and then to Leo, who adapts it for a shared dinner.
Read and practiseA connection missed on the railway
A late train leaves Mina choosing between a quicker bus and a later direct train. Follow the costs, timing and her decision.
Read and practiseA photograph finds its family
A date and a bakery name lead Nora from a library book to a family’s memories of an old shop.
Read and practiseA choice between two jobs
Two offers pull Mira between higher pay, family and training; follow the priorities behind a difficult choice.
Read and practiseA volunteer’s busy morning
A late delivery and missing helpers challenge Leila’s expectations at a community meal, where the team must adapt.
Read and practiseA guesthouse by the river
A cancelled booking leaves two travellers searching for a place to stay, until a local guesthouse offers a room.
Read and practiseA baking contest mistake
A salty filling threatens Nina’s entry at a town contest; follow her honest response and her plan for next time.
Read and practiseA promise interrupted
A missed meeting at the station leads two friends to uncover a misunderstanding and find a way to communicate in future.
Read and practiseA first speech before a crowd
A nervous speaker prepares a talk about a garden and discovers confidence as her listeners pay attention.
Read and practiseAn evening without electricity
A household faces a sudden power cut at dinner and finds an unexpected reason to keep talking after the lights return.
Read and practiseA new career in wood
A bank employee turns a creative hobby into a new career through training, saving and a position in a workshop.
Read and practiseA clue between the pages
A second-hand book contains a mysterious note that leads its reader to a surprising explanation from the former owner.
Read and practiseA restaurant opens despite setbacks
A late delivery and a broken oven threaten opening day. Follow the owners as they adapt their menu and welcome their first guests.
Read and practiseA stranger at the station
A woman suspects a photographer at the station, but a conversation reveals his purpose and changes her view.
Read and practiseA festival team finds a compromise
A tight festival budget brings two colleagues into conflict until they combine music and food in a shared plan.
Read and practiseA friendship across cities
Different schedules challenge two friends after a move, but regular calls and everyday pictures keep their connection alive.
Read and practiseA narrator whose account is in doubt
A stopped clock, a witness and a security log cast doubt on an office worker’s account of an evening visit.
Read and practiseTwo witnesses, one uncertain event
A crash at a station prompts two accounts; each witness has a different view, and the cause remains uncertain.
Read and practiseA difficult disclosure at work
A flawed safety report forces Maya to weigh loyalty to a colleague against a client’s need for accurate information.
Read and practiseThe shop Maya inherited
Family expectations meet rising rent and a costly roof repair as Maya considers a shared space and a six-month trial.
Read and practiseThe anonymous note
An unnamed colleague raises concerns about meetings. Follow the team’s response and consider why trust matters when criticism is anonymous.
Read and practiseAn inheritance by the sea
A house by the sea brings two siblings’ expectations into conflict, until a difficult conversation opens a temporary path forward.
Read and practiseThe blue bowl’s many lives
A blue bowl travels from a family table to a museum, gathering different meanings as its owners change.
Read and practiseA line between home and work
Maya misses dinner while finishing a report at home. A conversation with her team changes how she handles messages after hours.
Read and practiseA neighbourhood faces redevelopment
A plan for flats and shops brings hope and concern to neighbours, who seek guarantees before the council votes.
Read and practiseA headline that missed the whole story
A library closure sounds permanent until Maya reads the full article and finds a temporary plan that changes her reading group’s decision.
Read and practiseA letter after the lost keys
A garden volunteer receives a chance to hear the truth after Lena discovers her own error and struggles to make amends.
Read and practiseRecipes and a family language
Handwritten recipes draw Amir back to his grandmother’s language, while he and his uncle negotiate a manageable way to practise.
Read and practise