A1 Archives - EnglishAcademy101

How to Write a Professional English Introduction Email

Look at the following exercises about writing an email to help improve your writing skills when introducing yourself by email.

Preparation

Match the punctuation with the correct symbols.

exclamation
point
period
question
mark
comma
capital
letter

a. H b. ? c. ! d. , e. .

Writing an Email

Tips for Writing^[1]https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Question-Marks

True or False

Select true or false for each statement.

Bob is 12
years old.
Bob is from
the USA.
Bob can speak
Spanish.
Bob can speak
3 languages.
Bob likes
basketball.
Bob has a dog
named Spot.

Answers

1. False 2. True 3. True 4. False 5. True. 6. True

Punctuation

Write the correct punctuation in the blanks.

Hi ___ How
are you ___
___y name is
Joe___
I speak
French ___ English ___ and Spanish ___
Do you want
to be my friend ___

Practice

Write to a pen pal introducing yourself by email. Make sure to use the correct punctuation.

If this is too difficult to understand, check out the A1 grammar points to help out!

Take Your English Further

Studying is just the first step — the real progress happens when you practice using your English naturally in real conversations. A private lesson is the fastest way to get there.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Question-Marks

How to Confidently Read and Understand Airport English

Look at the airline ticket below and do the exercises for at the airport to improve your English reading skills.^[1]https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/beginner-a1-reading/train-station

Preparation

Match the pictures with the corresponding vocabulary words below.

Boarding gate ____
terminal ____
airport ____
airplane ____
plane ticket ____
passport ____

Reading

Fill in the blank

The airline’s name is _______.
The passenger’s name is _______.
The plane departs from _______.
The boarding ticket is an _______ fare.
The passenger is going to _________.
The flight leave on _____________.
The flight number is _______.
You must go to Gate _____ to board the plane.

Answers

1. Blue Airlines 2. Joe Smith 3. Los Angeles 4. Economy 5. Paris 6. 14 June 7. A1982 8. 20A

True or False

Select true or false for each statement.

The flight is on July 15. True/False
The first name of the passenger is Smith. True/False
The destination is Paris. True/False
You can board the plane at 8:00. True/False
The passenger has a business class ticket. True/False
The flight leaves at 8:25. True/False
You can’t board the plane at Gate 20A. True/False
The passenger is leaving from Paris. True/False
The flight number is A1982. True/False
The name of the company is Blue Airlines. True/False

Answers

1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False 6. True 7. False 8. False 9. True 10. True

Discussion

Now that you have read the article about an airport and the vocabulary that goes along with it:

Have you ever flown on an airplane before?
Where did you go?
Did you fly in Economy class?
How long was the flight?

If this is too difficult to understand, check out the A1 grammar points to help out!

Take Your English Further

Studying is just the first step — the real progress happens when you practice using your English naturally in real conversations. A private lesson is the fastest way to get there.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/beginner-a1-reading/train-station

How to Confidently Read and Understand Restaurant English

Look at the menu below and do the exercises for at the restaurant to improve your English reading skills.^[1]Restauran t

Preparation

Match the pictures with the corresponding vocabulary words below.

orange juice ____
tea ____
fruit cake ____
salad ____
coffee ____
pizza ____
chicken tenders ____
ice cream ____
nachos ____
cheese burger ____
soda ____
chocolate cake ____

Answers

1. D 2. L 3. C 4. B 5. K 6. G 7. A 8. J 9. I 10. F 11. E 12. H

Reading

Fill in the blank

Caesar salad costs _______.
_______ costs $9.50.
There are _______ items under drinks.
The three flavors of ice cream are _______, _______, and _______.
Every main dish comes with a _______________.
The cheapest appetizer is _____________.
____________ pizza is cheaper than ____________ pizza.
Nachos cost _______.

Answers

1. $3.99 2. Cheese burger 3. 5 (five) 4. vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry 5. side of fries 6. Caesar salad 7. Cheese, meat 8. $4.99

True or False

Select true or false for each statement.

You can’t eat salad at this restaurant. True/False
The place sells desserts. True/False
There are three different types of pizza. True/False
All main dishes come with fries. True/False
There are four different flavors of ice cream. True/False
The most expensive item on the menu is meat pizza. True/False
There are four different items for appetizers. True/False
It costs $1.98 per scoop of ice cream. True/False
The restaurant sells sea food. True/False
You can’t buy coffee from the restaurant. True/False

Answers

1. False 2. True 3. False 4. True 5. False 6. True 7. True 8. False 9. False 10. False

Grouping

Group the food in the following categories.

ice cream/chicken tenders/fruit cake/nachos/coffee/cheese burger/chocolate cake/orange juice/tea/soda/salad/pizza

Appetizer: ___________________________________

Main Meal: __________________________________

Drinks: ______________________________________

Desserts: _____________________________________

Answers

Appetizer: nachos, salad Main Meal: chicken tenders, cheese burger, pizza Drinks: coffee, orange juice, tea, soda Desserts: ice cream, fruit cake, chocolate cake

Discussion

Now that you have read the article about a restaurant and the vocabulary that goes along with it:

What items on the menu do you like?
What would you order for appetizer, main dish, drinks, and dessert?
Would you go to this restaurant?

If this is too difficult to understand, check out the A1 grammar points to help out!

Take Your English Further

Studying is just the first step — the real progress happens when you practice using your English naturally in real conversations. A private lesson is the fastest way to get there.

References[+]

References
↑1	Restauran t

The Ultimate Guide to the Present Continuous Tense Verbs

The present continuous tense is made from the present simple tense of the verb “to be” and a verb + ing.^[1]https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/present-continuous

Subject + to be + verb –ing

When do we use the present continuous tense?

Action happening right now

The present continuous tense is used to talking about an action that you are doing right at the moment.

Positive

I am
studying English right now!
You are
watching a movie.
He/she/it is
eating dinner.
We are
studying for an exam.
They are
going to school right now.

Negative

I am not
studying English right now.
You are
not watching a movie.
He/she/it is
not eating dinner.
We are
not studying for an exam.
They are
not going to school right now.

Question

Am I studying English right now?
Are you
watching a movie?
Is he/she/it watching a movie?
Are we
studying for an exam?
Are they
going to school right now?

Action happening around right now

The present continuous tense is also used to talk about events that is happening right now but is not yet finished.

Positive

I am
reading a great book.
You are
cooking dinner.
He/she/it is
learning French.
We are
eating dinner.
They are
taking a test.

Negative

I am not
reading a great book.
You are
not cooking dinner.
He/she/it is
not learning French.
We are
not eating dinner.
They are
not taking a test.

Question

Am I reading a great book?
Are you
cooking dinner?
Is
he/she/it learning French?
Are
we eating dinner?
Are
they taking a test?

When do you not use it?

Do not use the present continuous tense verb conjugation with stative verbs. Stative verbs show a state of being.^[2]https://www.grammarly.com/blog/present-continuous/

When using stative verbs you should just use the present tense.

For example:

I am preferring chocolate ice cream to vanilla ice cream. (incorrect)

I prefer chocolate ice cream to vanilla ice cream. (correct)

Practice Exercises

Conclusion

How did you do? If some questions were tricky a private lesson can help you master this topic quickly.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/present-continuous
↑2	https://www.grammarly.com/blog/present-continuous/

The Ultimate Guide to Verb -ing: like/hate/love in English

You can use the form of like/hate/love + verb –ing to describe how you feel about something.^[1]https://www.woodwardenglish.com/lesson/like-verb-ing-like-infinitive-enjoy-verb-ing/ You can use almost any verb with this form.

Like

You can use the verb “like” + verb –ing to describe that you enjoy doing an activity.

Like + verb -ing

Positive

I like
swimming.
You like
running in the morning.
He/she/it likes
eating ice cream.
We like
watching tv at night.
They like
playing baseball.

Negative

I don’t
like swimming.
You don’t
like running in the morning.
He/she/it doesn’t
like eating ice cream.
We don’t
like watching tv at night.
They don’t
like playing baseball.

Question

Do I like swimming?
Do you
like running in the morning?
Does
he/she/it like eating ice cream?
Do we
like watching tv at night?
Do they
like playing baseball?

Love

You can use the verb “love” + verb –ing to describe that you really enjoy doing an activity.

Love + verb -ing

Positive

I love
swimming.
You love
running in the morning.
He/she/it loves
eating ice cream.
We love
watching tv at night.
They love
playing baseball.

Negative

I don’t
love swimming.
You don’t
love running in the morning.
He/she/it doesn’t
love eating ice cream.
We don’t
love watching tv at night.
They don’t
love playing baseball.

Question

Do I love swimming?
Do you
love running in the morning?
Does he/she/it
love eating ice cream?
Do we
love watching tv at night?
Do they
love playing baseball?

Hate

You can use the verb “hate” + verb –ing to describe that you really don’t like doing any activity.

Hate + verb -ing

Positive

I hate
swimming.
You hate
running in the morning.
He/she/it hates
eating ice cream.
We hate
watching tv at night.
They hate
playing baseball.

Negative

The negative of hate suggests that you feel so-so about an activity. It is neither good nor bad.

I don’t
hate swimming.
You don’t
hate running in the morning.
He/she/it doesn’t
hate eating ice cream.
We don’t
hate watching tv at night.
They don’t
hate playing baseball.

Question

Do I hate swimming?
Do you
hate running in the morning?
Does he/she/it
hate eating ice cream?
Do we
hate watching tv at night?
Do they hate playing baseball?

Conclusion

Understanding grammar rules is just the first step — the real progress happens when you practice using them in real conversation. A private lesson is the fastest way to get there.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://www.woodwardenglish.com/lesson/like-verb-ing-like-infinitive-enjoy-verb-ing/

The Ultimate Guide to How Much How Many?

In English, “how much” and “how many” are used to describe the amount or quantity of something. While they are very similar, they are not used in the same way.^[1]https://www.grammar.cl/english/how-much-how-many.htm

How much?

“How much?” is used in two different ways in English.

Quantity with Uncountable Nouns

How much + uncountable noun

Uncountable nouns are information, concepts, and materials which cannot be broken down into individual objects to be counted.^[2]https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/confusing_words/much_many3.htm

For example:

How much
time before the train arrives?
How much
sugar is needed for the cake?
How much
milk do we have in the refrigerator?
How much traffic
is there on the road?
How much water
is in the pool?
How much
money is in your wallet?

Price

“How much?” is also used when talking about the price/cost of something.

When talking about price we use the following form:

How much + (verb) + countable noun

Countable nouns are individual places, people, and objects which can be counted.

For example:

How much is
the car?
How much
for the car?
How much does
a meal cost at this restaurant.
How much
is the pants?
How much does
it cost?

How many?

“How many?” is used when we want to know the quantity of something.

Plural Countable Nouns

We use it only with plural countable nouns.

How many + plural noun

For example:

How many
days until your birthday?
How many students
are in your class?
How many
books do you read per year?
How many countries
have you visited?
How many donuts
do you want me to buy at the store?
How many
siblings do you have?

In Context

You can take out the noun with “how much” or “how many” while talking when you know the context.

For example:

A: Can I have some money? B: How much (money) do you need?

A: Can I borrow some baseballs? We need it for the game. B: Sure, how many do you need?

Practice Exercises

Please go to The Ultimate Guide to How Much How Many? to view this quiz

Conclusion

How did you do? If some questions were tricky a private lesson can help you master this topic quickly.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://www.grammar.cl/english/how-much-how-many.htm
↑2	https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/confusing_words/much_many3.htm

The Ultimate Guide to the Simple Future Tense in English

In English, the simple future tense is used when you want to make decisions to do something in the future.^[1]https://eslgrammar.org/simple-future-tense/))((https://eslgrammar.org/simple-future-tense/

Forms of the Simple Future Tense

Will

Positive

I will
have a hamburger please.
You will
have to stop.
He/she/it will
help us.
We will
help you.
They will
buy one too.

Negative

I will
not have a hamburger.
You will
not have to stop.
He/she/it will
not help us.
We will
not help you.
They will
not buy one too.

Question

Will
I have a hamburger?
Will you
have to stop?
Will he/she/it
help us?
Will we
help you?
Will
they buy one too?

Going to

The verb “to go” is also used to describe the future.

Positive

I am
going to visit the store after work.
You are
going to have to study.
He/she/it is
going to travel after college.
We are
going to eat dinner together on Sunday.
They are
going to help us with the project.

Negative

I am not
going to visit the store after work.
You are
not going to have to study.
He/she/it is
not going to travel after college.
We are
not going to eat dinner together on Sunday.
They are
not going to help us with the project.

Question

Am I going to visit the store after work?
Are you
going to have to study?
Is he/she/it going to travel after college?
Are we
going to eat dinner together on
Sunday?
Are they
going to help us with the project?

What’s the difference between “will” and “going to”?

Both “will” and “going to” are used to talk about the future. In most cases, they can be both used and if you mix them up, native speakers will still understand you.

However, there are slight differences between the two.

Will

Quick Decisions

This is for quick decisions that you make right at the moment.

For example:

No problem, I will buy one for the both of us.
I guess I will
try one.

Prediction

This is for thinking about believing something in the future.

For example:

I think it will
snow later so take a warm coat.
Our team will
win the game.

Threats, Promises & Offers

This is for threats, promises, and offers in the future.

For example:

I will
help you if you help me.
I promise I will
hurt you if you tell anyone.

When someone refuses to do something

For example:

He won’t
help us.
They won’t
take out the trash.

Going to

Prior Plans

You can use “going to” if you are making plans for the future.

For example:

I am
going to go to France for vacation this summer.
They are
going to study all week for the exam.

Evidence

You can use it for future events based on evidence and predictions.

For example:

The weatherman said that it is going to rain this evening.

Something is about to happen

For example:

Be careful! The bomb is going to explode!

Similarities between “will” and “going to”

You can use “will” and “going to” interchangeably in some cases.

Predicting the Future

Both of these examples are correct:

It is
going to rain tomorrow.
I will
rain tomorrow.

Practice Exercises

Please go to The Ultimate Guide to the Simple Future Tense in English to view this quiz

Conclusion

How did you do? If some questions were tricky a private lesson can help you master this topic quickly.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://eslgrammar.org/simple-future-tense/))((https://eslgrammar.org/simple-future-tense/

The Ultimate Guide to the Past Simple Tense Verb Conjugation

Now that you have learned about the past simple tense for “to be”, it is important to know it for other verbs as well. The past simple tense is used to describe actions that happened in the past.

Regular Verbs

In general, we add –ed to the end of a verb to conjugate it to the past simple tense.^[1]https://7esl.com/past-simple-tense/

Spelling Rules

In general, you add –ed to the end of a verb to conjugate it to the past simple tense.^[2]https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phase-6-past-tense-ed-suffix-4-different-spelling-rules-for-this-suffix-table-cards-ppt-6449174

However, there are a few exceptions:

If the verb ends in “e”, just add the letter
“d”.

For example:

live → lived
If the short verb ends in a consonant + vowel,
double the consonant and add “ed”

For example:

trip → tripped
hop →
hopped
jog → jogged
slip → slipped
If the verb ends in a “y”, delete the “y” and
add “i” + “ed”

For example:

try → tried
fry → fried

When do we use the past simple tense?

There are several cases when we use the past simple verb tense in English.

Completed Actions in the Past

I walked
to the park.
Susie parked
her car in front of the house.
They lived

Series of Completed Actions in the Past

I walked to
school, took an exam, and took the bus home.
She ran
a mile, lifted some weights, and stretched.

Habits in the Past

When she was
young, she watched a lot of movies.
When they were
young, they played a lot of sports.

Irregular Verbs

There are several examples of irregular verbs that don’t follow the –ed rule in the past simple tense.

For example:

To Have

Positive

I had
You had
He/she/it/ had
We had
They had

Negative

I didn’t
have
You didn’t
have
He/she/it didn’t
have
We didn’t
have
They didn’t
have

Question

Did I
have?
Did
you have?
Did
he/she/it have?
Did
we have?
Did
they have?

To Go

Positive

I went
You went
He/she/it went
We went
They went

Negative

I didn’t
go
You didn’t
go
He/she/it didn’t
go
We didn’t
go
They didn’t
go

Question

Did I
go?
Did
you go?
Did
he/she/it go?
Did
we go?
Did
they go?

Pronunciation

As you can see, pronouncing the –ed sound in English can be very confusing. It isn’t always said the same. There are 3 ways to pronounce –ed.

“id”

Words that end in “d”or “t” are pronounced as “id”.

“t”

Words that end in a voiceless sound are pronounced as “t”.

A voiceless sound is one that is produced in the mouth and not the throat.

“d”

Words that end in a voiced sound are pronounced as “d”.

A voiced sound is one that is produced in the throat and not the mouth.

Conclusion

Understanding grammar rules is just the first step — the real progress happens when you practice using them in real conversation. A private lesson is the fastest way to get there.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://7esl.com/past-simple-tense/
↑2	https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phase-6-past-tense-ed-suffix-4-different-spelling-rules-for-this-suffix-table-cards-ppt-6449174

The Ultimate Guide to the Past simple of to be in English

We learned about the present tense of the verb “to be” and the present tense verb conjugation. They allow us to talk about things in the present. However, we use the past simple tense to talk about things in the past. The most basic one is the past simple of to be.^[1]https://www.grammar.cl/Past/To_Be.htm

Affirmative

The positive form of the past simple of to be can be either: was or were.

For example:

I was
sleepy at work today.
You were
a very fast runner.
He was
very talkative today.
She was nice
to me.
It was a
difficult test.
We were
tired after the long drive.
They were
a very good company.

Negative

The negative form of the past simple of to be can be either: was not or were not.

I was not
sleepy at work today.
You were not
a very fast runner.
He was
not very talkative today.
She was
not nice to me.
It was
not a difficult test.
We were
not tired after the long drive.
They were
not a very good company.

Negative Contractions

The negative past simple form of to be can be contracted.

was not = wasn’t
were not = weren’t

Questions

The question form of the past simple of to be is:

Verb(was/were) + subject

For example:

Was I
sleepy at work today?
Were
you a very fast runner?
Was
he very talkative today?
Was
she nice to me?
Was it
a difficult test?
Were we
tired after the long drive?
Were
they a very good company?

Short Answers

When you know the context, you can give short answers using the past simple tense.

For example:

Positive

Was I sleepy at work today? Yes, you were.
Were you a very fast runner? Yes, I was.
Was he very talkative today? Yes, he was.
Was she nice to me? Yes, she was.
Was it a difficult test? Yes, it was.
Were we tired after the long drive? Yes, we were.
Were they a very good company? Yes, they were.

Negative

Was I sleepy at work today? No, you were not (weren’t).
Were you a very fast runner? No, I was not (wasn’t).
Was he very talkative today? No, he was not (wasn’t).
Was she nice to me? No, she was not (wasn’t).
Was it a difficult test? No, it was not (wasn’t).
Were we tired after the long drive? No, we were not (weren’t).
Were they a very good company? No, they were not (weren’t).

Practice Exercises

Please go to The Ultimate Guide to the Past simple of to be in English to view this quiz

Conclusion

How did you do? If some questions were tricky a private lesson can help you master this topic quickly.

References[+]

References
↑1	https://www.grammar.cl/Past/To_Be.htm

The Ultimate Guide to Adverb Intensifiers in English

Intensifiers are adverbs that make the meaning of the verb it is modifying stronger. Depending on the intensifier you use, it can change the strength of the action.^[1]https://vocabularyhome.com/adjectives-adverbs/intersifiers-words-in-english/#more-524

Strongest Intensifiers

These intensifiers show the greatest strength of action.

Examples include:

Really – I am really tired.
Very – She is very good at math.
Extremely – It is extremely windy today.

Note: Very is the most common intensifier in the English language. It is so common that it is often overused. Consider using other more descriptive words.

Strong Intensifier

These intensifiers strengthen the action; however, to a lesser extent than the previous ones.

Examples include:

Quite – Be careful! The food is quite hot.
Rather – The homework is rather difficult.

Limited Intensifier

These adverbs are the least strong words in the list. They do add strength to the words they are describing, but only a little bit.

Somewhat – That exam was somewhat difficult.
Pretty – I am pretty sure you are wrong.
Fairly – I am fairly certain that the cinema opens at 10:00 AM.

Negatives

A common negative intensifier is “at all”.^[2]https://completeenglishgrammar.com/using-intensifiers-very-at-all-really-so-etc/

You can use it in the following manner:

I don’t like vegetables at all.
They didn’t notice it at all.

Adverbs of Frequency

It is important to note that an intensifier and adverbs of frequency are not the same.

Adverbs of frequency give more precise information about the action being performed while intensifiers increased the intensity of the action being performed.

In addition, intensifiers are generally used in informal conversation. In more formal situations, using intensifiers can be seen as being overly flowery.

Other Examples

If you want to increase your vocabulary and sound more fluent, consider including these other examples of intensifiers instead of just “very”.

absolutely
amazingly
astoundingly
colossally
completely
dreadfully
especially
exceptionally
excessively
extraordinarily
extremely
fantastically
frightfully
fully
highly
incredibly
literally
mightily
moderately
outrageously
quite
radically
rather
really
remarkably
so
somewhat
strikingly
supremely
terribly
terrifically
too
totally
uncommonly
unusually
utterly

Conclusion

Understanding grammar rules is just the first step — the real progress happens when you practice using them in real conversation. A private lesson is the fastest way to get there.

References[+]