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Follow our step-by-step path from complete beginner (A1) to full proficiency (C2). Grammar, Vocabulary, Phonetics & Business English — all in one academy.
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A1 — Starter · Communication · 6 min read
Greetings are the first words you say when you meet someone. In English, the right greeting depends on the time of day and whether the situation is formal (work, school) or informal (friends, family).
| Time of Day | Greeting | Typical Reply |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (before noon) | Good morning! | Good morning! / Morning! |
| Afternoon (12–6 PM) | Good afternoon! | Good afternoon! |
| Evening (after 6 PM) | Good evening! | Good evening! |
| Any time (informal) | Hi! / Hello! | Hi! / Hey! / Hello! |
| Any time (formal) | Hello. | Hello. How do you do? |
"Good night" is NOT a greeting — it is used only to say goodbye in the evening or before bed.
| Situation | Phrase | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Formal | My name is ... | My name is Sarah Johnson. |
| Semi-formal | I'm ... | I'm David. |
| Informal | Hey, I'm ... | Hey, I'm Mike! |
| Response | Nice to meet you. | Nice to meet you, Sarah. |
| Question | What is your name? | What is your name, please? |
Formal (job interview / meeting a teacher):
Good morning. My name is James Carter.
Good morning, Mr. Carter. I'm Dr. Lee. Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too, Dr. Lee.
Informal (meeting a classmate):
Hey! I'm Anna. What's your name?
Hi Anna! I'm Ben. Nice to meet you!
| Phrase | Formality | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye. | Formal | Always appropriate |
| Farewell. | Very formal | Used in writing or speeches |
| See you later. | Informal | Between friends |
| Take care! | Informal | Shows friendliness |
| Good night. | Formal/Informal | Only when parting in the evening |
A1–A2 · Grammar · 8 min read
The Present Simple is the most fundamental tense in English. We use it for habits, routines, general facts, and permanent situations. If you can master this tense, you will be able to construct hundreds of everyday sentences.
| Use | Signal Words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Habits & routines | every day, always, usually | She reads every morning. |
| General truths / facts | always (timeless) | Water boils at 100°C. |
| Permanent situations | (no signal needed) | He lives in Paris. |
| Scheduled events | tomorrow, next week | The train leaves at 8 AM. |
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ Positive (I/you/we/they) | Subject + base verb | I work every day. |
| ✓ Positive (he/she/it) | Subject + verb + s/es | She works every day. |
| ✗ Negative (I/you/we/they) | Subject + don't + base verb | I don't work on Sundays. |
| ✗ Negative (he/she/it) | Subject + doesn't + base verb | She doesn't work on Sundays. |
| ❓ Question (I/you/we/they) | Do + subject + base verb + ? | Do you work here? |
| ❓ Question (he/she/it) | Does + subject + base verb + ? | Does she work here? |
Never add -s after doesn't: ❌ She doesn't works. ✓ She doesn't work.
I wake up at 7 every morning.
The Earth orbits the Sun.
He doesn't like spicy food.
Do you speak French?
These words are strong clues that a sentence uses the Present Simple:
A1 — Starter · Vocabulary · 7 min read
Numbers are essential in everyday English — for shopping, telling the time, giving your phone number, and much more. Learn them well and you will be able to communicate basic information confidently.
| Number | Word | Number | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | one | 11 | eleven |
| 2 | two | 12 | twelve |
| 3 | three | 13 | thirteen |
| 4 | four | 14 | fourteen |
| 5 | five | 15 | fifteen |
| 6 | six | 16 | sixteen |
| 7 | seven | 17 | seventeen |
| 8 | eight | 18 | eighteen |
| 9 | nine | 19 | nineteen |
| 10 | ten | 20 | twenty |
13 = thirteen | 30 = thirty · 15 = fifteen | 50 = fifty · Always double-check -teen vs -ty!
| Number | Word | Number | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | twenty | 100 | a hundred / one hundred |
| 30 | thirty | 200 | two hundred |
| 40 | forty | 1,000 | a thousand |
| 50 | fifty | 10,000 | ten thousand |
| 60 | sixty | 100,000 | a hundred thousand |
| 70 | seventy | 1,000,000 | a million |
| 80 | eighty | 21 | twenty-one |
| 90 | ninety | 99 | ninety-nine |
| Type | Example | How to Say It |
|---|---|---|
| Year (1900–1999) | 1995 | nineteen ninety-five |
| Year (2000–2009) | 2005 | two thousand and five |
| Year (2010–now) | 2024 | twenty twenty-four |
| Price | $4.99 | four dollars ninety-nine |
| Phone number | 07712 345678 | oh-seven-seven-one-two, three-four-five-six-seven-eight |
| Cardinal | Ordinal | Cardinal | Ordinal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st — first | 11 | 11th — eleventh |
| 2 | 2nd — second | 12 | 12th — twelfth |
| 3 | 3rd — third | 20 | 20th — twentieth |
| 4 | 4th — fourth | 21 | 21st — twenty-first |
| 5 | 5th — fifth | 30 | 30th — thirtieth |
B1–B2 · Grammar · 10 min read
Conditional sentences let us talk about situations and their results — things that are always true, things that might happen, things that are imaginary, and things in the past that did not happen. There are four main types.
| Type | Real/Unreal | If Clause | Main Clause | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero | Always true | If + present simple | present simple | Facts & laws of nature |
| First | Real / possible | If + present simple | will + base verb | Future possibility |
| Second | Unreal / imaginary | If + past simple | would + base verb | Hypothetical present/future |
| Third | Unreal / past | If + past perfect | would have + past participle | Regrets / past impossibility |
Use the Zero Conditional for scientific facts, habits, and things that are always true.
Structure: If + present simple, present simple.
If you heat ice, it melts.
If she drinks coffee after 8 PM, she can't sleep.
Use the First Conditional for realistic situations that might happen in the future.
Structure: If + present simple, will + base verb.
If it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the trip.
If you don't study, you will fail the exam.
Use the Second Conditional for imaginary situations or giving advice.
Structure: If + past simple, would + base verb.
If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world.
If I were you, I would apologise immediately.
In the Second Conditional, use were for all persons: "If I were…", "If she were…", "If he were…" — not "was" (in formal English).
Use the Third Conditional to talk about the past — things that did NOT happen and their imaginary result.
Structure: If + past perfect, would have + past participle.
If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
If he had taken that job, he would have earned more money.
B2 · Business English · 9 min read
The ability to write clear, professional emails is one of the most valuable skills in Business English. Whether you are making a request, sending a report, or following up on a meeting, the right tone and structure make all the difference.
| Part | Content | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject Line | Short, clear summary of the email | Re: Meeting on Friday / Q3 Report Update |
| Salutation | Formal greeting | Dear Mr. Smith, / Dear Dr. Lee, |
| Opening Line | State your purpose immediately | I am writing to enquire about… |
| Body | Main content — keep it clear and concise | Please find below / Please find attached… |
| Closing Line | Polite conclusion | I look forward to your response. |
| Sign-off | Formal farewell + your name | Yours sincerely, / Kind regards, + Name |
| Situation | Salutation | Sign-off |
|---|---|---|
| Name known (formal) | Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. [Surname], | Yours sincerely, |
| Name unknown (formal) | Dear Sir or Madam, | Yours faithfully, |
| Colleague / semi-formal | Dear [First name], | Kind regards, / Best regards, |
| Informal business | Hi [First name], | Best, / Regards, |
"Yours sincerely" = you KNOW the name. "Yours faithfully" = you do NOT know the name (Dear Sir/Madam). This is a classic exam question!
| Purpose | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Opening / reason | I am writing to enquire about… / I am contacting you regarding… |
| Making a request | Could you please… / I would be grateful if you could… |
| Sending an attachment | Please find attached… / I have attached the document for your review. |
| Apologising | I sincerely apologise for… / Please accept my apologies for… |
| Following up | I am writing to follow up on… / I wanted to check on the status of… |
| Closing | I look forward to hearing from you. / Please do not hesitate to contact me. |
Subject: Request for Project Update — Q3 Report
Dear Ms. Johnson,
I am writing to request an update on the Q3 project report that was due last Friday. Could you please let me know the current status and an estimated completion date?
I would be grateful if you could send the draft by Wednesday at the latest, as we have a board presentation on Thursday morning.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any additional information.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
David Carter
Senior Project Manager
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