Greetings

Greetings are used to say hello in English. It's common to use different greetings depending on whether you greet a friend, family or a business associate. There are also greetings that are used with people you do not very well.

English listening Beginner

Beginner

Speaking - Beginner Level Greetings Introduce Yourself Introduce People Identify People and Things Classroom Questions Ask for Information Giving Information Simple Sentences Simple Questions Number and Counting Talking about Family Talking about Favourite Things Talking about here and now Describing People Talking about Feelings/Health Issues Speaking - Beginner Level Telling Time Talking about Past Actions Talking about the Future Talking about Life Events Expressing Likes and Dislikes Contraction Simple Shopping Short Questions and Answers Closing a Conversation Expressing Thanks At a Store Describing a Picture Talking about Occupations

Talking about Occupations

Speak  English speaking Beginner

Match the occupation with the daily activity.

Occupation Mechanic Teacher Dentist Doctor/Nurse  Journalist Fisherman Gardener Chef/Cook Fire fighter Photographer

Activity catch fish take pictures fix cars cook meals pull teeth plant flowers put out fires take care of patients teach classes write news stories

Use the occupations and activities to make conversations like the one above.

Mark: Hi Peter! How are you doing these days?

Peter: Oh, Hi Mark. I'm not doing very well, actually.

Mark: I'm sorry to hear that. What seems to be the problem?

Peter: ... you know I've been looking for work. I can't seem to find a job.

Mark: That's too bad. Why did you leave your last job?

Peter: Well, my boss treated me badly, and I didn't like my chances of advancing in the company.

Mark: That makes sense. A job without opportunities AND a difficult boss isn't very attractive.

Peter: Exactly! So, anyway, I decided to quit and find a new job. I sent out my resume to more than twenty companies. Unfortunately, I've only had two interviews so far.

Mark: Have you tried looking online for a job?

Peter: Yes, but so many of the jobs require moving to another city. I don't want to do that.

Mark: I can understand that. How about going to some of those networking groups?

Peter: I haven't tried those. What are they?

Mark: They're groups of people who are also looking for work. They help each other discover new opportunities.

Peter: That sounds great. I'll definitely try some of those.

Mark: I'm glad to hear that. So, what are you doing here?

Peter: Oh, I'm shopping for a new suit. I want to make the best impression possible at my job interviews!

Mark: There you go. That's the spirit. I'm sure things will look up for you soon.

Peter: Yes, you're probably right. I hope so!

Reported Conversation

Mark: I saw Peter today.

Susan: How's he doing?

Mark: Not too well, I'm afraid.

Susan: Why's that?

Mark: He told me had been looking for work, but hadn't found a job.

Susan: That surprises me. Was he fired or did he quit his last job?

Mark: He told me his boss had treated him badly. He also said he didn't like his chances of advancing in the company.

Susan: Quitting doesn't sound like a very wise decision to me.

Mark: That's true. But he's been working hard at finding a new job.

Susan: What's he done?

Mark: He said he had sent out his resumes to more than twenty companies. Unfortunately, he told me that only two had called him for an interview.

Susan: That's tough.

Mark: Tell me about it. However, I gave him some advice and I hope it helps.

Susan: What did you suggest?

Mark: I suggested joining a networking group.

Susan: That's a great idea.

Mark: Yes, well, he told me he would try a few groups.

Susan: Where did you see him?

Mark: I saw him at the mall. He told me he was shopping for a new suit.

Susan: What?! Buying new clothes and no work!

Mark: No, no. He said he wanted to make the best impression possible at his job interviews.

Susan: Oh, that makes sense.

Worksheets to download and print

1. Read!

:: Dialogues and vocabulary

2. Learn!

:: Talking about people's jobs

3. Practise!

:: Tasks and exercises

4. Test yourself!

:: Test worksheets with answer keys

5. Play! Occupations

:: Game items

:: Game cards

Describing a picture

Speak  English speaking Beginner

What do you see in the picture?

There is a...          There's a

There are some ...  There're some
Is there a . . . ?
Are there (some) . . . ?

Locations


On the right/left Near the window

By the door In the box

On the chair Under the table







Actions
The man is _______ ing
The woman is __________ing

Clothing
What is the man/woman wearing?
She/He is wearing a

some
Opinions
What do you think
I think
Tell a Story

Yesterday, Ms. Jones . . .Use PAST tense

At a Store

Speak  English speaking Beginner

When you enter the store/start a conversation with the clerk:

What a clerk might say: May I help you? Can I help you? Can I help you find something? What can I do for you?

What a customer might say: Excuse me. Do you work here? Can I ask you something?

What a customer might respond:

Yes. I'm looking for ________________.
Do you have any ___________ (s)?
Can you tell me where the ___________is/are?

When you check out/leave the store:Clerk:

Did you find everything you needed?
Did you find what you were looking for?
Did you find everything okay?
Will that be all (for today)?
Is that everything?
(Will there be) anything else?

Customer:

That's all for today.
That's it. Thanks.






Worksheets to download and print
1. Read!
:: Dialogues and vocabulary
2. Learn!
:: Going shopping
3. Practise!
:: Tasks and exercises
4. Test yourself!
:: Test worksheets with answer keys
5. Play! Let's go shopping!
:: Game items
:: Game items

Expressing Thanks

Speak  English speaking Beginner


Thanking someone

Thanks.
Thank you.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much indeed.
It was very kind of you.
I appreciate your help.
You’ve been very helpful.

Thanking someone who tires to help

Thanks anyway.
Thank you for (looking).
Thanks for (trying).
It doesn’t matter. Thanks.
Never mind. Thanks.

Responding to thanks

You’re welcome. (US)
Not at all. (formal, UK)
Don’t mention it.
(It’s) my pleasure.
It was nothing.
That’s alright/OK.
No problem.
Any time.

Thanks

Thank you

I appreciate it.

Thanks for the tour.

Thanks for your time.

Thank you for the nice gift.

I appreciate your kindness.

Closing a Conversation

Speak  English speaking Beginner

Before closing

It's been nice talking to you.
Nice talking to you too.

(I'm sorry, but) I have to go now.

Closing

Good-bye

Bye.

See you later.

See ya (informal)

Catch you later (informal)

These five questions will help you get to know people. They are simple questions with simple answers and provide information so you can ask more questions.

What is your name?
Where do you live?
What do you do?
Are you married?
Where are you from?

More questions for ...

These questions help to continue the conversation after your first question.

"What is your name?"

It's a pleasure to meet you. Where are you from?
That's an interesting name. Is it Chinese / French / Indian, etc.?

"Where do you live?"

How long have you lived there?
Do you like that neighborhood?
Do you live in an apartment or house?

"What do you do?"

Which company do you work for?
How long have you had that job?
Do you like your job?
What's the best / worst thing about your job?
What do you like best / least about your job?

"Are you married?"

How long have been married?
Where did you get married?
What does your husband / wife do?
Do you have any children?

"Where are you from?"

Where is ....?
How long did you live there?
What is XYZ like?
Do you like living here?

Hobbies / Free Time

These questions will help you continue conversations and find out more about people's likes and dislikes.

What do you like doing in your free time?
Can you play tennis / golf / soccer / etc.?
What kind of films / food / vacations do you enjoy?
What do you do on weekends / Saturdays?

More questions for ...

These questions will help you ask for more detail.

"What do you like doing in your free time?"

How often do you (listen to music, eat out in restaurants, etc.)?
Where do you (listen to music, eat out in restaurants, etc.) in this town?
Why do you like (listening to music, eating out in restaurants, etc.) so much?

"Can you play tennis / golf / soccer / etc.?"

Do you enjoy playing tennis /golf /soccer /etc.?
How long have you played tennis /golf /soccer /etc.?
Who do you play tennis /golf /soccer /etc. with?

"What kind of films / food / vacations do you enjoy?"

What's the best place to see /eat / go on vacations?
What's the best type of film /food / vacation, etc. in your opinion?
How often do you watch films / eat out / go on vacation?

"What do you do on weekends / Saturdays?"

Where do you go to ...?
Could you recommend a good place to (go shopping / take my children swimming / etc.)?
How long have you done that?

Short Questions and Answers

Speak  English speaking Beginner

Personal Information

What's your name?
Peter.

Where are you from? / Where do you come from?
I'm from ... I come from ...

What's your surname / family name?
Smith.

What's your first name?
Tom.

What's your address?
7865 NW Sweet Street

Where do you live?
I live in San Diego.

What's your (tele)phone number?
209-786-9845

How old are you?
Twenty-five. I'm twenty-five years old.

When / Where were you born?
I was born in 1961 / Seattle.

Are you married? / What's your marital status?
I'm single.

What do you do? / What's your job?
I'm a librarian.

Where did you go?
I went to a friend's house.

What did you do?
We played video games.

Where were you?
I was in New York for the weekend.

Have you got a car / job / house / etc.?
Yes, I've got a good job.

Have you got any children / friends / books / etc.?
Yes, I've got three children - two boys and a daughter.

Can you play tennis / golf / football / etc.?
Yes, I can play golf.

Can you speak English / French / Japanese / etc.?
No, I can't speak Japanese.

Could you speak English / French / Japanese / etc.?
when you were five / two / fifteen / etc. years old?
Yes, I could speak English when I was five years old.

Introducing Yourself / Saying Hello

How do you do?
How do you do. Pleased to meet you.

How are you?
Fine, thanks. And you?

Shopping

How can I help you? / May I help you?
Yes. I'm looking for a sweater.

Can I try it on?
Sure, the changing rooms are over there.

How much does it cost? / How much is it?
It's $45.

How would you like to pay?
By credit card.

Can I pay by credit card / check / debit card?
Certainly. We accept all major cards.

Have you got something bigger / smaller / lighter / etc.?
Certainly, we've got a smaller sizes as well.

Asking Something Specific

What's that?
It's a cat!

What time is it?
It's three o'clock.

Can / May I open the window?
Certainly. It's hot in here!

Is there a bank / supermarket / pharmacy / etc. near here?
Yes. There is a bank on the next corner next to the post office.

Where is the nearest bank / supermarket / pharmacy / etc.?
The nearest pharmacy is on 15th street.

Who wrote / invented / painted / etc. the ...?
Hemingway wrote "The Sun Also Rises".

Is there any water / sugar / rice / etc.?
Yes, there's a lot of sugar left.

Are there any apples / sandwiches / books / etc.?
No, there aren't any apples left.

Is this your / his / her / etc. book / ball / house / etc.?
No, I think it's his ball.

Whose is this / that?
It's Jack's.

Questions with 'Like'

What do you like?
I like playing tennis, reading and listening to music.

What does he look like?
He's tall and slim.

What would you like?
I'd like a steak and chips.

What is it like?
It's an interesting country.

What's the weather like?
It's raining at the moment.

Would you like some coffee / tea / food?
Yes, thank you. I'd like some coffee.

Would you like something to drink / eat?
Thank you. Could I have a cup of tea?

Asking for an Opinion

What's it about?
It's about a young boy who encounters adventures.

What do you think about your job / that book / Tim / etc.?
I thought the book was very interesting.

How big / far / difficult / easy is it?
The test was very difficult!

How big / far / difficult / easy are they?
The questions were very easy.

How was it?
It was very interesting.

What are you going to do tomorrow / this evening / next week / etc.?
I'm going to visit some friends next weekend.

Suggestions What shall we do this evening?
Let's go see a film.

Why don't we go out / play tennis / visit friends / etc. this evening?
Yes, that sounds like a good idea.

Simple Shopping

Speak  English speaking Beginner

1. Where are the pencils? 2. How much is this mirror? 3. How much does this cost? 4. How much are these? 5. Do you have any t-shirts? 6. That comes to $26.59. 7. That will be $17.48.

They're on the second shelf.  It's $19.95. That one is $5.00. They're $4.00 each. What size? Medium or Large? Here's $30.00. Here's $17.50. Keep the change.

Okay, thanks. Okay. I'll take it. How about this one? That's too expensive. Large. Your change is $3.41 Thanks.

Contractions

Speak  English speaking Beginner

In speaking, contractions are often used in place of auxiliary verbs such as is, are, am, will, have, has, had, and would.

See the following examples:

Regular I am British. He is Chinese. They are Italians. There is a man at the door. Where is the butter? What is he doing? Who is that? She is going to the beach. We are going to eat now. They are not ready yet. I will be back in a minute. There will be lots of food. I have seen that movie already. She has finished her homework. I had played that game before. We would be glad to help. They would like to go now.

Contracted I'm British. He's Chinese. They're Italians. There's a man at the door. Where's the butter? What's he doing? Who's that? She's going to the beach. We're going to eat now. They're not ready yet. I'll be back in a minute. There'll be lots of food. I've seen that movie already. She's finished her homework. I'd played that game before. We'd be glad to help. They'd like to go now.

Expressing Likes and Dislikes

Speak  English speaking Beginner

1. I like fruit. 2. Helen likes sports. 3. Ms. Cramer doesn't like    coffee. 4. Tony does not like action    movies. 5. Does Terry like swimming? 6. Does Phil like soft drinks? 7. Does Sheila like salad? 8. Do you like Chinese food?

What kind? What kind of sports?Really?  Does she like tea?  Oh. What kind does he like? Yes, he does. No, he doesn't. No, she does not. Yes, I do.No, I don't.A little.

Oranges and bananas. Football and tennis. Yes, she does. (He likes) drama.

Worksheets to download and print

1. Read!

:: Dialogues and vocabulary

2. Learn!

:: Talking about likes and dislikes

3. Practise!

:: Tasks and exercises

4. Test yourself!

:: Test worksheets with answer keys

5. Play! Super bee race

:: Game items

Talking about Life Events

Speak  English speaking Beginner

1. When is your birthday? 2. What year? 3. Were you born and raised here? 4. Did Sam grow up here? 5. Where did Lisa go to school? 6. Which university did Rick go to? 7. When will she graduate? 8. When did they get married? 9. When was your son born? 10. What day is your wedding anniversary? 11. When did they move to Pittsburgh? 12. When did his grandfather pass away/(die)?

December 29(th) That's personal. No. I wasn't. Yes, he did. In California. Princeton. Next April. They got married in June. Two months ago. It's July 17th Last September. Five years ago.

Cynthia: Hi, Victor, do you think it's possible for us to have a talk sometime today?

Victor: I'd love to, but I've got a pretty tight schedule today.

Cynthia: Oh, what have you got going on?

Victor: Well, I've got to finish a report by ten.  Then I have to drive to the airport to pick up a client of mine at eleven.  After that, I'll have a meeting with him over lunch.  I guess I won't have a break until two o'clock.  But then from three until five, I have to attend a senior staff meeting.

Cynthia: Wow, that's cutting it close.

Fei: Jerry, you've been in Beijing for a whole year now.Jerry: Oh, that's right. I hadn't thought about it. This is my first anniversary! Fei: What do you think of your first year in Beijing? Was it a good one? Jerry: Yeah, it was wonderful. Now that I think about it, I really did a lot... I've learned a lot of Chinese. I can read more than 500 Chinese characters now. Fei: And you've visited lots of new and interesting places.

Jerry: That's for sure! I've seen all of the great sites in and around Beijing, plus I visited Guizhou Province. Not too many people from my hometown have been there before! But how about you Fei. You must have done some special things in the past year.

Fei: Yes, I had a great year too, thanks to you, Jerry! I've really learned how to do many things. My English is better than it was... you taught me how to succeed at a job interview... you taught me how to play tennis...

Jerry: Hey, it wasn't me! You did it all yourself. You should give yourself some credit for being such a good student.

Fei: Don't you think it's important to be modest?

Jerry: Sometimes it is. But sometimes you have to show confidence in your ability, too.

Fei: Okay, I'll do my best. Now, how about this year? Have you made any special plans? Many Americans make some special "resolution" for the New Year, don't they?

Jerry: Yes, I've made a couple of New Year's resolutions. I've decided that this year I'm going to learn even more Chinese. I hope I'll be able to speak fluently by the end of the year. Also, I want to travel all around the country.

Fei: That will be fun. You'll be able to practice Chinese while you travel. Are there any special places you want to visit?

Jerry: I want to go all over - to the old capital city, Xi'an, to see the ice festival up north in Heilongjiang, to see the beautiful island of Hainan, and most of all, to visit Qingdao.

Fei: Why do you want to see Qingdao most of all? Is it because of the old style buildings? Or for the clean, sandy beaches? Or maybe because it's famous for having the most beautiful women in China?

Jerry: No, no, and no! I want to go to Qingdao because of the beer!

Fei: You're silly, Jerry!

Jerry: Well, what about you Fei? What would you like to achieve this year?

Fei: Let's see... I'd like to learn more English, so that I can watch movies and sing songs in English. And I'd also like to improve my performance at work.

Jerry: That shouldn't be too hard for you. I mean, for such a good student and a hard worker.

Fei: Thank you Jerry. It's very kind of you to say so!

Talking about the Future

Speak  English speaking Beginner

1. What will you do tomorrow? 2. When will you finish? 3. What will we do in class today? 4. Where will they put the table? 5. When will Joe leave for New York? 6. How will he get there?

I'll help my mom with the housework. In the afternoon. We'll play some word games. They'll put it next to the window. He'll leave right after dinner. He'll take the bus.

Note: Another way of talking about the future is with the phrase "be going to" + verb.

For example,

I am going to eat out tonight.
Mr. Wolfe is going to stay home.
What are you going to do tomorrow?
I'm going to visit my grandmother.
How are you going to get there?
I'm going to walk through the forest. 
Please be careful!  

 

1. The auxiliary verb will is used in making predictions or simple statements of fact about the future.

• The sun will rise at 6.30 tomorrow.
• Lunch break today will be 10 minutes longer than usual.
• In the year 2050 all students will have their own computers in school.
• If you help me, I will help you.
• Do you think she will come soon?
• You won't pass your exams if you don't start working harder.
• I know my parents won't let me go to the party.
• Will it snow for Christmas?
• I know she's sick, but will she be back in school tomorrow?

   2. The auxiliary verb going to is used in talking about intentions. (An intention is a plan for the future that you have already thought about.)

• We're going to buy a new car next month.
• I'm going to work in a bank when I leave school.
• In the new year I'm going to stop eating so much junk.
• He's not going to go to the dance. He's got too much work.
• I'm not going to watch TV until my science project is finished.
• Are you going to play basketball after school?
• What are you going to have for lunch today?

   3. The present continuous tense is used in talking about arrangements. (An arrangement is is a    plan for the future that you have already thought about and discussed with someone else.)

• I'm meeting my mother at the airport tomorrow.
• Our grandparents are visiting us this Christmas.
• Sorry, I can't stay after school today; I'm playing tennis with Jun-Sik.
• My sister's going to the dentist tomorrow.
• I'm not returning home for the holidays, so I can come to your party after all!
• Are you doing anything on Sunday morning?
• Do you know if he is going to the dance with Maiko next week?

Talking about Past Actions

Speak  English speaking Beginner

1. What did you do last Friday? 2. Where did you go? 3. When did you get back? 4. Where did you stay? 5. What did Sally have for lunch? 6. What did he eat last night? 7. How was the weather?

I went to a baseball game. I went to Detroit. I got back on Saturday night. I stayed with my parents. She had soup and sandwiches. He ate Chinese food. It was wonderful.

Study some examples and then we will be at the practice session.

Person A: "Why didn't you come to my party last night?"
Person B: "I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I had to go visit my grandmother at the hospital."
Person A: "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is she doing ok?"
Person B: "They just completed a small operation and the doctors said she should recover."

Person A: "Did you get a chance to go to that new restaurant down the street?"
Person B: "Yeah. I ordered the special, but the server screwed up my order."
Person A: "That sucks. So what ended up happening?"
Person B: "They finally got my steak out, but it was overcooked. It was a terrible experience."

Person A: "What did you do last weekend?"
Person B: "I went on a date with Sammy."
Person A: "Really? How was it?"
Person B: "I couldn't ask for a better night. We talked all through out our two hour dinner, and then we sat by the river and cuddled in the night."

Person A: "Didn't you finish finals week?"
Person B: "Don't remind me. I think I failed most of the exams."
Person A: "Why did you do so terrible?"
Person B: "My mind just went blank. I think I overloaded my brain. I just couldn't concentrate during the exams."

Telling Time

Speak  English speaking Beginner

Here are some phrases you can use when you want to know the time:

• What's the time?
• What time is it?
• Have you got the right time?
• What time do you make it?

7:00 12:00 3:10 7:14 9:15 1:21 11:05 2:09 6:30 4:50 10:45 8:35

It's seven o'clock. It's twelve o'clock. It's three ten. It's seven fourteen. It's nine fifteen. It's one twenty-one It's eleven oh five. It's two oh nine. It's six thirty. It's four fifty. It's ten forty-five. It's eight thirty-five.

It's seven p.m. / a.m.It's noon / midnight. It's ten (minutes) after three. It's fourteen after seven. It's (a) quarter after nine. It's twenty-one minutes past one. It's five after eleven. It's nine minutes past two. It's half past six. It's ten minutes to five. It's quarter to eleven. It's twenty-five minutes to nine.

Worksheets to download and print

1. Read!
:: Dialogues and vocabulary

2. Learn!
:: Asking and telling the time

3. Practise!
:: Tasks and exercises

4. Test yourself!
:: Test worksheets with answer keys

5. Play! What time is it?
:: Game items
:: Game cards