Free 5-Minute English Lessons — All Levels (A1 to C1)
30 interactive lessons grounded in real-life experience — from Sydney casino floors to the markets of La Réunion. A1 to C1. No sign-up required.
Tag: B1
Writing a Professional Email in English
The three-part body (purpose / details / action needed) never fails. If your email has those three in that order, it will be read and answered.
Pronunciation — Word Stress in English
Wrong stress = misunderstanding. Before learning a new word, learn its stress pattern — mark it with a dot above the stressed syllable in your notes: PHO•to•graph.
Reported Speech — What They Actually Said
When reporting in past → shift all verbs one tense back. am→was, is→was, will→would, can→could. This backshift is the engine of reported speech.
Collocations — Words That Go Together
🎯 Make a collocation card! On one side write "make" — on the other, write 3 words that go with it. Test yourself every morning!
Second Conditional — Imagining What Could Be Different
No "would" in the if-clause — ever. If + past / would + base. The most common mistake at B1–B2 is "If I would have…" — erase it from your English.
Phrasal Verbs at Work — The Hospitality Edition
Phrasal verbs are not random — group them by theme (work, movement, communication). Learn 3 from one topic area, use them in real sentences. That's the system.
Modal Verbs — Advice, Possibility, Obligation
Must = obligation (rule/law). Should = advice (my opinion). Might = possibility (not sure). These three cover 90% of modal situations at B1.
Present Perfect vs Past Simple — The Rule That Changes Everything
The golden rule: see a finished time (yesterday, in 2019, last year)? → Past Simple. No time, or a life experience? → Present Perfect. Ask yourself: "Does the when matter here?"
Describing Places — Where I Live
🗺️ Draw a map of your town or neighbourhood. Label 5 places in English: the school, the park, the supermarket, the church, the river.