Learn American English Online Blog

At the end of each of the first four levels, there’s a review and a test. Some levels have more than one test. I recommend that you complete the review and then take the test for each level.

For students working in the Blue Level this month, here’s the review.

Here are two tests:

Blue Level Test #1

Blue Level Test #2

Use the verb "need" when something is required or necessary:

  • Hamsa needs a new pair of glasses.
  • Jenny needs to see a doctor.
  • My car needs a new battery.
  • We need to find a hotel.

Click here for Blue Level Lesson Twenty-eight.

Over the many years that I have taught English, the verb phrase "would like" is one that gives beginning to advanced level students trouble. Remember that when you "would like" something, you don’t have it now.

  • I would like to go to the beach. (I’m not there right now.)
  • What would you like to do?
  • Matthew would like to get a college degree.
  • Yolanda would like to become a lawyer.
  • The students would like to leave school early today because it’s so nice outside.

You learn more about how to use "would like" in this lesson.

He’s tucked in underneath a blanket. The word of the day is "tuck."

Learn to use the verb "want" in the present tense and the past tense. Then take this quiz.

This video demonstrates how the word "through" can be used as an adjective to indicate that something is finished.

The modal verb "can" is one of the first modal verbs a student learns. Use "can" when talking about ability:

  • Can you speak English?
  • Can you play the piano?
  • What can you do?

Learn how to use the modal verb "can" in Blue Level Lesson Twenty-three.

Today’s lesson for Blue Level students is on the subject of numbers. If this lesson seems too basic, this Red Level lesson is on reading numbers–and talking about money.

The word for today is "trap."

Students around the world are going out on strike to draw attention to the problem of climate change. Thank God there are enough people who care about this problem. We have to act fast.

Here’s one solution. It’s called a conference bike. I bought this bike in 2005 and promoted it as a means of getting around downtown Minneapolis carbon free. The idea didn’t catch fire the way I thought it might, but I still had fun during the years that I owned the bike and gave rides to people. Perhaps the conference bike will make a come back!

Today’s word of the day is "remember."

This month we’re learning basic English. Today’s lesson is on the months of the year. How well do you know them?

Take this quiz.  write by hand

Please write your answers in the form of a sentence.

Check your answers on this page.

Students learn to talk about time, day, and date in Blue Level Lesson Seventeen.

This new video introduces the phrase "how about." We use this when making suggestions or when speaking in casual conversation:

 

When the verb "be" is in the past tense, it takes two forms: was or were, depending on the subject. Learn more about this in Blue Level Lesson Sixteen.

The word of the day is "military."

Lessons Fourteen and Fifteen should be studied together because possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns look similar.

Possessive adjectives are words like my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. These words appear before nouns:

  • That’s my idea.
  • What’s your idea?
  • His car is on fire.
  • Her dress is blue.
  • A job well done is its own reward.
  • Our house needs a new coat of paint.
  • Your books are in the cabinet.
  • Their situation is very serious.

How do you form questions for information in English? Blue Level Lesson Thirteen can help you with this if you don’t know.

The word of the day is "leisure." A person who enjoys leisure has the luxury of time and money to spend on fun activities.

Leisure suits were very popular in the 1970s:

leisure suits

Your lesson for today is on the past tense. This is an introduction to the past tense. Other lessons on this topic are also coming up.

You can use the word "come" in many ways when talking about the future.

In Blue Level Lesson Eleven students learn about prepositions. These are difficult words to use because they depend on particular situations. Also, prepositions are used with particular adjectives, verbs, or nouns. The best ways to learn which prepositions to use involve reading and listening to English every day. That’s one of the reasons why I created the reading section for the website. You can read and listen to English at the same time. Notice how many prepositions, for examples, are found in today’s reading exercise.

The word of the day for today is "honor."

Articles are words such as "a," "an," and "the." It’s important to know when to use them and when not to use them. Click here for Blue Level Lesson Ten to learn about articles.

The word of the day is "heel."

The word "have" is an important verb because it’s a main verb and it’s a helping verb. You’ll learn how to use "have" as a helping verb in the Yellow Level. For now, let’s learn how "have" may be used as a main verb.

The word of the day is "generous."

Beginning level students must always practice using the word "there." Use "there" to show that something exists:

  • There is some milk in the refrigerator.
  • There are four people in the car.
  • There is a reason for the decision.

To show that something does not exist, use "not" with "there."

  • There isn’t any milk in the refrigerator.
  • There aren’t any people in the car.
  • There isn’t a reason for the decision.

When making a question, put the verb "be" before the word "there."

  • Is there a school nearby?
  • Are there any good bakeries around here?
  • Is there a chance it will rain today?

Learn more about the word "there" by clicking here.

Have you been following the reading assignments for the Blue Level? Here’s today’s reading assignment: Tom has a question.

Students who want to practice their listening and writing skills can go to the Blue Level Dictation page.

Your lesson for today is on the present continuous tense:

 

Click here to go to Blue Level Lesson Six.

 

Your lesson for today is on the present tense.

To learn how to form questions in the present tense, click here.

The word of the day is "draw."

By today, new students should have completed Lessons One, Two, and Three in the Blue Level. These lessons represent very basic English. They are all about the verb "be."

Remember to keep track of your progress by printing out this checklist. Keep it next to your computer as you work through the Blue Level during the month of September.

Today’s lesson is on nouns and pronouns. These are words that represent people, places, things, ideas, and emotions. Take a look at this sentence:

  • The watermelon is on a cutting board in the kitchen.

watermelon

The word "watermelon" is a noun. So are the words "board" and "kitchen." These are things and places.

  • I cut it in half.

The words "I" and "it" are pronouns. The word "half" is a noun. Before the word "half" there is a preposition. A preposition often comes before a noun.

It’s important for you to start thinking about what a noun is because nouns can be confused with verbs and adjectives.

It’s important for you to know what pronouns are because they refer to nouns.

Complete Lesson Four. This lesson includes a quiz.

In addition to your daily lessons, you should be reading and listening to the word of the day. Today’s word is "cup."

man drinking from a cupHe’s drinking from a cup.

Today is Labor Day in the United States. It’s a national holiday. It marks the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. Tomorrow students all over the U.S. will go to school, and many will use this website for basic English instruction. If you are one of them, here’s what you should do:

1. Print out the Blue Level checklist for lessons, exercises, and quizzes. Try to complete one lesson per day, following the calendar. Keep this list near your computer.

Your lesson for today is Blue Level Lesson Two.

2. The reading assignments also follow the calendar. Today is September 2, so you should read Blue Level reading assignment #2, This is a young couple. Tomorrow is September 3 so you go to reading assignment #3, and on Wednesday it’s #4, and so on.

3. It’s important for you to complete the quizzes and exercises. Some are in PDF format. Some are not. Today’s quiz is on the negative form of the verb "be."

4. Visit this blog every day for updates and other instruction.

5. Visit other areas of the website and be sure to watch the videos that are available on YouTube.

6. Read and listen to the Word of the Day every day. It’s updated daily. Today’s word is "bad."

This is not a perfect website for learning English. There are many others that are better; however, many of my students tell me it has helped them. Access to the site is easy. There are no logins and passwords. Just visit the website every day and get busy! Good luck.

The word of the day is "ago." This includes the video that I made for ago a few days ago.

Each course level on this website has a checklist. Print out and keep the checklist next to your computer, tablet, or phone and use it to track your progress as you move through the lessons:

PRINT:

Click here to go back to August 2019

Click here to go to the LAEO Blog Archive.

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