Everyday English Beginners: Travel, Shopping & Daily Conv.

Let's learn some hobbies in English as well as some daily English!

Talking about people and a bit of review of this.  It's difficult to remember some of this.  So it is good to review it.

Let's break down the difference between "What does she like?" and "What is she like?" in a way that's easy to understand for beginners:

1. What does she like?

   • This question is asking about a person's preferences or things they enjoy.

   • It helps us find out about the things or activities that make the person happy.

   Examples:

   • What does she like to eat? (This asks about the person's food preferences.)

   • What does she like to do on the weekends? (This asks about her favorite weekend activities.)

   • What does she like in terms of movies? (This asks about her movie preferences.)

2. What is she like?

   • This question is asking for information about a person's characteristics or personality.

   • It helps us learn about the kind of person they are.

   Examples:

   • What is she like as a friend? (This asks about her qualities as a friend, like if she's friendly or supportive.)

   • What is she like at school? (This asks about her behavior and personality in a school setting.)

   • What is she like as a teacher? (This asks about her teaching style and personality as a teacher.)

In simple terms:

• "What does she like?" is about the things she enjoys or prefers.

• "What is she like?" is about her personality and characteristics.

Remember, it's important to use the right question to get the information you want!

Listen to this basic conversation between John and Anna.  They are meeting each other for the first time.  Then you should try to answer John's questions as best you can.  Please watch this video 2-3 times and practice your answers.

Introducing yourself and others:

Hi, I’m Kevin (pause) and this is Janet (pause).

Hi Kevin (pause), hi Janet (pause), nice to meet you! (pause)  My name is Tom.

Nice to meet you too! (pause)

Nice to meet you too (pause). Do you live here? (pause)

Yes I do (pause).

Janet and Kevin (pause), where are you from? (pause)

We are from Canada (pause).

Here’s a new conversation:

Hi, I’m Kevin (pause) and this is Yosuke (pause).

Nice to meet you both (pause). I’m Karen (pause). Where are you from? (pause)

I’m from Canada and Yosuke is from Japan (pause).

Now you should practice these conversations with your family, friends or even your pets!  See the description for the exact conversations.

Here are some phrases you will use as you travel abroad.  Remember you can look at this video before your trip or during your trip to remember your English.  Ask a friend or family member to practice the roleplays with you!

What to see and do in Australia.  Australia is a huge diverse country, where everyone speaks English. You can enjoy traveling this beautiful nation and practice your English. Good day mate!  Watch this video and write down everything you can remember.

How to give and understand directions in English.

Let's learn to talk about our travel experiences!

Students will learn the numbers from 1-100.

How to tell the time.  How to use phrases like half-past, quarter-past and others. 

My song about the days of the week.  An easy way to learn English is from songs and chants.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

The months of the year: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.        Months is pronounced like: "munts"

Let's learn how to say and write dates.

How to Write Dates

There are different ways to write dates in English. In many English-speaking countries, especially in the U.S., the month comes before the day. But in other places, like the U.K., the day comes before the month. Here are some examples:

U.S. format:

October 31, 2024 or 10/31/2024

U.K. format:

31 October 2024 or 31/10/2024

Notice the difference? In the U.S., the order is month/day/year, and in the U.K., it's day/month/year. Both are correct depending on where you are, but it’s important to know which format to use.

2. How to Say Dates

When you’re speaking English, dates are usually said with ordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers are numbers that show order (first, second, third, etc.). Here's how to say dates correctly:

1st → First

2nd → Second

3rd → Third

4th → Fourth

21st → Twenty-first

30th → Thirtieth

31st → Thirty-first

Now, let's look at how to say some common dates:

October 31 → “October thirty-first”

August 2 → “August second”

February 14 → “February fourteenth”

When saying the full date, including the year, it's a little different. Here's how you would say some example dates:

October 31, 2024 → “October thirty-first, twenty twenty-four”

July 4, 1776 → “July fourth, seventeen seventy-six”

For years after 2000, you can say the full number (e.g., “two thousand twenty-four”) or break it up (e.g., “twenty twenty-four”). Both are commonly used!

3. Special Cases: The 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st

Some months are a little tricky because they don't have the same number of days. Here’s a quick reminder:

February: Usually has 28 days, but in leap years, it has 29 days.

April, June, September, and November: These months only have 30 days.

January, March, May, July, August, October, and December: These months all have 31 days.

So, if you're ever unsure about which date comes last in a month, remember this pattern!

4. Practice Makes Perfect

To help you get comfortable with dates, try writing and saying them as much as possible. Here are a few exercises you can do:

Write down the date every day using both formats (U.S. and U.K.).

Practice saying the date to yourself or a friend.

Listen to how dates are used in movies, TV shows, or podcasts in English to hear how native speakers say them.

5. Tips for Remembering Ordinal Numbers

Numbers that end in 1 (except 11) use "st" (e.g., 1st, 21st).

Numbers that end in 2 (except 12) use "nd" (e.g., 2nd, 22nd).

Numbers that end in 3 (except 13) use "rd" (e.g., 3rd, 23rd).

All other numbers use "th" (e.g., 4th, 5th, 6th, 30th, etc.).

Exceptions like 11th, 12th, and 13th all use "th" because they are part of the "teen" numbers (eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth).

Learn how to say simple math in English: addition and subtraction.

This video has the colors in English with a Japanese translation for each one, for our students from Japan.  You can learn both!

Some common food in English and their Japanese translation.

Listen to this lecture about describing some famous people, then you should try describing some of your friends and family members.  Think what you will say in your head, then say it out loud to yourself, a friend, a pet or a family member.  You can even talk to yourself and look at a mirror.  It is good to practice saying it yourself.

Adjectives for size, shape and color.

Some common things you can find in your house.

Learn the common places in the city in English.

Learn some common food names and drinks in English.

Let's learn the parts of the body!

Learn the different kinds of transportation in English.

Some common nouns - household items.

How do we use "to have" and "to be" in English.  Listen to some examples in this lecture.

Learn about mym your, his, her, their and our.

In, on, under, -prepositions

Let's learn some easy questions and answers about the prepositions we just learned.  These questions and answers may seem difficult at first, but soon you will understand them.  You can practice many times with the video.

20 Common Household Items in English and Japanese

Here’s a quick guide to 20 common household items with their English names and Japanese translations:

1. Table (テーブル, Tēburu): A flat surface where meals or activities take place.

2. Chair (椅子, Isu): A seat, often found around a table.

3. Bed (ベッド, Beddo): A place to sleep and rest.

4. Pillow (枕, Makura): A soft cushion for your head while sleeping.

5. Blanket (毛布, Mōfu): A warm covering for your bed.

6. Lamp (ランプ, Ranpu): A light source used on tables or desks.

7. Window (窓, Mado): An opening in the wall to let light and air in.

8. Door (ドア, Doa): An entrance or exit to rooms or buildings.

9. Mirror (鏡, Kagami): A reflective surface used to see yourself.

10. Television (テレビ, Terebi): A device for watching shows and movies.

11. Fridge (冷蔵庫, Reizōko): An appliance to keep food cold.

12. Stove (コンロ, Konro): Used for cooking food.

13. Cup (カップ, Kappu): A container for drinking liquids.

14. Spoon (スプーン, Supūn): A utensil used for eating soups or cereals.

15. Fork (フォーク, Fōku): A utensil for picking up food.

16. Knife (ナイフ, Naifu): A sharp tool for cutting food.

17. Plate (皿, Sara): A flat dish for serving food.

18. Towel (タオル, Tauru): Used for drying after a shower or washing hands.

19. Toothbrush (歯ブラシ, Haburashi): A tool for cleaning teeth.

20. Shampoo (シャンプー, Shanpū): A liquid for washing hair.

These everyday items are useful to know both in English and Japanese, helping you navigate daily life and language learning!

Learn how to use "going to,"  in sentences and questions.   Talking about future plans (intentions).

I, you, he, she, it, we, they are all subject pronouns.  Let's learn how to use them in this lecture.

Learn how to say the vocabulary words for different members of the family.

Practice these sentences then make your own sentences about family members.  Write your sentences then say your sentences to practice.

Sentences and vocabulary words for hobbies and interests.

Learn the words to describe the different relationships in the family.

How much can you understand if you cover up the subtitles?

Waking up, going to work, eating etc.  How to talk about your daily routines.

Sentences and vocabulary for work and study.

How much of this lecture can you understand?  Listen and take notes.  Learn some healthy habits!

How much can you understand from this talk by Niki?

How to order in a restaurant or cafe.