EnglishStart with what you know
What grammar from Units 1–4 do you find hardest: present tenses, comparisons, modals, or too/enough?
Say one sentence about each topic:
Topic | Prompt card |
|---|---|
Home | I usually... |
Person | Today I am... |
Town | My town is ... than... |
Health or shopping | You must... |
- Home • person • doctor • shop
- Why?
- Is it your routine or is it happening now?
- Can you compare two things?
Useful words for everyday life
- routine [/ruːˈtiːn/]
- the things you usually do every day
My morning routine starts at seven. - household [/ˈhaʊshəʊld/]
- all the people living in one home
Everyone in our household helps with dinner. - neighbour [/ˈneɪbə/]
- a person who lives near you
Our neighbour usually walks her dog here. - crowded [/ˈkraʊdɪd/]
- full of people
The supermarket is crowded today. - appointment [/əˈpɔɪntmənt/]
- an arranged time to see a doctor or another person
I have a doctor’s appointment at three. - prescription [/prɪˈskrɪpʃən/]
- a doctor’s written instruction for medicine
The pharmacist is preparing my prescription. - sore [/sɔː/]
- painful when you touch or use it
My throat is sore this morning. - healthy [/ˈhelθi/]
- good for your body and health
Fresh vegetables are healthy. - bargain [/ˈbɑːɡɪn/]
- something good that costs less than usual
This jacket is a real bargain. - receipt [/rɪˈsiːt/]
- a piece of paper showing that you paid
Keep the receipt after you pay. - afford [/əˈfɔːd/]
- have enough money to buy something
We cannot afford a new car. - gift [/ɡɪft/]
- something you give to someone
I am buying a gift for my sister. - queue [/kjuː/]
- a line of people waiting
There is a long queue at the checkout. - noisy [/ˈnɔɪzi/]
- making a lot of sound
The neighbours are noisy tonight. - careful [/ˈkeəfəl/]
- giving attention to avoid mistakes or danger
Be careful with the hot soup. - delivery [/dɪˈlɪvəri/]
- something brought to your home or another place
Our food delivery is arriving now.
Say a short sentence with one word from each group:
- Home and people: routine, household, neighbour, noisy, careful
- Health: appointment, prescription, sore, healthy
- Shopping: crowded, bargain, receipt, afford, gift, queue, delivery
Choose the right grammar tool
Present simple or present continuous?
Meaning | Form | Signal words | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Routine or fact | Present simple | usually, every day | I usually walk to work. |
Happening now or temporary | Present continuous | now, today, at the moment | I am walking to work today. |
Decision path:
Routine or fact? → present simple
Happening now or temporary? → present continuous
Common mistake | Better sentence |
|---|---|
I am usually cooking dinner. | I usually cook dinner. |
She work today. | She is working today. |
Comparatives and superlatives
Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
Short adjective | adjective + -er / the -est | smaller / the smallest |
Long adjective | more / the most + adjective | more crowded / the most crowded |
Irregular adjective | special form | good → better → the best |
Common mistake | Better sentence |
|---|---|
This bargain is more cheaper. | This bargain is cheaper. |
It is the most cheap shop. | It is the cheapest shop. |
Choose the modal by meaning
Meaning | Modal | Example |
|---|---|---|
Rule or strong necessity | must / have to | You must show your receipt. |
No necessity | do not have to | You do not have to pay today. |
Prohibition | must not | You must not enter this room. |
Advice | should | You should rest your sore leg. |
Decision path:
Required? → must / have to
Not allowed? → must not
Optional? → do not have to
Good idea? → should
Common mistake | Better sentence |
|---|---|
You must to go now. | You must go now. |
You do not must pay. | You do not have to pay. |
Too, enough, so, or such?
Meaning | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
More than needed; a problem | too + adjective / too much + noun | too expensive / too much noise |
Sufficient amount or quality | adjective + enough / enough + noun | warm enough / enough money |
Strong adjective and result | so + adjective | so tired that I slept early |
Strong noun phrase | such + a/an + adjective + noun | such a busy shop |
Decision path:
Problem or excess? → too
Sufficient? → enough
Strong adjective? → so
Strong noun phrase? → such
Common mistake | Better sentence |
|---|---|
This coat is enough warm. | This coat is warm enough. |
It is so a busy shop. | It is such a busy shop. |
Check your grammar choices
Connect meanings with examples
Choose the meaning that matches each sentence.
Connect each sentence with its meaning
- Maya works at home every Friday.
- routine or fact
- Maya is working at home this week.
- happening now or temporary
- Maya lives near the market.
- permanent situation
Connect modal meanings with forms
Choose the meaning of each expression.
Connect each expression with its meaning
- should take the prescription
- advice
- must wear a mask
- necessary rule
- do not have to pay today
- not necessary
- must not enter
- prohibited
Check the tense choice
Decide whether the sentence is correct.
Check the comparison
Decide whether the sentence is correct.
Choose the best form
Say why you choose each answer.
- Please be quiet. The baby [___] .
- This is the [___] queue in the shop.
- You [___] see a doctor if the pain continues.
Complete the sentence
Use the clue in brackets.
- A taxi is [___] than a bus.
- At this clinic, patients [___] an appointment.
- This jacket is [___] small for me.
Elena’s week in two cities
My name is Elena, and I usually live in a small flat near the centre of Bristol. On weekdays, I get up at seven, make breakfast for my household, and walk to work. This week, however, I am staying with my sister in London because she is recovering from a bad cold. London is much busier and noisier than Bristol, and the shops are more expensive, but there are better gift shops here. Today, my sister is resting, so I am going to the doctor to collect her prescription. The doctor says she must drink plenty of water and should not work too hard. After the appointment, I am buying a birthday gift for our neighbour. I cannot afford the silver watch because it is too expensive. Instead, I find such a lovely scarf in a small market. The queue is long, but I have enough time. I do not have to cook tonight because my sister has ordered a delivery.
Difficult words
- recovering — getting well after an illness
- flat — an apartment
- prescription — a doctor’s written instruction for medicine
- afford — have enough money to buy something
- silver watch — a watch made of silver or silver-coloured metal
- scarf — a long piece of cloth worn around the neck
- ordered a delivery — asked a shop or restaurant to bring something
Find the evidence in the story
- Where does Elena usually live?
- Why is Elena staying in London this week?
- How is London different from Bristol?
- What does the doctor say Elena’s sister must do?
- Why does Elena choose a scarf instead of a silver watch?
What you can do now
Four quick decisions
Meaning | Choose |
|---|---|
Routine or fact | Present simple |
Now or temporary | Present continuous |
Compare things | -er / more or -est / most |
Obligation meaning | must, have to, must not, do not have to, or should |
Excess | too |
Sufficiency | enough |
Quick check
Decide whether each statement is correct.
Vocabulary review
- Home and people: routine, household, neighbour, noisy, careful
- Health: appointment, prescription, sore, healthy
- Shopping: crowded, bargain, receipt, afford, gift, queue, delivery
Your next target
Rate each area from 1–5:
Area | Rating | One example to practise |
|---|---|---|
Present tenses | 1 2 3 4 5 | |
Comparisons | 1 2 3 4 5 | |
Modals | 1 2 3 4 5 | |
Too / enough | 1 2 3 4 5 |
