🇬🇧 English Course

Comprehensive First Year Program - Grammar, Vocabulary & Culture

📚 Grammar Essentials

Present Tenses

Present Simple

Form: Subject + verb (+ s/es for 3rd person singular)

Use: Habits, general truths, schedules

• I work in London.
• She studies French.
• The train leaves at 8 AM.

Present Continuous

Form: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing

Use: Actions happening now, temporary situations

• I am working on a project.
• She is studying for her exam.
• They are living in Paris this year.

Present Perfect

Form: Subject + have/has + past participle

Use: Past actions with present relevance, experiences

• I have finished my homework.
• She has visited London three times.
• We have lived here for five years.

Past Tenses

Tense Form Use Example
Past Simple Subject + verb-ed / irregular Completed past actions I visited Paris last year.
Past Continuous Subject + was/were + verb-ing Actions in progress in the past I was studying when you called.
Past Perfect Subject + had + past participle Actions before another past action I had finished before he arrived.

Exercise: Choose the correct tense

1. I _____ (work) in this company for three years.

2. She _____ (study) when I called her yesterday.

3. They _____ (live) in New York before moving to London.



🎯 Quick Grammar Quiz

Which sentence is correct?

📖 Essential Vocabulary

Daily Life & Activities

English Français Pronunciation Example
Breakfast Petit-déjeuner /ˈbrekfəst/ I have breakfast at 7 AM.
Commute Trajet domicile-travail /kəˈmjuːt/ My commute takes 30 minutes.
Schedule Emploi du temps /ˈʃedʒuːl/ What's your schedule today?
Appointment Rendez-vous /əˈpɔɪntmənt/ I have an appointment at 3 PM.
Deadline Date limite /ˈdedlaɪn/ The deadline is next Friday.

School & Education

Subjects:
• Mathematics = Maths /mæθs/
• Science = Sciences /ˈsaɪəns/
• History = Histoire /ˈhɪstəri/
• Geography = Géographie /dʒiˈɒɡrəfi/
• Literature = Littérature /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

School Materials:
• Textbook = Manuel /ˈtekstbʊk/
• Notebook = Cahier /ˈnəʊtbʊk/
• Pen = Stylo /pen/
• Pencil = Crayon /ˈpensəl/
• Ruler = Règle /ˈruːlər/

Actions:
• Study = Étudier /ˈstʌdi/
• Learn = Apprendre /lɜːn/
• Teach = Enseigner /tiːtʃ/
• Understand = Comprendre /ˌʌndəˈstænd/
• Explain = Expliquer /ɪkˈspleɪn/

Technology & Modern Life

Devices:
• Smartphone = Téléphone intelligent /ˈsmɑːtfəʊn/
• Laptop = Ordinateur portable /ˈlæptɒp/
• Tablet = Tablette /ˈtæblət/
• Headphones = Écouteurs /ˈhedfəʊnz/

Internet & Social Media:
• Website = Site web /ˈwebsaɪt/
• Email = Courriel /ˈiːmeɪl/
• Social network = Réseau social /ˈsəʊʃəl ˈnetwɜːk/
• Download = Télécharger /ˌdaʊnˈləʊd/
• Upload = Téléverser /ˌʌpˈləʊd/

Vocabulary Exercise

Complete the sentences with the correct word:

1. I need to _____ this file from the internet. (télécharger)

2. My _____ to work takes 45 minutes. (trajet)

3. Don't forget your _____ for the meeting tomorrow. (rendez-vous)



🗣️ Pronunciation Tip

Silent Letters: Many English words have silent letters!

• Knife /naɪf/ (silent K)
• Castle /ˈkɑːsəl/ (silent T)
• Wednesday /ˈwenzdeɪ/ (silent D)
• Island /ˈaɪlənd/ (silent S)

💬 Conversation Skills

Greetings & Introductions

Person A:

Hello! How are you doing today?

Salut ! Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui ?
Person B:

I'm doing well, thank you! And yourself?

Je vais bien, merci ! Et vous ?
Person A:

Great! By the way, I don't think we've met. I'm Sarah.

Super ! Au fait, je ne pense pas qu'on se soit rencontrés. Je suis Sarah.
Person B:

Nice to meet you, Sarah. I'm David. Are you new here?

Ravi de vous rencontrer, Sarah. Je suis David. Êtes-vous nouveau ici ?

Useful Phrases for Daily Situations

Asking for Help:
• Could you help me, please? (Pourriez-vous m'aider, s'il vous plaît ?)
• I'm looking for... (Je cherche...)
• Do you know where...? (Savez-vous où...?)

Making Requests:
• Would you mind if...? (Cela vous dérangerait-il si...?)
• Could I possibly...? (Pourrais-je éventuellement...?)
• I was wondering if... (Je me demandais si...)

Expressing Opinions:
• In my opinion... (À mon avis...)
• I believe that... (Je pense que...)
• As far as I'm concerned... (En ce qui me concerne...)
• From my point of view... (De mon point de vue...)

Phone Conversations

Receptionist:

Good morning, Johnson & Associates. How may I help you?

Bonjour, Johnson & Associés. Comment puis-je vous aider ?
Caller:

Hello, I'd like to make an appointment with Dr. Johnson, please.

Bonjour, j'aimerais prendre rendez-vous avec Dr Johnson, s'il vous plaît.
Receptionist:

Of course. What's your name and what's this regarding?

Bien sûr. Quel est votre nom et de quoi s'agit-il ?

Role-Play Exercise

Situation: You're at a restaurant ordering food

Useful phrases:
• "I'd like to order..." (J'aimerais commander...)
• "What do you recommend?" (Que recommandez-vous ?)
• "Could I have the bill, please?" (Pourrais-je avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît ?)
• "The food was delicious!" (La nourriture était délicieuse !)

Practice these phrases and create your own dialogue!

🎧 Listening Practice

Instructions: Listen to common English sounds and practice them

TH Sound Practice:
• Think /θɪŋk/ - This /ðɪs/ - Thank /θæŋk/
R Sound Practice:
• Red /red/ - Right /raɪt/ - Very /ˈveri/
W Sound Practice:
• Water /ˈwɔːtər/ - Where /weər/ - When /wen/

🏛️ British & American Culture

British Culture & Traditions

Tea Culture:

• Afternoon tea served between 3-4 PM
• Traditional accompaniments: scones, jam, clotted cream
• "High tea" is actually a hearty early dinner
• British consume 165 million cups of tea daily!

Royal Family:

• Constitutional monarchy with King Charles III
• Buckingham Palace is the official residence
• The Queen's English is considered standard pronunciation
• Royal events are national celebrations

Education System:

• Primary school (ages 5-11), Secondary school (ages 11-16)
• GCSEs at 16, A-levels at 18
• Famous universities: Oxford, Cambridge
• School uniforms are common

American Culture & Lifestyle

The American Dream:

• Belief that anyone can succeed through hard work
• "From rags to riches" stories
• Emphasis on individualism and self-reliance
• Immigration and diversity as core values

Food Culture:

• Fast food culture: McDonald's, KFC, Burger King
• Thanksgiving turkey dinner (4th Thursday in November)
• BBQ traditions vary by region
• Super Bowl snacks are a big tradition

Education System:

• Elementary (K-5), Middle school (6-8), High school (9-12)
• SATs for college admission
• Famous universities: Harvard, MIT, Stanford
• College sports are hugely popular

British vs American English

British English American English Français
Lift Elevator Ascenseur
Petrol Gas/Gasoline Essence
Biscuit Cookie Biscuit
Rubber Eraser Gomme
Football Soccer Football
Colour Color Couleur

Important Holidays

British Holidays:

• Christmas Day (25 Dec) - Boxing Day (26 Dec)
• Easter Monday - Bank holiday
• Guy Fawkes Night (5 Nov) - Bonfire and fireworks
• Queen's Birthday - Official celebration in June

American Holidays:

• Independence Day (4 July) - Fireworks and BBQ
• Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November)
• Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
• Labor Day (first Monday in September)

🎯 Culture Quiz

What do Americans call what the British call "petrol"?

✍️ Writing Skills

Email Writing

Formal Email Structure:

Subject line: Clear and specific
Greeting: Dear Mr./Ms. [Name] or Dear Sir/Madam
Body: Introduction, main content, conclusion
Closing: Yours sincerely/faithfully + signature
Example Formal Email:

Subject: Application for Marketing Assistant Position

Dear Ms. Johnson,

I am writing to apply for the Marketing Assistant position advertised on your website. I believe my qualifications and experience make me an ideal candidate for this role.

I have recently graduated with a degree in Marketing and have completed an internship at ABC Company, where I gained valuable experience in social media marketing and customer research.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application further. Please find my CV attached.

Yours sincerely,
Sarah Thompson

Essay Writing

Essay Structure:

1. Introduction (10-15%)
• Hook + Background + Thesis statement

2. Body Paragraphs (70-80%)
• Topic sentence + Supporting evidence + Analysis
• Usually 2-3 paragraphs

3. Conclusion (10-15%)
• Restate thesis + Summarize main points + Final thought

Useful Linking Words:

Adding information: Furthermore, Moreover, In addition
Contrasting: However, Nevertheless, On the other hand
Showing cause/effect: Therefore, Consequently, As a result
Giving examples: For instance, For example, Such as
Concluding: In conclusion, To sum up, Finally

Creative Writing Tips

Narrative Techniques:

• Show, don't tell: "Her hands trembled" vs "She was nervous"
• Use sensory details: What characters see, hear, smell, feel
• Vary sentence length: Mix short and long sentences
• Dialogue: Make characters sound realistic and distinct

Descriptive Writing:

• Use specific adjectives: "ancient" instead of "old"
• Include metaphors and similes
• Appeal to all five senses
• Create atmosphere and mood

Writing Exercise

Task: Write a short paragraph (50-80 words) describing your ideal vacation destination.

Include: Location, activities, why you chose it



Common Writing Mistakes

Grammar Mistakes:
• ❌ "I have 20 years old" → ✅ "I am 20 years old"
• ❌ "I am agree" → ✅ "I agree"
• ❌ "Peoples" → ✅ "People"

Word Order:
• ❌ "I like very much chocolate" → ✅ "I like chocolate very much"
• ❌ "Always I wake up early" → ✅ "I always wake up early"

False Friends:
• "Actually" ≠ "Actuellement" (= Currently)
• "Eventually" ≠ "Éventuellement" (= Finally)
• "Library" ≠ "Librairie" (= Bookstore)

🏆 Final Quiz - Complete Assessment

Score: 0/10