Learn to speak about past habits using the verb "used to".

New English US

English Lesson: Life used to be different (pre-intermediate)

This week’s episode is a little slower, a little softer — because I’ve been recovering from COVID. But even in moments of weakness, we can still learn. In this reflective lesson, I share a quiet story from my week in recovery and teach useful, real-life English you can use when you're sick, tired, or just in need of rest.

You’ll learn:

     - How to talk naturally about being sick in English

     - Gentle ways to cancel or reschedule plans

     - Useful expressions like “I’m on the mend” and “I’ve been resting up”

     - A mindfulness prompt to help you practice English through real-life reflection

Whether you’re under the weather or just craving a pause, this immersive episode invites you to slow down and reconnect — with English, and with yourself.

The English Exchange

Breathe In, Breathe Out: Recovering and Reconnecting

How many words do you know?  500?  1000?  10000?  Does it even matter?  You’re learning a language…you just want to be able to speak.  Well, if that’s the case, you’re going to need to know words.  And let’s be real, if you’re not having fluent conversations, it probably has nothing to do with you not understanding English grammar.  Besides, native English speakers use very simple grammar in daily conversations.  More often than not, not being fluent is caused by the lack of words in that brain of yours.  But not to worry, this problem is fixable.

Modern language learning enthusiasts…you know, these Internet Polyglots, talk a lot about word frequency and this idea of your first 1000 words.  Let’s talk a little about where that comes from.