Speaking Boost · A2 · Lesson 38 of 50
Speaking Boost A2 · Block 8: Work and Study

Who speaks English: native or non-native speakers?

About 1.5 billion people speak English, and most of them are not native speakers. Learn to say what you can and can't do in English, give advice with should, and practise two learning roleplays.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Learning English

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Why do you learn English?
  2. When did you start learning English?
  3. What can you do well in English?
  4. What is difficult for you?
  5. Do you watch films in English?
  6. Who do you speak English with?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about learning English.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. She is in three languages.
  2. I have a strong , but people understand me.
  3. I learn ten new words of every week.
  4. Please the sentence.
  5. I use a when I don't know a word.
  6. I want to my English this year.
  7. Don't be to speak. Everyone makes mistakes.
  8. A speaker learned the language as a child.
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. easy ↔
  2. shy ↔
  3. to say again = to
  4. to change words into another language = to
  5. A person who learned a language as a child at home is a
  6. to do something many times to get better = to
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases when you learn a language.

  • Could you repeat that?Не могли б ви повторити?Sorry, could you repeat that, please?
  • What does... mean?Що означає...?What does "fluent" mean?
  • How do you say... in English?Як сказати... англійською?How do you say "скарбничка" in English?
  • I'm learning English because...Я вивчаю англійську, тому що...I'm learning English because I want to travel.
  • I can... quite well.Я досить добре вмію...I can read quite well.
  • I can't... very well.Я не дуже добре вмію...I can't speak very well.
  • You should...Тобі слід...You should practise every day.
  • Don't be afraid of mistakes!Не бійся помилок!Just speak. Don't be afraid of mistakes!
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

English around the world

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Who speaks English: native or non-native speakers?

English is the most widely spoken language in the world. About 1.5 billion people speak it, but only about 400 million speak it as a first language.

This means that many conversations in English are between non-native speakers. For example, a Ukrainian talks to a Spaniard, or a Brazilian talks to a Korean.

So you don't have to sound like a British or American native speaker. You have to be clear and keep talking. Many people say that clear speaking is more important than perfect grammar.

Here are some tips. Speak every day, even for five minutes. Watch films and listen to songs. And don't be afraid of mistakes!

Who do you speak English with?

3.2

True or false?

  1. About 1.5 billion people speak English.
  2. Most English speakers are native speakers.
  3. Many conversations in English are between non-native speakers.
  4. The text says you have to sound like a native speaker.
  5. One tip is to speak every day.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Who do you speak English with most often?
  2. Is it important to have a perfect accent? Why or why not?
  3. What is the best way to learn new words?
  4. What would you tell a person who is afraid to speak?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Can / can't and well / badly

can + base verb. Use well, badly or quite well after the verb.

I can read well. She can't speak French very well. He speaks English badly.

Should / shouldn't

should + base verb gives advice.

You should practise every day. You shouldn't translate every word.

Block 8 review

Use the grammar from this block.

Present Simple, have to (L36) · time prepositions (L37)

Common mistakes: well is an adverb, good is an adjective. ✗ I speak English good → I speak English well. ✗ You should to practise → You should practise.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. I can speak English
    .
  2. She
    speak French.
  3. you read in English?
  4. You
    every day.
  5. You
    every word.
  6. He speaks English
    .
  7. My English is
    .
  8. I
    films.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. I speak English good. →
  2. She cans speak French. →
  3. You should to practise. →
  4. Do you can read English? →
  5. I don't should be afraid. →
  6. My English is well. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use can, should and well / badly.

  1. Why do you learn English?
  2. What can you do well in English?
  3. What can't you do very well?
  4. What should people do to learn a language?
  5. Who do you speak English with?
  6. What do you do when you don't understand a word?
5

Three learners and a short talk

8 min
5.1

Three learners

Three learners need advice. Say what each person can and can't do, and what they should do to improve. Who needs the most help?

Person 1

Oksana

  • Reads English well
  • Can't speak very well
  • Is shy
  • Studies alone
Person 2

Ivan

  • Speaks a lot but makes many mistakes
  • Has a strong accent
  • Isn't afraid to speak
  • Never checks grammar
Person 3

Mrs Sofia

  • Is 60 years old
  • Learns for her grandchildren
  • Understands films badly
  • Studies twice a week
5.2

Mini-talk: learning English

Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: why you learn English.
  3. Part 2: what you can do well and what is difficult.
  4. Part 3: what you do to improve and what you should do more.
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Why do you learn English?
  2. When did you start?
  3. What can you do well in English?
  4. What is difficult for you?
  5. Do you watch films in English?
  6. Do you speak English at work?
  7. Do you use a dictionary?
  8. How do you learn new words?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who speaks English in your family?
  2. Who do you speak English with?
  3. Who taught you English?
  4. Who in your family is shy about speaking?
  5. Which friend learns another language?
  6. Who writes to you in English?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is it important to speak with a perfect accent?
  2. Is grammar more important than speaking?
  3. Should children learn English from the age of six?
  4. Is it possible to learn a language in a month?
  5. Will everyone speak English in the future?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Language exchange

You

Learner

You meet a language partner (your teacher). Talk about learning:
  • say why you learn English
  • say what you can do well
  • ask what your partner finds difficult
  • agree to practise together
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use can, should and well / badly.
Your teacher

Language partner

Says things like:
  1. Why do you learn English?
  2. Can you speak well?
  3. I can't speak very well.
  4. Let's practise together!
7.2

Asking for advice

You

Student

You ask a teacher (your teacher) for advice about learning English:
  • say what is difficult for you
  • ask what you should do
  • ask how often you should practise
  • say thank you
You do most of the talking. Use: I can't... very well · What should I do? · How often should I...?
Your teacher

Teacher

Says things like:
  1. What is difficult for you?
  2. You should speak every day.
  3. You shouldn't be afraid of mistakes.
  4. Watch films with subtitles.
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

fluentaccentvocabularyrepeatdictionaryimproveafraidnative
  1. She is in three languages.
  2. I have a strong , but people understand me.
  3. I learn ten new words of every week.
  4. Could you that, please?
  5. I use a when I don't know a word.
  6. I want to my English.
  7. Don't be to speak.
  8. A speaker learned the language as a child.
H2

Block 8 review: choose the correct form

  1. I speak English .
  2. She swim.
  3. You every day.
  4. My English is .
  5. What time the lesson start?
  6. We start nine.
  7. She in a bank.
  8. He study.
H3

Correct or incorrect? (Block 8 review)

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. I can speak English well.
  2. She speaks very good.
  3. You should practise every day.
  4. Do you can read English?
  5. I start at nine.
  6. He have to study.
  7. Don't be afraid of mistakes.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. Sorry, could you
  2. What does
  3. How do you say
  4. I'm learning English
  5. I can read
  6. I can't speak
  7. Just speak.

Finished the lesson?

Mark it as complete to keep track of your progress.

© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.