Start Learning English
By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide
- ABCs and 123s
- The Basics - Quizzes
- Verb Forms and Tenses
- Tense and Verb Form Quizzes
- What Type of Word?
- Exceptions to the Rule
- Important Exceptions and Rules Quizzes
- Essential English Phrases and Vocabulary
- Listening Practice
- Speaking Help for Beginners
- Reading Comprehension Practice
- Writing Help
- Review the Basics
- Helpful Learning Products
ABCs and 123s
The ABCs and 123s are the building blocks of English. These include letter and number pronunciation, spelling rules, the parts of English speech, the verb "to be", basic prepositions and the use of A, An and The.
- ABCs - introduction to the alphabet
- ABCs Song
- 123s - Spelling and Pronunciation
- A, An, The
- Spelling Rules in English
- Spelling Problems in English
- Hello! My Name is Ken - The Present Tense of "to Be"
- Where Were You Yesterday? - The Past Tense of "to Be"
- Prepositions - In, To, On and And for Places
- Prepositions - In, At and On for Times
- Eight Parts of Speech in English
- Curso Básico de Inglés
The Basics - Quizzes
Use these quizzes to test your understanding of the basic building blocks in English. These quizzes include listening, grammar and vocabulary recognition.
- Understanding Numbers Listening Quiz
- Spelling Listening Quiz
- Is, Was, Were, Am, Quiz
- Basic Time Prepositions Quiz
Verb Forms and Tenses
These are the basic tenses to express things that happen in the present, past and future. Important topics such as auxiliary verb use (do, did, have, will, etc.) and time expressions are also discussed.
- May, Can, Should - Modal Forms
- Non-Continuous Verbs
- Auxiliary Verb Usage in English
- Time Expressions and Verb Tenses
- Verb Forms Chart
Tense and Verb Form Quizzes
Use these quizzes to test your knowledge of correct tense conjugation and verb forms.
- Daily Routines - Present Simple Quiz
- Tom's watching TV. - Present Continuous Quiz
- She's working or She works? - Present Simple vs. Present Continuous Quiz
What Type of Word?
These pages help you use other important words in English such as adjectives (hot, big, fast, etc.) and adverbs (carefully, always, sometimes, etc.), as well as the comparative (good - better, happy - happier, etc,) and the superlative (the worst, the most difficult, etc.)
- Adverbs - Describing How Something is Done
- Adjectives - Describing What Something or Someone is Like
- Countries and Languages
- Comparing People, Places and Things - Comparatives and Superlatives
- Asking about Things - Question Words
- Adverbs of Frequency - Always, Usually, Sometimes, etc.
Exceptions to the Rule
English has many exceptions and special rules for plural forms, countable and uncountable nouns, gerund or infinitive forms and more. These pages will help you understand some of the most important special rules in English.
- Much or Many?
- A Lot of Cheese OR Many Cheese - Countable vs. Uncountable
- What are Pronouns?
- Plurals in English
- Have and Have Got
- Some or Any?
- Do or Make Explained
- This, That, These, Those, Here and There
- Playing or To Play - Infinitives and Gerunds
Important Exceptions and Rules Quizzes
Use these quizzes to test your understanding of important exception and rules in English.
Essential English Phrases and Vocabulary
Build your basic English vocabulary using these resources. You'll find a list of the 1,000 most common English words with pronunciation examples, vocabulary lists focusing on weather, family and more. Use the picture dictionaries to help you learn food, sports and jobs related vocabulary.
- 1000 Most Commonly Used Words in English
- Asking for Help in Class
- Telling the Time
- What's the Weather Like? - Weather Vocabulary
- Dad, Mom, and My Aunt - Family Vocabulary
- What's 1 1? - Vocabulary Used for Math
- Picture Dictionary - Animals
- Picture Dictionary - Food
- Picture Dictionary - Sports
- Picture Dictionary - Jobs
Listening Practice
Improve your listening skills with these beginning level listening comprehension quizzes. These listening selections concern everyday subjects such as understanding numbers, making plans and asking about prices.
- Understanding Numbers 1
- Understanding Numbers 2
- Telling the Time
- Dictations - Practice Writing What You Hear
Speaking Help for Beginners
These pages will help you with speaking skills including pronunciation and basic dialogues that you can follow for role-playing.
- Basic English Conversations
- Saying Hello
- Introducing Yourself and Friends
- I'd Like a Sandwich - Restaurant Dialogue
- Going Shopping
- Ask and Answer Questions - 50 Basic English Questions
- English Pronunciation Exercises
- Pronunciation - Consonants
- Pronunciation - Vowels
Reading Comprehension Practice
These short reading selections will help you with your reading skills. The topics include basics such as working in an office, cooking and friends.
Writing Help
These writing practice pages will help you begin writing in English. Learn how to write basic letters, descriptions of people and cities, simple essays and use a dictionary to help you with writing.
- Writing About Cities
- Writing Descriptions
- Writing Personal Descriptions
- Learn Writing from Other Learners
Review the Basics
These tests will help you review beginning level English grammar and vocabulary.
Helpful Learning Products
These recommended books and dictionaries will help you continue to learn English in the classroom and at home.