Self-study lessons
Four short lessons for intermediate (B1–B2) learners. Each takes about fifteen minutes: read the rule, do the exercise, check your answers.
Grammar
1. Articles: a, an, the — or nothing
- Use a/an the first time you mention one countable thing: I bought a lamp.
- Use the when both of you know which one: The lamp is already broken.
- Use no article for things in general (plural or uncountable): Lamps are expensive. Coffee keeps me awake.
Fill the gaps: She works as ___ engineer. ___ sun rises in ___ east. I don't like ___ horror films.
Answers
an · The · the · — (no article)
Grammar
2. Present perfect or past simple?
- Past simple for a finished time: I saw her yesterday / in 2019 / last week.
- Present perfect when the time is not stated or still continues: I've seen that film. I've lived here since May.
- Questions with When…? take the past simple: When did you arrive?
Choose: I (lost / have lost) my keys — can you help me look? We (went / have gone) to Kraków last summer.
Answers
have lost · went
Vocabulary
3. Prepositions of time: in, on, at
- at + clock times and short moments: at 7 pm, at night, at the weekend (UK)
- on + days and dates: on Monday, on 3 May, on my birthday
- in + longer periods: in July, in 2026, in the morning, in winter
Fill the gaps: The shop opens ___ 9 o'clock ___ weekdays. My course starts ___ September.
Answers
at · on · in
Vocabulary
4. Ten everyday phrasal verbs
- put off — postpone · call off — cancel · turn up — arrive
- look into — investigate · run out of — have none left
- get over — recover from · figure out — understand
- set up — start, arrange · come across — find by chance · give up — stop trying
Replace the words in brackets: The meeting was (cancelled). We've (got no) milk. I can't (understand) this form.
Answers
called off · run out of · figure out