Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner · Lessons

Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner lessons

7 sections · 102 skills · work through the full outline skill by skill — read the long-form lesson or flip through the slide-style version.

Long-form lessonsSlide-style lessons

Practice 102 skills across this outline.

Recommended next

Sequencing with Background

Presentational Communication (Speaking & Writing) · Tell a Story & Describe Experiences

Long-form lesson

Weighting distribution

25 categories

Culture & Pragmatics

14%

Pronunciation, Spelling & Mechanics

14%

Vocabulary & Semantics · High-Frequency Vocabulary for US Adult Contexts

Vocabulary & Semantics · Functional Language & Word Learning

Presentational Communication (Speaking & Writing) · Tell a Story & Describe Experiences

Presentational Communication (Speaking & Writing) · Write Messages, Forms & Short Paragraphs

Skills

The comprehensive taxonomy of adult esl/ell high beginner — drill into a card to work its skills.

Presentational Communication (Speaking & Writing) · Tell a Story & Describe Experiences

4 core skills5% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Sequencing with BackgroundRecommended

Long-form

Telling Stories with Past FormsAvailable

Long-form

Describing Problems & SolutionsAvailable

Long-form

Summarizing Texts & ConversationsAvailable

Long-form

Presentational Communication (Speaking & Writing) · Write Messages, Forms & Short Paragraphs

4 core skills5% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Revising for Clarity & AccuracyAvailable

Long-form

Writing Messages for Various PurposesAvailable

Long-form

Writing Paragraphs with TransitionsAvailable

Long-form

Completing Detailed FormsAvailable

Long-form

Presentational Communication (Speaking & Writing) · Explain Needs, Problems & Plans

4 core skills5% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Explaining Needs & Problems ClearlyAvailable

Long-form

Describing with Multiple DetailsAvailable

Long-form

Describing Routines & Schedule ChangesAvailable

Long-form

Expressing Supported OpinionsAvailable

Long-form

Interpretive Communication (Listening & Reading) · Everyday Listening (Main Idea, Details & Sequence)

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Multi-Step Instructions: ListeningAvailable

Long-form

Identifying Key Details with WhyAvailable

Long-form

Understanding Main Ideas: ConversationsAvailable

Long-form

Recognizing Changes & Required ActionsAvailable

Long-form

Interpretive Communication (Listening & Reading) · Interpretive Strategies & Evidence

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Verifying DetailsAvailable

Long-form

Choosing Evidence-Based SummariesAvailable

Long-form

Using Text Features EfficientlyAvailable

Long-form

Inferring Word Meaning with AffixesAvailable

Long-form

Interpretive Communication (Listening & Reading) · Understanding Common Questions, Requests & Tone

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Inferring from Context: ListeningAvailable

Long-form

Understanding Varied Question PhrasingsAvailable

Long-form

Identifying Speaker IntentAvailable

Long-form

Understanding Reasons & ExplanationsAvailable

Long-form

Interpretive Communication (Listening & Reading) · Reading Messages & Community Communication

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Understanding Reminders & AnnouncementsAvailable

Long-form

Understanding Texts & NoticesAvailable

Long-form

Identifying Required ActionsAvailable

Long-form

Finding & Confirming Message DetailsAvailable

Long-form

Interpretive Communication (Listening & Reading) · Reading Survival & Workplace Texts

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Understanding Signs & PoliciesAvailable

Long-form

Locating Info in Workplace DocumentsAvailable

Long-form

Following Written InstructionsAvailable

Long-form

Interpreting Charts & TablesAvailable

Long-form

Culture & Pragmatics

4 core skills14% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Understanding Service ExpectationsAvailable

Long-form

Interpreting Workplace & Community NormsAvailable

Long-form

Politeness & Tone in US ContextsAvailable

Long-form

Turn-Taking & BackchannelingAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Making Plans & Appointments

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Making & Changing AppointmentsAvailable

Long-form

Phone & In-Person SchedulingAvailable

Long-form

Confirming Contact InformationAvailable

Long-form

Discussing Availability & AlternativesAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Introductions & Social Interaction

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Questions About Family & WorkAvailable

Long-form

Introductions with DetailAvailable

Long-form

Participating in ConversationsAvailable

Long-form

Polite ClosingsAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Classroom & Learning Communication

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Asking for Specific ClarificationAvailable

Long-form

Confirming InstructionsAvailable

Long-form

Classroom DiscussionsAvailable

Long-form

Partner Task NegotiationAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Conversation Strategies & Repair

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Confirming via SummarizingAvailable

Long-form

Requesting Examples or WritingAvailable

Long-form

Correcting MisunderstandingsAvailable

Long-form

Communication Maintenance StrategiesAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Shopping, Ordering & Services

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Explaining Problems & Requesting SolutionsAvailable

Long-form

Comparing & Choosing OptionsAvailable

Long-form

Following & Confirming Service InstructionsAvailable

Long-form

Asking for Product DetailsAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Workplace Communication

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Describing Job DutiesAvailable

Long-form

Multi-Step Workplace InstructionsAvailable

Long-form

Reporting Workplace ProblemsAvailable

Long-form

Workplace Safety CommunicationAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Health, Safety & Community Services

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Describing Symptoms with DetailAvailable

Long-form

Community Service RequestsAvailable

Long-form

Safety Directions & WarningsAvailable

Long-form

Clinic & Pharmacy QuestionsAvailable

Long-form

Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Listening) · Housing, Transportation & Daily Life

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Coordinating Daily ResponsibilitiesAvailable

Long-form

Transportation Routes & SchedulesAvailable

Long-form

Detailed DirectionsAvailable

Long-form

Housing Issues & RequestsAvailable

Long-form

Language Systems (Grammar & Syntax) · Core Sentence Patterns & Expansion

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Using Adjectives & AdverbsAvailable

Long-form

Be, Have & There Is/AreAvailable

Long-form

Giving Explanations & ReasonsAvailable

Long-form

Making Basic ComparisonsAvailable

Long-form

Language Systems (Grammar & Syntax) · Questions, Requests & Short Responses

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Follow-Up Questions for DetailsAvailable

Long-form

Asking Varied Question TypesAvailable

Long-form

Forming Present & Past QuestionsAvailable

Long-form

Questions for Confirming/CorrectingAvailable

Long-form

Language Systems (Grammar & Syntax) · Nouns, Pronouns, Prepositions & Common Phrases

4 core skills2% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Common Set PhrasesAvailable

Long-form

Prepositions & Location PhrasesAvailable

Long-form

Count/Noncount Nouns & QuantifiersAvailable

Long-form

Pronouns & Possessives for ClarityAvailable

Long-form

Language Systems (Grammar & Syntax) · Modals, Imperatives & Complex Connectors (Intro)

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Polite Request FormsAvailable

Long-form

Using Multiple ConnectorsAvailable

Long-form

Modals: Ability, Necessity & AdviceAvailable

Long-form

Imperatives & Safety LanguageAvailable

Long-form

Language Systems (Grammar & Syntax) · Tenses for Daily Life

4 core skills3% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Simple Past with IrregularsAvailable

Long-form

Future: Going To & WillAvailable

Long-form

Time Markers & SequencingAvailable

Long-form

Simple Present & Present ContinuousAvailable

Long-form

Pronunciation, Spelling & Mechanics

4 core skills14% total weight

0/4 completed

4 skills to mastery

Punctuation & CapitalizationAvailable

Long-form

Spelling High-Frequency WordsAvailable

Long-form

Pronunciation & Word StressAvailable

Long-form

Editing for Common ErrorsAvailable

Long-form

Vocabulary & Semantics · High-Frequency Vocabulary for US Adult Contexts

5 core skills7% total weight

0/5 completed

5 skills to mastery

Health & Insurance VocabularyAvailable

Long-form

School & Childcare VocabularyAvailable

Long-form

Shopping, Banking & Utilities VocabularyAvailable

Long-form

Workplace Tasks VocabularyAvailable

Long-form

Housing & Community VocabularyAvailable

Long-form

Vocabulary & Semantics · Functional Language & Word Learning

5 core skills7% total weight

0/5 completed

5 skills to mastery

Sequencing & Time ExpressionsAvailable

Long-form

Avoiding Confusing WordsAvailable

Long-form

Word-Learning StrategiesAvailable

Long-form

Polite Formulas & SoftenersAvailable

Long-form

Clarification & Confirmation PhrasesAvailable

Long-form