A2 English: pre-intermediate
A2 gives you the past and the future: what you did last weekend, what you were doing when something happened, and what you're going to do next. You'll also compare things and say what you must, have to and should do.
5 grammar lessons, 62 words in 3 topic decks, 10 graded texts, and writing and speaking practice with AI feedback.
What you can do at A2
- Listening: I can understand the main point of short, clear announcements and everyday conversations.
- Reading: I can find the information I need in emails, adverts, menus and short articles.
- Speaking: I can describe what I did last weekend and what I'm planning to do.
- Writing: I can write a short email to a friend to thank, invite or apologise.
- Speaking: I can handle simple exchanges in shops, at the doctor's or at a hotel.
What learners find hard at A2
Irregular past forms (went, saw, bought), choosing between going to, will and the present continuous for the future, and the difference between must and have to.
What the A2 lessons cover
The past simple and continuous
What did you do? What were you doing when it started to rain? Regular and irregular verbs, and questions with did.
Talking about the future
Going to for plans, the present continuous for arrangements, and will for decisions you make now.
Comparing things
Bigger, more expensive, the best, as good as: comparatives and superlatives, including good, bad and far.
Rules and advice
Must, have to, don't have to and should: what's necessary, what's not allowed and what's a good idea.
All 5 A2 grammar lessons
Free to read, with examples and practice questions.
- What did you do? The past simple
- What were you doing? The past continuous
- Bigger, more expensive, the best: comparing things
- Plans, arrangements and decisions: going to, will and the present continuous
- must, have to and should: rules, obligations and advice
A2 vocabulary
- Plans, routines and getting around: 22 words and phrases, each with a plain-English definition and an example
- Health, the body and feeling ill: 20 words and phrases, each with a plain-English definition and an example
- Work, study and everyday jobs: 20 words and phrases, each with a plain-English definition and an example
Reading at A2
- A weekend in the hills: Mei and her friend Rosa go walking in the hills. The weather has other plans, but the weekend still ends well.
- The phone on the bus: Ji-ho leaves his phone on a bus, and a kind bus driver helps him to get it back.
- Your first day on Monday: In an email, Priya explains to Lucas, a new colleague, what is going to happen on his first day at work.
- Great food, but come early: Daniela writes an online review of a small new Vietnamese restaurant: the food is excellent, but it is very busy.
- From the city to the desert: In a travel blog post, Chiara describes a three-day trip from Marrakech to the Sahara and gives some advice.
- How to sleep better: A short advice text gives four simple ideas for people who feel tired and want to sleep better.
- Notice to all residents: A notice tells the people in a block of flats that the lift will be closed for a week while engineers replace it.
- The baker who starts at three: In an interview, Leila, a baker in Montreal, talks about her early working day, why she changed jobs and her plans.
- Vegetables on the roof: A short news article describes how neighbours in Nairobi turned an empty roof into a vegetable garden.
- My first five kilometres: In her diary, Ana writes about running her first race, six months after she started running.
Questions
What's the difference between A1 and A2?
A1 is mostly about the present. A2 adds the past and the future, so you can tell someone what happened and what you're planning, and manage everyday situations like shops, doctors and hotels.
How do I know if I'm A2?
If you can talk about last weekend and your plans, but longer conversations are hard to follow, you're probably around A2. The course's placement test checks reading, listening, grammar and vocabulary separately.
Is the vocabulary British or American?
The course teaches English that works in both. Where grammar differs (at the weekend or on the weekend; I just had lunch or I've just had lunch), the lessons say so and accept both.