Quick Answer Words from Latin ending in -um and Greek words ending in -on change the ending to -a: one curriculum, two curricula; one phenomenon, two phenomena. See the Pattern First Four sentences. Watch the ending change from -um or -on to -a. The school changed one curriculum. It changed both curricula. That is a…
Quick Answer Words from Latin ending in -us often change to -i: one cactus, two cacti. But English now accepts the simple -uses form for most of them too — and for a few words, the Latin form is plain wrong. See the Pattern First Look at how these behave. Notice that some have two…
Quick Answer Words that end in -is change the i to an e: one analysis, two analyses. These words come from Greek and appear a lot in school, university and news writing. See the Pattern First Read these sentences. Look at the endings in blue. One crisis is bad. Two crises are worse. The doctor…
Quick Answer Most English words ending in -f or -fe change to -ves in the plural. One knife becomes two knives. One leaf becomes many leaves. But four common words break this rule — you will learn them below. See the Pattern First Read these four sentences. Look at the words in blue. I have…
A2 · ELEMENTARY Reading practice · ~1,600 words · 9-min read This is an easy story for A2 learners. It happens in a big city, and it is about a bus, a driver, and the people who ride with her. First, read the eight key words. Then read the story. At the end, there is…
A2 · ELEMENTARY Reading practice · ~1,650 words · 11-min read This is an original story for A2 learners. It is about nature — and a small mystery in a garden. First, read the ten key words. Then read the story. At the end, there is a quiz, a grammar point, and a writing task….
A2 · ELEMENTARY Reading practice · ~1,700 words · 11-min read This is a short story for elementary learners. It is mostly in the past simple tense, so it is a good way to see A2 grammar in a real story. First, read the ten key words below. Then read the story. At the end,…
A2 · ELEMENTARY Reading practice · ~1,600 words · 10-min read This is a story about friendship for elementary learners. It uses the past simple tense and short, clear sentences. First, read the eight key words. Then read the story. At the end, there is a small quiz to check what you understand. Before you…
A2 · ELEMENTARY Reading practice · ~1,700 words · 11-min read This is an original story for A2 learners. It is about two friends, a guitar, and a lie. The story uses the past simple tense. First, read the nine key words. Then read the story. At the end, there is a small quiz to…
A2 · ELEMENTARY Reading practice · ~1,900 words · 13-min read This is an original short story for elementary learners (A2). The sentences are simple, and most of the story uses the past simple tense. First, look at the ten key words. Then read the story. At the end, you can check your understanding with…
