Curriculum

Beginner Season 1

Follow the daily lives of typical American college students in this 25-lesson season of the Beginner Series. Your hosts, Daniel and Jessi (later Daniel and Chihiro), will teach you useful English grammar and phrases that will help you if you plan to study abroad in the United States. Not only will you learn relevant grammar and vocabulary, but you'll also learn useful cultural tips you won't find in a textbook!

	Title	Topic	Function	Grammar	Vocabulary	Expressions	Cultural Insight
1	How's It Going?	Daily Greetings	How to ask and answer about personal health and situations	Asking About the Health or General Situation of Someone. "How are you doing? / How's it going?"	How's it going? How are you doing? Very good. Not so good. summer vacation pretty good not bad all right	How's it going? How are you doing?	American Greetings
2	Nice Meeting You!	Introducing Friends	How to introduce people in a casual situation.	"this" and "that" This is …	never been better roommate this Nice to meet you! Hi Hey How's it going? not bad	never been better Nice to meet you.	English Introductions
3	Who Is She?	Talking about People	How to describe people.	"this" and "that" pt. 2 That is …	great party fun tall wear yeah math teacher How are you doing? How's it going?	How do you like ~? Who is ~?	Pointing at people
4	What's Your Ethnicity?	Nationality/Ethnicity	How to talk about nationality/ethnicity.	Subject-Verb Agreement with "Be"	What's up? Not much. Ukrainian yup Italian-American Asian-American ethnicity kimchi	What's up? Not much. part-Italian	none
5	What's Your Major?	School Majors	How to talk about school majors and classes.	Subject-Verb Agreement with "Be"	I've been better What's wrong? Do you have a cold? by the way major help study nice talking with you see ya	I've been better What's your major?	Talking About Majors in English
6	Will You Join Us for Lunch?	Classes	How to talk about unchanging habits and events	Simple Aspect	What's up? couple guys join study test class Calculus hard tell me about it	guys Tell me about it.	none
7	We're Seeing the New Movie	Date	How to use the progressive aspect	Progressive Aspect	what's up? not much by the way apartment exchange student dorm accent handsome attraction romantic	by the way handsome	The Romance of a Foreign Accent
8	I've Been Better	Date	How to talk about events that happened before the main event.	Perfect Aspect	hey I've been better movie guy date What's wrong? find out change the subject pretty several at once feel sorry for let's hard dang! finish	what's wrong? that … guy	Are They Speaking Your Romantic Language?
9	We Study Together Every Week	Date Plans	How to talk about habits and general truths	Simple Present	What's up? How's it going? Pretty good. Calculus hard subject actually date Italian handsome	speaking of … he IS handsome	Movie Night in America
10	I'm Seeing a Play Tomorrow	Meeting people	How to talk about events in progress.	Present Progressive	never been better graduate plan excuse me ticket window beautiful free look at the time the dorms apartment	I was wondering … Have you heard of it?	Making Light Conversation in English
11	They Have Seen the Movie	Confession	How to talk about past experiences.	Present Perfect	separately you're kidding to wish of course already accept month to need to know to date	There's something I need to tell you... I had no idea!	Making Friends at the University Level
12	Could I Speak with You?	Homework	Talking about past actions	Simple Past	professor literature sick miss midterm term once twice seat to receive	I'm joking I did catch him once or twice	Talking with Your Professor in English
13	I Was Always Asking Questions	Studying	Talking about past actions	Past Progressive	extension paper to sit to shift to catch-up lend a hand deal during concentration library	I was hoping that... catch you later	Have You Been to the Student Union?
14	If I Had Studied Harder, I Would Have Done Better	Small talk	Talking about past actions	Past Perfect	definitely tough free work bookstore nearby switch class grab ice-cream flavor	How have you been On the corner of 5th and San Carlos	Earning Some Cash During College
15	He Will Pay for That!	Small talk	Talking about future actions	The Simple Future with "will"	mad to suffer my pleasure to bet to find roommate to invite noon wait to betray	I bet... He will pay for that	Living Quarters in American Colleges
16	She Will Be Sitting Close By	Evil plan	Talking about future actions	The Future Progressive Tense	plan Art History to distract whole bottle gulps slice to sprinkle to prepare to distract chili powder	turns out can't wait	Get a Slice Here, There, and Everywhere in the United States
17	I Will Have Been in the U.S.	Plans	Talking about future actions	Future Perfect Tense	paper likewise semester to complete photo homework vacation parent study midnight	no problem coming up	Typical Assignments for American College Students
18	When Are You Going to the Gym?	Exercise	Using articles	Articles	gym weight recently jeans exercise stress pool to fit to concentrate to remember	freshman fifteen count on you	Where You Can Lose the Freshman Fifteen on Campus
19	He Was Drinking So Much Water!	Small talk	Using auxiliary verbs	Auxiliary Verbs	tap mastermind career to date ironically bite wicked definitely to cool off to chew	not one to mess with I'm in	Getting "Punked" in College
20	Yes, I Will Come With You	Study abroad	Asking yes-no questions	Yes-No Questions	town study abroad flyer bulletin board to complain barely definitely relative Berlin session	I bet	Choosing to Study Abroad
21	Who Are the Professors?	Classes	Asking wh-questions	Wh-Questions	professor boring interesting semester science dynamic gymnastics cart wheel chemistry recommend	sounds like my kind of thing give yourself enough time	College Class-Choosing Strategies
22	Hurry Up!	Study abroad session	How to give commands and requests	Imperatives	notebook to drop to calm down completely organized core desk opening important to forget	hurry up a minute ago	Common Places Where American College Students Gather for Meetings
23	I Haven't Seen You Jog	Gym	Making negative sentences	Negative Sentences	shorts to remember to jog funny to help to stretch to fit gym to put to know	Oh jeez	Joggers on campus
24	That Tall Guy From Italy	Gossip	Describing things	Adjectives	tall Italy guy girlfriend multiple several to get back to upset to sprinkle tongue	record breaking speed	Gossiping
25	I'm Taking That Test Tomorrow	Exams	"Be"-Verb Tenses	"Be"-Verb Tenses	exam tight to expect difficult advice celebrate outside to remember schedule to worry	hit the books	Is College in America All Play and No Work?