Lower Intermediate Season 1
Go beyond the basics of English to navigate a variety of situations.
Intermediate

Curriculum

Lower Intermediate Season 1

Join Chihiro and Daniel for Season 1 of the Lower Intermediate series. You'll learn casual conversational English that you'll hear if you're living or working in the United States. In this season, you'll learn how to make appointments, talk on the phone, shop in a store and more! You'll also learn interesting cultural tips you won't find in a textbook!

  Title Topic Function Grammar Point Useful Vocabulary and Phrases Vocabulary List Cultural Insight
#1 Making an Appointment: Part 1 Arranging a friendly meeting How to say who you are over the phone Simple present tense This is Mike.
to grab lunch
to grab
to work
busy
to meet
either
sure
lunch
week
Lunch breaks in America
#2 Opening a Conversation: Part 1 Greetings How to greet somebody you haven't seen in a while Simple past tense haven't seen you in a while
Let's talk about it over a beer sometime.
man
to marry
recently
congratulations
to break up
anyway
beer
sometime
After work drinks
#3 Shopping: Part 1 Shopping How to shop in English Simple future tense Do you need help with anything?
Do you have this in...?
medium
great
to fit
Do you need help with anything?
to wait
weight
only
anything
American sales clerks
#4 Making An Appointment: Part 2 Making appointments How to set up a meeting place Simple present tense review long time
don't forget to
funny
bar
to forget
to attract
to meet up
someplace
oyster
uniform
attention
Eating outside at restaurants
#5 Opening a Conversation: Part 2 Small Talk  How to make small talk Simple past tense review Did you have a good weekend?
by the way
beach
weekend
wife
to tell
by the way
doing well
Small talk in America
#6 Postponing an appointment Postponing an appointment How to postpone an appointment  Using the future tense to make a prediction or a promise Are we still on for tomorrow?
Can we push back our lunch to next week?
tomorrow
important
wife
buddy
grade
parent
to tear
choice
literally
Rescheduling in America
#7 Making an Appointment: Part 3 Making an appointment How to set up a meeting place Using the simple present tense to talk about future events I was wondering
over lunch
busy
campaign
available
to meet
noon
meeting
graphic
to discuss
just in case
Business lunches
#8 Shopping: Part 2 Shopping Sales Using the word "if" I don't have all day on sale
tag
price
calculator
meanwhile
to buy
maybe
math
Sales at American stores
#9 Catching Up with a Friend Catching up with a friend How to catch up with a person you haven't seen in a while Present perfect tense high maintenance
the rest is history
apartment
congrats
lucky
pretentious
superficial
to bump
to spill
to exchange
awesome
down-to-earth
Catching up with friends and acquaintances
#10 Ordering Pizza 1 Ordering food How to order pizza Using the modal word "would" I personally like
get it?
to recommend
border
musical note
crust
pelvis
topping
deluxe
to imagine
American pizza
#11 Ordering Pizza: Part 2 Ordering food How people can react to bad service Forming the perfect modal that's a flat-out lie
you'll have to learn your lesson the hard way"
to order
traffic
horrible
carefully
ripped
to lie
reflex
to throw
dude
to fire
Food delivery
#12 Ordering Pizza: Part 3 Ordering food  How to make a complaint Using the modal verbs "can", "could" and "may" to file an official complaint
to issue a complaint
to lodge a complaint
to deserve
personnel
unacceptable
excuse
tardiness
to rehearse
guy
delivery
complaint
official
personnel
Customer service in America
#13 Shopping: Part 3 Ordering goods How to order goods   Using "would" to make polite requests and offers Howdy!
Is it that time of the year again?
Hold your horses.
leather
cowboy
suede
lace
ribbon
mysterious
invoice
prison
Costume parties
#14 Describing People Describing people How to describe people Infinitives and gerunds to cause a scene
You're smooth, dude.
diplomatic
immature
short-tempered
to spill
calm
polite
dude
to date
detail
Going out for coffee
#15 Discussing Vacation Plans Discussing plans  How to make suggestions Present progressive tense there are tons
You're stuck in the middle of nowhere.
slot machine
pinball machine
gambling
vacation
recommendation
honeymoon
ton
flight
romantic
Popular American vacation destinations
#16 Picking A Vacation Spot Vacation How to talk about your options Review of the present perfect tense along the lines of
can't make heads or tails
in mind
vacation
romantic
sunset
honey
along the lines of
cultural
to not make heads or tails
accent
room and board
English language barriers in countries outside of America
#17 Getting a Vacation Asking for vacation How to ask for time off Using the past progressive form for distancing a statement from the present. help yourself
I guess
minute
doughnut
to expect
to push back
to have a seat
to take time off
huge
sometime
Doughnuts in America
#18 Checking the English Weather Forecast Weather  How to try and convince people Future tense using "Going to."  rise and shine
don't be a wet blanket
roadkill
wet blanket
raincoat
accurate
to rollerblade
front (weather)
weakening
weather forecast
shower
rise and shine
New York tourist spots
#19 Asking for Business Hours in English Asking for business hours Donations Questions that imply another question turn down
How considerate!
ma'am
system
considerate
to turn down
to support
donation
admission
museum
to pour
cab
Non-profits and charities
#20 Never Say That Again in English! Formal speech How to talk formally Imperative verbs out of the question
kicking out
prohibited
to sip
to escort
to boost
to confiscate
to push back
exhausted
sofa
block
Security guards
#21 Buying a Ticket Buying tickets How to buy tickets Present perfect progressive tense matinee
this is your lucky day
theater
row
lucky
ticket
Broadway
agent
discount
to deserve
Going to the theater
#22 Asking for Directions in English Asking and giving directions  How to ask for and give directions Imperative verbs don't let it bother you
walk four and a half blocks
busy
upset
less
show
to hurry
to turn
block
to bother
theater
Getting directions in English
#23 Selecting a Restaurant Suggestions and opinions How to make suggestions and ask for opinions Adverbs a million times
it might be worth a shot
to be supposed to
shot
casual
affordable
dress code
pricey
hip
impeccable
moving
International cuisine in America
#24 At a Restaurant Ordering at a restaurant How to order at a restaurant  Phrasal verbs Can I start you off with something to drink?
I'm open to that.
popular
to recommend
grade school
deluxe
fries
rare
waitress
spicy
American restaurant customs
#25 Introducing a Friend in English Introducing a friend How to introduce a friend Nouns used as adjectives has told me a lot about you
you can't blame the guy
starving
dessert
snake
ashamed
gentleman
to spill
trick
miserable
(Person A), this is (Person B)
to blame
How to avoid offending a person during a first meeting