Block 1 of 6 · Real English
Student Life & Education
Exams, choices, gap years and futures — the English you need to talk about studying, pressure and what comes next.
30:00
AVocabulary — Student life expressions30 min
10 expressions you probably don’t know yet
These are the real expressions English speakers use when talking about school, exams and studying. Click each card to reveal the meaning and an example sentence.
Many of these are phrasal verbs or idioms — you can’t guess them from the individual words. That’s exactly why they’re worth learning.
Fill in the blanks — student conversations
Context: Four students are talking about school, exams and plans. Complete each line with the correct expression from the bank.
Click a word from the bank, then click the blank where you want to place it.
cram
fall behind
knuckle down
gap year
under pressure
retake
1. I totally failed maths. I’m going to have to it in September.
2. I missed two weeks and now I’m starting to with the work.
3. I always the night before an exam. I know it’s a bad habit.
4. I feel really to get good grades. My parents expect a lot from me.
5. She’s taking a before university — she wants to travel and work abroad first.
6. If I want to pass, I need to and stop wasting time on my phone.
BGrammar — Obligation & future plans30 min
Grammar focus — Must / have to / should + future plans
Rules (external obligation): I have to wear a uniform. / You have to pass five subjects to move up.Personal feeling / strong opinion: I must study harder — I really want to pass. / You mustn’t give up now.
Advice: You should talk to your teacher. / You shouldn’t leave it all till the last minute.
Future plans: I’m going to apply to three universities. / I’m thinking of taking a gap year.
Choose the correct form
Read each situation carefully and select the most natural and correct option.
Reorder the sentences
Context: These sentences are about school rules and plans, but the words are in the wrong order. Drag to put them right.
Drag and drop each word to build the correct sentence.
CListening — A student talks about her gap year30 min
Context: You are going to hear Mia, a 17-year-old from Bristol, talking about her decision to take a gap year after finishing school. Listen carefully and answer the questions below.
Press Play to listen. You can change speed and replay as many times as you like. The transcript appears after your first listen.
Mia’s Gap Year Decision
Ready to play
Comprehension questions
DDebate — Expressing and defending opinions30 min
Opinion language — matching
Context: Match each expression on the left with what it does in a conversation — its communicative function.
Click a phrase on the left, then click its matching function on the right. Complete all 6 pairs.
Debate simulation — school topics
Context: You are in a class discussion about education. At each point, choose the response that best expresses your opinion in natural, appropriate English.
Choose the best response for each debate moment. You get feedback on why it works or doesn’t.
EWriting — An opinion paragraph30 min
Guided writing — Should school be compulsory after 16?
Topic: «Should education be compulsory until the age of 18?» Write a structured opinion paragraph of 80–100 words.
Write in each section. Use the starters if you want, or write your own. Aim for 80–100 words in total.
Your position
In my opinion, / I strongly believe that / I think that…
First reason
One reason for this is… / Firstly, …
Second reason or example
In addition, … / For example, …
Conclusion
To sum up, … / Overall, I believe…
Total words: 0 / 100 (aim for 80–100)
It’s important that…
Young people should have the right to…
On the other hand,…
Some people argue that…
However, I disagree because…
FRegister — Talking to a teacher vs a friend30 min
Sort the expressions — who would you say this to?
Context: You’ve missed some classes and are worried about your grades. Some of these expressions are appropriate for your teacher. Others are fine with friends but not in a formal context.
Click an expression to select it, then click the correct zone to place it.
Talking to your teacher
Talking to a friend
Choose the better version
Context: Two versions of the same message. One is appropriate, one isn’t. Choose the right one for each situation.
Select the more appropriate version for each situation.
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Block 1 complete!
Student Life & Education
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