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Language Foundation

Make your next sentence your own.

You have something to say. Build English helps you find the words and put them together. Start with short phrases, grow them into sentences, and learn each new pattern by trying it. Clear examples and instant feedback help you take the next step.

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One step at a time.

Start with the introduction and build from there. Open a topic to explore its lessons. You can revisit any lesson whenever you like.

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Learn how to move the words and use the sentence colors.

1 lesson
  1. 1. How to use Build English 12 min

Your first sentences

Name people and things, add descriptions, and build your first complete sentences.

14 lessons
  1. 2. Put words together 38 min
  2. 3. Choose a or an 20 min
  3. 4. Use the for something specific 20 min
  4. 5. Choose which, this, that and every 20 min
  5. 6. Say whose: my, your, his and her 24 min
  6. 7. Add when, where and how 21 min
  7. 8. Review useful word groups 20 min
  8. 9. Describe this, that and it 18 min
  9. 10. Say what something is 18 min
  10. 11. Describe him and her 18 min
  11. 12. Say what people do for work 18 min
  12. 13. Describe people and things 16 min
  13. 14. Say who someone is 16 min
  14. 15. Review your first sentences 18 min

Questions and comparisons

Ask clear questions, talk about more than one thing, and compare what you see.

14 lessons
  1. 16. Add detail to a noun 18 min
  2. 17. Ask what kind and show surprise 18 min
  3. 18. Talk about more than one 20 min
  4. 19. Ask who, what, where and why 18 min
  5. 20. Compare two things 16 min
  6. 21. Choose the biggest or best 15 min
  7. 22. Review plurals and comparisons 18 min
  8. 23. Ask about this, that, these and those 18 min
  9. 24. Identify people and things 18 min
  10. 25. Ask and say how people are 18 min
  11. 26. Talk about people and their roles 18 min
  12. 27. Use one or more as the subject 18 min
  13. 28. Connect people, things and descriptions 18 min
  14. 29. Review questions and comparisons 20 min

People, numbers and time

Say who things belong to, use numbers and dates, and talk about how things are or were.

20 lessons
  1. 30. Build more noun groups 18 min
  2. 31. Say how much and how many 24 min
  3. 32. Say who owns what 18 min
  4. 33. Talk about family and places 18 min
  5. 34. Show ownership with plurals 17 min
  6. 35. Review ownership 17 min
  7. 36. Use numbers, measures and frequency 22 min
  8. 37. Use dates and ordered numbers 14 min
  9. 38. Say when things happen 20 min
  10. 39. Review numbers, time and ownership 20 min
  11. 40. Make negatives with be 20 min
  12. 41. Talk about weather, days and dates 18 min
  13. 42. Use am and was with I 18 min
  14. 43. Use are and were with you 18 min
  15. 44. Use is and was with he, she and it 18 min
  16. 45. Use be in polite conversation 17 min
  17. 46. Use are and were with we 17 min
  18. 47. Use be when talking to a group 18 min
  19. 48. Use are and were with they 18 min
  20. 49. Use be in polite group conversation 16 min

Everyday actions

Talk about what people do, what is happening, and what comes next.

10 lessons
  1. 50. Use me, him, her and other objects 44 min
  2. 51. Talk about what I do 74 min
  3. 52. Talk about what you do 22 min
  4. 53. Talk about what he, she and it do 20 min
  5. 54. Ask about actions politely 18 min
  6. 55. Talk about what we do 18 min
  7. 56. Talk about what you all do 18 min
  8. 57. Talk about what they do 18 min
  9. 58. Discuss actions with a group politely 17 min
  10. 59. Review everyday actions 20 min

Places, abilities and needs

Describe where things are, give directions, and say what you can, must or want to do.

16 lessons
  1. 60. Say who receives something 18 min
  2. 61. Say where someone is going 18 min
  3. 62. Say where something is 18 min
  4. 63. Say where something comes from 18 min
  5. 64. Review places and directions 24 min
  6. 65. Give directions from start to finish 16 min
  7. 66. Describe actions and plans 20 min
  8. 67. Ask about actions and plans 20 min
  9. 68. Say what does not happen 20 min
  10. 69. Ask why something does not happen 19 min
  11. 70. Review actions and questions 20 min
  12. 71. Say what you can do 18 min
  13. 72. Ask for and give permission 18 min
  14. 73. Say what you must or do not have to do 17 min
  15. 74. Say what you want to do 18 min
  16. 75. Review abilities, permission and needs 19 min

Plans, requests and instructions

Connect more ideas, make plans, ask politely, and suggest what to do.

25 lessons
  1. 76. Use about, around, against and for 18 min
  2. 77. Use with, after, until and despite 19 min
  3. 78. Describe position, cause and replacement 15 min
  4. 79. Review place, time and material 15 min
  5. 80. Review cause, contrast and purpose 17 min
  6. 81. Put longer expressions together 17 min
  7. 82. Describe more actions and plans 20 min
  8. 83. Ask about everyday actions 20 min
  9. 84. Make everyday actions negative 19 min
  10. 85. Ask negative questions about actions 19 min
  11. 86. Review familiar action patterns 19 min
  12. 87. Make polite requests with would like 18 min
  13. 88. Talk about the future with will 18 min
  14. 89. Imagine situations with would 18 min
  15. 90. Connect one action to another 18 min
  16. 91. Give everyday instructions 28 min
  17. 92. Give polite instructions 20 min
  18. 93. Make suggestions with let’s 20 min
  19. 94. Give instructions to several people 20 min
  20. 95. Give polite instructions to a group 19 min
  21. 96. Review actions and instructions 22 min
  22. 97. Review time, place and quantity 18 min
  23. 98. Review more connected word groups 19 min
  24. 99. Build complete everyday messages 21 min
  25. 100. Review everything so far 22 min

Past events and advice

Talk about when things happened and explore what people could or should do.

13 lessons
  1. 101. Use times, dates and deadlines 20 min
  2. 102. Use last, next, this and every 20 min
  3. 103. Review schedules and time ranges 19 min
  4. 104. Review dates and recurring times 18 min
  5. 105. Describe past events 22 min
  6. 106. Ask about past events 19 min
  7. 107. Say what did not happen 20 min
  8. 108. Ask negative questions about the past 20 min
  9. 109. Explore possibilities and give advice 18 min
  10. 110. Ask what you could or should do 18 min
  11. 111. Say what you could not or should not do 18 min
  12. 112. Ask couldn’t and shouldn’t questions 17 min
  13. 113. Review past events and advice 21 min

Experiences and time so far

Describe experiences, results, and activities that connect the past with now.

13 lessons
  1. 114. Say how long and how soon 24 min
  2. 115. Say how often and for how long 21 min
  3. 116. Review durations and delays 19 min
  4. 117. Review time limits and starting points 21 min
  5. 118. Say what I have done 22 min
  6. 119. Ask what you have done 21 min
  7. 120. Say what he, she and it have done 22 min
  8. 121. Ask about experience politely 20 min
  9. 122. Say what we have done 22 min
  10. 123. Ask what a group has done 20 min
  11. 124. Say what they have done 20 min
  12. 125. Discuss group experience politely 19 min
  13. 126. Review experiences and durations 20 min

Imagining a different past

Explore what would, could or should have happened, and connect your ideas.

10 lessons
  1. 127. Say what would have happened 19 min
  2. 128. Ask what would have happened 19 min
  3. 129. Say what would not have happened 18 min
  4. 130. Ask wouldn’t have questions 17 min
  5. 131. Say what could or should have happened 18 min
  6. 132. Ask about past possibilities and choices 18 min
  7. 133. Say what could not or should not have happened 17 min
  8. 134. Ask couldn’t have and shouldn’t have questions 17 min
  9. 135. Connect ideas with also, too and either 19 min
  10. 136. Review imagined past situations 19 min

Reasons, conditions and wishes

Report ideas, explain why and when things happen, and imagine different situations.

11 lessons
  1. 137. Report an idea with that 20 min
  2. 138. Ask about a reported idea 20 min
  3. 139. Use negative reports and whether 20 min
  4. 140. Ask about doubts and uncertainty 19 min
  5. 141. Give a reason with because 19 min
  6. 142. Connect events with until and while 19 min
  7. 143. Put events in order with before and after 17 min
  8. 144. Imagine what happens if 21 min
  9. 145. Imagine a different past with if 20 min
  10. 146. Express wishes and use as if 22 min
  11. 147. Review reasons, conditions and wishes 20 min

Adding details

Describe exactly which person, thing, place or time you mean.

9 lessons
  1. 148. Add details with who, that and what 20 min
  2. 149. Leave out who or that when you can 20 min
  3. 150. Show connections with whose 18 min
  4. 151. Describe the person an action affects 18 min
  5. 152. Put a preposition at the end 19 min
  6. 153. Move prepositions in formal descriptions 19 min
  7. 154. Describe which place you mean 19 min
  8. 155. Describe which time, way or reason 19 min
  9. 156. Review ways to add details 19 min

More ways to express an idea

Ask questions within sentences, arrange actions, explain purposes, and use the passive voice.

8 lessons
  1. 157. Put a question inside a sentence 20 min
  2. 158. Use questions in requests and reports 20 min
  3. 159. Arrange actions with have and make 22 min
  4. 160. Use although, without and instead of 21 min
  5. 161. Explain what an action is for 20 min
  6. 162. Focus on the result with the passive 23 min
  7. 163. Use the passive in longer sentences 22 min
  8. 164. Review more ways to express an idea 23 min