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Lesson 72 of 240

New here? This is lesson 72 of a free 240-lesson English course.

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How good I am in English

Ana visits Tasha at the bakery downtown. Tasha lets her ice one cookie, and Ana is careful with the bag.

Ana says she is still a beginner. Tasha laughs and says the work is fun, but it is also hard.

By the end, you'll say how well you do a hobby, how long you spend, and why you like it.

You'll also say you only do it when you have time.

By the end of this lesson

Say how long and how well you do a hobby, and why you like it.

  • I'm still a beginner at ___.I am new to this activity.
  • I like it because it's ___.This is the reason I enjoy it.
  • It's fun, but it's hard.I enjoy it, and it is still difficult.
  • I'm getting better at it.My skill is improving.
  • I spend about an hour on it.I use around sixty minutes each time.
  • I do it when I have time.I only do this activity if I am free.

Scene — one cookie

Tasha's bakery is warm and sweet. A tray of cookies waits on the steel table, with a bag of white icing next to it.

Ana stands beside Tasha in a mustard cardigan, ready to try. The street outside is busy, but the kitchen is quiet.

Ana stands beside Tasha at the steel bakery table, ready to try icing cookies.

Learn — how well and how long

Six short lines help you talk about a hobby. You say how new you are, why you like it, and how long you spend.

You also say it is fun but hard, and that you do it when you have time.

  1. Ana grips the icing bag over a cookie as she begins her first attempt.

    I'm still a beginner at ___.

    I am new to this activity.

    When to use it: Say this when you are new at a hobby.

    I'm is one piece, and you name the activity after at.

    Say it: The stress is on the second part.

  2. Ana lifts an iced cookie with both hands to inspect it.

    I like it because it's ___.

    This is the reason I enjoy it.

    When to use it: Say this to give a reason you enjoy something.

    It's is one piece, and you name the reason after it's.

  3. Ana examines uneven icing while Tasha encourages her to keep practicing.

    It's fun, but it's hard.

    I enjoy it, and it is still difficult.

    When to use it: Say this when you enjoy a thing that is still difficult.

    But joins a good point and a hard point.

  4. Ana pipes a smoother swirl of icing onto a cookie with a steadier hand.

    I'm getting better at it.

    My skill is improving.

    When to use it: Say this when practice is helping you improve.

    Getting is the -ing form, and it means your skill is changing now.

    Say it: The stress is on get in getting.

  5. Ana remains at the table among many cookies as Tasha checks how long she has been baking.

    I spend about an hour on it.

    I use around sixty minutes each time.

    When to use it: Say this to tell how long you do it each time.

    About means around, not exactly sixty minutes.

    Say it: An and hour can link.

  6. Ana sets down the piping bag and turns toward the bright, busy window during a free moment.

    I do it when I have time.

    I only do this activity if I am free.

    When to use it: Say this when you only do it if you are free.

    Have time means you are free to do this.

Story — the icing bag

Watch Ana ice a cookie at Tasha's bakery. She hears one word the wrong way at first.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Tasha holds the icing bag out to Ana.
  2. TashaHere. You can ice one cookie.She lets Ana try icing.
  3. AnaI'm still a beginner at icing.She is new at icing.
  4. TashaThat's fine. It's fun, but it's hard.The work is enjoyable, and it is still difficult.
  5. AnaHard? The icing looks soft to me.She thinks hard means the cookie is not soft.
  6. Ana looks at the cookie, then at Tasha.
  7. TashaNot the cookie. The work is hard. Practice helps.Tasha says the work is not easy, and practice helps.
  8. AnaOh. I'm getting better at it.Her skill is improving.
  9. TashaGood. How long do you spend?She asks how much time Ana uses.
  10. AnaI spend about an hour on it.She uses around sixty minutes each time.
  11. TashaDo you bake a lot at home?She asks if Ana bakes a lot.
  12. AnaI do it when I have time.She only does it if she is free.
  13. TashaSo why do you like it?She asks for the reason Ana enjoys it.
  14. AnaI like it because it's calm.She enjoys it for the quiet.
  15. TashaHave fun. Good luck with that cookie.She wishes Ana a good time and success.

Practice — fun but hard

Ten short exercises wait here. You'll listen, choose a line, fill a gap, and build a sentence.

They stay tiny, so you can move fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    I like it because it's ___.Drop the Simple English here
    It's fun, but it's hard.Drop the Simple English here
    I'm getting better at it.Drop the Simple English here
    I spend about an hour on it.Drop the Simple English here
    I do it when I have time.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What does it mean?

    It's fun, but it's hard.

  4. What do you say?

    A friend is going to a movie tonight, not a hard test.

  5. Fill the gap

    I use around sixty minutes each time.

    I spend about an ____ on it.

  6. Build the line

    I only do this activity if I am free.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    Why do you like icing cookies?

    She asks for the reason you enjoy this.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    You are new at icing. Tell Tasha.

    I'm ____ a beginner at ___.

  9. True or false?

    You say this to wish someone a nice day.

  10. Put the chat in order

    1. TashaWhat comes first?
    2. Ana…
    3. Tasha…
    4. Ana…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

Say it — say it at the bakery

Now you're Ana at the bakery. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. TashaYou can ice this cookie.She lets you try icing.
  2. Ana (you)Tell her you are new at icing.

    I'm still a beginner at ___.

    I am new to this activity.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
I'm still a beginner at ___.I am new to this activity.
I like it because it's ___.This is the reason I enjoy it.
It's fun, but it's hard.I enjoy it, and it is still difficult.
I'm getting better at it.My skill is improving.
I spend about an hour on it.I use around sixty minutes each time.
I do it when I have time.I only do this activity if I am free.
Next: lesson 73Evening and weekend routine

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your hobby lines ready.

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