Week 1: First days in a new city (Pre-Intermediate in 34 weeks)

If you’ve already done the level check and it showed Pre-Intermediate – perfect. This is a good moment to stop scrolling, slow down, and really move your English forward, step by step.

If this is the first article you see and you have no idea what’s going on, don’t worry 🙂

Start with Week 0 (introduction) here: https://dzen.ru/a/aVNKgNLHgkQM22jP

This course works week by week.

Each week = one real-life topic + simple grammar + useful vocabulary on the Pre-Intermediate level.

Week 1 – First days in a new city

The topic for Week 1 is First days in a new city (and/or new country!) – new office, new cafés, new neighbours, new people around you.

This week we focus on:

• Grammar: word order in questions – how to ask correct questions in English
• Vocabulary: everything around your “first days” – office, café, area, people
• Speaking: ask useful questions and answer basic questions about you

How we work: 5 days, small steps

I suggest a simple format: 5 days – small steps:

• Day 1 (Monday) – Reading: one short story + understanding
• Day 2 (Tuesday) – Vocabulary: words and phrases from the story
• Day 3 (Wednesday) – Grammar: question word order, easy rules + practice
• Day 4 (Thursday) – Speaking & Writing: talk and write about your experience
• Day 5 (Friday) – Listening + Revision + More Speaking: repeat everything and speak along with the audio

Extra practice in SpeakingCamps

At the end of the week, you can repeat this topic in my app SpeakingCamps – there is a Pre-Intermediate camp with the same name as this article.

App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/speakingcamps/id6448212314

In the app you can also sign up for live Speaking Clubs with me (small groups, up to 8 people – enough practice, not too much pressure).

Let’s start 🚀

Кратко по-русски

Если тест показал уровень Pre-Intermediate - курс должен отлично подойти для прокачки английского до Intermediate за 34 недели и мы начинаем наш курс с этой первой статьи! :)

Каждая неделя — одна жизненная тема + простая грамматика + нужная лексика. Неделя 1 — первые дни в новом городе/стране: как представиться, задать вопросы, объясниться в офисе и кафе. Формат: 5 дней маленькими блоками (чтение, лексика, грамматика, говорение/письмо, listening + повторение). В конце можно закрепить всё в приложении SpeakingCamps (лагерь Pre-Intermediate) и прийти на живой разговорный клуб.

Если вы случайно попали сразу на эту неделю, лучше сначала заглянуть в «Неделю 0» по ссылке выше — там объяснение формата.

Поехали!!

A: DAY 1 – READING: First days in Metropolis

A1. Read the text

First days in Metropolis

Sophia has just moved to a new city called Metropolis. On Monday morning she walks into a shared office space for the first time. A woman at reception smiles and says, “Hi, can I help you?” Sophia's English is not perfect, but she understands the question. She answers, “Yes, I have a desk here. My name is Sophia.”

The receptionist checks the computer and asks, “What’s your last name?” Sophia spells her surname slowly. Then the receptionist asks, “Where are you from?” and “How long are you staying in Metropolis?” Sophia feels a little nervous, but she is happy that people are interested in her story.

A man with a laptop stops near her desk and says, “Hi, I’m Karim. What do you do?” She tells him about her job. He also asks, “Do you work online?” and “Do you speak any other languages?” They talk for a few minutes about work and about the city.

At lunchtime Sophia goes to a small café near the office. The waiter is friendly. He says, “Is this your first time here?” and “Would you like the lunch menu?” Sophia asks her own questions: “What do you recommend?” and “What’s in this soup?” The waiter explains the dishes and gives her some tips about good places in the area.

In the evening she has a video call with her friend Alex. He asks his usual questions: “How is the new city?” “Do you like your office?” “Are the people friendly?” Sophia laughs and says, “Everyone asks me questions all day – Where are you from? What do you do? Why did you move here? – but it’s good practice for my English.”

By the end of the week, Sophia knows the names of three colleagues, two baristas and one neighbour from her building. She also knows the answers to many questions: where the supermarket is, how much a metro ticket costs, and which cafés have good coffee. The city still feels new and strange, but every time someone asks, “How are you today?” or “Do you have a minute to talk?” she feels a little less alone.

A2. Check your understanding (answer aloud and/or in writing for extra practice)

If you're learning with a friend/tutor - discuss your answers out loud.

1. Where has Sophia just moved?
2. Who is the first person she speaks to in the office?
3. What questions does the receptionist ask Sophia? (2–3)
4. What does Karim ask her when he stops near her desk?
5. Where does Sophia go at lunchtime?
6. What questions does the waiter ask Sophia?
7. What questions does Sophia ask the waiter?
8. In the evening, who does she talk to online and what does he ask about?
9. At the end of the week, which people does Sophia already know in the city?
10. Why does she say that all the questions are “good practice” for her?

B: DAY 2 – VOCABULARY: first days, places & people

Let's see what new vocabulary we should save for our future use.

B1. Match words from (1-10) to (a-j)

1. shared office space
2. receptionist
3. surname / last name
4. stay (verb)
5. recommend
6. dishes
7. area
8. neighbour
9. barista
10. feel alone

a) a person who lives in the flat / house next to you
b) food items on a menu (meals / plates of food)
c) place where many people work at different desks
d) to live in a place for some time
e) a person who works at the front desk and helps visitors
f) a person who makes and serves coffee
g) family name
h) part of a city or town, a neighbourhood
i) to feel you have no friends or contacts near you
j) to say what is good or what another person should try

B2. Complete the sentences

Use words from B1. Change form if needed.

1. Sophia works in a __________ where people from different companies sit together.
2. When you enter the building, you speak to the __________ first.
3. In a new country, it is sometimes difficult to spell your __________ on the phone.
4. Many relocatees __________ in temporary housing for a few months before they find a permanent flat.
5. “What do you __________?” is a good question to ask in a restaurant if you are not sure what to eat.
6. This café has many vegetarian __________ on the menu.
7. There is a nice park in our __________, just five minutes from our house.
8. Our __________ is very kind; he always helps us with local tips and information.
9. The __________ in my favourite café already knows my usual order.
10. When you move to a new city, you can __________ at first, but it gets better when you meet people.

B3. “First days” conversation phrases

Match (a-о) to 1-10 below.

a) Can I help you?
b) Where are you from?
c) What do you do?
d) Is this your first time here?
e) Do you like it so far?
f) How long are you staying?
g) Do you work online or in the office?
h) Why did you move here?
i) What do you recommend?
j) Do you have a minute to talk?

1. In a new office, people often ask, “__________” to know your job.
2. At the border, an officer may ask, “__________” to know the reason for your trip.
3. When you enter a shop, the assistant sometimes says, “__________”
4. In a café, a friendly waiter can ask, “__________” to start a short conversation.
5. When you tell people you just moved, they often ask, “__________” about your impression.
6. At a conference, someone might ask, “__________” about your country.
7. If you want a short chat with a colleague, you can say, “__________”
8. When you only stay in a city for a few days, people sometimes ask, “__________”
9. In a restaurant, if you don’t know what to choose, you can ask, “__________”
10. In many remote jobs, people now ask, “__________” about your work style.

C: DAY 3 – GRAMMAR: word order in questions

Today we are focusing on the word order in questions.

Rule:

The order of words in an English question in present simple is QWASI: (Question Word) + Auxiliary ("Do" for Action and "Be" for State) + Subject (Who/What) + Infinitive (Verb/Action).

Examples:

• Do/Does + subject + verb…?
• Do you work here?
• Does she live in Metropolis?
• Wh- + do/does + subject + verb…?
• Where do you live?
• Why did you move here?
• Am/Is/Are + subject…?
• Are you new here?
• Is this your first day?

Question words:

C1. Put the words in the correct order

1. you / work / do / where / ?
2. you / from / are / where / ?
3. here / first / your / is / day / ?
4. speak / English / you / do / ?
5. you / long / how / staying / are / ?
6. recommend / what / you / do / on the menu / ?
7. you / in this city / how many people / know / do / ?
8. live / do / you / near / here / ?
9. why / move / did / you / to this country / ?
10. like / you / do / the new office / ?

C2. Choose the correct question

Choose (a) or (b). Explain why.

1. a) Where you are from?
   b) Where are you from?
2. a) You speak English?
   b) Do you speak English?
3. a) How long do you staying here?
   b) How long are you staying here?
4. a) What does you do in Metropolis?
   b) What do you do in Metropolis?
5. a) Why you move here?
   b) Why did you move here?
6. a) Are you like your new job?
   b) Do you like your new job?
7. a) Is this your first time in this country?
   b) This is your first time in this country?
8. a) Do you have a minute to talk?
   b) Have you a minute to talk?
9. a) Where do you usually eat lunch?
   b) Where do usually you eat lunch?
10. a) How many colleagues you already know?
    b) How many colleagues do you already know?

C3. Write your own questions

Write your questions for a new person in your city.

1. name (first & last)
2. job / what
3. where / live now
4. where / from originally
5. languages / speak
6. why / move / here
7. how long / stay
8. do / like / city so far
9. free time / what / do
10. need / any help / information

D: DAY 4 – SPEAKING & WRITING

Your only task for today - is to SPEAK! 🙂

D1. Speaking – role-play “First day in a new city”

If you've got a learning partner (or a tutor):

• Role A – New person. You have just arrived in a new city for work or study.
• Role B – Friendly local / colleague. You meet the new person in a shared office or at a language course.

Role B asks at least 8 questions from this lesson (or their own questions with the same structure). Role A answers and also asks questions.

If you are studying alone, record yourself on your phone: you can play both roles, one after the other.

D2. Writing – “My first days here”

Write 8-10 sentences:

• When and why you moved
• What questions people asked you
• What questions you asked
• How you felt in the first week

First, write down 5–7 questions (in English), then answer them in full sentences.

E: DAY 5 – LISTENING, REVISION & SHADOWING

📚📝 Option 1 – Offline practice (without the app)

1. Read the text aloud and record it on your phone.
2. Then play the recording and do shadowing – speak together with yourself, copying the intonation and rhythm as much as possible.
3. Close the text and try to retell it in your own words.

Repeat the key questions out loud (at least 10), for example:

• Where are you from?
• What do you do?
• How long are you staying?
• …etc.

OR

👩‍💻🔥 Option 2 – Practice in SpeakingCamps (with the app)

If you use the SpeakingCamps app, it’s even easier. Open the SpeakingCamps app → Pre-Intermediate camp with the same name as this post "First days in a new city".

1. You can listen to the text inside the Pre-Intermediate camp;
2. Do shadowing directly with the built-in audio;
3. Revise the key vocabulary and questions;
4. Test your understanding with short tasks;
5. And speak with an AI agent that is trained to ask you questions on this topic and help you correct your grammar and mistakes.

You can also sign up for a live Speaking Club, where we discuss topics of the week in small groups of up to 8 people for extra practice.

Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/speakingcamps/id6448212314

If you need help or have any questions, you can message me at @olga_dobrozhan on Telegram, or email at support@speakingcamps.com.

See you next week! 🙌

____

P.S: Correct answers for self-check: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NPLVCioYbquRaYzlz6r58h2dg5slDngw9xycLvtkTkw/edit?usp=sharing