English speaking lesson · Learning & Leisure
At the library
You're at the local library to join and borrow your first book. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A local library · you talk to the librarian
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Ask to join, give your details, find a book, and borrow it. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Hello — can I help you with anything?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the librarian.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Ask to join
Say you'd like to join the library.
“Hello! I'd like to join the library.”
- 02
Give your details
Give your name and proof of address.
“My name is Sam, and here's my address.”
- 03
Ask for a book
Say what book or subject you're looking for.
“I'd like a history book, please.”
- 04
Check the loan
Check everything's right, and ask about the loan period.
“Yes, that's everything. How long can I keep it?”
- 05
Borrow the book
Ask a final question if you have one, and finish politely.
“For three weeks? Thanks very much!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the librarian.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- library
- a place where you borrow books
- “I'd like to join the library.”
- card
- a pass that lets you borrow
- “Could I get a library card?”
- name
- what you are called
- “My name is Sam.”
- address
- where you live
- “Here's my address.”
- book
- something you read
- “I'd like a book.”
- history
- the study of the past
- “A history book, please.”
- weeks
- more than one week
- “For three weeks?”
- keep
- to have something for a time
- “How long can I keep it?”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “A book, please.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks very much.”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- membership
- the right to use a service
- “I'd like a membership.”
- proof
- evidence that something is true
- “Here's proof of address.”
- borrow
- to take something and return it later
- “Could I borrow this?”
- fiction
- books that tell invented stories
- “Where's the fiction section?”
- section
- an area for one kind of thing
- “Where's the history section?”
- recommend
- to suggest something good
- “What would you recommend?”
- loan
- the period you can keep something
- “How long is the loan?”
- renew
- to extend a loan period
- “Can I renew it online?”
- everything
- all of it — 'is that everything?'
- “That's everything, thanks.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for something
- “I appreciate the help.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- catalogue
- the searchable list of everything held
- “Is the catalogue online?”
- reserve
- to book something that's out on loan
- “Could I reserve a title?”
- title
- a specific book
- “Do you have that title?”
- reference
- books you use in the library only
- “Is that reference only?”
- archive
- a collection of older records
- “Is there an archive here?”
- overdue
- kept past the return date
- “What if it's overdue?”
- renewals
- extensions to a loan period
- “How many renewals are allowed?”
- interlibrary
- borrowed from another library
- “Do you do interlibrary loans?”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “That's sorted, thanks.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- browse
- to look through things casually
- “I'll have a browse first.”
- stacks
- the shelves where books are stored
- “Are the stacks open to us?”
- gem
- a lesser-known but excellent find
- “Any hidden gem worth reading?”
- engrossing
- completely absorbing
- “Something engrossing, ideally.”
- devour
- to read something quickly and eagerly
- “I tend to devour books.”
- fines
- charges for returning something late
- “Are there fines these days?”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged, thank you.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Great, that's sorted.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, appreciated.”
- renew
- to extend a loan period
- “I'll renew it if I'm slow.”
More Learning & Leisure lessons
- Buying event tickets
- A museum visit
- Joining a class
- Joining a hobby group
- Joining a sports club
- A language exchange
- A group project