English Basics
Vocabulary and grammar to help you understand and answer interview questions in English.
Glossary — vocabulary from all weeks
- ConstitutionWeek 1
- The set of basic laws of the United States
- AmendmentWeek 1
- A change or addition to the Constitution
- GovernmentWeek 1
- The people and groups who lead a country
- CitizenWeek 1
- A person who is a full legal member of a country
- RightWeek 1
- Something the law allows you to do or have
- FreedomWeek 1
- Being able to act, speak, or think as you want
- BranchWeek 1
- One of the three parts of the U.S. government
- CongressWeek 1
- The group that makes federal laws
- PresidentWeek 1
- The leader of the executive branch
- VoteWeek 1
- To choose someone in an election
- ColonyWeek 2
- A place ruled by another country far away
- IndependenceWeek 2
- Being free from the control of another country
- DeclarationWeek 2
- An official written statement
- RevolutionWeek 2
- A war or big change to remove a government
- Founding FathersWeek 2
- The leaders who helped start the United States
- ConventionWeek 2
- A large meeting where important decisions are made
- TaxationWeek 2
- Money people must pay to the government
- RepresentativeWeek 2
- A person chosen to speak or act for others
- SlaveryWeek 3
- When one person is owned by another and forced to work
- EmancipationWeek 3
- Setting people free
- UnionWeek 3
- The states that stayed together during the Civil War
- AmendmentWeek 3
- A change or addition to the Constitution
- Civil rightsWeek 3
- The rights of every person to equal treatment
- DiscriminationWeek 3
- Treating people unfairly because of who they are
- DepressionWeek 3
- A long time when the economy is very bad
- TerroristWeek 3
- A person who uses violence to scare people
- ApplicationWeek 4
- A written form asking for something official
- OathWeek 4
- A serious promise
- AllegianceWeek 4
- Loyalty to a country
- NaturalizeWeek 4
- To become a citizen through the legal process
- JuryWeek 4
- A group of citizens who decide a court case
- Selective ServiceWeek 4
- The program that registers young men for a possible draft
- CharacterWeek 4
- The kind of person you are — honest, responsible
- ResponsibilityWeek 4
- A duty you must do
- InterviewWeek 5
- A meeting where someone asks you questions
- OfficerWeek 5
- A person who works for the government
- SpeakWeek 5
- To say words out loud
- ReadWeek 5
- To look at words and understand them
- WriteWeek 5
- To make words on paper
- UnderstandWeek 5
- To know the meaning of something
- RepeatWeek 5
- To say something again
- ConfidenceWeek 5
- Feeling sure of yourself
- CapitalWeek 6
- The city where the government is
- FlagWeek 6
- A colored piece of cloth that stands for a country
- AnthemWeek 6
- The official song of a country
- SymbolWeek 6
- A picture or object that stands for something
- TerritoryWeek 6
- Land that belongs to a country but is not a state
- BorderWeek 6
- The line between two countries or states
- HolidayWeek 6
- A special day set aside by a country
- HonorWeek 6
- To show great respect for someone
- MockWeek 7
- A practice version of something real
- SwearWeek 7
- To make a serious promise, especially in court
- TruthWeek 7
- What really happened
- ApplicationWeek 7
- A written form asking for something official
- CorrectWeek 7
- Right; not wrong
- MistakeWeek 7
- Something done wrong by accident
- ConfidenceWeek 7
- Feeling sure of yourself
- CalmWeek 7
- Not upset or in a rush
- AmendmentWeek 8
- A change or addition to the Constitution
- SenatorWeek 8
- A member of the U.S. Senate
- RepresentativeWeek 8
- A member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- JusticeWeek 8
- A judge on the Supreme Court
- TermWeek 8
- The length of time an official serves
- ElectWeek 8
- To choose someone by voting
- Political partyWeek 8
- A group of people with similar ideas about government
- ReviewWeek 8
- To look at something again to remember it
Grammar essentials
Present tense of 'to be'
| I | am |
| You | are |
| He / She / It | is |
| We / You / They | are |
Simple present (for facts and habits)
| I live in Nevada. | |
| She works in Las Vegas. | |
| We study English on Wednesdays. | |
| They speak Spanish at home. |
Practice interview English
Question
What is your name?
Sample answer
My name is ___.
Question
Where do you live?
Sample answer
I live in ___.
Question
Where were you born?
Sample answer
I was born in ___.
Question
How long have you lived in the United States?
Sample answer
I have lived in the United States for ___ years.
Question
Are you married?
Sample answer
Yes, I am. / No, I am not.
Question
Do you have children?
Sample answer
Yes, I have ___ children. / No, I don't.
Question
What is your job?
Sample answer
I work as a ___.