The expression “the whole nine yards” is an idiom in English that means “everything possible” or “the full amount.” It is used when you want to show full effort or commitment or to emphasize completeness.

“Starting From Scratch” is our A1.1 course, the first sublevel of A1 according to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference). The expression refers to starting something completely from the beginning, without using any existing advantages, resources, or progress.

The course is designed for adults who are starting to learn English, focusing on practical communication and building a solid foundation to express themselves in simple, everyday situations.

Who is it for?

• Adults with little or no previous knowledge of English.
• Learners who want to communicate in basic everyday situations.
• Those who want a solid foundation for future language study.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand and use basic everyday expressions (e.g., greetings, personal information, shopping).
• Introduce themselves and others (name, age, nationality, profession).
• Ask and answer simple questions about personal details.
• Interact in a simple way when the other person speaks slowly and clearly.
• Recognize and use basic grammar structures (verb to be, simple present, articles, plurals).
• Build vocabulary related to everyday life (family, food, numbers, days, routines, etc.).

Topics & Functions:

• Personal information: Introducing yourself, exchanging contact details.
• Daily life: Talking about routines, schedules, and free time.
• Shopping and services: Asking for prices, buying basic items.
• Food & drinks: Ordering in cafés or restaurants.
• Numbers, dates, and time: Telling the time, days of the week, months.
• Describing people and places: Basic adjectives and prepositions.
• Travel basics: Asking for directions, using public transport.

Grammar:

• Verb to be (affirmative, negative, questions).
• Simple present (basic verbs).
• Subject pronouns & possessive adjectives.
• Articles (a/an/the).
• Plurals (regular & some irregular).
• Basic prepositions (in, on, at).
• There is/There are.

Vocabulary:

• Countries and nationalities.
• Numbers, days, months, seasons.
• Family members.
• Common verbs (live, work, like, have, go).
• Food and drinks.
• Places in a city.
• Clothes and colors.

Skills Development:

• Speaking: Practicing dialogues for greetings, shopping, ordering food, giving basic personal info.
• Listening: Understanding simple conversations (introductions, in shops, at restaurants).
• Reading: Short texts such as signs, menus, timetables, and short personal descriptions.
• Writing: Filling out forms, writing simple sentences about themselves.

Discounts:

• Friends and family: 10% per “new” student + 5% cumulative for each additional student, applicable for one term.
• Unemployed people: 25% discount on any fee for 1 student throughout the entire course (DARDE document)
• University students: 20% discount on any fee for 1 student throughout the entire course.
• Retirees: 20% discount on any fee for 1 student throughout the entire course.