CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 5: — English

Dialogue

Where Are You From?

Emma Minsu, where are you from?
Minsu I'm from Korea. Where are you from?
Emma I'm from America.

Dialogue

She Isn't from Korea

Jack Minsu, where is Emma from?
Minsu She's from America. She isn't from Korea.
Jack And you're from Korea. You aren't from Japan.
Minsu Yes! I'm from Korea, too.

Vocabulary

汉字	Pinyin	POS	Meaning
where	/wer/	adv.	where
from	/frʌm/	prep.	from
country	/ˈkʌntri/	n.	country
Korea	/kəˈriːə/	n.	Korea
English	/ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/	n.	English
America	/əˈmerɪkə/	n.	America
Japan	/dʒəˈpæn/	n.	Japan
China	/ˈtʃaɪnə/	n.	China
not	/nɒt/	adv.	not
too	/tuː/	adv.	too

Grammar

be: negatives + where-questions be: negatives + where-questions

To make be negative, add not: I am not, he is not, they are not. In speech these contract to isn't and aren't (I'm not has no other short form). To ask a question with where, put where first, then the be verb, then the subject: "Where are you from?" The verb moves IN FRONT of the subject — that is how English signals a question. Answer with "I'm from + country".

Where are you from? — I'm from Korea. /wer ɑːr juː frʌm aɪm frʌm kəˈriːə/ Where are you from? — I'm from Korea.
I'm not from China. I'm from Japan. /aɪm nɒt frʌm ˈtʃaɪnə aɪm frʌm dʒəˈpæn/ I'm not from China. I'm from Japan.
She isn't a teacher. They aren't here. /ʃiː ˈɪznt ə ˈtiːtʃər ðeɪ ɑːrnt hɪr/ She isn't a teacher. They aren't here.

Culture

First-name basis & small talk First-name basis & small talk

In most English-speaking cultures, people move to first names fast — and "How are you?" is usually a greeting, not a real question. Two habits that surprise many learners.

First names early

Colleagues, classmates, even some bosses go by first name quickly. Calling someone "Mr." or "Ms." plus their surname can feel stiff once you have been introduced. If your first instinct is a title plus a family name, relax it here — first names are the friendly default.

"How are you?" isn't a question

"Hi, how are you?" usually expects "Good, thanks — you?" — not a report on your health or your day. It is a social opener, like a second hello. A long honest answer can catch people off guard. Keep it short and bounce the question back.

Small talk is the glue

Weather, the weekend, "Did you have a good weekend?" — light, low-stakes topics fill the space before real conversation, and that space matters. Silence can feel awkward to many English speakers, so a little small talk reads as friendly, not empty.

When unsure, mirror the other person: if they use your first name, use theirs; answer "How are you?" with a short positive and the question back ("Good, thanks — you?"). A smile and eye contact do the rest.

pronunciation