Levels & career tracks
Curso básico · A1–A2
Nivel A1.1 — IdentidadNivel A1.2 — Rutinas y entornoNivel A2.1 — Contando el mundoNivel A2.2 — Comparando y proyectandoIntermedio · B1–B2
Level B1.1 — Connecting experiencesLevel B1.2 — Narrating and describingLevel B2.1 — ArguingLevel B2.2 — NuanceProfesional / Avanzado · C1–C2
Level C1.1 — PrecisionLevel C1.2 — Register and discourseLevel C2.1 — StyleLevel C2.2 — Native mastery Current levelInglés técnico y especialización
Career Track BusinessCareer Track Economics and FinanceCareer Track Business AdministrationCareer Track Information Systems EngineeringCareer Track Educational SciencesCareer Track Medicine and Health SciencesCareer Track Tourism and HospitalityCareer Track Occupational Health and SafetyCareer Track Legal EnglishThis is the last lesson of the general English course. Pragmatics is the art of meaning more than what you literally say — through politeness, implication, and skillful shifts between formal and informal register within a single conversation. This is what truly native-like communication looks like.
Why this matters This lesson connects directly to your progress: it covers politeness strategies and indirect requests; implicature: meaning more than you say; shifting register mid-conversation. Mastering this content lets you move forward confidently, and reinforces patterns you'll use again later. Take time to review every example before moving to the assessment — repetition is what actually locks knowledge in long-term.
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The goals of this lesson.
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You've now covered the entire course, A1 through C2. This final lesson brings everything together: reading register shifts and pragmatics — the last piece of genuine fluency.
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The more indirect a request sounds, the more polite it usually is perceived to be — native speakers layer hedges, modals, and tentative phrasing to soften what they're asking for.
Examples
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Fluent speakers constantly imply things without stating them directly — a rhetorical question, an offhand comment, or a vague hedge can carry a very clear underlying message.
Examples
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Skilled speakers deliberately shift from polite to blunt (or the reverse) for effect — signaling the shift with phrases like "to put it bluntly" or "no offense, but."
Examples
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Read the text and answer the questions. You can try as many times as you want.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to reconsider the timeline, would you?" Sarah asked carefully, testing the waters. Her client paused. "That's one way to look at it," he replied, "but honestly, to put it bluntly, we're already behind schedule."
Sarah shifted her approach. "Look, I get where you're coming from," she said, dropping the formality, "but here's the thing — rushing this could cost us more in the long run." Her client considered this. "I guess we'll just have to find a compromise," he finally said, softening his tone.
1. How does Sarah first ask about the timeline?
2. What does the client say about the project's status?
3. What does Sarah do when she shifts her approach?
4. What does Sarah warn could happen if they rush?
5. How does the client respond in the end?
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Usa las pistas para completar cada palabra en inglés. Sin calificar — repite las veces que quieras.
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The essentials of this lesson, summarized.
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Key terms to remember.
used to soften a request, making it less direct
Adding "possibly" to "Could you..." is a pragmatic softening device that increases politeness without changing the literal request.
Formal / politeCollocations: could you possibly, if possibly, possibly consider
Synonyms: perhaps, maybe, by any chance
to assume or guess something, used here as a polite hedge
"I don't suppose you could..." is an indirect, highly polite way of making a request while minimizing imposition on the listener.
Formal / very politeCollocations: I don't suppose, suppose so, I suppose
Synonyms: assume, guess, imagine
to be bothered or troubled by something
"Would you mind" is one of the most common indirect request forms in English, softening a request by framing it as a question about the listener's willingness.
Formal / politeCollocations: would you mind, do you mind, if you don't mind
Synonyms: object to, be bothered by
considering or thinking about something with curiosity
"I was wondering if..." is a classic indirect way to make a request sound tentative and non-imposing.
Formal / politeCollocations: I was wondering if, just wondering, wondering whether
Synonyms: curious about, considering
very good; excellent
In "It would be great if...", the adjective softens a request by framing compliance as simply a pleasant outcome rather than an obligation.
Neutral / politeCollocations: it would be great if, that's great, great to hear
Synonyms: wonderful, excellent, fantastic
to believe or consider something possible
"Do you think you could..." is an indirect question form that softens a request by framing it around the listener's own judgment.
Formal / politeCollocations: do you think you could, I think so, think it over
Synonyms: believe, consider, reckon
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Tap the words in the correct order to form the sentence. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.
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Tap the correct verb form to complete each sentence. The other options are conjugations from other tenses — on purpose, so you learn to tell them apart.
To it bluntly the numbers don't add up
Is Pope Catholic
Look I where you're coming from but here's the thing
With due respect I see it differently
I was if you might have a moment to chat
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Listen to the full dialogue with the speaker buttons first, then fill in the missing words from this lesson's real conversation. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.
You texted your what's up'?
I I know — I should've matched her tone and it formal.
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You need at least 80% to unlock the next lesson. You can retake it as many times as you want — your best score is saved.
1. Choose the equivalent of: "Someone forgot to lock the door again."
2. Choose the equivalent of: "Is the Pope Catholic?"
3. Which option matches: "Long story short, we need more time."?
4. Select the correct match for: "To put it bluntly, the numbers don't add up."
5. Select the correct match for: "Look, I get where you're coming from, but here's the thing."
6. Choose the equivalent of: "I'm not sure that's entirely accurate."
7. Which option matches: "I hate to ask, but could you cover my shift tomorrow?"?
8. Which option matches: "Would you mind terribly if I asked you to reschedule?"?
9. Select the correct match for: "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."
10. Which option matches: "At the risk of sounding harsh, I think we need to reconsider this entirely."?
Review — Lesson 60 What matches: "Crucial"?
Review — Lesson 60 What matches: "Consequently"?
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Congratulations — you've completed the entire general English course, A1 through C2! Next: the specialized career tracks, starting with Business English.
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Practice this lesson's vocabulary with a word search and flashcards. Ungraded — play as many times as you like.
Tap the first and last letter of a hidden word to find it. Los términos de varias palabras van sin espacios en el tablero (ej. "give up" aparece como GIVEUP).
Elige la respuesta correcta. Si aciertas, la tarjeta queda lista por hoy; si fallas, vuelve a aparecer pronto para reforzarla. Tu progreso se guarda en este dispositivo.