Anya's Postcards · Six Countries, One Adventure

1

Pack your suitcase · 16 travel words

Drag-match · RU ↔ EN

Click one English word on the left, then its Russian meaning on the right. Correct pair locks gold. Wrong pair shakes red — try again.

English

Перевод

1+

Your turn · 6 quick questions

🗣 Speaking · use today's new words

No pressure — answer out loud in 1–2 sentences. Try to use the bold word in your answer. Press ▶ if you'd like to hear it first.

1.Do you find travelling exciting? Where would you love to go right now?

2.Who is the most charming person you know? What do they do that makes them charming?

3.Have you ever been inside a temple? If yes — where? If no — would you like to?

4.Imagine you live on a small island for one month. Name three things you would take with you.

5.What is the most magnificent place you have seen with your own eyes?

6.Are you loyal to one team, one band, or one book series? Tell me which one and why.

2

Anya's map · six countries, six clues

🗺 Run-the-clue · click each to unlock

Anya has sent six postcards from six countries. Click each pin to read her clue, hear her voice, and unlock a word from your dictionary. Visit all six to complete the journey.

Anya's hand-drawn world map with six destinations connected by a dotted travel route.

✨ Six countries unlocked. Anya is proud of you. ✨

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Anya's voice memo · Day 1 in Istanbul

📖 Listening + Gap-fill

Press ▶ to hear Anya's diary entry. Then drag the right word into each gap. Listen again as many times as you like.

Anya's open travel journal — Day 1 in Istanbul, with handwritten notes about the Bosphorus and Hagia Sophia, a Turkish tea cup, and a phone recording a voice memo.

🎙 Voice memo · 0:50 Istanbul · Day 1

≈ 50 seconds · British female

metropolis honest vast squares billboards magnificent temple centuries charming bustling entertainment

Hey diary!

I have just arrived in Istanbul, and I cannot believe I am finally here. I have been dreaming about this for years.

The taxi driver was so — he showed me exactly where to go.

I have been walking around Sultanahmet for two hours now, and my feet hurt, but I don't care. The are full of people, and there are everywhere with Turkish ads.

I have already visited the Hagia Sophia — it's a that has been standing for fifteen . Can you imagine? Fifteen!

Tonight I'm going to a small café for some Turkish tea. People say the Grand Bazaar is just around the corner. I'll save it for tomorrow — too much for one day.

Yours, Anya 🌙

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Tense Detective · Case 5

🕵 Sort 12 clues into 4 columns

Twelve sentences from Anya's journey. Each belongs in one tense column. Click an evidence pill, then click the right column. Press Check when ready.

Tense Detective Case 5 · The Perfect Evidence. A vintage leather notebook on a desk with a magnifying glass, ink bottle, compass and an Istanbul postcard. Four tense badges around: Past, Present, Tense Detective stamp, Perfect Continuous.

★ Today's spotlight: Perfect vs Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect "I have visited Bali three times."
→ the result, the count, the experience

Present Perfect Continuous "I have been travelling for six weeks."
→ the duration, the still-happening action

Present Simple

routine · fact

Present Continuous

happening now

Present Perfect ★

experience · result

Present Perfect Continuous ★

duration · for / since

4+

For or Since? · 10 quick taps

⏳ Drill · how long?

FOR + a length of time (three weeks, five years, ages). SINCE + a point in time (Monday, 2019, I was 8). Tap one — green is right.

1. Anya has been travelling ___ 2019.

→ "2019" = a moment in time → SINCE

2. She has been walking around the bazaar ___ three hours.

→ "three hours" = a length → FOR

3. They have been protecting this island ___ the 16th century.

→ "the 16th century" = a starting point → SINCE

4. The vendor has been keeping that map ___ forty years.

→ "forty years" = a length → FOR

5. I haven't seen Anya ___ my last birthday.

→ "my last birthday" = a moment → SINCE

6. The tea has been ready ___ ten minutes.

→ "ten minutes" = a length → FOR

7. Anya has been writing in her diary ___ this morning.

→ "this morning" = a starting moment → SINCE

8. I have wanted to visit Kyoto ___ ages.

→ "ages" = a length (a long time) → FOR

9. We have been friends ___ I was eight.

→ "I was eight" = a moment → SINCE

10. The musician has been playing the oud ___ twenty minutes.

→ "twenty minutes" = a length → FOR

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The Marrakech bazaar · what do you say?

🎲 Choose your path

There's no wrong choice here. Every answer is human — but each one reveals a different value, and a different way to use your new words.

A Marrakech bazaar scene. An old vendor with a white beard opens a small wooden box showing an antique hand-drawn map. Brass lanterns hang above. Pyramids of spice. Anya, seen from behind, watches.

The scene: You're in the bustling Marrakech bazaar. The smell of saffron and mint tea. A vendor in his sixties opens a small wooden box and shows you a beautifully drawn old map. "It belonged to my grandfather," he says quietly. "I have been keeping it for forty years. Two hundred dirhams." You pause. Three things you could say to him:

A

"Where did your grandfather travel? Tell me about him."

Loyalty · верность You honour the story behind the object. The vendor lights up — he has been waiting all morning for someone to ask. He tells you about his grandfather's caravan. You leave with the map AND a story. Loyalty means caring about where things — and people — come from.

B

"Is this really one hundred years old, or are you charming me a little?"

Honest · честный You ask the truth, gently. He laughs — a long, easy laugh. "Eighty-two years," he says. "Maybe seventy-five." He likes that you didn't pretend. You haggle, fairly. Both of you smile. Honesty doesn't kill the deal — it makes it real.

C

"It must have so many stories in it…"

Spirit · дух You don't even ask about price. You hold the map and imagine the lives that have been touching it. The vendor watches you carefully and finally says: "Take it. One hundred. Because you can already see it." That's the spirit of an object — and of a place. You felt it.

👀 Notice the tenses

"I have been keeping it for forty years"→ Present Perfect Continuous · duration

"It has been standing for fifteen centuries"→ Present Perfect Continuous · since the past, still true

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Pick the right tense · 6 mini-questions

🎯 Practice · Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

Quick check. Has done = it's finished, look at the result. Has been doing = how long it's been going on (and maybe still going). Tap one button per row — green = right, red = try the other.

1. Anya ___ four cities already.

→ result/score, finished action = Present Perfect

2. She ___ in Marrakech for three days.

→ duration ("for three days") + still there = Present Perfect Continuous

3. The vendor ___ that map for forty years.

→ "for forty years" + still keeping = Present Perfect Continuous

4. Look! Anya ___ a postcard from Bali!

→ "just" + we see the result now = Present Perfect

5. They ___ this island for centuries.

→ "for centuries" — long duration that continues = Present Perfect Continuous

6. I ___ to Kyoto twice in my life.

→ life experience, you can count it = Present Perfect

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Anya's Marrakech diary · pick the right tense

📔 Mixed tenses · 10 gaps

Anya wrote this in a café between two glasses of mint tea. Help her pick the right verb form for each gap — Past Simple, Present Simple, Present Continuous, Present Perfect, or Present Perfect Continuous.

Day 6 · Marrakech. "We (1) here three days ago. The bazaar (2) the loudest place I have ever heard. I (3) three small treasures already — a brass lantern, mint tea, and a tiny camel. Right now I (4) in a café by the square. A musician (5) the oud for twenty minutes already. I (6) the lamb tagine for the first time today and it was magnificent. The vendor in the bazaar said his grandfather (7) that old map for forty years. Tomorrow we (8) for Cape Town. I (9) my bag already. I (10) a piece of my heart in this city for sure."

1. We ___ here three days ago.

→ "three days ago" = finished moment → Past Simple

2. The bazaar ___ the loudest place I have ever heard.

→ general truth about a place she's in now → Present Simple

3. I ___ three small treasures already.

→ "already" + result you can count → Present Perfect

4. Right now I ___ in a café by the square.

→ "right now" + action in progress → Present Continuous

5. A musician ___ the oud for twenty minutes already.

→ "for twenty minutes" + still playing → Present Perfect Continuous

6. I ___ the lamb tagine for the first time today and it was magnificent.

→ "it was magnificent" tells us it's finished → Past Simple

7. The vendor said his grandfather ___ that old map for forty years.

→ "said" (past reporting) + ongoing duration → Past Perfect Continuous

8. Tomorrow we ___ for Cape Town.

→ planned future arrangement → Present Continuous

9. I ___ my bag already.

→ "already" + completed action with present result → Present Perfect

10. I ___ a piece of my heart in this city for sure.

→ a personal prediction about tomorrow → Will-future

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Describe a postcard

🗣 Speaking with cheat sheet

Pick one postcard from the three below. Then describe it out loud — at least 10 sentences. Use words from today and the cheat sheet you already know.

Greetings from Istanbul · Hagia Sophia at sunset.

Postcard A · Istanbul

Greetings from Bali · stone temple gate with offerings.

Postcard B · Bali

Greetings from Buenos Aires · tango on cobblestone street at sunset.

Postcard C · Buenos Aires

🎯 Cheat sheet · use today's grammar

Open with structure: In the postcard I can see… · In the foreground there is… · In the background there are…

Push for Perfect tenses (★ today's focus):

→ "Anya has visited this place." · "She has taken a photo of the magnificent temple."

→ "She has been walking here for two hours." · "They have been protecting this island for centuries."

Spice with new vocab: magnificent · charming · bustling · temple · spirit · vast squares · metropolis · entertainment

Close with opinion: I think it is… · I would love to visit because…

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Your travel diary · 3 quick speaking tasks

🗣 Speaking finale · pick & talk

Choose any task. Talk for 1.5–2 minutes — that's about 10–12 sentences. Use today's words and Perfect tenses where you can. Press ▶ to hear the task first.

1.Pick a city. If you could fly to one of Anya's six cities tomorrow, which one and why? Give me three reasons, with one example each. Aim for ~10 sentences. Try to use "I would love to visit because…"

2.Write a postcard out loud. Pretend you have just sent a postcard home from your favourite city. What did you write on the back? Say it in 8 sentences (start with "Hi mum/dad, I have…").

3.Your own travel memory. Tell me about a place you have visited that you really loved. Use "I have been to…" and "I have seen…" — aim for 10–12 sentences.

Sentence starters · pick & use

I would love to visit ___ because… · The first reason is… · Another reason is…

Hi mum, I have just arrived in… · I have already seen… · I have been walking around…

I have been to ___ twice. · I have seen… · What I loved most was…

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Question chain · pick one, answer all five

🔗 Speaking chain · build the story

Three chains to choose from. Pick ONE chain — then answer Q1, then Q2, then Q3, then Q4, then Q5. Each answer is 2–3 sentences. Together you'll tell a whole little story (about 10–12 sentences).

1.Where have you been that you loved most? (use Present Perfect: I have been to…)

2.How long ago did you go and how long did you stay there? (Past Simple + "for" / "ago")

3.What were you doing while you were there? (Past Continuous: I was walking… we were eating…)

4.Have you been back since? Why or why not? (Present Perfect + since)

5.Would you go again? What would you do differently? (would-conditional)

1.Which country have you been dreaming about for a long time? (Present Perfect Continuous)

2.How long have you wanted to go there? (Present Perfect + for / since)

3.What three things would you do first when you arrive? (would-future)

4.Who would you take with you and why? (would + reason)

5.What do you already know about that country? (Present Simple, "I know that…")

1.Have you ever stayed somewhere away from home for more than a week? (Present Perfect, ever)

2.How long were you there and who were you with? (Past Simple)

3.What did the place look like? Try to describe it in five details. (Past Simple, descriptive)

4.What's the strangest food or thing you tried while you were there? (Past Simple)

5.Would you stay there again? Why? (would + reason)

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📚 Homework · 4 tasks for the week

✍️ Write · type · check yourself

Do these between now and our next lesson. Type your answer in the box — when you tab out or click somewhere else, the box turns green if it's right, red if it needs another try. Don't worry about capital letters or punctuation — I'm easy on those.

1. Ask "How long…?" · 6 mini-questions

For each sentence on the left, write the matching "How long…?" question. Use the right tense.

Anya is on holiday.

Scott and Judy are in Brazil.

Diana is learning Italian.

My brother lives in Canada.

It is raining.

Anya is keeping a travel diary.

2. Fill the gap with the right phrase · pick from the bank

Bank: for an hour · for twenty minutes · since 2019 · since the 11th century · for ages · all my life. Each phrase is used exactly once. Tap into the box and type the time phrase only (e.g. for ages).

Anya has been sitting on the beach in Cape Town ___ .

The musician has been playing the oud ___ .

Mia and Pablo have been married ___ .

This Balinese temple has been standing ___ .

Anya has known her best friend ___ .

I have loved travelling ___ .

3. Write about YOU · 3 honest sentences

Take three things from your own life. Each one — one sentence in Present Perfect Continuous with for or since. No checker on this one — your job, your life. Example: "I have been studying English since I was seven."

4. Send Anya a postcard from YOUR city · 10–12 sentences

Imagine you're writing back to Anya — but from your own city or any place you choose. Must contain: 2× Present Perfect ("I have arrived…", "I have seen…"), 2× Present Perfect Continuous ("It has been raining…", "I have been walking…"), and at least 3 new words from today (charming · magnificent · temple · spirit · loyalty · etc.).

target: 10–12 sentences · words: 0

Or bring this tab open on your screen to our next lesson — we'll go through together.

End of the journal · Day 6

Anya has been writing postcards all week. Six countries. Sixteen words. Two tenses. One idea — that a journey isn't where you go, but what you carry back. Now it's your turn to start your postcards.

Anya · NG English · 2026

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Next adventure · Anya's series

Anya's Temples Quest · Six Sacred Stones

Шесть храмов, шесть религий, четыре настоящих времени + will / going to. Продолжаем путешествие.

Anya's Postcards · the journey that teaches tenses