English Refresher

EnglishRefresher
Find your level

workbook-b2-education-learning

English Refresher · CEFR B2 · Unit 9

Education & Learning

Talk about ongoing study with the present perfect continuous. Practice, check your answers, and study the flashcards.

Level B2 No login Free Works on your phone
0%
1
Speaking

Your Learning Journey

What to do: Work in pairs. Talk about what you've been learning. There is no score — just speak and listen.
Audio 1Listen to an example
Listen to someone talk about what they've been learning, then talk about you.

Talk about it

  • What have you been learning lately? How long have you been doing it?
  • How have you been studying for your exams — and is it working?
  • Is there something you've been meaning to learn but keep procrastinating?
Featured Reading

How to Learn Anything

Read the full interactive article on the science of learning and do the comprehension quiz.

Read it →
2
Reading

Why Rereading Fails

What to do: Read this short extract from the unit article. Then answer the questions and tap Check Answers. (Read the full article using the link above!)

Most of what we learn, we quickly forget. Scientists call this the forgetting curve. Most students study by rereading their notes, but recognizing information is not the same as being able to recall it.

The most powerful technique is active recall: you close the book and test yourself. The second secret is spaced repetition — reviewing material with growing gaps of time, just before you would forget it.

1. What do scientists call how quickly we forget?
2. What is the most powerful study technique called?
3. What is "spaced repetition"?
3
Listening

Study Methods

What to do: Listen two times. Then complete the sentences and answer the questions.
Audio 2Tom and Ria talk about studying

Tom: You look tired. Have you been studying all night?

Ria: Yeah, I've been revising for the biology exam for hours. But nothing's sticking.

Tom: How long have you been using that method?

Ria: I've been rereading my notes again and again. It's not working.

Tom: That's the problem. I've been trying active recall — I test myself instead of rereading.

Ria: Does it help?

Tom: Definitely. I've been using a flashcard app with spaced repetition for a month, and I remember much more.

Ria: I've been meaning to try that. Maybe I'll start tonight.

Tom: Do! You've been working so hard — you deserve a method that works.

1. Ria has been ______ for the biology exam for hours. (-ing verb)
2. Tom has been trying ______ recall instead of rereading.
3. Tom has been using a flashcard app with ______ repetition.
4. What has Ria been doing again and again?
5. How long has Tom been using the flashcard app?
4
Grammar

Present Perfect Continuous

What to do: Complete each sentence with the present perfect continuous (have/has been + -ing) of the verb in brackets.
1. I ______ English for five years. (study)
2. She ______ on her essay all morning. (work)
3. How long have you ______ the guitar? (learn)
4. They ______ enough lately. (not / revise)
5. We ______ a new app to memorize words. (use)
5
Word Order

Build the Sentence

What to do: Tap the words in the correct order. Tap a word in your answer to put it back. Then tap Check Answers.

1.

2.

6
Writing

A Learning Reflection

What to do: Write a short reflection (about 80–100 words) about something you've been learning. Use the present perfect continuous. There is no automatic score — use the checklist.
Example: "I've been learning English for about six years now, and lately I've been trying a new method. Instead of just rereading my notes, I've been testing myself with flashcards — it's called active recall. I've also been using an app with spaced repetition, so I review words just before I forget them. At first I kept procrastinating, but it's finally starting to make sense. I've learned more in two months than in the whole of last year. Lifelong learning really is a habit you build."
0 words

Did you include…

7
Vocabulary

Flashcards

What to do: Tap a card to reveal the meaning and an example. These are the key words for this unit and the reading.
lifelong learningnountap to reveal
continuing to learn throughout your whole life"Lifelong learning keeps the mind sharp."
a curriculumnountap to reveal
the subjects taught in a course or school"The curriculum includes science and art."
to reviseverbtap to reveal
to study material again before a test"I've been revising for the exam."
an assignmentnountap to reveal
a piece of work given to a student"The assignment is due on Monday."
to memorizeverbtap to reveal
to learn something so you can repeat it exactly"She memorized the whole poem."
to procrastinateverbtap to reveal
to delay doing something you should do"I procrastinate when work is boring."
to grasp a conceptphrasetap to reveal
to understand an idea"It took me a while to grasp the concept."
self-taughtadjectivetap to reveal
having learned something without a teacher"He's a self-taught guitarist."
active recallnountap to reveal
testing yourself from memory instead of rereading"Active recall is the best study method."
spaced repetitionnountap to reveal
reviewing material with growing gaps of time"Apps use spaced repetition to fight forgetting."

Tap to see your final score, then show your teacher on your phone.

0%
Score

Your Result

Show this screen to your teacher.