English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics
Move past simple greetings and learn the expressive words that native speakers actually use to describe their feelings, work, and daily life. Master the nuances that turn basic sentences into natural conversations.
Like Duolingo, but for English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
A short one: 26 levels across 3 sections, about 52 minutes end to end, roughly 10 days at five minutes a day. It moves through Express Yourself with Precision, Navigate Modern Life and Work, and Master the Flow of Conversation. It assumes you already know the basics.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics
- Nostalgia is a mix of happiness for the past and sadness that it is over
- General words like 'mad' don't explain if you are angry at a person or a task
- Frustrated describes the specific feeling of being unable to achieve a goal
- Anxiety is a specific type of 'bad' feeling focused on future worries
- Frustrated describes the specific feeling of being unable to achieve a goal; Nostalgia is a mix of happiness for the past and sadness that it is over; General words like 'mad' don't explain if you are angry at a person or a task; Anxiety is a specific type of 'bad' feeling focused on future worries
- Vague words like 'bad' require the listener to guess the problem
- Precise words like 'exhausted' point to a specific physical or mental state
- Anxiety is a specific type of 'bad' feeling focused on the future
- Vague vs Precise mood words
- Nostalgia and Anxiety
- Using 'unfortunately' signals that you wish the situation were different
- Phrases like 'I'm afraid' don't mean you are scared, but that you are being polite
- Direct refusals without softeners can sound like you are angry or uncaring
- Starting with a positive 'I'd love to' makes the 'but' feel less hurtful
- Starting with gratitude or a positive comment protects the relationship
- Matching complex moods to their specific situational triggers
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
You're struggling to fix a broken toy and it just won't stay together. Which word best describes this specific struggle?
Get it right to open this lesson and 25 more in the app.
How to learn English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics, step by step
Go in order. 26 short levels across 3 sections, about 52 minutes in all, five minutes a day.
- 1
Express Yourself with Precision
- Describing Moods: More Than Just Happy or Sad
- The Art of the Gentle No: Softening Your Speech
- Words for Weather That Isn't Just Sunny
- Expressing Certainty: From Maybe to Definitely
- 2
Navigate Modern Life and Work
- Office Talk: Projects, Deadlines, and Updates
- Digital Life: Words for the Internet Age
- Shopping and Services: Handling Problems and Requests
- Describing People: Personality and Character Traits
- Health and Wellness: Explaining How You Feel
- Travel and Directions: Navigating New Places
- 3
Master the Flow of Conversation
- Connecting Ideas: Words That Bridge Your Thoughts
- Emphasis: Adding Strength to Your Statements
- Idioms: Common Phrases That Don't Mean What They Say
3 sections · 13 units · 26 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Questions about English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics
How do I learn English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics?
Go in order: start with Express Yourself with Precision, then Navigate Modern Life and Work, then Master the Flow of Conversation. On Tomo that's 26 short levels, about 52 minutes in all, played five minutes a day. Start free and play the first level in under a minute.
Is there a Duolingo-style app for English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics?
Yes. Tomo works like Duolingo: short daily lessons, streaks and quick quizzes. English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics is one of its free courses, and you can type any other topic to get a course of your own.
Is the English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics course free?
Yes. English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics is playable on Tomo's free plan, which doesn't expire. No credit card, no waitlist. Download the app and start your first lesson.
How long does it take to learn English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics?
26 levels across 3 sections, about 52 minutes of play in total. It's built for five minutes a day, so you finish it a little at a time instead of all at once.
Do I need any background to start English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics?
No. It's pitched at an intermediate level, so it starts where you are and builds up. If you can tap a phone, you can start.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics is taught in the Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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Start English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics today.
Download Tomo, search English in the Wild: Beyond the Basics, and play your first lesson in under a minute.