Stage 1: Build Your Foundation (Week 1–2) 1.1 Learn the Sounds First (Phonetics) English has 44 sounds (phonemes), which are different from the 26 letters. Start here: Learn the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) basics — just the vowels and consonants Focus on sounds that don't exist in your native language (for Hindi/Punjabi speakers: v vs w , th , short/long vowels) Use: BBC Learning English – Pronunciation (free, online) Daily Exercise: Listen to a sound → Repeat it 10 times → Record yourself → Compare 1.2 Master Basic Greetings & Introductions Start with the most common phrases you'll use every day: Situation Phrase Meeting someone "Hi, my name is ___." / "Nice to meet you." Asking how someone is "How are you?" / "How's it going?" Saying goodbye "See you later." / "Take care." Thanking someone "Thank you so much." / "I really appreciate it." Not understanding "Could you repeat that, please?" / "I didn't catch that." Practice: Say each phrase out loud 5 times. Use them in real life the same day.…