I’m thrilled to announce the details of our next challenge.

It’s called “The Roald Dahl Challenge”, and I guarantee* that it will be the funniest English lesson you’ve ever taken.

We are going to learn English through the hilarious (=very funny) Dirty Beasts by Roald Dahl.

This collection of nine poems about different animals is, in my opinion, one of the best things Roald Dahl ever wrote.

I can remember reading it as a child and loving it, and my son cannot stop laughing when I read it to him.

Here’s how it’ll work:

• The challenge will start on Monday 12th August and last until Friday August 30th (18 days in total).
• Every two days, you will receive a new “lesson”
• In the lesson, we’ll read a different short poem together
• We will also look at 10-12 different language points from each poem
• These vocabulary expressions will range from B2 to C2 level, including unusual phrasal verbs, pronunciation tips, and colloquial expressions.
• Your task (the fun bit!) is to write a short piece of text using 5 of the 10 expressions
• You’ll receive immediate feedback from our in-house AI-English tutor, Da Vinci
• This will continue every two days, for a total of 18 days (because there are 9 poems)
• By the end of the challenge, you’ll have worked with 9 different hilarious poems, had a huge amount of fun (laughed a lot!), and learned 100 new words and expressions!

It has been a lot of fun to make, and I’m sure it will be even more fun to do.

👉Here’s the link to sign up

Please note, membership of Leonardo English is required to take part.

Who will enjoy this challenge?

• You want to learn new vocabulary
• You want to be accountable to others
• You want to learn as part of a community
• You want to laugh at some hilarious English poems
• You want to have a reason to spend time using English every day
• You want to connect with others from different countries and cultures

What are the dates of the challenge?

• Registration for the challenge is open now and closes at midnight on Sunday, August 11th
• The challenge starts on Monday 12th August and continues until Friday August 30th

Who can take part in this challenge?

• Participation is included for free for all Pro members of Leonardo English (or anyone who became a member before 1st March 2023)

I’m not on the “Pro” membership. Where can I get it?

• If you are not a member of Leonardo English, you can become a Pro member here

Note: if you became a member before March 2023, you are automatically entitled to take part for free.

Isn't poetry really difficult to underestand for non-native speakeres?

Adult poetry can be hard to understand, yes. But this is a poetry collection for children and young adults. If you have a B1-B2 level of English you will be able to understand most of it, and I will be there helping and supporting you if you have any questions.

Why should I do this?

Getting into good habits is hard, and doing something over a continuous period with a group of people is one of the best ways to get into the habit of something.

Sharing a journey with other people is incredibly motivational, and by doing this challenge with a group you will have a far better chance of success.

It will also be a lot of fun, you will learn a lot, and your confidence, writing skills and use of language will improve.

How long do I need to spend doing this?

We would recommend a minimum of 30 minutes every two days.

It has been designed specifically so that you can take part in this challenge while continuing your normal busy life.

Of course, the more you engage with the funny poems, as well as other people’s work, the longer it will take but the more value you will get from it.

What’s Da Vinci?

Da Vinci is our AI-powered English tutor. It will read every piece of writing submitted and provide you with detailed feedback and corrections. All within an average of 2 minutes :)

I'm shy and would rather not share in public

I understand - people don't generally like sharing their work, especially with strangers. But it can be incredibly motivational, and everyone will be going through the same process.

The sharing is the magic. It's also not completely 'in public' - only other members of the challenge will see it.

And if you really don’t want to write anything, you can follow the video lessons without writing.

OK, I’m ready. How do I register?

You can register for the challenge here. Please note, Pro membership is required to be approved.

I have another question

Please email challenges@leonardoenglish.com

*well, I’m 99% sure it will be the funniest English lesson. If it isn’t, I want to know what the funniest one was!