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Every option on the form ​

The Story Studio form has three parts: Reading (language and level), Story (topic and format), and What to practice (key words). Your own topics (Custom) and Key words need Learner Plus or Educator Studio; everything else is on every plan.

Choose the language you’re learning ​

All plans. Target language, under Reading, is the language the story is written in. Pick any of the 40 languages. This also changes the language you’re learning in Stichos, and clears your key words.

Example

Sarah picks Greek under Target language. Her next story is in Greek, at the same level.

Choose the language for translations and meanings ​

It isn’t on the form: translations and meanings follow your Interface language in the account menu. See Profile and appearance.

Choose a level ​

All plans, every level. Under Level, choose A0, A1, A2, B1, or B2. The line under the buttons says what the level means, for example “Beginner · Simple sentences about everyday needs and routines.”

The small i next to Level (What do the levels mean?) opens the Level guide, with every level and its grammar. Stichos remembers your level for next time. See Levels A0 to B2.

I’m not sure of my level.

Start at A0 and move up when the stories feel easy. If you chose Not sure, start easy during setup, you started at A0.

Pick a topic ​

Under Topic, choose one of three tabs:

  • Random: Stichos picks a topic for you. All plans.
  • Browse: choose Browse topics… to open a list of 100 topics in 10 groups, such as Daily Life and Food & Dining. Type in Search topics… to find one. All plans.
  • Custom: type your own idea in the box. Learner Plus and Educator Studio (on Free, choosing Custom shows a locked button, “Write stories on any topic you choose with Learner Plus or Educator Studio.”, that offers an upgrade).

Stichos checks your own topic first (Checking topic…). If it isn’t allowed, a Content notice opens: choose Edit topic and change it. A refused topic doesn’t use up a story. Stichos also checks your key words. If one isn’t allowed, a message says so under the form (it names your key words, or your topic and key words together when you wrote a topic): change the word and choose Generate again.

Example

Tom, on Free, picks “A Visit to the Local Pharmacy” under Browse. Sarah, on Learner Plus, types “Planning a trip to Split” under Custom.

Choose story or dialogue ​

All plans. Under Format:

  • Story: a short story, told line by line.
  • Dialogue: a conversation. Each line starts with the name of the person speaking.

Add key words ​

Learner Plus and Educator Studio (on Free, the box shows an upgrade offer). Key words, under What to practice, are words the story must use, each with the meaning you want.

  1. Type a word in the box (“Type a word, or search your Word Bank”), then press Enter.
  2. Stichos looks the word up (a new lookup counts toward your daily dictionary searches). Choose Use in story next to the meaning you want. Save to Word Bank keeps it there too.
  3. To add saved words, choose From your Word Bank, tick the words, and choose Add 3 words (the button counts the words you ticked).
  4. If Stichos finds no meaning, choose Add “…” anyway. The word goes in without a chosen meaning.

The count shows how many fit at your level, for example “3 / 8 for A1” (5 at A0, up to 20 at B2). If you lower the level below your word count, Generate waits, with a note such as “A0 stories take up to 5 words. Remove 3 to generate.” May be above A1 marks a word learners usually meet later. To take a word out, choose its ×, or Clear all.

Each level allows a set number of key words; the count shows how many you’ve used.

Example

Sarah’s course book has a food chapter. She adds “kava” (coffee), “kruh” (bread), and “voda” (water), picks “Ordering Coffee and Pastries” under Browse, and chooses Generate.

Did the story use all my key words?

The small line above the title says, for example, “Checked for A1 · 3 of 3 key words”. If some didn’t fit, choose the line to see which.

Where are grammar, characters, and address? ​

They’re only on the Educator Studio form: see The form, option by option.

Related: Make a story · Levels A0 to B2 · Plans and limits · Word Bank

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