Everyday Etiquette: American Manners & Social Skills
The unwritten rules of daily life in the U.S. — explained with warmth, so you can walk into any room with confidence.
Taught by Junior Ceranor Nelson
Tutor & Curriculum Curator
24 lessons · progress saved automatically
Level
All Levels
Duration
≈ 4–5 hours
Six short modules — read at your own pace, practice in real life each week.
Language
English
Certificate
Included free
Finish every lesson to earn it
What you'll learn
- Greet anyone confidently — handshakes, eye contact, personal space
- Make small talk and know which topics to avoid
- Navigate American dining, restaurants, and tipping
- Act professionally at work, in interviews, and in email
- Handle phones, texting, and video calls politely
- Be the neighbor everyone is glad to have
About this course
The rules nobody writes down
Every culture has beautiful manners of its own — and every culture has unwritten rules that newcomers are somehow expected to know. This course explains America's unwritten rules clearly and kindly: greetings and personal space, small talk, table manners and tipping, workplace habits, phone and internet courtesy, and life among neighbors.
You will always learn the why behind each custom, never just the what — because etiquette is not about changing who you are. It is about being understood.
Curated by your tutor
Every lesson in this course was personally selected and reviewed by Junior Ceranor Nelson, DOREDU's founder, as tutor and curriculum curator.
What you need
- Intermediate English reading
- Nothing else — come as you are
Who this course is for
Newcomers, immigrants, and anyone who wants to feel at ease in American social settings.
Course content
6 modules · 24 lessons — preview lessons are open to everyone.
1First Impressions: Greetings & Introductions4 lessons · 30 min
- Handshakes, Eye Contact, and Personal SpaceReading · 8 min Preview
- Introducing Yourself and OthersReading · 8 min
- Names, Titles, Smiles, and Small CourtesiesReading · 8 min
- Check Your Understanding: Greetings & IntroductionsQuiz · 6 min
2The Art of Conversation4 lessons · 33 min
- Small Talk: Why Americans Talk About the WeatherReading · 9 min
- Listening Well and the Magic WordsReading · 9 min
- Compliments, Saying No, and Apologizing WellReading · 9 min
- Check Your Understanding: The Art of ConversationQuiz · 6 min
3Dining & Table Manners4 lessons · 35 min
- At the Table: Settings, Utensils, and Eating ComfortablyReading · 9 min
- Eating Out: Restaurants, Ordering, and TippingReading · 11 min
- Guests, Hosts, and PotlucksReading · 9 min
- Check Your Understanding: Dining, Restaurants & TippingQuiz · 6 min
4Workplace & Professional Etiquette4 lessons · 34 min
- Time and First Impressions: Punctuality and Job InterviewsReading · 9 min
- Greetings, Small Talk, and Email That WorksReading · 9 min
- Meetings, Feedback, and Respect Between ColleaguesReading · 10 min
- Check Your Understanding: Workplace EtiquetteQuiz · 6 min
5Digital & Phone Etiquette4 lessons · 31 min
- Call or Text? Choosing the Right Way to Reach SomeoneReading · 8 min
- Texting Norms, Group Texts, and Phones in PublicReading · 8 min
- Video Calls, Social Media, and Protecting Yourself from ScamsReading · 9 min
- Check Your Understanding: Digital & Phone EtiquetteQuiz · 6 min
6Community & Public Life4 lessons · 34 min
- Being a Good NeighborReading · 9 min
- Courtesy in Public: Lines, Doors, and TransitReading · 9 min
- Appointments, RSVPs, Gifts, and Thank-YousReading · 10 min
- Check Your Understanding: Community & Public LifeQuiz · 6 min
Ready to start learning?
Enroll free and every lesson unlocks — plus live classes and your certificate when you finish.
Keep exploring
More free courses from DOREDU.