5 useful websites for English learners

Thanks to the internet, the amount of information available today is practically infinite. Like everything else, this has both advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to language learning, the internet offers tremendous opportunities. Of course, this is only true if we know how to use the information wisely and don’t get lost in the information overload, which, let’s admit, is not an easy task. There are numerous websites for learning English which can help you progress. They offer various self-study materials, including quizzes, listening exercises, grammar presentations, and more. In this article, I have gathered five that I find very useful and personally use the most.

In this article, I’ve rounded up five must-visit websites tailored to English learners.

5 useful websites for English learners

1.News in Levels:

At https://www.newsinlevels.com/, you can read about world events and news at three different levels. You can listen to the news or stories before or simultaneously with reading, making comprehension much easier and allowing you to practice multiple skills at once. The good news is that the stories are generally short, making it a superb complement to language learning, especially when you don’t have much time.

Learning tip: After reading and listening to the news, extract the words and expressions that you think best summarize the content. Then, using these expressions and your own words, summarize the news. This way, you not only practice your speaking skills but also deepen your knowledge of new words. It’s also beneficial to state your opinions and thoughts about the news. You can use various expressions, e.g., “I really enjoyed reading about… because…,” “If you ask me, …,” “I find it rather surprising that…,” “From my point of view, …,” “This topic is really interesting to me because…,” “It’s hard to believe that…”

2. British Council Learn English:

The British Council is an internationally recognized organization specializing in cultural and educational opportunities present in more than 100 countries. The organization was founded by the UK government in 1934. You can find a wide range of learning materials and other study aids on the website (https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/). Free materials and interactive exercises are available for all four skills (listening, reading, writing, speaking). Grammar explanations are also plentiful, and you can check your knowledge with short grammar tests.

3. BBC Learning English:

BBC Learning English offers myriad free and varied content on its English language education website (https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/). In addition to reading the latest BBC news, you can explore stories enriched with vocabulary, access downloadable worksheets, enhance pronunciation through videos, and indulge in short series covering diverse topics. These resources are complemented by vocabulary lists and accompanying worksheets.

4. YouGlish:

I stumbled upon https://youglish.com/ a few years ago, and I was instantly impressed by the ingenious idea of the website. Are you curious or unsure about the correct pronunciation of a particular word and would like to hear it in context? All you have to do is enter the word in the search bar, press the “Say it!” button, and within seconds you’ll get a YouTube video starting precisely where the word is pronounced. Moreover, you can choose whether you want to hear an American, British, or Australian accent. If you don’t like the video, you can move on and get another video where the same word is pronounced in a different context.

5. Breaking news English (https://breakingnewsenglish.com/): 

Another brilliant site which offers an abundance of content, limited only by the amount of time and motivation you have. The content is regularly updated based on current news and events, available at various proficiency levels. The website offers a wide range of material for practicing all language skills, with several grammar and vocabulary exercises.