Here are some links to help you improve your English!
Four Main Skills:
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
Other important areas:
- Culture
- Grammar
- Idioms
- Vocabulary
Listening
Annotated list of Listening sites
General Sites
www.EnglishListening.com
At this web site are audio recordings for new listeners (called beginning), intermediate listeners (called regular) and advanced listeners. For Level 1, 2, & 3.
www.esl-lab.com
There are listening exercises and quizzes that are divided by levels - easy, medium, difficult, and very difficult. For Level 1, 2, & 3.
www.ompersonal.com
At OM AUDIO you will find 40 conversations for Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Levels. All the dialogues, except for the Advanced Level listening. Must register to use this site. For Level 1, 2, & 3.
www.rong-chang.com
List websites for many ESL learning skills. Medium skilled sites.
www.stonesoup.com
Young readers read stories they wrote in which you can just listen or listen and read along. No exercises. For Level 1.
www.eslbears.homestead.com
This site was designed to meet the particular needs of my first-year recent immigrant students. Exercises on vocabulary/listening/games/pre-reading/reading/grammar/writing. For Level 1.
www.real-english.com
This is the first in a series of our Advanced level videos. User Name: iep_auk; Password: auk123.
www.bits.westhost.com
Real broadcasts of movies with scripts to read along and quizzes. Level 2, &3
www.literacynet.org
Read and hear CNN stories. Exercises in vocabulary/word selection/multiple choice/ sequencing/conclusions
www.cdponline.org
Adult learning activities/listen to news articles – check vocabulary/matching/multiple choice
www.focusenglish.com
Adult learning activities/listen to news articles – check vocabulary/matching/multiple choice
www.focusenglish.com
Listen to native speakers talk about various topics; learn useful idioms; practice responding, in English, to real-life conversations. Must register to enter web site.
www.efl.net
Here you can listen to all kinds of audio items and read the text at the same time.
www.lclark.edu
Organization is by skill area and language level
www-eng.tp.edu.sg
TCS 1 Listen to technical text and answer multiple choice question. Timed. Level 2 & 3
www.englishpractice.com
General English practice grammar, vocabulary, writing, etc.
Speaking
www.eleaston.com
Exercises for every sound with audio available
www.arts.gla.ac.uk
A guide to the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet', published by Cambridge University Press (1999).
www.englishclub.com
What sentence stress is, why it is important
www.soundsofenglish.org
Detailed instruction on how to pronounce each sound.
www.fonetiks.org
Pronunciation of seven varieties of English and eight other languages.
international.ouc.bc.ca
English Pronunciation/Listening
www.faculty.washington.edu
Vowel charts and database
www.manythings.org
Minimal pair practice and quizzes by Charles Kelly.
www.elfs.com
Several activities related to speaking. Mlp
Presentations
www.eslcafe.com
This site lists references full of useful tips for successful public speaking.
Reading
Annotated List of Web Sites (R/D)
Level 1
www.eslus.com
Mini-stories with cloze exercises, Speed reading exercises Extensive reading, Science reading, Read and listen:
www.eslbears.homestead.com
Easy stories with quizzes and other online activities.
yahooligans.yahoo.com
A short passage each day describing an historical event in American history.
www.eskimo.com
Holidays in America.
Level 2 and 3
www.e-bookster.com
Use a grammar parsing Library to display text phrases with grammar enforced rules.
www.literacynet.org
CBS modules include the full text of a story and interactive activities to test comprehension.
www.fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us
Reading with quizzes.
www.aphids.com
The largest and oldest Quotations Page on the Web with about 30 categories such as Great Leaders, Sarcasm, and Wisdom.
web2.uvcs.uvic.ca
These are the reading exercises available for different levels. 200 & 330–Level 1; 410, 490, & 570–Level 2 & 3
www-eng.tp.edu.sg
1. Understand the different patterns of textual organization and demonstrate this understanding in the form of notes made.
2. Preview reading materials and assess their relevance for specific purposes or skim a text for main ideas and scan it for specific information.
3. Identify main ideas and important details.
www-eng.tp.edu.sg
TCS 1 Read technical text and answer multiple choice question. Timed. Level 2 & 3.
www.clta.on.ca
American Stories with a self-marked test of the exercise.
www.englishclub.net
Short Stories
www.eslmonkeys.com
Short Stories, long stories, newspaper articles.
Writing
Annotated List of Web Sites (Writing)
Level 1
www.eslbears.homestead.com
Are designed to test reading and writing ability at different levels.
Level 1, 2 & 3
owl.english.purdue.edu
This site lists over 130 handouts on General Writing Concerns, Writing Research Papers & Citing Sources, Writing in the Job Search, Professional Writing, English as a Second Language, Parts of Speech, Sentence Construction, Punctuation, & Spelling.
www.ccc.commnet.edu
This site gives you help on your grammar and paragraph writing. The site also contains computer-graded grammar quizzes.
www.georgetown.edu
Cut and paste in an article, you will get a list of words used in the article, with their frequencies.
www.ohiou.edu
Writing activities, writing process, mechanics, organization and style.
www.lclark.edu
Link to other websites for writing.
www.brainpop.com
Very few examples, good explanation and video of similes and metaphors
Online Writing Lab, Purdue University
www.powa.org
A lot of information about how to write informal essays, thesis/support essays, argumentative essays, and exploratory essays.
www.umuc.edu
University of Maryland University College (UMUC) provides this site, like an online writing textbook.
www.essayinfo.com
Basics of essay writing, writing tips, essay types, citation styles, and so on.
www.writing-world.com
Writing articles and resources. Tips about how to become a better writer and get published.
www.english.uiuc.edu
The Writers' Workshop, part of the Center for Writing Studies, provides free writing assistance for University of Illinois students, faculty and staff from all disciplines and levels.
www.sun.com
Research on how users read on the Web and how authors should write.
www.webstyleguide.com
Yale online design manual dealing with Web design principles and various Web design issues.
amarris.homestead.com
The process pattern of organization in an essay.
www.ruthvilmi.net
Detailed discussion of academic writing, business writing, and technical writing. An excellent online writing handbook.
www.io.com
An online textbook for technical writing. It's also a good online reference book.
webster.commnet.edu
Based on styles recommended by the American Psychological Association in question-and- answer format.
Other Important Areas
Culture
www.languagegames.org
Word Search, crosswords, and hangman.
www.manythings.org
A site maintained by Charles I Kelly & Lawrence E Kelly, including some games such as hangman and anagram.
www.guessmaster.com
Guess the animal, the object, or the movie by asking yes or no questions.
americanpresident.warnerbros.com
An interesting site where you explore different rooms of a private office.
games.englishclub.com
Matching games, crossword, hangman, and typing.
members.aol.com
Family word scramble and clothing word scramble.
www.kn.pacbell.com
A full-length WebQuest: An inquiry-oriented, Web-based activity.
www.syndicate.com
Educational simulation, win prizes.
Jokes for the ESL Classroom
iteslj.org
This site has dozens of jokes suggested for use to teach the English language. www.lclark.edu
Grammar
Useful Grammar Sites
English Grammar Links for ESL Students
www.ccc.commnet.edu
This site gives you help on your grammar and paragraph writing. The site also contains computer-graded grammar quizzes. For Level 1, 2, & 3
www.eslbears.homestead.com
This web site has tutorials, quizzes and activities. Level 1
www.eslpartyland.com
Grammar exercises. For Levels 1 & 2
www.eslcafe.com
This is the ultimate ESL resource. Dave's web site includes grammar quizzes, hints of the day, and many links to other ESL web sites. Exercises. Level 1
english-zone.com
This web site from English-zone.com, with exercises for different grammar functions. Paragraph writing. Exercises. Level 1, 2, & 3
smccd.net
Lots of Interactive Grammar Practice. Exercises.
cctc2.commnet.edu
This web site has an index which includes 427 references to both the Guide to Grammar and Writing and Principles of Composition. Online quizzes.
esl.lbcc.cc.ca.us
ESL grammar lessons and quizzes from Long Beach City College.
web2.uvcs.uvic.ca
Grammar practices from beginner to advanced. For Level 1, 2, & 3
www.collegeem.qc.ca
Grammar exercises. For Level 1, 2, & 3
www.iei.uiuc.edu
This site has the complete course description and syllabus of an advanced ESL grammar class given at the University of Illinois. It offers a full range of grammar explanations, exercises, and activities. For Level 1, 2, & 3.
www.clta.on.ca
Has culture, grammar, fun, listening, reading sites. Levels 1-4. Of special interest is a "ESL Slanguage" website where you learn regional slang for cities throughout the English-speaking world as well as other languages. There is no Austin site so I tried to add "The Drag" as a slang term for Austin. Exercises. For Level 1, 2, & 3
webster.commnet.edu
This site is quite impressive. For students (albeit, at least high intermediate or advanced), there are also explanations and quizzes. The quizzes are quite good and entertaining at the same time. For Level 2 & 3.
aliscot.com
Some good exercises with self-test
www-eng.tp.edu.sg
Grammar in a nutshell. Great activities to help build simple sentences. Level 1 & 2
Interactive English Language Exercises
www.chompchomp.com
Grammar exercises. Level 1 & 2
ESL Help Center
www.eslcafe.com
This feature of Dave's ESL Cafe site allows students to send a question to a teacher and get an answer. (mlp)
Grammar On-Line
online.ohlone.cc.ca.us
This web site looks really good. It has explanations and exercises on the passive, adjective clause and verb participles. Has Final test for each.
www.iei.uiuc.edu
This looks interesting if complicated. It's a way for students to search examples of a structure in real documents on the Web. Guide to Grammar and Writing.
Internet Aided Language Learning (INTALL)
www-eng.tp.edu.sg
The Writing Lab.
The Internet TESL Journal
www.aitech.ac.jp
This is the monthly Internet TESL Journal web site. Not only does it have research articles and teaching tips/techniques, but it also leads you to many other web sites for suggested activities in the classroom. It has web sites for many different types of quizzes, e.g. grammar, idioms, slang, vocabulary, trivia, culture, sports.
Below are links to additional sites within the TESL Journal.
Grammar Quizzes
a4esl.org
This site has lots of grammar quizzes for students; most of them are in the easy or medium range. Grammar points covered from articles, plurals, prepositions to sentence structure, word choice and word order. Answers available by clicking a button. (mlp/lll)
Games and Activities for the ESL Classroom
iteslj.org
Games that help generate interaction, conversation and debate. Most of these suggested activities would make better speaking/listening activities than activities for improving grammar.
Interactive Javascript Quizzes
iteslj.org
All kinds of quizzes where the students get immediate feedback and corrections on quiz items and also a percentage grade as they work the quiz.
Quizzes
ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp
This site has multiple-choice quizzes on grammar. There are no levels, but the items seem to be in the intermediate range.
Other Sites
Antagonyms
www-personal.umich.edu
(It has a list of words and a few phrases that have 2 different meanings that contradict each other. For example: cool (something in the negative sense or something in the positive sense) and hysterical (being out of control or being very funny). The author calls these antagonyms - a name he made up.
Name That Star
www.elfs.com
You must choose the correct grammar for questions/ answers about actors and their movie roles. After you choose the correct answer, you listen to the actor speak.
englishplus.com
Web site has an easy-to-use format to help you find what you're looking for, and provide rules and tips about writing clear English. No exercises.
English Structure for Academic Purposes
andromeda.rutgers.edu
This site explains grammar rules, comments on styles, and suggest usage. No exercises.
humanities.ucsd.edu
This web site has explanation of various aspects of English grammar. No exercises.
www.english.uiuc.edu
This is a web site that has an excellent online grammar handbook which explains and illustrates the basic grammatical rules concerning parts of speech, phrases, clauses, sentences and sentence elements, and common problems of usage. No exercises.
www.aitech.ac.jp
This site is a handbook on line with grammar rules on a variety of topics. The level seems to be intermediate. It's not very interesting and it doesn't have any activities. (mlp)
www.gl.umbc.edu
This web site has links to exercises and quizzes for all levels of ESL. Link to websites only.
www.lclark.edu
This web site has links to exercises and quizzes for all levels of ESL. Link to websites only.
Idioms
Annotated List Idioms Websites
Common American Slang
www.aitech.ac.jp
A subsite of the Internet TESL Journal site, this site has a list of 280 slang expressions in sentences. You can click beneath the idiom to see its meaning. No activities or sound. Mlp
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs & Slang Quizzes
a4esl.org
A subsite of the Internet TESL Journal web site, this site has quizzes on idioms, slang, and phrasal verbs.
Selected Links for ESL Students
iteslj.org
This web site has explanation of various aspects of English grammar.
www.geocities.com
English Idioms and Idioms Quizzes. This site has idioms that are organized alphabetically, broken down into 3-letter groups (A,B,C) for example. Then there is a quiz for each 3-letter section, plus answers.
The Weekly Idiom Index
www.lclark.edu
This site has a list of idioms. For each idiom, a definition is given as well as a brief conversation containing the idiom.
Other Sites With Idioms/Slang Activities
Interesting things for ESL Students
www.manythings.org
This is a subsite of the Internet TESL Journal web site. It has a variety of activities. Some of the activities can be found on other sub sites of the Internet TESL Journal.
Dave Sperling's ESL Idiom Page
www.eslcafe.com
This is the idioms page on Dave's ESL Cafe. It includes a list of all the idioms included, an alphabetized list of idioms with definitions and sample sentences, and a "Choose a random idiom" feature to call up a random idiom.
Dave Sperling's Phrasal Verb Page
www.eslcafe.com
This is the phrasal verb page on Dave's ESL Cafe. It includes a list of all the phrasal verbs included, an alphabetized list of phrasal verbs with definitions and sample sentences, and a "Choose a random phrasal verb" feature to call up a random phrasal verb with its definition and sample sentence. Ho, hum(mlp)
home.t-online.de
An online dictionary of idioms, sayings and slang.
www.englishdaily626.com
A good selection with good examples.
www.johnsesl.com
You can learn a new idiom each day.
a4esl.org
A few interesting idioms containing animals' names.
eslus.com
Multiple choice questions, match the meaning of an idiom.
www.smic.be
Match the meanings of about thirty idioms.
Vocabulary
www.languageguide.org
Learn the pronunciation and spelling of thousands of words using an image based interface.
www.vocabulary.com
Learn English vocabulary in context (grades 5-12) with free word puzzles.
a4esl.org
Hundreds of vocabulary quizzes, from easy to difficult.
www.vokabel.com
Test your vocabulary on different subjects.
www.freevocabulary.com
A list of words in alphabetical order with concise definitions.
webster.commnet.edu
A good article to guide your study of vocabulary.
www.englishpage.com
A complete list of irregular verbs in alphabetical order.
www.superkids.com
Word of the day, hangman, hidden word puzzles, and word scrambler.
www.manythings.org
Anagram quizzes by Charles I. Kelly & Lawrence E. Kelly.
vocabulary.englishclub.com
A list of words and phrases to show American usage and British usage.
www.ohiou.edu
Vocabulary activities for all levels.
eleaston.com
Multilingual dictionaries, vocabulary quizzes by E. L. Easton Online.
www.vocabulary.co.il
Learning vocabulary can be fun.
www.er.uqam.ca
Take a test to find out your vocabulary size.
www.vuw.ac.nz
The most frequent words in the Academic Corpus.
www.vorsoft.com
Learn English words by studying the roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
www.lclark.edu