If you want to learn English online but you aren’t sure where to start, we’re here to help. This is an in-depth look at the best online English courses, classes, lessons, and other learning resources that will help you improve your English language skills this year.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or you already have a good understanding of English; there are some amazing free online English courses to take your English to the next level, as well as many that are worth paying for.
Here is a quick look at our top 3 recommendations for English courses online, but you can find a wider variety of courses and a lot more information further down.
- Short, fun lessons
- Delivered daily via email or app notification
- Adaptive learning model creates personalized lessons based on your progress
- From $16/month
- Private and group classes online
- Over 15,000 English tutors to choose from
- Pick from different specialties
- Flexible schedule, 24/7 classes
- From $10/lesson plus 50% off
- Structured, live online classes
- Homework and follow-up materials to reinforce learning
- Downloadable lessons
- From $75.99/month or $10/class
Types of online English language courses
Let’s start by looking at the main ways to learn English online with the different types of classes and courses available.
Self-led learning
If you want to learn at your own pace and have the flexibility to access lessons anytime, anywhere, then these could be the best English online courses for you.
With self-study courses, you access an online learning platform via a website or an app. You are free to progress through the modules as fast or as slow as you choose, which means you can spend longer revising certain topics that you’re less familiar with.
You can also usually choose to focus on particular areas, such as grammar or listening, and you may have the option to pick between various topics each time you begin a new section.
- Study anytime, anywhere
- Apps for convenient access
- Flexible topic selection
- Free options
- No one-on-one feedback
- Limited conversation and speaking practice
- Requires self-discipline to practice regularly
Here are some of our top picks for self-study English language courses online, if you think this is a good option for you:
- Gymglish: Progress through short, fun, daily lessons that are personalized to your needs using adaptive AI technology.
- FluentU: Learn English as a second language through video-based lessons with interactive subtitles.
- Rosetta Stone: Bitesize lessons delivered via an engaging app with speech recognition to provide feedback on your spoken English.
- BBC Learning English: A selection of courses and other free online resources to help with your English reading, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs)
This type of online English learning course is taught via a pre-recorded lesson, usually from a native English speaker. MOOCs are available on platforms like Udemy, Alison, and Coursera, where you can either view lessons for free or purchase full access for a fee.
MOOCs lack the interaction of an app but they may feel more personal, even though you don’t speak directly with the teacher.
Live online English classes
Arguably the best way to mimic traditional classroom learning is with English learning classes online. These can be done as part of a group or with a private tutor.
Either way, you’ll have that valuable live interaction with an experienced English teacher who can listen to you speaking and help you understand your mistakes – especially with pronunciation, which is where most other online options are lacking.
Here are some ways you can access online English learning classes:
- British Council English Online: Access high-quality learning materials and join private or group classes on topics of your choice to improve your listening and speaking. 7-day free trial available.
- Preply: A network of over 15,000 English tutors with different specialties including business English and exam preparation. Get 50% off your first private lesson.
- EF English Live: Online group and private classes available 24/7 with English teachers all over the world, with over 2,000 hours of interactive lessons.
There’s no doubt that learning English is hard, but having a ‘real’ person helping you along the way can make all the difference.
English online courses for specific skills
If you want to improve a particular skill such as grammar, vocabulary, speaking, or writing, the best online English course for you will be one that focuses on that skill.
This option is best for intermediate or advanced English learners who already have a good grasp of the language but are aware of their weakness in a specific area.
Here are some good courses to help you develop specific skills in English:
- Speaking & Pronunciation: English for Beginners: Intensive Spoken English Course from Udemy has 77 hours of lesson material to help you build fluency.
- Grammar: English Grammar Pro course from Udemy covers all levels from A1 to C2, with bitesize lessons on each topic.
- Vocabulary: Advanced English Vocabulary from Udemy is aimed at intermediate learners wanting to take their English to the next level, including for IELTS or TOEFL exams.
- Listening: FluentU has lessons based on real-life videos: movie trailers, commercials, and more. Interactive subtitles help you learn as you listen.
Best online English courses for beginners
English language learners at beginner level should look for a course that covers the basics of the language with simple vocabulary and grammar.
The best online English learning courses online for beginners are those that have plenty of interactive learning opportunities and the ability to get personalized feedback as you test and practice your English. This could be either via a live tutor, or with more advanced technology that can assess your progress and provide feedback on mistakes.
Therefore, some good online English courses you can take as a beginner include:
- Lingoda: Starting from level A1, your plan follows a set curriculum and includes at least one live lesson per week.
- Diploma in Beginner English on Alison: This course teaches foundational vocabulary and grammar points including prepositions and modal verbs. What’s more, it’s absolutely free!
- Complete English Course: Master English Beginner to Advanced on Udemy: A comprehensive online English course that begins with basic grammar and vocabulary and goes on to build fluency in conversation with advanced topics.
Best advanced English online courses
Once you reach a more advanced level, you may want to consider taking private or group online classes to learn English. These will help you become a more fluent English speaker as you practice speaking to other people in a classroom environment.
Of course, if you opt for private English lessons, this will provide you with the highest level of personalized tutoring. However, it’s also a more expensive option than group classes.
Lingoda and Preply both offer live English classes alongside a self-led course.
You may also be at the stage where you want to take a more specialized course. For example, you might need to practice English communication skills for work, or take an English grammar course online to become more confident with all the complexities of the language. Udemy is a very good place to find a range of English courses on specialist subjects like these, at an affordable price.
Make sure you have a good Advanced English learner’s dictionary to help you through your course.
Online courses for business English
In many industries, English and business go hand-in-hand. Not only does the business world use different English vocabulary, but you also need to be aware of certain nuances when it comes to communicating appropriately in different contexts.
Here are our top picks for learning business English:
- Gymglish: Their courses include the option to focus more on business topics, with personalized lessons that adapt as you progress each day. Try it free for 1 month.
- Business English Course for ESL Students on Udemy: Gain an understanding of common words and phrases used in business, and learn how to communicate using different methods.
- English for Business and Entrepreneurship on Coursera: From the University of Pennsylvania, learn the skills needed to communicate effectively across a global business landscape.
Discover many more options in our detailed guide to business English courses.
Best English courses online to learn English quickly
There are many things you can do to learn English fast, but when it comes to online courses to learn English quickly, you should look for one with an intensive English program that allows you to work through the materials as fast as you like.
Good options include:
- British Council English Online: Their top-tier plan lets you access up to 15 live classes per month, alongside exclusive online resources that you can work through at your own pace.
- Udemy: There are several good intensive English courses on this online platform, and you can access dozens of hours of teaching for a relatively small fee.
Immersion learning can also help boost your English. This involves surrounding yourself with the language however you can: on your phone, your social media, the movies you watch, the music you listen to, and the people you talk to.
How to improve your English grammar online
English grammar is undeniably tricky, and while you can take a specialized course to learn English grammar online, there are plenty of other good resources that are free to access.
Here are some options to help you refine your knowledge of English grammar:
- English Grammar Pro online course from Udemy: This English grammar online course contains 12 hours of short video lessons covering a full range of beginner to advanced grammar topics.
- Grammarly: Although it’s not exactly an English resource, anyone wanting to improve their English should have the free version of Grammarly installed on their device. It highlights mistakes as you write and makes suggestions to help you use the language better.
- Daily Grammar: This free website has grammar lessons on practically every topic imaginable, each one with a short quiz to test your knowledge and understanding of the topic.
Tips to make the most of learning English online
1. Set clear goals
Having clear goals will help you learn English faster and stay motivated as you progress. Are you improving your English skills for the progression of your education or career? Is it so you can travel more or hold conversations with different people?
Before you decide on the best online English course for you, stop and think about WHY you are doing this, WHAT you want to achieve, and WHEN you want to do it by.
Examples of smart goals for learning English include:
- I want to feel comfortable navigating London by myself when I visit in six months’ time.
- I want to be able to understand and enjoy English movies without subtitles within one year.
- By November this year I will achieve a score of 7.0 or higher on the IELTS exam so I can teach English abroad.
Having a clear goal is just one way to make learning English easier and give yourself a better chance of succeeding. You might also enjoy some inspirational quotes about learning English.
2. Know your preferred learning style
With so many English courses available online, you can narrow down your options by choosing one that matches your learning style. Consider the following factors to help you find the best online English courses for you:
- Schedule: Do you learn best when you have a fixed schedule of lessons, or would you prefer a more flexible learning plan?
- Structure: Would you like a course that guides you through a structured curriculum, or would you prefer a course that allows you to pick the topics that interest you most?
- Accents: Do you have any preference regarding your teacher’s accent? Would you like to learn to speak English with a British accent, for example? Or would you prefer to be exposed to all kinds of English accents – native and non-native – to better reflect the conversations you’ll have in the real world?
- Check reviews: What things do other students comment on after taking the course? Would these things be a help or a hindrance for you?
3. Find an online English course that fits your schedule and budget
The best online courses are ones that you can attend! If you sign up for English classes online but you have an ever-changing schedule and you keep missing them, you are just wasting your money.
So, be realistic about how much time you can dedicate to studying and learning English, then pick a course that is as flexible or as structured as you need it to be.
When it comes to budget, many online English courses are available for free, while others charge either a one-off fee or a recurring subscription fee.
Free English courses are usually either full of adverts or contain limited material on a basic platform. Paid options typically go more in-depth, have higher quality materials and teaching methods, or make use of more advanced technology to enhance your English learning.
Here are a few of our recommendations according to budget:
- Free: Alison has a wide range of online English courses, all completely free to access. Coursera also offers many courses for free, often with a focus on more advanced topics. Both sites have optional certification for a fee.
- Under $100 one-off fee: Udemy has many English language courses within this price range and often has them priced as low as $20. These courses can be a great way to learn English at an affordable price, but do read the description and reviews carefully before purchasing.
- $100+ one-off fee: Rosetta Stone offers lifetime access to their language learning app for $299. This includes access to all language lessons so it could be a good investment if you are interested in learning other languages too.
- Subscription under $20/month: We recommend Gymglish for its fun approach to learning and adaptive AI technology that personalizes each lesson for you. Get a 1 month free trial to see if you like it.
- Subscription over $20/month: For this price range you can add regular live classes to your learning plan. British Council lets you access high-quality online materials alongside private or group classes – plans give you the flexibility to choose the type of class you join each time.
Keep in mind that while you are doing your online course, you can still join in-person English lessons near you if you want to approach your learning from both angles!
FAQs
What are the benefits of learning English online?
Two big benefits of learning English online are the flexibility and convenience it offers. You can choose when and where to study, which makes it easier to fit into your daily routine. Additionally, online courses can be more affordable than traditional classroom options.
Is learning English online effective?
Online English language learning can be very effective, but as with any form of study, a lot depends on your level of motivation, commitment, and self-discipline. Even though the vast array of English classes available online makes the language more accessible, you must still be willing to put in the effort from your side.
While some people appreciate the flexibility of self-led learning, others find it hard to stay focused when they don’t have a fixed schedule or a more formal classroom environment.
Fortunately, whatever your preferred style of learning, you can find an online English course or class that will suit you and keep you accountable as you progress. English language learner statistics suggest that the online learning market is going to grow at a faster rate than the offline market in the coming years, providing even more great options for learners.
Are there any free English courses online?
Yes, there are many ways to learn English online for free, including plenty of excellent courses. Do keep in mind that the quality and scope can vary when you access courses for free, and you might benefit more in the long run if you invest in a paid course that utilizes modern technology to assist your learning.
How do you learn American English online?
Fortunately, because American English has become so widely used around the world, it is very easy to find resources for learning American English online.
Courses are an excellent way to do this, but you can also find language learning apps, websites, language exchanges, and more.
How long does an online English course take?
Because there are so many options for learning English online, you’ll find everything from intensive online English courses that last a week, to extended programs that continue for several years. After all, it can take 2-3 years to become fluent in English, even with daily studies.
Therefore, you should first consider the reasons why you are looking to improve your English. What level do you want to reach, and by when? With this in mind, you can narrow down your options and find a course that will work for you.
