English User Guides
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To start with...
... this website has been around for a while. Although not created from any modern template, its plain and simple color scheme with good contrast should make reading easier for most age groups.
Most importantly, each page is formatted for your computer screen or iPad rather than the smartphone you carry with you everywhere. This is so we can present key English learning points in table form, with clear examples always in view alongside. Busy students preparing to sit exams will not want to waste too much time scrolling up and down — especially on a very small screen.
Useful
grammatical or linguistic terms are hyperlinked to their definitions elsewhere on the site, and in the British and
American vocabulary glossaries expressions with differering meaning on either side of the Atlantic are cross-linked for
quick comparison.
Meanwhile, the approach to grammar is a traditional one. Just as with safe driving, language acquisition and effective communication are helped along by some basic rules of the road.
Whether you are a native speaker of English or a non-native learner, I do hope you find something of interest or benefit. Genuine feedback is always welcome here, and thank you for today's visit!
DAVID
Main Menu
Punctuation
Master the subtleties of English punctuation so you can express yourself with greater accuracy.
Spelling Rules
Your compact guide to correct spelling, both British and American
English Grammar at a Glance
A glossary of key grammar and linguistic terms
Article Usage
A short article on articles in English, and when to use A, AN, THE, or nothing at all
Tense Usage
Do tenses make you tense? Let us relieve those tensions — past, present and future!
Irregular Verbs A–Z
Traditional listing of irregular verbs in alphabetical order. Easily find the verb that you want.
Irregular Verb Patterns
Irregular verbs presented in groups with common inflection patterns for faster memorization
Pronunciation
Playful, easy-to-remember MP3-audio practice drills for standard British English
Words Often Confused
Learn to distinguish between words which look or sound alike.
Transatlantic Vocabulary Variants
British–American and American–British glossaries
Territory-Related Words
Summary of nations, nationalities, nationality adjectives, and the languages spoken in each territory
Sound Symbolism
Initial sounds that seem to convey a certain message
Grammar for Japan
A bilingual glossary of grammar and linguistic terms, with examples
East–West Timelines
Tracking Chinese and Korean dynasties, Japanese eras, English monarchies and, later on, British prime ministers and U.S. presidents side by side, this 2023-year-long timechart shows at a glance who prevailed in each jurisdiction in any given year and how long they had been there. Helpful for history students. Contextualizes classic English literature.
Trusted Resources for Teachers, Students, Readers & Writers
Affixes — The Building Blocks of English
Michael Quinion's dictionary of prefixes and suffixes
originallly published by Oxford University Press in 2002.
BBC
World Service Radio
Hone your listening
skills and stay well informed by tuning in to "the world's radio
station".
BBC Learning English
English language teaching on BBC external services since
1943
BBC
Skillswise: English help for adults
Literary skills for
adult learners
British Council: Learn English
The British Council promotes UK culture and education in
over 100 countries.
British
Council/BBC: Teaching English
A wide selection of lesson
plans and other resources for English teachers around the globe
Cambridge English Language Assessment
Your guide to the full range of Cambridge English exams and
teaching qualifications
Common Errors in English Usage
From the website of Professor Paul Brians of Washington
State University
Dave's ESL Café
Up and running since the 1990s, Dave's ESL Café is a great
place to look for English teaching jobs in East Asia and quite a few
other places.
Dictionary of Middle English [from
ca.1100 to ca.1500]
The University of Michigan provides
this invaluable tool for anyone interested in medieval English
literature.
EF Resources for Learning English
EF (Education First) was founded in Sweden in 1965 and is
now active in over 100 countries and territories.
ELT Journal
This Oxford University Press journal for everyone involved
in English education has a 75-year history.
EnglishPage.com
Providing free online English lessons and ESL/EFL resources
since the late 1990s
European Commission: How to Write Clearly [PDF file]
"KISS: Keep It Short and Simple!"
FreeThesaurus.com
Over 145,000 synonyms, antonyms, and related words sourced
from Collins Thesaurus of the English Language — Complete and
Unabridged, The American Heritage Roget's Thesaurus, and WordNet.
Guide to Grammar & Writing
Dedicated to the late Dr. Charles Darling, who developed
this site to support his students back in 1996.
IATEFL
(International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign
Language)
UK-based organization supporting
English-language teaching professionals worldwide
IELTS
(International English Language Testing System)
English
language proficiency tests approved by the UK, Australian and New
Zealand governments for visa and immigration purposes
LanguageGuide.org
A speaking picture-dictionary of English. Hover your mouse
cursor over any image to hear it pronounced.
Merriam-Webster Online
The best known freely accessible dictionary and thesaurus of
American English on the Web. Comes with games and quizzes to test
and build your vocabulary.
OneStopEnglish.com
UK Macmillan publishing group's online ELT portal. A wealth
of resources for English teachers (subscription needed for full
access). Free online version of Macmillan's English dictionary and
thesaurus.
Paradigm Online Writing Assistant
A superb guide to creative writing by author and poet Chuck
Guilford, who also holds a Ph.D. in English.
Project Gutenberg
Choose from over 60,000 free eBooks, especially older works
now out of copyright in the United States. Download in epub and
Kindle format or read online.
Purdue Online Writing Lab
(OWL)
The tools you need to train and improve your
English writing skills for all kinds of purposes. This is a website
of the highest caliber.
SIL: Glossary of Linguistic Terms
Everything from ADJECTIVE to ONOMATOPOEIA — more than 900
linguistic and grammatical terms clearly defined
TeachersFirst.com
This portal created by teachers for teachers offers
"thousands of lessons, units, and reviewed web resources for the
K–12 classroom in an ad-free environment."
TESOL
International Association
Based in Alexandria, Virginia,
USA. Said to be the largest professional organization for teachers
of English as a second or foreign language.
TOEFL (Test
of English as a Foreign Language)
Testing the
proficiency of non-native English speakers applying to university in
over 150 countries.
TOEIC (Test
of English for International Communication)
Standardized
test of general English proficiency for non-native speakers in
international workplaces.
UsingEnglish.com
Since 2002, a provider of good quality ESL/EFL resources to
learners and teachers around the globe.
Wikipedia: English Language
Wikipedia's comprehensive overview of the English language
Wikipedia: History of English
Wikipedia summarizes the history of English from the 5th
century to the present day.
YourDictionary.com
This popular free online dictionary and thesaurus has been
with us now for 20 years. Ad-supported.
Crossword Puzzles
BestCrosswords.com
Free crossword puzzles
Boatloadpuzzles.com: Today's Puzzle |
Archive of 40,000 Free Crossword Puzzles
Boasts the largest collection of free online crossword
puzzles on the Net. Currently no registration is needed.
The Guardian Quick Crossword
The Guardian's daily Quick Crossword still available free of
charge on the Web, whereas it seems app users are asked to
subscribe.
Internet TESL Journal Crossword Puzzles for ESL Students:
Easy |
Not So Easy
Beginner to elementary level. Vintage site
but it still works!
MirrorEyes.com:
Over 8,000 Free Printable Crosswords
This site has been
posting printable crosswords since the year 2000.
New York Times Daily Mini Crossword
A worldwide perennial favorite, even among non-subscribers
to the NYT newspaper.
USA Today: Easy Crossword |
Stan's Daily Crossword |
Sunday Crossword
A further selection of regular free crosswords
Washington Post
Daily Crossword
Same puzzle as found on the LA
Times website, but here the ads seem less intrusive.
Crossword Help
Unscramblerer.com: Crossword Solver
Hopefully your final resort: get help finding those last
missing letters, plus10 useful tips for successful crossword
solving.
Tests, Quizzes, Puzzles & Games
British Council LearnEnglish:
Vocabulary Exercises
A few basic vocabulary exercises
for beginner and elementary level learners.
Dave Sperling's ESL Quiz Center
Dave Sperling's ESL Café has been with us for over two
decades.
EF SET Express:
A Free Standardized Online English Test
Establish your
English level in just 15 minutes.
EnglishClub.com > ESL Games: Hangman | Matching
Games | Spelling
Games | English
Typing
Test
Josef Essberger's ESLClub.com has been providing
consistent service since 1997.
Merriam-Webster:
Word Games and Quizzes
Test and build your vocabulary
with Merriam-Webster, provider of America's best-known free online
dictionary.
Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab: Listening Quizzes & Exercises
Hone those listening comprehension skills.
USA Today: Word Games
Miscellaneous word games from USA Today, perhaps America's
only truly national daily newspaper.
UsingEnglish.com: English Language (ESL) Grammar
and Vocabulary Quizzes
Fun challenges from this
reputable provider of free online English learning materials since
2002.
