"Study materials to help you"

The more you study the more proficient you will become.

Learning English - Support Material 

This section contains several booklets for the student of English. 
Many of these are courtesy of the BBC and some have come from other sources.

The following study guides and worksheets are in PDF format.
To view them, download the free adobe acrobat reader available from: Adobe Reader

Better Speaking - 'Improve your spoken English' (pdf 512 kb)

This booklet is designed to help you overcome some of the most common problems that people face when they are learning to speak English. Using extracts from a BBC World Service radio series, Better Speaking, we look at how you can become a more fluent speaker of English, and at some of the skills you need for effective communication.

Back to top

Effective Reading - 'Reading literature in English'  (pdf 563 kb)

Reading and listening to literature in English can support your English studies in many ways. The ideas and opinions you discover can give you insight into different countries and cultures. This booklet is designed to show you how you can use short stories, plays and abridged novels broadcast on BBC World Service to increase your understanding of English literature and to improve your own use of English.

Back to top

Learning Circles  (pdf 274 kb)

Around the world there are 800 Learning Circles (or English Clubs) where family, friends and colleagues meet to learn English together. This booklet gives advice on how to set up a learning circle and, for people who are already members of one, gives suggestions for new activities to try.

Back to top

Learning Guide - 'Build vocabulary, make phrases and correct your own errors'  (pdf 611 kb)

This booklet is full of tips to help you improve your English and exercises to help you practise what you've learnt. The 8 sections are: How to build your vocabulary, How to make useful phrases, How to use past tenses correctly, How to use future forms correctly, How to choose the correct preposition, How to use phrasal verbs, How to compare and contrast things and how to correct your own errors.

Back to top

Media Language  (pdf 542 kb)

'News headlines, sports commentaries, arts reviews…'

This booklet is designed to introduce you to some of the styles of English you will hear when listening to BBC World Service. The aim of this booklet is to help you become a more effective listener in English. We have identified eight types of programmes or parts of programmes and have created tasks to help you recognise and understand them more easily.

Back to top

Professional Skills  (pdf  115 kb)

In this booklet, we look at some of the ways in which people use English at work and with colleagues. We show you how you can improve your professional skills in English, both in writing and in speaking. The booklet is designed both for people using English for work and students who are preparing to enter the workplace.

Back to top

 Self-Study - 'Make the most of your study time'  (psf 514 kb)

Using extracts from BBC World Service radio programmes the booklet will help you access English around you, set your own goals and see your own progress, make decisions about learning vocabulary, make the most of your dictionary, improve your pronunciation, make the most of the books you have, use the internet to improve your English and create networks of English learners in your own village, town or country.

Back to top
 

Study and Work – (pdf 519 kb)

‘Write better essays, give effective presentations - and get that job!'

The booklet looks first at some of the language skills which are necessary if you need to use English for academic study at college or university. The second part focuses on some of the language and skills you might need if you want a job which involves using English. The final topic deals with developing effective presentation skills - useful for both students and for people whose work involves using English.

Back to top

Upgrade Your English - 'Ideas which can give your confidence a boost'  (pdf 183 kb)

 Learning English takes time and patience, but there are some shortcuts which can help you make an almost instant improvement. This booklet gives ideas on how to widen your vocabulary, get out of a learning rut, give yourself time to think in conversations, change the tone of what you say, keep the conversation going and more.

Back to top

Vocabulary Notebook (pdf 82 kb)

We all know how difficult it is to remember new words when learning English. So let BBC World Service help you with our Learning English Vocabulary Notebook. In the notebook, we show you eight ways of recording the new words and phrases you hear when you are listening to the BBC World Service. After each technique we give you space to record your own choice of new vocabulary. In this way, you can decide which techniques work best for you.

Back to top