YouTube remains a reliable source of information to this day. In fact, learning how to improve your English at your own pace is now so much easier.
While learning English from books has its value, it can often be cumbersome, and it’s hard to sit down for a solid hour or two, especially when you have to be on the go.
Thankfully, YouTube is changing the way we learn, turning text resources into educational and informative content that you can consume in bite-sized chunks. Whether you are watching on your laptop or your smartphone, learning English on the platform is fast becoming the norm.
From grammar and vocabulary tips to stringing ideas together in a cohesive way, here are 5 YouTube pages you can check out to take your English language skills to the next level!
5 YouTube accounts to improve your English language skills
Note: With the exception of the official IELTS by IDP account, IDP has no affiliation or connection to any of the products or services the featured accounts may offer.
1. IELTS by IDP
Apart from being one of the most trusted overseas education specialists in the market, IDP co-owns IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, and is naturally packed with resources for helping students improve their skill in the language.
The IELTS by IDP YouTube channel features tools and information presented by in-house education experts in the form of webinars, writing tasks, and speaking test samples, among many other materials.
With plenty of practice aids provided by the official IELTS provider themselves, you can get a rough gauge of what to expect before going into the examination room.
Not only are there videos to equip you for the test, you’ll also find materials that tackle key IELTS terminology, such as the different bands, test types, formats, sections, and so on.
2. English Addict with Mr Duncan
English Addict with Mr Duncan is a unique channel that focuses more on the practical use of the English language and how it is applied to everyday events.
One key aspect Mr Duncan zooms in on is how English expressions are used, and how people hold conversations in real, practical situations. This includes when you go on holiday, celebrate Halloween or even drink tea.
If you are a beginner, the channel also helps you beef up your vocabulary, and teaches you how to apply certain phrases and expressions in everyday interactions. He dives deep into word definitions, examples of how to use them and even the history of how a phrase came to be.
The channel helps you learn English in a non-structured and highly approachable way. What’s more, because Mr Duncan is from the UK, you’ll quickly learn British expressions and get used to the accent - a real benefit when it comes to taking the listening test for IELTS!
3. English with Jennifer
With a collection of 100 videos in over 15 years, English with Jennifer has become a go-to resource for American English on YouTube.
This channel is great for beginner English learners who want to build a strong foundation when it comes to writing in English and improving grammar. Some of the most common topics that she goes through include conversational skills, adjective clauses, phrasal verbs, and many more.
Fellow teachers are also welcome to use her videos to supplement their classes and students’ learning.
What’s striking about her channel is how she brings along different guests and experts to share their insights. Not only will you see how an English conversation happens, but you will also pick up actionable tips on how to advance your English language proficiency.
4. EnglishClass 101
EnglishClass101 is the most popular English language teaching channel on YouTube, and there’s good reason why. The channel doesn’t just help you improve your overall grammar and vocabulary, its content teaches you to better interact with other English speakers, especially in social situations.
EnglishClass101 has a variety of video and audio lessons to keep viewers engaged as well as other free learning resources like e-books and printouts.
What’s more, there are live streams that let you pose questions directly to the host, Alisha. You might get a direct reply or possiby steer the conversation towards a topic you want to learn about.
5. Real English
Real English has been around since 2008 and sets itself apart from other channels by using an entirely different approach to teaching conversational English.
The content surrounds real-life engagements with people on the street, showing how regular folks converse in day-to-day life.
These street interview videos show viewers how people speak and interact more organically, than if they were to be in a more formal setting.
Some of these videos are also accompanied by exercises and lessons afterwards that you can use to test your fluency and pronunciation.
If you’re looking for a different way to learn the English language by seeing it used in real-life settings, Real English is worth checking out.
Seek guidance from experts in the field with IDP
YouTube is a fantastic and fascinating learning tool you can add to your English language education arsenal. However, you might still have lingering questions and doubts.
Solve that by getting in touch with IDP, the co-owners of IELTS.
We have a treasure trove of free preparation materials that include practice tests, expert videos and insightful webinars to help you ace your IELTS test to enter university or work in the country of your dreams.
Ready to kickstart your IELTS journey with us? Click here to book your test.