A LITTLE ENGLISH, EVERY DAY
Free English lessons for real life. Build your vocabulary, understand grammar and practise everyday conversations—with examples and quick quizzes.
Free to explore. No account or download needed.
Try a search:pragmaticbreak the icepresent tense
Explore this pageMEANING
Containing enough salt to give water a slightly salty, often unpleasant taste.
IN A SENTENCEThe guide explained why the lagoon's water was brackish.
Usage note: Use brackish mainly for water. It does not simply mean dirty or muddy.
Origin: From an older word brack, meaning salty, borrowed from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German.
START WITH YOUR GOAL
Pick one useful skill. Start a lesson now, or follow a learning path at your own pace.
I’m new to English
Learn familiar words with clear meanings, pronunciation and examples.
I want to speak more
Start by ordering a coffee. Listen, repeat and make a polite request.
I want clearer sentences
Start with a, an and the. Read the examples, then check your understanding.
HAVE AN EXAM GOAL?
Explore free listening, reading, writing and speaking lessons with practice tasks.
A SMALL WIN FOR YOUR ENGLISH
Three everyday questions. Understand the answer, then use it yourself.
Question 1 of 3
KEEP THE MOMENTUM
You’ve explored a daily habit, a practical choice and a polite request. Choose one and use it today.
App progress is tracked separately. These homepage answers are cleared when you reload the page.
BUILD YOUR WORD BANK
Eager to consume large amounts of information or knowledge.
Meaning, examples & practice →A small remaining sign or part of something that has mostly disappeared.
Meaning, examples & practice →Effectively equal to something else, usually in its negative consequences.
Meaning, examples & practice →A concealed or deceptive method used to achieve an aim.
Meaning, examples & practice →Living privately and avoiding contact with other people.
Meaning, examples & practice →To give formal approval that makes an agreement or decision valid.
Meaning, examples & practice →PAUSE. RECALL. TRY IT.
Without looking back, explain brackish in your own words. Then think of a sentence about your day.
A short recall check helps you practise using what you have just read.
YOUR SELF-CHECK
Containing enough salt to give water a slightly salty, often unpleasant taste.
The guide explained why the lagoon's water was brackish.
PLAY WITH YOUR ENGLISH
Build words, solve meaning clues or put a sentence together. Choose a skill and start playing.
6 games to explore
Build a word from letter tiles using a meaning clue.
Arrange letters
Play gameMatch a word with its meaning and learn from the feedback.
Choose a meaning
Play gameIdentify the base word and explore how a prefix changes its meaning.
Build words
Play gameLooking for a guided activity? Open daily practice →
UNDERSTAND THE PATTERN
See a pattern, understand how it works, then try using it. New to grammar? Start with the beginner lesson.
Choose an article to introduce something or make it specific.
Say “a book” and “an apple”. A or an depends on the next sound. Use the when your listener can identify which thing you mean.
Use conjunctions to join words, phrases and clauses.
“Would you like tea or coffee?” Here, or connects two alternatives. Try a question offering two choices of your own.
Explore how clauses work together in a sentence.
“When it rains” is a dependent clause; “we stay in” can stand alone. Complete your own sentence: “When it rains, I …”.
PHRASAL VERBS
Learn useful combinations such as give up, find out and pick up. See what they mean and how to use them in everyday English.
Everyday meanings · Illustrated lessons · Short practice quizzes
Explore phrasal verbsTRY ONE NOW
“The puzzle was difficult, but I didn’t give up.”
Complete this sentence with an activity: “I won’t give up learning …”. Say it aloud, then make another sentence of your own.
BEYOND THE LITERAL MEANING
WHAT IT MEANS
To be so busy with something that you have little or no time for anything else.
IN A SENTENCEI have my hands full organising the training day.Learn this expression
MORE EXPRESSIONS TO EXPLORE
Extremely useful or helpful.
Meaning & examplesHave a difficult or demanding task ahead of you.
Meaning & examplesA person who appears friendly or harmless but hides a harmful character or intention.
Meaning & examplesENGLISH OUT IN THE WORLD
Choose a situation. Try an opening line aloud, then explore the dialogue and make it your own.
Practise choosing a drink and making a polite request.
Could I have a coffee to take away, please?
Change the drink to one you would like.
Practise asking about the menu and ordering a meal.
Could I see the menu, please?
Now ask for a dish you would like to order.
Practise asking about rooms and explaining what you need.
I’d like to book a room for two nights.
Change the number of nights to suit your trip.
A LITTLE HELP WHILE YOU PRACTISE
Check your writing, listen to a phrase or work on a clearer draft. Choose what you want to practise.
WRITING
See word and character counts update as you write.
Describe your morning in 30 words.
SPEAKING
Play a word or phrase with your device’s English voice.
Listen to “Could you say that again?” and repeat it aloud.
WRITING
Write a new version yourself, then compare your two drafts.
Keep the meaning. Try saying it in fewer words.
Start with a short sample. Copy any writing you want to keep before leaving a tool.
KEEP EXPLORING
Read a word story or explore a video lesson. Use the examples, then check what you’ve learned.
ARTICLE & PRACTICE
Explore practical decision-making, sentence examples and a three-question quiz.
Published
Read & practiseARTICLE & PRACTICE
Learn the verb forms, compare abate with stop, then try a three-question quiz.
Published
Read & practiseVIDEO & PRACTICE
Watch the recording, review the companion notes, then try the word in your own sentence.
Includes reading notes and practice
Open video lessonYOUR DAILY ENGLISH PRACTICE
Explore a word, an idiom and a grammar lesson in the app. Read the explanation, try the practice and use what you’ve learned.
Free in your browser. No sign-in needed.
Complete the checks in the app to save lesson progress on this device and browser.
WHAT YOU’LL PRACTISE
Understand its meaning and see it in a sentence.
Learn the expression and when to use it.
Read the rule, then check your understanding.
FROM OUR LEARNERS
English Skill Studio made my daily speaking practice fun and easy. Now I can confidently talk with clients from the US!
The Word of the Day section is my favorite! I’ve improved my vocabulary without even realizing it.
As a working professional, the 5-minute grammar tips are a game-changer. Precise, practical, and perfect.
A LITTLE GUIDANCE
Open a question for a quick answer. You can explore at your own pace.
Start with the beginner roadmap for letters, sounds and everyday words. You can choose another path whenever you’re ready.
Yes. The lessons, games, tools and learning app currently available here are free to use.
No account or download is needed to begin. Read lessons here or open the learning app in your browser.
Complete the checks in the app to save lesson completion in this browser on this device. Reading a website lesson or trying the homepage activity does not mark it complete in the app.
Open Progress in the app to review completed lessons and download a backup.
