English skills

Free English Skills Courses in London
For fluent and first language speakers

City Lit has a wide range of English courses to support your progression at work or into higher education.  Our offer includes both a year long and short termly courses that help you develop subject specific skills.

  • Functional Skills 
  • GCSE
  • Getting ready for Functional skills 
  • Getting ready for GCSE
  • English communication for life and work
  • English skills for life
  • Developing your confidence in writing 

Build your confidence in reading, writing and communication with our courses. We also offer support for students with Dyslexia and specific learning difference (SpLD).

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  1. English communication skills - for life and work (level 1)
    Course start date:  Mon 6 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Do you want to improve your communication skills and become more confident speaking, listening, reading and writing English? This course will help you develop all your English language skills so you can act confidently in the most important everyday situations inside and outside work. You will become a skilled communicator when writing, using digital resources and in face-to-face interactions. You will develop your active listening skills so you can understand and empathise better. You will work on how to express yourself when speaking in different situations. You will practise your reading so you can see the whole picture and find details, make effective decisions about what you read, and prioritise matters. By the end of this three-term programme, you will be a competent speaker, listener, reader and writer both at work and home and ready to do exams such as Functional Skills Level 2.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

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  2. Communication skills for business: how to be clear, concise and impacting when you write (level 2)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 8 Jan 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    You can have the most amazing business ideas, but if you cannot communicate them, they will be of very little use. Join this course and explore how clear writing leads to clear thinking. You will develop the key skills needed to share information and ideas effectively inside and outside your company whether writing internal memos, emails to line managers, communications to customers, business proposals or reports, By the end of the course, you will be able to organise your business writings to suit the reader, convey ideas clearly, concisely and coherently and be confident you can express complex matters simply and effectively.



    Do you manage a team? Are you taking part in work meetings feeling your voice isn't heard? Do you need to give presentations, make sales pitches, or persuade others to follow your proposals? If so, then this course will help you. You will learn different techniques used in drama to enable you to create an effect. You will practise how respond to others so that they engage with you. You will focus on how to manipulate your voice, how to project and how to focus on the emphasising the meaning of what you want to say.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment activity to make sure this is the right course for you. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 to book a face-to-face appointment. Or click the Start Assessment button on this page.



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here





    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
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  3. Student newsletter: social issues, news and maths. (entry 3-level 1)
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Mon 13 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Do you want to organise, write, edit, layout the student newsletter for the Universal Skills department? In this class you will develop all your communication skills and other essential work and life skills such as problem-solving, organisation, decision-making, analysing, paying attention to detail, and digital and computer skills. You will also improve your maths skills when you layout the newsletter, calculate how many to produce, the length and number of articles, word count and so on. You will write and edit articles for the newsletter on issues such as the environment, cost of living and life stories. You will also work on articles from other students and edit and proof-read them, decide which articles to include and so on. And you will also edit a maths section to help other learners improve their number and maths skills.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment to make this is the right course for you. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    Free course: This is a Multiply course. Multiply is a new government programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This course is free for Londoners aged 19 or over. For more information Click here

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  4. Workplace communication with digital skills: English for the office and business (intermediate level 1-level 2)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 14 Jan 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Are you working in an office and need to improve your communication skills? Would you like to become an administrator but feel your written English is holding you back? This course will help you become a confident, flexible and successful communicator in writing, in person, on the phone and online. You will work on using the right language for written documents and for when speaking to colleagues, managers, customers, in meetings and on the phone. You will focus on different levels of formal and informal communication and how to speak and write clearly and concisely, with appropriate tone e.g. in emails and letters on a PC. You will also work on how to lay out key documents using Word, spell well and punctuate correctly. You will also start to learn about the cloud and how to use key parts of Microsoft 365. By the end of this course, you will confident you can work successfully in an office environment.



    Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for information and to book a pre-course assessment. You can also click the Start Assessment button on this page.



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

    Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £45.00
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  5. English communication for life and work - with maths and digital skills (entry 3-level 1)
    Course start date:  Wed 15 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Do you want to improve your English reading, writing, speaking and listening so that you can express yourself confidently and do the most important and common everyday tasks at home and at work? Do you also want to develop your digital skills and maths so you can use be confident online and also handle money and budget successfully? Join this course and develop your communication skills for work and personal life. You will visit places of interest such as museums, cafes and market so you develop your skills in a real life settings. You will learn how to read and write paragraphs and short texts about topics that interest you and important events. You will practise filling in forms, writing formal and informal letters and emails and you will improve your spelling, vocabulary and use of punctuation. You will also become more confident in expressing your thoughts and feelings and dealing with difficult situations, for example, at work or in your personal life. You will practise talking about your own life events and key issues such as news stories, public figures, health and culture. Your digital skills and maths will improve so you can manage your money, research important topics and use social media.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

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  6. English, maths and digital skills for life (entry 1-entry 2)
    Course start date:  Wed 15 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Do you want to improve your reading and writing of English and your spoken communication skills? Would you like to practise your computer and digital skills at the same time? Do you need to work on your maths? You can do all of this in this class. On this course you will improve your writing, reading, speaking, listening, your maths and digital skill by discussing important topics,completing creative tasks and visiting places such as the National Portrait Gallery, the Transport Museum, cafes, libraries, and markets. You will learn how to express yourself confidently when talking, writing and using the computer, read and write full sentences in English, fill in forms on paper and on the computer, understand and write important letters and emails land make appointments. You will become confident in your spelling, vocabulary, using capital letters, full stops and expressing your thoughts and feelings. You will practise searching for information on the Internet. And you will learn the maths you need for everyday life such as adding up your shopping costs and calculating your weekly budget. This course will help you learn all the most important skills you need in life.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    Free course: This is a Multiply course. Multiply is a new government programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This course is free for Londoners aged 19 or over. For more information Click here

    Full fee £139.00 Concession £70.00
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  7. English and maths for life (pre-entry)
    Course start date:  Thu 16 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Blended (learn both online and in-person)

    Do you need help with reading and writing English? Can you write the letters of the alphabet or do you need to practise? Do you need to improve your spelling? Can you use numbers and count up to 100 or do you need help? On this course you will learn how to write individual letters, spell whole words, write simple sentences, read whole words, read simple sentences and understand notices. You will become confident in your speaking. And you will also practise the maths you need for everyday life so you can shop, use money and measure things correctly.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    Free course: This is a Multiply course. Multiply is a new government programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This course is free for Londoners aged 19 or over. For more information Click here





    This course will be delivered online and in person. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
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  8. Workplace communication skills: letters, emails, memos, notes, meetings and presentations (level 1)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Thu 16 Jan 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Do you need to improve your English so you can work in an office or be self-employed? Would you like to be an administrator but want to develop your email writing, reading, spelling and punctuation? This course will improve all your communication skills so you can feel confident at work You will work on how to speak well when working with the public or other clients, how to respond calmly to difficult situations. You will practise how t to write emails and messages, how to organise them, use paragraphs and write good introductions and conclusions. You will develop your sentences using good grammar and vocabulary, plus correct spelling and punctuation. Throughout the course, you will work on your reading so you can understand the overall meaning of work-based texts, see the bigger picture, find details and specific information, and make decisions based on your reading. By the end of the course you will have the range of expression and accuracy in English to work with confidence.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here





    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £50.00
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  9. Getting ready for English Functional Skills (level 2)
    Course start date:  Mon 20 Jan 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    This course is to prepare you for the Functional skills English Level 1 course. It will support you in developing your reading, writing and communication skills for both work and education.



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here





    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.

    Full fee £15.00
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  10. Full fee £15.00
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  11. Workplace communication skills: how to be confident and do well in interviews (level 1-level 2)
    Course start date:  Thu 30 Jan 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Are you struggling to turn your interviews into successful job offers? Would you like to be more confident when answering questions and anticipate more effectively what the employer is looking for? This course will help you, You will role play and also develop some key strategies for coping with your nerves, staying focused and producing answers which give you the best chance of succeeding.



    You need to do a pre-course activity to make sure this is the right course for you. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for information and to book a pre-course assessment. Or you can click the Start Assessment button on this page.



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £10.00
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  12. Full fee £139.00 Concession £70.00
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  13. Full fee £139.00 Concession £70.00
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  14. Gateway to English Language GCSE
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 28 Apr 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Are you excited by the English language? Do you need to test your abilities before attempting the qualification course? Do you want to give yourself more than a year to achieve the qualification? Then this Preparing for English Language GCSE is the course for you. It will get your ready you for the accreditation and familiarise you with its content, level and expectation.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

    Full fee £15.00
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  15. Develop your confidence in writing: grammar, punctuation, expression (level 1-2)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 6 May 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Would you like to be more confident in the way you write whether emails or reports at work or messages to friends? Do you want to work on how you form sentences, understand grammar and use punctuation so your writing is more creative? Do you want to learn how to create meaning in your writing?. This course will help you be more secure in your professional, academic or creative writing skills and help you improve some of your weak areas around forming and punctuating sentences with appropriate grammatical form. You will develop your confidence in the most essential areas of writing including different sentence structures, writing paragraphs, using punctuation effectively, using active and passive voices and proofreading.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here

    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
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