ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)
City Lit has a wide range of courses to help you develop your reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills in English (ESOL).
The courses are FREE to most learners. Click into the courses below for more information.
For more information about our live online courses, please see our guide to online learning.
Our offer includes both a year long and short termly courses at different levels.
- Level 2
- Level 1
- Entry 3
- Entry 2
- Entry 2
- Pre-Entry
- Maths for ESOL
- Conversation Club
- Grammar in practice
- Writing skills in Practice
- ESOL, maths and digital skills for Life
- Learn English- learn about London
- Learn English - discover London, its history, culture and people (level 1-level 2)Course start date: Mon 7 Jul 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you want to improve your English and learn about London, its history, culture and people at the same time? On this course, you will visit places of interest and learn about the history of these places especially about the different people and cultures who have lived there, and about important events which have shaped the city. You will do your own research and so improve your reading and writing skills as well as your speaking and listening. In addition, you will feel more at home in London and able to participate in its rich and diverse 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).
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 £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £35.00 - English pronunciation: stage 1Course start date: Sat 26 Apr 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David John GwillimAre you a non-native fluent speaker who wants to improve your pronunciation of English and to speak the language more clearly and confidently? Work on clear formation of vowel and consonant sounds including the English neutral vowel and the distinction between voiced and unvoiced sounds. This term the course will be taught in the college.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00 - English pronunciation: stage 3Course start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: David John GwillimDesigned for fluent non- native students and all who have completed 'English Pronunciation' stages 1 and 2. Conversation and the reading aloud of a variety of texts will help to pinpoint those pronunciation worries still to be addressed.
This course will be taught online.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00 - English pronunciation: stage 2Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David John GwillimDesigned for people who have completed ‘English Pronunciation: stage 1’ although new students with sufficient skills can join. Develop confidence and clarity, explore diphthongs and triphthongs, inflection and the rhythms of Standard English. This term the course will be taught in the college.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00 - English Communication Skills for Life and Work (ESOL Entry 1-2)Course start date: Mon 6 Oct 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
For students who can are not complete beginners and can speak and write a little English. On this course you will learn new words and grammar, how to ask and answer questions, how to read and write about yourself, your family, and friends, and how to complete forms and write short emails. You will also learn some simple maths to tell the time, count and learn maths vocabulary.
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 £339.00 Senior fee £271.00 Concession £170.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -Entry 3 (speaking and listening)Course start date: Mon 13 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating with others. You will practice speaking fluently in different types of conversations, asking and answering questions to build your vocabulary. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise different tenses and improving your pronunciation.
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 £300.00 Senior fee £240.00 Concession £150.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 1 (Speaking and Listening)Course start date: Tue 14 Jan 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating with others on different topics in a range of contexts. You will practice speaking fluently in different types of conversations, responding to questions on a range of topics and you will build your vocabulary by learning more synonyms and antonyms. You will also have the opportunity to hear a variety of accents and varieties of English. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise different tenses and improve your pronunciation including stress and intonation to convey meaning.
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 £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £150.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 2 (Speaking and Listening)Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Blended (learn both online and in-person)
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating straightforward and detailed information, ideas and opinions clearly, adapting speech and content to take account of the listener(s), medium, purpose and situation. You will improve your fluently and accuracy in extended and varying conversations, responding and contributing on a range of topics. You will also build your vocabulary by learning more sophisticated words for formal settings. You will have the opportunity to hear a variety of accents and varieties of English and be able to apply speaking skills in face to face and telephone situations. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise a wide range of sentence structure and tenses and improve your pronunciation including stress, rhythm and intonation to convey meaning.
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 £529.00 Senior fee £423.00 Concession £265.00 - Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2)Course start date: Fri 9 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Unsure when to use present perfect or past perfect? Is reported speech still causing you problems? Do you need to practise your conditionals? Join this course and put your grammar into practice in speaking, writing, reading and listening. Gain confidence in using grammar effectively through high level and engaging tasks
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 - ESOL: Develop your writing: grammar, vocabulary, expression (advanced)Course start date: Wed 21 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you already have a good level of writing but wanting to take it up to a level suitiable for professional work? Are you wanting to develop your expressive skills in general? This course will help you improve your writing by focusing on meaning and how you can become a more skilful user of English, not concerned only with accuracy. You will work on how you can use grammar in different ways to say different things. You will expand your vocabulary so you can say more with fewer words. And you will work on how you can influence your reader.
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 £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £105.00 - English for professionals: C2 Proficiency (Cambridge English: Proficiency, CPE )Course start date: Thu 22 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Are you a professional wanting to refine your English? Are you on a post-graduate course or completing a PhD and need some help to communicate at this level? Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) qualification shows the world that you have reached an exceptional level of English. It the ultimate proof that you can communicate with the fluency and sophistication of a highly competent English speaker and that you have the level of English required to work or study at a top level. This course will develop your language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening and provide you with the preparation needed to pass the exam.
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 £299.00 Senior fee £299.00 Concession £299.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.
Add me to waiting list