ESOL (English for speakers of other languages)

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
 
Filters

11 Items

per page
  1. ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 1 (Writing)
    Course start date:  Tue 20 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    This is the Writing unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in writing a range of sentences for personal writing, and formal and informal texts. You will focus on using correct grammar (such as subject-verb agreement, correct use of tense) and become aware of the distinct differences between spoken and written English. You will focus on notetaking, planning and organising writing into paragraphs, developing a narrative and ending writing with a summary or conclusion.



    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 £129.00
    Add to Compare
  2. ESOL - communication skills for life and work - level 1 (Reading)
    Course start date:  Tue 16 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    This is the Reading unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in reading straightforward and some complex texts. You will practice reading different types of text including emails, letters, adverts, posters, books, newspapers, and websites. You will read interesting everyday topics and practice finding information and understanding general meaning of stories, news, descriptions, messages, signs, and notices.



    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 £429.00 Senior fee £343.00 Concession £215.00
    Add to Compare
  3. English communication skills for life and work (ESOL entry 2)
    Course start date:  Tue 15 Apr 2025 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Can you have short conversations in English, and read and write simple emails, but want to do more? This course will help you talk, read and write about more interesting subjects and make fewer mistakes so people can understand you, you can understand them and you can read and write important messages, emails, forms and news stories. You will improve your vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. By the end of this three-term programme you will able to interact confidently with English speakers in your daily life. You can join the course at any time.



    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 £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £90.00
    Add to Compare
  4. English communication skills for life and work (ESOL entry 1)
    Course start date:  Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    For students who can speak or write only a few words in English or maybe none at all. On this beginners' 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 short emails.



    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
    Add to Compare
  5. Grammar in practice: intermediate (entry 3-level 1)
    Course start date:  Mon 28 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Confused by verb tenses? Need to know when to use past simple or present perfect? Puzzled by the passive? This course will make English grammar simpler for you and increase your confidence by giving you lots of opportunities to put your grammar into practice.
    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

    Add to Compare
  6. English pronunciation: stage 1
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 26 Apr 2025 (and 4 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  David John Gwillim
    Are 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
    Rating:
    97% of 100
    Add to Compare
  7. English pronunciation: stage 2
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 17 Jan 2026 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  David John Gwillim
    Designed 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 delivered in the college.
    Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £195.00
    Rating:
    97% of 100
    Add to Compare
  8. 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
    Add to Compare
  9. Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2)
    Evening
    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
    Rating:
    100% of 100
    Add to Compare
  10. Grammar in practice: pre-intermediate (entry 2- entry 3)
    Course start date:  Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Do you need help with your grammar? Do you want to know more about verb tenses? Do you want to ask questions with good pronunciation and correct grammar? On this course, you will learn all the essential grammar to help you speak and write well. You will focus on when to use present simple, present continuous and past simple. You will practise when to use 'do', 'does', 'is', 'are' and 'did' in questions and how to say these words. By the end of the course you will have a strong foundation for your English learning.



    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 £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £40.00
    Add to Compare
  11. Communication skills for life and work (entry 3 - level 1)
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 26 Apr 2025

    Location on this date:  Online

    Are you quite confident about your everyday English? Can you go shopping, talk about simple subjects, and write a letter or email? But do you make quite a lot of mistakes? Is it difficult to speak, read or write about more complicated topics? This pre-intermediate course will help you practise your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills so you can understand people better; talk about most daily topics with more than one person; read and understand short, straightforward texts such as emails and simple news stories; and write different sentences, learning how to effectively proofread.



    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 £360.00 Senior fee £288.00 Concession £180.00
    Add to Compare
per page

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