Summary

British Council provides online courses, self-guided courses, and free content for adult English learners. You can take an online test to determine your English level — if you are beyond the upper-intermediate level, the free content may be too easy for you. The live online group classes are available 24/7 with qualified teachers and are subscription-based, with a set number of lessons per month. You can choose classes that focus on specific topics or take 30-minute one-to-one lessons with a personalized lesson plan. These classes cover levels A1 – C1. The Flexible English course also offers a clear plan structure with the Silver plan providing a steady weekly routine, while Gold and Platinum include more Live25 sessions for faster progress, plus access to themes AI speaking practice—full on Platinum learners and partial for Gold and Silver learners. While the Gold and Platinum plans have offer both group and private classes, the Silver plan only offers group classes. If you are interested in independently improving your English for the workplace, the LearnEnglish subscription includes about 175 hours of self-study. There are also several free 8-12 hour courses that you can check out, and additional grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading, and writing lessons with quizzes. Although the courses require a bit of reading, British Council uses diverse media and exercises to teach you to communicate naturally with others. Also, if you are taking the IELTS exam, the free IELTS courses will provide basic guidance for your exam preparation. The self-guided British Council courses are broken down into manageable chunks, so check them out if you enjoy structure and a clear learning path. For beginners, use Readlang so you can explore the site with ease. Also, keep in mind that italki or Verbling may be more affordable for live classes (although they may be less structured).