English learning guides

Practical, no-fluff guides to learning English online — finding the right tutor without overpaying, preparing for exams and interviews, and getting real speaking practice.

An italki alternative with no commission Looking for an italki or Preply alternative? Global Tutor Board is a free directory of independent English tutors — you message them directly, they keep 100%, and it works inside China. Read the guide → English tutor for job interviews Prepare for an interview in English with a tutor: mock interviews, common questions, industry vocabulary and feedback on how you come across. Message business English tutors directly. Read the guide → IELTS speaking practice with a tutor IELTS Speaking is hard to prepare for alone. Practise all three parts with a tutor who scores you on fluency, coherence, vocabulary and pronunciation. Message IELTS tutors directly. Read the guide → How to practise English conversation online A practical rundown of ways to practise spoken English online — language exchange apps, AI chatbots, conversation groups and tutors — with the pros and cons of each. Read the guide → How to find an affordable English tutor online Online English tutoring does not have to be expensive. Here is why prices vary so much and practical ways to pay less — including contacting independent tutors directly. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Filipino speakers make The specific English mistakes Filipino/Tagalog speakers make most often — tense confusion, missing articles, "makulit" false friends — with clear fixes and a tutor who can drill them out. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Vietnamese speakers make The specific English mistakes Vietnamese speakers make most often — missing verb endings, plural -s, and word order in questions — with clear fixes and a tutor who can drill them out. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Chinese speakers make The specific English mistakes Mandarin Chinese speakers make most often — articles, plurals, and time words instead of tenses — with clear fixes and a tutor who can drill them out. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Arabic speakers make The specific English mistakes Arabic speakers make most often — the "p/b" sound, missing "to be", and word order — with clear fixes and a tutor who can drill them out. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Khmer speakers make The specific English mistakes Khmer (Cambodian) speakers make most often — no verb tenses, no plurals, and final consonant sounds — with clear fixes and a tutor who can drill them out. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Thai speakers make The English mistakes Thai speakers make most often: missing tense and plural endings, dropped final consonants, and sounds like th, v and sh. Clear fixes, and tutors who can drill them. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Indonesian speakers make The English mistakes Indonesian speakers make most often: tense and plural, the missing verb "to be", th sounds and vowel length. Clear fixes, and tutors who can drill them. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Japanese speakers make The English mistakes Japanese speakers make most often: articles and plurals, L and R, extra vowels, and answering yes or no to negative questions. Clear fixes, and tutors who can drill them. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Korean speakers make The English mistakes Korean speakers make most often: articles and plurals, F and P, R and L, extra vowels, and answering yes or no to negative questions. Clear fixes, and tutors who can drill them. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Spanish speakers make The English mistakes Spanish speakers make most often: false friends, "I have 20 years", double negatives, adjective order and the extra "e" before s words. Clear fixes, and tutors who can drill them. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Portuguese speakers make The English mistakes Portuguese speakers make most often: false friends, "I have 20 years", extra vowels at the end of words, and the R and H sounds. Clear fixes, and tutors who can drill them. Read the guide → Common English mistakes Russian speakers make The English mistakes Russian speakers make most often: missing "a" and "the", leaving out "to be", final devoicing, and the w, th and h sounds. Clear fixes, and tutors who can drill them. Read the guide → How to choose a TOEFL tutor online How to choose an online TOEFL or IELTS tutor: what to look for, what to ask on a trial lesson, how to share your weak areas, and how to contact tutors directly. Read the guide → How to choose an online English tutor for your child How to choose an online English tutor for a child: what to look for by age, how to run a trial lesson, how long lessons should be, and how to contact tutors directly. Read the guide → How to choose a business English tutor online How to choose a business English tutor online: what to prepare, what to look for on a profile, and how to turn meetings, emails and interviews into lesson material. Read the guide → How to choose a phonics tutor for your child How to choose a phonics tutor: what phonics lessons should include, how to tell a good tutor from a weak one, and how to contact tutors directly. Read the guide →
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