Dictionaries
- Macmillan Online Dictionary
- Cambridge Online Dictionary
- Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
- Online Collocation Dictionary
- Synonym Dictionary
- Oxford English Dictionary, subscription service
- Linguee, a multi-lingual dictionary and concordancing site
- Urban Dictionary a useful reference for idioms and slang
- Dictionary Net
- Another contemporary English dictionary
- OneLook dictionary search
- yourdictionary.com
- English/Portuguese dictionary
- Pons: A site with dictionaries between several languages
- WordReference.com: Online Language Dictionaries
Vocabulary
- Words to Use: vocabulary grouped by topic. Useful for getting the right word when writing an essay.
- Answers: If all else fails, type the word in here and you'll probably get the answer.
- Thesaurus: Extend your vocabulary
- Plain English Campaign
Reading Books
CalibreYou will find this application very useful if you read a lot of ebooks. It is able to keep them as a collection, as well as recode books in different formats to suit your particular reader if the book is not available in the format you need. It is mutli-platform and free. Download here.
- ESL bits Read and listen
- Project Gutenberg literature that is out of copyright and free
- Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free items
- Open Library, an ambitious project to put you in touch with the books you want to read
- Online library with a vast collection
- Luminarium: anthology of English literature. This site is incomplete, but the sections present are
- The Literature Network: 260 authors, 2260 books
- Richard Herley, a contemporary author, whose books are available here in electronic format
- Free ebooks
- Obooko: register free and download books from many different genres
- Best Sci Fi Books. This site gives a comprehensive list of dystopian novels
- Literature study notes
- Collins English easy readers: ask about these at Simphonia das Letras
- Cambridge English easy readers: ask about these at Simphonia das Letras
Newspapers and Magazines
- The Big Project site has a list of a large number of newspapers in English
- The Guardian Audio Long Reads podcasts
- Newspaper Index
- World Newspapers, Magazines, and News Sites in English
- Clearly presented index of newspapers worldwide in English and other languages
- New Internationalist Magazine: People, ideas and action for global justice
- New Scientist
- The Economist
- The Financial Times
- BBC news site
- CNN news site
- Sky News
Listening
- Australian Radio
- The Guardian Audio Long Reads podcasts
- English Listening Language Lab Online: good for listening practice. The language is not always accurate as it involves spontaneous conversations, but it is very useful for developing your listening skill
- Boost your listening skills
- LearnEnglish short films concentrating on idioms and vocabulary
- Scientific American 60-Second Science: short listening podcasts with transcripts
- BBC Forum - Sixty Second Idea to Improve the World
- English podcasts on a variety of subjects
- BBC Radio
- BBC TV. You need to fix up a proxy to view programmes
- Radio Locator, to find radio over the Internet in almost any country
Pronunciation
- Alphabet and how to pronounce it
- Interactive Phonemic Chart Flash is out of date, so the best bet is to download the British Council LearnEnglish Sounds Right app
- here
Language Learning Apps and Sites
- British Council apps for iPhone and Android.
- Duolingo: structured language learning and practice. This is their site. Try the App Stores for mobile versions. Available in iOS and Android.
- Languagepod101 a site where you can learn various languages.
- TalkEnglish.com has free lessons and apps for iOS and Android.
Help with Homework and Learning
Phrasal Verbs
Reporting Verbs
- Eap Foundation
- Reporting verbs: List with Examples & Exercises
Irregular Verb Links
Conditional
- Conditional Tutorial, a useful overview of tenses and their function in conditional forms.
- A clear explanation of conditionals
Grammar Reference and Exam Practice
- Agendaweb: hundreds of free exercises
- Cambridge English Exams Preparation
- Flo-Joe exam practice site
- Exam Practice Site: good site, which covers all the Cambridge exams.
- Many free exercises, and paid courses too
- Gerund or infinitive?
- Learn English
- vizzz, a site which you might find helpful
- Grammar-Quizzes.com: a site with a comprehensive collection of exercises
- UsingEnglish.com: Reference site
- englishpage
- IH Bristol Free English Exercises
General Interest
- Anna Blackburn individually made clothes; greetings cards
- Stereomood
- What is the time in different zones around the world?
- Organization that researches and preserves endangered languages.
- The European Union Online. Find out about what the EU means for you.
- This is the site of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and has a lot of information as well as recordings of birdsong and short movies of birds.
- Jigsaw puzzles online.