Free Resources
Free English-learning resources, made by editors who actually use them.
Vocabulary lists, study plans, collocations, phrasal verbs — all free, no email signup required, all written for ESL learners and exam candidates rather than for ad clicks.
Why we made these
Most “free English resources” online are either gated behind email signups or cobbled together from outdated word lists. The resources below are the lists and plans we genuinely recommend to friends, students and tutors — built around current exam syllabuses (Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL) and CEFR descriptors.
No email needed. Every resource on this page is free to read, copy and use. You will never see a “submit your email to download” pop-up here. If a resource ever has a printable PDF version, it will be a direct link, not an email-gate.
Vocabulary & word lists
IELTS Band 7 Vocabulary List
250+ academic and topic words IELTS examiners reward at Band 7 and above. Organised by topic, with collocations and example sentences for each word.
Common English Collocations List
Verb, noun and adjective collocations that move learners from “correct English” to “natural English”. Grouped by topic: work, study, money, health and daily life.
Essential Phrasal Verbs for English Learners
The 100 most useful phrasal verbs in modern spoken English, with meaning, example sentences and a note on register (formal, neutral, informal).
Coming soon: TOEFL Academic Word List
Full Academic Word List (AWL) ordered by frequency band, with tips on which sub-lists to prioritise for TOEFL Reading and Writing.
Study plans
30-Day English Study Plan: B1 to B2
A realistic 30-day plan to push from upper-intermediate to confident B2: one hour a day, balanced across vocabulary, listening, speaking and writing.
Coming soon: 8-Week IELTS Plan
Week-by-week plan for candidates targeting Band 7 with about 10 hours per week of study time.
How to get the most from these resources
- Don’t try to learn everything at once. 10-15 new words a day with proper review beats 100 words you forget by Friday.
- Pair vocabulary with output. After each list, write 3-5 sentences using the new words in your own life.
- Use a flashcard system. See our comparison of Anki vs Quizlet vs Memrise.
- Add a tutor at B1+. Resources teach inputs; you need a human for output and correction. See our English app guide.
Suggested learning paths
If you are A2 → B1
Start with the 30-day plan and the collocations list. Save the IELTS vocabulary list for later — at this stage, high-frequency everyday English matters more than academic words.
If you are B1 → B2
Run the 30-day plan, work through the phrasal verbs and collocations lists, and start adding 10 IELTS Band 7 words per day to your flashcard deck.
If you are preparing for IELTS
Use the IELTS Band 7 vocabulary list as your daily target. Combine with our IELTS books guide and Cambridge IELTS practice tests.
If you want speaking confidence
Phrasal verbs and collocations are the fastest way to sound natural. Add a tutor or speaking app — see our app guide.