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Learning Words, Phrases, and Grammar

Oxford Learner's Dictionary
A dictionary with simple definitions. For each definition, the red speaker icon gives you the American pronunciation. Click on Idioms to see how the word is used in idiomatic expressions.
Brittanica Learner's Dictionary
A dictionary with simple definitions, pronunciation, plus a Word of the Day.
Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
A thesaurus is a resource that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts. This one is particularly helpful for explaining the different shades of meaning and context for each.
Idioms, Proverbs, and Expressions
Are you feeling under the weather? Well, don't beat around the bush or pull my leg! Check out this list of common (but confusing!) English expressions and sayings.
E.S.L. Grammar
Purdue University's famous Online Writing Lab (O.W.L.) has created these grammar exercises customized for English language learners.
American Phrasal Verbs
What does it mean to go off on someone? Or to go off on your own? Or to go out with someone? To go along with something, or to go after it? Go know!
These are all examples of phrasal verbs, which are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often hard to guess! This website contains many examples of common American phrasal verbs to master. (Already know these? There are more!)
Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Many English words are built from Greek and Latin parts. Knowing what a root means can help you figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. This list includes the most common roots and prefixes in English. If you want more, let me know!
Academic Vocabulary Practice
College-bound high school students need to master the vocabulary of academic life, the language we use to communicate ideas in science, social studies, and the humanities. These exercises from Oxford University Press are great practice for English language learners who plan to attend college.

Phrasal Verbs

What is a Phrasal Verb?

A phrasal verb is an idiomatic phrase consisting of a verb and another element, typically either an adverb, as in break down, or a preposition, as in see to, or a combination of both, such as look down on. The verb's meaning changes a great deal depending on the words that follow it.

American Phrasal Verbs
What does it mean to go off on someone? Or to go off on your own? Or to go out with someone? To go along with something, or to go after it? Go know!
These are all examples of phrasal verbs, which are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often hard to guess! This website contains many examples of common American phrasal verbs to master. (Already know these? There are more!)

Phrasal Verb Jeopardy!
A quiz featuring five common verbs paired with the adverbs or prepositions that turn them into phrasal verbs with different meanings.

All About Verbs!

Resources on verb tense, regular and irregular verbs, and conjugation.

Irregular Verbs List
This is an alphabetical list of every irregular verb in English. These are not divided into categories.
How to Learn Regular and Irregular English Verbs
This website divides irregular verbs into the four groups we learned about in class. Please note that their examples do not include ALL irregular verbs in English, and that not all resources divide the verbs into these four groups. They are helpful, though!
Common Irregular Verbs
This resource divides irregular verbs into only 3 categories. Group 3 here corresponds to Group 4 in the Wall Street English site. What's especially useful in this website is that they arrange the Group 3/4 verbs by pattern (the way we learned them in class). It's much easier to learn them this way than alphabetically.

Academic Vocabulary

Academic Wordlist Sublist Families
This is a complete list of the most common academic vocabulary, organized by frequency. Sublist 1 has the most common words, Sublist 2, the second most common, and so on. For each word, you will find different versions of the word expressed in different parts of speech. British and American spellings are also included. The version of the word in italics is the one you will see most often.
Academic Vocabulary Practice
College-bound high school students need to master the vocabulary of academic life, the language we use to communicate ideas in science, social studies, and the humanities. These exercises from Oxford University Press are great practice for English language learners who plan to attend college.
Academic Vocabulary List (1-page version with links)

WIDA Resources

WIDA Can-Do Descriptors, Grades 9-12
WIDA Proficiency Level Descriptors
Explains what students must be able to do in each domain to earn a 5.

English Language Learning Resources: Home