Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
What is EnglishClub?
Who is EnglishClub for?
Is EnglishClub free?
Who started and/or runs EnglishClub?
When did EnglishClub start?
Where does EnglishClub come from?
Does EnglishClub use British or American English?
How big is EnglishClub?
How many hits does EnglishClub get?
How often is EnglishClub updated?
What's your policy on spam?
Does EnglishClub keep my email address private?
What other sites does EnglishClub operate?
How can I contact EnglishClub?
How can I pay an invoice or make other payments?
More Questions About...
What is EnglishClub?
EnglishClub is a "webclub" for anyone learning or teaching English. It is a site where learners come to improve their English through online lessons, quizzes, games, forums, blogs, videos, photos etc. Many teachers use it as a resource for lesson plans and jobs.
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Who is EnglishClub for? The majority of our visitors and members are learners and teachers of English from almost every country in the world. Many language schools and universities around the world link to EnglishClub for its solid content. EnglishClub is designed for the learning of English as a second language, so most of our student visitors are non-native speakers, whereas our teacher visitors may be native or non-native speakers.
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Is EnglishClub free of charge?
Yes, access to all parts of EnglishClub is free. This is thanks mainly to our advertisers and sponsors who pay for their banners to be placed on EnglishClub pages. A large part of our technical, maintenance and editorial costs is paid for from sponsorship sales.
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Who started and/or owns EnglishClub?
EnglishClub.com was founded and is owned by London-born Josef Essberger, who has taught English in Europe and Asia from 1990. He founded EnglishClub for ESL learners and teachers in 1997, and the following year founded TEFL.net, a site dedicated to English teachers. With a background in publishing and photography, Josef is the author of several articles, short stories and books, including a travel guide to London entitled Monopoly London.
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When did EnglishClub start?
EnglishClub was founded on 7th July 1997, making it one of the earliest English-learning sites on the Internet.
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Where does EnglishClub come from? EnglishClub is a British site based in Cambridge, England.
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Does EnglishClub use British or American English?
EnglishClub is a British site based in Cambridge, England. EnglishClub is written mainly in British English, taking the The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English as a reference. But we have pages about other varieties of English such as American or Canadian. Don't be surprised if you see a word that you think is wrongly spelled. Some words are spelled differently in British English and American English. "Colour", for example, is British English. In American English it is "color". We try to make this clear when it is important. As a reference for American English we use Webster's New World College Dictionary.
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What's your policy on spam?
We don't like it! And we don't tolerate it. For example, we send the EnglishClub ESL Progress newsletter only to people who have joined EnglishClub. And we make it easy for you to unsubscribe too.
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Does EnglishClub keep my email address private?
We have a very strict policy on privacy on the Internet. In plain English, that means we don't give or sell or rent your name or email address to anybody without your specific permission (though we might reveal it if required to do so by the police or other government agency in the event of a criminal investigation). For full details, please read our Privacy Policy Statement. If you post your email address in our forums (which we never recommend), you should be aware that your email address is then publicly available.
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How do I contact EnglishClub?
You can contact EnglishClub easily. Please see our contact page for details.
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How can I pay an invoice or make other payments?
Please see our payment options page for details.
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Can I join EnglishClub? If so, how?
Yes! Please click here to join.
How can I update my subscription details?
At the bottom of all emails is a link that lets you change or cancel your subscription. If you click on this link, you will come to a page where you can change details such as your country and interests, or cancel completely.
How can I change my email address? At the bottom of all emails is a link that lets you change or cancel your subscription. If you click on this link, you will come to a page where you can change your email address.
How do I finish my membership? At the bottom of all emails is a link that lets you change or cancel your subscription. If you click on this link, you will come to a page where you can unsubscribe.
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Can I subscribe to an EnglishClub email newsletter?
Is it free?
My email program can't read HTML.
I am not receiving ESL Progress! Why?
Can I submit an article?
How do I stop receiving the magazine?
Can I subscribe to an EnglishClub email newsletter?
When you join EnglishClub, you can subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter, ESL Progress.
Is it really free?
Yes!
I am not receiving ESL Progress. Why?
There are several possible reasons why you are not receiving ESL Progress after subscribing to it. You may have entered the wrong email address when you subscribed. Or you may have changed your email address but not updated it for ESL Progress. In both cases you will need to subscribe again. There may be a problem with your Internet Service Provider (ISP), in which case you should contact your ISP. Another possible reason is that you used your work or office email address when you joined EnglishClub. Some offices "filter" email to prevent employees receiving personal email. In this case, you should subscribe again, using a private email address. If you have an email program with a safelist or whitelist (list of email addresses you want to receive email from) you should make sure you add "englishclub.com" to it.
Can I submit an article? We welcome articles for possible publication in ESL Progress. Articles should focus on an aspect of learning English and be about 700 words long. If we use your article, we will quote your name, and your email address or web page if you wish. You can submit articles here.
How do I stop receiving the newsletter? At the bottom of every newsletter you receive is a link that lets you change or cancel your subscription. If you click on this link, you will come to a page where you can unsubscribe.
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What are the 7 Secrets?
How do I get 7 Secrets?
Are they free?
I subscribed to 7 Secrets but didn't receive them.
I didn't receive Secret #3
How do I change my email address?
How do I stop receiving 7 Secrets?
What are the 7 Secrets? Thousands of ESL learners around the world have subscribed free to EnglishClub's 7 Secrets for ESL Learners. And they were glad they did so. 7 Secrets for ESL Learners comes to you by email. You receive one secret a day for one week. In the first week you will learn seven of the best ways to improve your English fast. After that you receive weekly tips on learning English, always around the number 7, for example, "The 7 Colours of the Rainbow", "7 Ways to Say OUGH", or "7 Countries for Study Abroad". You will receive these emails for one year.
How do I get 7 Secrets?
To subscribe immediately to 7 Secrets for ESL Learners, just go here.
Are they free? Yes!
I subscribed to 7 Secrets but didn't receive them.
There are several possible reasons why you are not receiving 7 Secrets for ESL Learners after subscribing to it. You may have entered the wrong email address when you subscribed. In that case you will need to subscribe to 7 Secrets again. There may be a problem with your Internet Service Provider (ISP), in which case you should contact your ISP. Another possible reason is that you used your work or office email address when you subscribed to 7 Secrets. Some offices "filter" email to prevent employees receiving personal email. In this case, you should subscribe to 7 Secrets again, using a private email address. If you have an email program with a whitelist (list of email addresses you want to receive email from) you should make sure you add "englishclub.com" to it.
I didn't receive Secret #3. Please send it again. If you started to receive 7 Secrets, but didn't receive one or two of them, don't worry! After 14 days you will receive an email with ALL the 7 Secrets in one. Usually, when you don't receive one or two copies of your 7 Secrets, the problem is with your email service or Internet Service Provider (ISP), in which case you should contact them direct. The system for sending 7 Secrets to you is automated and we cannot send you an individual secret. Just wait for them all to come at the end of 14 days. Another possible reason is that you clicked on the link at the very bottom of one of the 7 Secrets and then unsubscribed yourself by mistake. If you unsubscribe yourself, you will not receive any more 7 Secrets.
How do I change my name or email address?
To change your name or email address, just click on the link at the end of any 7 Secrets email. You will come to a page where you can click "Change Details". (Do not click "Unsubscribe"!) On the next page you can enter a new email address and/or name. If you change your name, be sure to put your first name first and your last (family) name last! (For example, put James Bond, not Bond James.) The automatic system uses your first name to say hello. If you write it the wrong way, you will receive emails saying something like "Dear Bond" instead of "Dear James". :-(
How do I stop receiving 7 Secrets?
To stop receiving 7 Secrets, click on the link at the very bottom of any 7 Secrets email. You will come to a page where you can click "Unsubscribe". If you click this, you will unsubscribe yourself and not receive any more 7 Secrets. So be careful! Do not click "Unsubscribe" if you really want to keep receiving 7 Secrets. Your name and email address will be removed from the list immediately!
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How can I use EnglishClub to improve my English?
Does EnglishClub offer any language courses?
I have a question about grammar.
How can I listen to English with EnglishClub?
How can I chat in English?
I want to find a pen pal to exchange emails in English.
Where can I discuss things in English?
I don't know my level in English. Can you tell me?
I need help with pronunciation.
I'd like to play some games to improve my English.
Can I do some ESL quizzes for fun?
Can EnglishClub help me find a school?
How can I use EnglishClub to improve my English?
EnglishClub has many pages designed to help you improve your English. EnglishClub is like a Self Access Centre - it lets you work in your own way and at your own time. You can choose the method that you like best. If you like to "study", you can look at the lessons in areas like Grammar, Vocabulary and Pronunciation, or the four skills, Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. If you prefer a "fun" method, you can try areas such as Games, Quizzes and Jokes. For a really "interactive" approach, try communicating in English through the Forums, Chat Room or Pen pals. You can even post a question about English at the 24-hour Help Desk. There are other areas too, for information or special interests, such as Business English and English For Kids. You can also find lots of information on ESL Exams and other ESL web sites, or even find a school where you can study abroad.
Does EnglishClub offer any language courses?
EnglishClub is an ESL resource site, with many pages and lessons that can help you improve your English. But these are not complete "language courses" as such. If you are looking for a language course at a school, or perhaps online, you could check out our English Schools Worldwide directory.
I have a question about grammar. Can you help me?
You can ask a grammar question on our 24-hour Help Desk.
How can I listen to English with EnglishClub?
You can find listening resources such as monthly news, radio and poetry in English Listening.
How can I chat in English?
You can chat in English night or day in one of the EnglishClub Chat Rooms.
I want to find a pen pal to exchange emails in English.
Good idea! You'll find plenty of other learners and teachers who want to hear from you by email at Pen Pals. You can also post your own name and address if you want.
Where can I discuss things in English?
You can discuss anything you want in English in the EnglishClub ESL Forums.
I don't know my level in English. Can you tell me?
You can get a good idea of your level in English by doing the written comprehension test.
I need help with pronunciation.
You can find some good pages about pronunciation, including word stress, sentence stress and linking, here.
I'd like to play some games to improve my English.
Games are an excellent way to make progress in English. Look for games in EnglishClub ESL Games.
Can I do some ESL quizzes for fun?
Certainly! Check out EnglishClub ESL Quizzes for plenty of interactive quizzes.
Can EnglishClub help me find a school?
If you're looking for a school almost anywhere in the world, try looking in English Schools Worldwide.
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May I copy and use any material that I find on EnglishClub?
Can EnglishClub help me find a job?
I'd like to set up a chat session with a teacher and students from another school.
I'd like to find pen pals for my students.
I need some ideas for lesson plans urgently.
I need some authentic reading material for my students.
I'd like to discuss some teaching issues with other teachers.
How do I submit a lesson plan?
Can I submit an article for ESL Progress! magazine?
I want to learn more about TEFL qualifications.
I'd like to become an EnglishClub Help Desk Teacher.
May I copy and use any material that I find on EnglishClub? You may print and distribute any material that you find on EnglishClub for non-commercial educational purposes provided that you do not modify its content and provided that the source is clearly cited.
Can EnglishClub help me find a job?
Yes. We have a section for teaching jobs.
I need some ideas for lesson plans urgently.
You can find many ideas for lessons, including games, activities and worksheets, graded by level, at ESL Lesson Plans.
I need some authentic reading material for my students.
You can find the latest English language stories from newspapers and magazines around the world here. These stories are live, updated every fifteen minutes.
I'd like to set up a chat session with a teacher and students from another school.
Good idea! You can run chat sessions in the ESL Chat Room. But first, you probably want to contact other teachers, maybe in another country, who want to do the same. You will need to synchronize your chat session so that both school log on at the same time. You can find other teachers to do this here.
I'd like to find pen pals for my students.
Another excellent idea! You can find other teachers looking for exchange pen pals here.
I'd like to discuss some teaching issues with other teachers.
Check out the Teacher Forums, where you can read and write messages.
How do I submit a lesson plan?
If you have a good lesson plan that you'd like to share with other teachers, please submit it here.
Can I submit an article for ESL Progress! magazine?
We welcome articles for possible publication in ESL Progress! Articles should focus on an aspect of learning English and be about 700 words long. If we use your article, we will quote your name, and your email address or web page if you wish. You can submit articles here.
I want to learn more about TEFL qualifications.
You'll find details about various TEFL courses and qualifications under Teacher Qualifications.
I'd like to become an EnglishClub Help Desk Teacher.
If you would like to be a volunteer Teacher on the ESL Help Desk, please contact us.
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Can EnglishClub help us find students?
Can EnglishClub help us find teachers?
We have a school to sell. Can EnglishClub help?
Can we link our Self Access Centre to EnglishClub?
We like to use the EnglishClub Chat Room, but can't access it with all our computers.
Can we advertise our school on EnglishClub?
Can EnglishClub help us find students?
Yes. You can add a free listing in English Schools Worldwide for students who want to learn English.
Can EnglishClub help us find teachers?
Yes. We have an ESL Jobs section for this. You have two options. You can browse the jobs wanted page where teachers leave their CVs and resumes, or you can post your own job announcement.
Can we link our Self Access Centre to EnglishClub?
Yes. Many schools and universities build links to EnglishClub into their courses and learning resources. You can link from your own intranet or web site direct to any pages you wish. For example, you could link to English Grammar as a general link, or to English Verb Tenses as a more specific link, or to Present Perfect Tense as a very specific link.
Can we advertise our school on EnglishClub?
Yes. You can place your banner in various locations within EnglishClub. Please click here for more details.
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Can we add our Site to the EnglishClub ESL links directory?
Can we link to EnglishClub?
Can we advertise on EnglishClub?
Can we add our site to the EnglishClub ESL links directory?
Yes. We welcome links that are ESL related. We add them free to our links directory. You can add your site here.
Can we link to EnglishClub?
Yes. To link to the EnglishClub home page, the url is: http://www.englishclub.com. You can also link to any other page you wish. You can find more details about linking here.
Can we advertise on EnglishClub?
Yes. If you are involved in English language training, then EnglishClub is an ideal medium for you to reach hundreds of thousands of ESL learners around the world. You can also target teachers through the EnglishClub teacher sections. Advertising on EnglishClub is perfect for language schools, ELT publishers, teacher training bodies and travel organizations. Many of our advertisers buy banner advertising, while some prefer promotional text links. Please click here to learn more about the many advertising opportunities at EnglishClub. |