5 Best YouTube Channels to Learn English

Want to do more on your language learning journey? How about you learn English via YouTube? Here's why...

While some of you prefer learning English through mobile apps, it's important to highlight that most language learning apps are incredibly vocabulary-centric and exercise-based, hence leaving some crucial parts out of the learning process - teaching and human interaction. In that sense, learning English via YouTube gives most learners the perfect platform for improving their English - one that provides:

• Flexibility. You can learn at your own time and pace, even though most language learning channels provide courses or series on particular topics. In other words, you are not bound by time nor place.

• Detailedness. Even if some language learning apps do have audio lessons or instructions included, you still cannot see the speaker. Seeing the speaker's mouth move is of extreme importance when it comes to correct pronunciation and being able to master hard English words, Moreover, you get to see your instructor teach and present the lesson to you, so there's a greater possibility of e.g. visualizing certain things, seeing how certain conversations look like in the real world, etc.

• Variety. While books, different paper materials, and real-life classroom lessons all play a part in the language learning journey, audio and video can offer even more elements to particular lessons or specific language challenges you might have. Plus, it's never too bad to have a variety of resources that actually help you learn.

Now that we've seen why YouTube is so useful when it comes to learning English, let's take a look at some of the best channels that can help you do so. It's important to note that these channel picks are very different from one another in terms of focus, style, and content.

Side note: Some of these are my personal favorites and have helped many of my students improve their language significantly. I hope they'll help you do the same!

BBC Learning English

With around one million subscribers and more than 70 million views, this channel is definitely a fan-favorite in the English learning community. Created by the world-famous BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), the channel features videos in various formats - from real-life conversations to cartoons. They're mostly short videos but they feature a ton of useful information.

The channel follows a weekly pattern of topics, which are: Exam Skills (top tips for studying and preparing for an exam), News Review (analyzing the language used in the news), Pronunciation in the News (how to pronounce news vocabulary like a native English speaker), LingoHack (analyzing the vocabulary from the most recent BBC news reports), The Teachers' Room (ELT tips for teachers), and Learners' Questions (Q&A videos to address some frequently asked questions by the audience).

EnglishClass101.com

This YouTube channel definitely packs the most out of today's bunch. Designed for rapid language learning, it not only boasts several hundred videos that cover basically every single aspect of English but it also offers a full language learning program.

However, the most differentiating factor of EnglishClass101 (for me) is the fact that they also have live 24/7 TV via YouTube Live. Yes, you've heard that right - they're not only a YouTube channel but a TV channel, as well! How cool is that?!

So, whenever it is you decide to take some time to learn English on YouTube, rest assured that EnglishClass101 will have useful content for you at any given time.

Eat Sleep Dream English

I always say this to my students: "Tom is my guy!"

If you've never heard of this channel, you should definitely check it out. This particular YouTube channel is my go-to source of inspiration whenever I want to find an easy way to explain certain language problems to my students, such as the correct pronunciation of some difficult words, accent differences, native-like tendencies, etc.

Not only does Tom provide plenty of videos that answer the most frequently asked questions by any language learner in the world (including myself), he does it with such attention to detail that simply leaves you wanting to learn more. I mean, isn't that the whole point of mastering a new language?

English with Lucy

Similar to Tom in the example above, English teacher Lucy does a splendid job at pinpointing and solving some of the most sought-after challenges among language learners, in general. Her videos are detailed, extremely interesting, and very useful for all four language skills - not just pronunciation or writing.

Yes, she does it all! Also, if you love listening to a native-like British accent while learning English via YouTube, Lucy's videos will be music to your ears! Oh, yes... Lucy has one more than one million subscribers, so that should also tell you something!

Real English®

Learning about grammar rules and how to use or pronounce certain words correctly is cool and all... but what happens when you decide to use all of that in the real world? This is where Real English® comes in. The channel features a pretty large library of free access lessons, each of which includes two videos, one with subtitles and one without and a handful of exercises.

It is truly one of the best channels for language learning beginners - one that focuses on real people and real-life conversations and allows you to practice real English. This gives non-native English speakers a true representation of how native speakers actually talk in everyday conversations - something that traditional vocabulary or grammar exercises often fail to deliver.

To conclude...

Yes, there are plenty more YouTube channels out there that are really good and provide a lot of value for English language learners. But...

I felt that the picks in this article really provide everything for everyone, especially if you decide to follow more (or all) of them at once.

With that being said, if you're interested in any of the above, make sure to subscribe today and share them with your friends! Maybe they'll be of great help to them on their language learning journeys, as well!

Until next time, happy language learning, everyone!