Top 5 English Language Learning Accounts on Instagram
Most of us use social media as an escape mechanism, where we scroll our worries away, laugh at funny posts, find beautiful must-see locations, and learn English! Wait. What? Back-up.
Learn English? Via social media? That’s right. Think of how good it will feel to do purposeful scrolling! Say goodbye to the guilt that encompasses you when you scroll aimlessly, and hello to learning a word, a phrase, an idiom, and some grammar in the midst of your social media venture.
You’ll be happy to know that you can find numerous English language learning accounts on Instagram that will enhance your daily scrolling experience. And I’ll tell you all about the top five English accounts in this article. Are you ready? Let’s get to it.
How Can Instagram Help You Learn English?
PSFK notes in one article, “Several Instagram users dedicated to teaching their native language (or a different one they have learned) have garnered a substantial following. The accounts take advantage of Instagram’s translate feature and use the social media network’s visual responsiveness as a tool to interact with and teach non-speakers basic vocabulary.”
You’ll find that the top five English language learning Instagram accounts suggested below use easy-to-understand visuals as a mechanism to teach a quick lesson. Be sure to take a screenshot of what you learned, so you can save it and revise it later.
Okay. Do you want to find out which accounts can help you learn English via Instagram? Here we go!
Top 5 English Language Learning Instagram Accounts to Follow
My goal was to pick Instagram accounts that highlight different aspects of learning English. Expect to follow handles that teach everyday English, slang words, idioms, and grammar by the end of this article. Plus, one account provides you with daily quizzes!
1. Get an all-around English-related reminder with BBC Learning English
What will you learn from this account? Whether you want tips on pronunciation, ways to ask people what they’re doing over the weekend, idioms, little quizzes, BBC Learning English has it all!
What makes it stand out? Expect to find phrases that you may have never been taught. For example, they have one post detailing how to react to bad news in English, and another explaining alternate ways to say immediately. Do yourself a favor and follow this Instagram account.
2. Get to know idioms with Idiom Land
What will you learn from this account? You’ll learn idioms of course! And you’ve probably noticed by now that English has a plethora of idioms. Some may make sense, but others are just plain weird.
What makes it stand out? Idiom Land tends to explain both well-known and lesser-known idioms. After they reveal their idiom of-the-day, they share a movie clip of someone using the word, so you can recognize how it’s used in a sentence.
For example, one of their most recent posts explains the idiom, full of hot air, which means “to talk a lot, especially without saying anything of value or meaning.” And the following post showed Katherine Heigl using the phrase in The Ugly Truth.
3. Get simplified definitions of complicated grammar with To Fluency
What will you learn from this account? To Fluency, also known as Learn English With Jack, follows a similar format to BBC English Learning. He covers a variety of topics, from phrasal verbs to explaining the grammar behind popular terms such as get married.
What makes it stand out? Jack doesn’t shy away from unveiling the syntax behind popular, everyday terms. Take a look at one of his captions:
“This is a good #englishphrase to know. Quick question: what things do you buy online these days? This is something my wife says to me and I say to my wife. If one of us is buying something online, we'll say, ‘Are you online shopping AGAIN?’ What's important here is the intonation. Can you guess what it might be? Or what we're trying to say? (Watch the lesson on YouTube or Facebook to listen to it!) It's a criticism, in a way. Not a strong one. Usually more of a joke. It suggests that the other person is always buying something online. We stress the word AGAIN.”
He may cover a variety of English language learning necessities such as grammar, phrasal verbs, popular terms, phrases, idioms, but the one thing that makes his account stand out is his willingness to explain the grammar and reasonings behind casual terms and phrases.
4. Test your English with 1 Task A Day
What will you learn from this account? This account will help to highlight what you need to learn! How? They provide daily quizzes. Keep in mind that quizzing yourself is an excellent learning method. One source notes that:
“Quizzes help students identify what they know and what they don’t know.”
And the quizzes provided on 1 Task A Day will help you out—their questions will undoubtedly get you thinking!
What makes it stand out? 1 Task A Day provides daily quizzes. With each new quiz, they provide the right answer for the previous question.
The quizzes cover a variety of topics! For example, one question asks you to “Put the sentence into the second conditional: If I win the lottery, I will buy a house.” While most of their questions ask you to fill in the blank with the right word.
5. Get to know slang words with Slang Cards
What will you learn from this account? Slang words! You’ll learn the meaning behind well-known slang words like hustler and not-too-common ones like hunky-dory.
What makes it stand out? Like Idiom Land, Slang Cards unveils the slang word and the definition, and then they show you how to use through clips from movies and shows!
Tips on How to Retain What You’ve Learned
These Instagram accounts may help to highlight what you need to learn, but it’s essential to learn some tips and tricks on how to retain that knowledge!
1. Follow other Instagram accounts
While language learning accounts will teach you grammar, phrases, words, and sentences, regular accounts will help you see English at an informal, everyday level. Try following celebrities, athletes, or various other English-speaking people. When you’re scrolling, you’ll likely come across an unknown word or saying that you can look up or screenshot for later, forcing you to learn while you scroll.
But be warned!
People tend to misspell or shorten words on Instagram, such as u instead of you or wat bot instead of water bottle. (Guilty!)
2. Comment in English
Practice what you’re learning by commenting on posts in English!
3. Screenshot your posts
I mentioned this one above, but I wanted to say it again, just in case. Screenshots allow you to come back to what you learned at the end of the day, helping to refresh your memory!
4. Check out hashtags
Try typing something like #learnenglish into your search bar, and see what comes up! Get to know other language learning accounts this way.
Let’s face it: Instagram is the perfect way to learn English! You’re in a safe environment, and no one will nag you for saying or understanding something wrong. It can be nerve-wracking to speak a new language with someone, but Instagram may help to confirm that you actually know more than you think—or at least help to highlight what you need to learn!
Want to study English on other social media platforms? Consider checking out YouTube. The popular platform has numerous lesson-like videos that will benefit your English language learning venture greatly!