Our General English course is the most popular option in Brighton, and it allows you to build your fluency and confidence in everyday English, whilst giving you options to add on extra elements, like English for work or exam preparation. You can study from 2 to 52 weeks, and start almost any Monday.
A General English course is designed to help you improve your general ability to use English in everyday situations. Most General English courses will work on all the important skills, of reading, writing, listening and speaking and as a result, you should feel the improvement to your fluency and your confidence to have conversations in a wider range of situations and contexts.
The General English course at ELC Brighton is designed to give you the confidence to communicate effectively in real-life situations.
There is a balanced programme, focusing on the skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, whilst covering essential grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, idioms and colloquial language.
* Minimum age: please see more information regarding levels of care and supervision for 16 and 17 year olds in international classes. We occasionally accept 15 year olds in international classes provided they are part of a group with a group leader.
You can choose to study for either 25 lessons (18.75 hours) per week or 30 lessons (22.5 hours) per week.
This is made up of a core morning 20 lessons of General English, with 5 or 10 lessons each week where you can focus more specifically on your goals with 1 or 2 afternoon electives.
Afternoon electives include:
Develop your real-life conversation skills and fluency. Improve your pronunciation so that people will understand you better.
Build your vocabulary and learn techniques to remember and use more words and phrases correctly. Practise vocabulary in context.
Preparation for the academic IELTS exam and for university study. Study all 4 IELTS papers, practise listening for lectures and giving presentations.
Training in exam techniques. Study reading, writing, speaking, listening and grammar in use for Cambridge First (FCE) and/or Advanced (CAE).
Introduction to English used in work situations. Focus on making phone calls, language for presentations, meetings and negotiations.
Complete and thorough preparation for the listening and reading exam. Practise exam questions and learn exam techniques.
**Please note: You need to have at least an intermediate level of English for Academic English IELTS/EAP, Cambridge exam preparation, English for Work and TOEIC preparation.
| Course options | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/30 lessons | 09:00-10:30 Core GE lessons | 09:00-10:30 Core GE lessons | 09:00-10:30 Core GE lessons | 09:00-10:30 Core GE lessons | 09:00-10:30 Core GE lessons |
| Morning break | |||||
| 25/30 lessons | 11.00-12.30 Core GE lessons | 11.00-12.30 Core GE lessons | 11.00-12.30 Core GE lessons | 11.00-12.30 Core GE lessons | 11.00-12.30 Core GE lessons |
| Lunch break | |||||
| 25/30 lessons | 13.30-14.30 GE lessons | 13.30-14.25 GE lessons | 13.30-14.25 GE lessons | 13.30-14.25 GE lessons | Free time or supervised self-study |
| 30 lessons | 14:35-15:30 GE lessons | 14:30-15:30 GE lessons | 14:35-15:30 GE lessons | 14:35-15:30 GE lessons | Free time or supervised self-study |
| Free time or supervised self-study until school closes | |||||
| 1 ‘lesson’ = 45 minutes. Lessons are usually combined into larger units of time. | |||||
Our General English course is popular for good reasons. It’s a great way to level up your English by working on all the skills you’ll need later.
Working on all aspects of your English
General English also helps enormously with exam preparation. Our friendly teachers and personal support will also make sure we understand your own personal goals and challenges, and we can guide you carefully so that you get the best possible outcomes.
We do not normally take complete beginners. In order to get the most from your stay, we would normally recommend that you know some basic English like the alphabet and simple phrases (My name is X, Where are you from?, How much is?)
Our General English courses start any Monday and finish any Friday. You can book a minimum of 2 weeks. Please note that the school is open year round except for 2 weeks around the Christmas period – usually the last 2 weeks for the calendar year.
Our most flexible and economic option is our Study Year Programme. You will normally start on the General English course, then when you have reached a B1 intermediate level you can join an exam preparation course (e.g. IELTS or Cambridge First). The Study Year Programme includes one free airport taxi transfer on arrival and one free examination.
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Our very own Amy gives you a few pointers on where to visit if you're studying English in Brighton, or visiting for the day.
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The 50+ English group take in brilliant sunshine, artistic creativity and stunning architecture on a Sunday afternoon trip into Brighton.
Brighton has a good number of pubs, and there's a good chance there is a pub or bar somewhere in Brighton that has just the kind of atmosphere you love.
A course for working business professionals which combines General English with business related language, in small groups of maximum 6 participants.
The English Study Year programme in Brighton gives you time to really lift your level, whilst living on the south coast of England.
This course is a great combination of General English and language for the world of work, which we hope will improve your prospects when you're applying for jobs or…
Group General English classes in Brighton, followed by a choice of 1 or 2 private English lessons each afternoon, Monday to Friday.
Combine General English with afternoon TOEIC lessons so you can prepare for this test of international communication.
This is a great option if you need to boost your English language skills because you're planning to study at university.
Our language learning levels relate closely to how the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) define them, but with a difference which we have found to help our students at Elementary level.
| ELC level | Equivalent CEFR levels | |
|---|---|---|
| A0 | ||
| A1 | ||
| Upper A1 | Lower A2 | |
| A2 | ||
| B1 | ||
| B2 | ||
| C1 | ||
| C2 | ||
We offer an English level test which anyone can take. It involves 50 questions and, depending on your level, will probably take you from 10 to 20 minutes. At the end of it, we will tell you your probable level.
But when you book, we will ask you to take a more detailed and accurate test, to make sure that you start in the class which is best for you.
We can help you choose the course that is right for you, and answer any questions you have. Please use the chat function, or send us a message, and we’ll see what we can do to help you.