Start Learning English with a First-Week Plan

Choose materials at your current level and one practical task, then connect listening, reading, your own sentences and next-day review. Your first-week output is a short introduction and a record of what to practice next.

Choose your level and materials

Use the British Council’s level descriptions and graded activities to choose a starting level. Its free online level test requires a free account and gives guidance for selecting materials. For a first beginner lesson, choose beginner material with a transcript, audio and exercises. Treat the online result as course-placement guidance.

Sources: British Council · British Council

Complete one lesson cycle

Use one course as the main sequence. Listen to a short passage, read the transcript, select five words needed for the task and check their meanings in context. Say and write three sentences about yourself, then complete the resource’s exercises. This is an original practice sequence using the resource’s material.

Sources: British Council

Make a first-week schedule

Use day 1 to choose the level and draft an introduction. On days 2–3, complete a short lesson and revise three sentences. On days 4–5, review from memory before the next lesson. On day 6, say and write your introduction without the text; on day 7, compare it with your notes and select next week’s missing words or sounds.

Sources: British Council

Check completion and adjust difficulty

Keep the selected lesson, five contextual words, three personal sentences and review notes. If the passage requires constant lookup, choose a shorter or easier passage. Check understanding by answering the lesson’s questions in your own words. Dictionary provides word meanings, examples and supplied pronunciation text for lookup; use the course’s audio for listening practice.

Sources: British Council

Open product: Dictionary