Find out more about how to join this course

On this online English course, you will learn about British life and culture, and improve your English language skills and knowledge.

Through short videos, you will learn about different popular culture topics as well as ways of life in the UK, including English as a global language, the countryside, music, and literature. Filmed in Great Britain, these videos will help you to develop your listening skills as you watch authentic examples of people speaking English. You will also examine some of the language used in the videos and analyse its use and learn how to use it again in practice.

This English language course draws on the British Council’s expertise in online learning. On this British Council courses page you can find out more about the other courses they offer for people who are learning and teaching English.

You can find out more about this course in Chris Cavey’s post for the FutureLearn blog: 3 tips for getting the most out of Exploring English.

What topics will you cover?

English: the global language

Why is English so widely used?
How does technology help you learn?
Language focus: passives
Useful expressions

Music: making a difference

What does British music mean to you?
Music and society
Language focus: clauses

Countryside: a green and pleasant land

What do people think about the British countryside?
A visit to the Lake District in north-west England
A look at the different parts of the UK
Language focus: description

Literature: books and identity

British literature
Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre
Anniversaries in British literature
Language focus: comparatives and superlatives

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now
Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Reflect on different popular culture topics as well as ways of life in the UK
Explore English as a global language
Develop your listening skills as you watch authentic examples of people speaking English
Reflect on language in use
Develop language skills and practise using new language
Discuss the countryside, music, and literature

Who is the course for?

This course is for non-native English speakers who have studied English to around intermediate level (approximately B1 on the CEFR).

Who will you learn with?

Chris Cavey

I'm a teacher and online learning specialist for the British Council and I manage the development of all of our FutureLearn courses.

Sally T

Hi - I'm from Britain but I live and work in Spain. I'm an English teacher, EFL materials writer and online courses coordinator.

Tina Pole

I started teaching in Hong Kong for The British Council in 1998 then I lived in Italy with my family but I now live in the UK.

Neil McLaren

I live and work in Bratislava and have been teaching for more than twenty-five years. I’m the Social Community Manager in charge of the British Council’s global social media channels for learners.

Who developed the course?

British Council

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.

We work on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2019-20 we connected with 80 million people directly and with 791 million people overall, including online and through our broadcasts and publications.

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Ways to learn

Subscribe to Unlimited to access this course and thousands of other short courses or buy just this course for extra benefits. Or, join with limited access.

Subscribe to Unlimited

$27.99/month

Automatically renews

Access thousands of courses

Access to this course
Access to ALL eligible short courses
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Digital certificate when you're eligible

Buy this course

$54

One-off payment

Unlock your expertise

Access to this course
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Buy this course

Join with limited access

Free

Try before you buy

Limited access to course content for 4 weeks

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn