Learning English

Since your students are literally learning English right now, this topic hits close to home and usually generates honest, engaged conversation. Use these questions to talk about their experiences, challenges, and why they’re sitting in your classroom.

Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.

Beginner (A1-A2)

1. How are you learning English: at school, with a tutor (private teacher), or on your own? What do you like about your method?
2. How many English-speaking countries can you name? Which one would you most like to visit?
3. What English songs do you know? Do you understand all the words?
4. Do you ever dream in English? What happens in those dreams?
5. What English words do people in your country use every day? Give me some examples.
6. Do you watch TV shows or movies in English? What kinds do you enjoy?
7. Where do you see English writing in your city? How often do you see it?
8. Do you listen to English music or podcasts? What do you like to listen to?
9. Do you have any friends or family members who speak English with you? What do you talk about together?
10. What do you find easy about English? Give me some examples.
11. Do you use English on your phone or computer? What kinds of things do you do in English?
12. What is the first thing you do when you start an English lesson? How do you get ready to learn?

Elementary (A2)

1. What materials do you use for learning English? Which one helps you the most?
2. How long have you been learning English? Has it gotten easier over time?
3. What English sounds are the hardest for you to pronounce? Why do you think those are so tricky?
4. How do you practice English grammar? Do you prefer exercises from a textbook or real-life situations?
5. How do you practice speaking English? What has helped you the most?
6. How do you practice your English listening skills? What do you enjoy listening to?
7. What is your favorite way to learn new English words? Give me some examples of words you learned recently.
8. When you learn something new in English, do you try to use it right away? How do you practice using new words or grammar?
9. Do you practice by making up your own English sentences? What kinds of sentences do you create?
10. Do you sometimes communicate in English with native English speakers? In what ways?
11. Do you ever practice by translating things from your language into English? Does it help you think in English, or does it slow you down?
12. What typical mistakes do you make in English? How do you try to fix them?
13. What area of English are you best at (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading, or writing)? Why do you think you are good at it?
14. What do you think your English level is (beginner, intermediate, or advanced)? What makes you say that?
15. How do you remember difficult spelling traps like desert vs dessert?
16. What’s your favorite English word? What makes it your favorite?
17. Have you ever talked to a tourist in English? Was it fun?
18. Where do you usually study English: at home, at school, or somewhere else? What do you like about that place?
19. What was the first English word or phrase you ever learned? How did you learn it?
20. What is the most useful English phrase you know? When do you use it?

Intermediate (B1)

1. Why are you learning English? How will you use the English you learn?
2. What are the good and bad sides of studying English on your own? Do you think it can work without a teacher?
3. What is the most difficult thing about learning English?
4. Do you think in English or translate from your language in your head? Why do you think you do that?
5. What kind of English teacher do you learn best from: strict or relaxed? Why?
6. What do you think is more important: perfect grammar or clear communication? Why or why not?
7. Should children start learning English very young? Why or why not?
8. Do you think watching English content with subtitles helps or hurts your learning? How so?
9. Do you think people should learn British English or American English? What are the downsides of each?
10. What do you think causes people to lose motivation when learning English? What keeps you motivated?
11. How does your first language make learning English easier or harder?
12. When someone corrects your English, how do you feel? Does it depend on who corrects you?
13. Do you think AI tools like ChatGPT are good for learning English, or do they make students lazy? Why or why not?
14. Some people say English grammar is easy but pronunciation is impossible. Do you agree? Why or why not?
15. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting to learn English? What do most beginners forget to do?
16. How often have you had to switch between English and your native language in the same conversation? How did you make that decision?

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

1. How has technology changed the way people learn English? What do you think about those changes?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of learning English in your home country versus studying abroad?
3. How do cultural differences affect the way people learn and use English? Can you give examples from your own experience?
4. What role does accent play in how people judge English speakers? How much does it affect you personally?
5. How do English language exams like TOEFL or IELTS influence the way people study? Are they helpful or do they create problems?
6. Some countries require English in schools from a young age, while others don’t start until later. How does this affect those countries’ economies and job markets?
7. Many people learn English for years in school but still struggle to have a real conversation. Why do you think that happens, and what can be done to improve that?
8. Compare learning English from a human teacher with learning from an AI tutor. What can each one do that the other cannot?
9. How does speaking English well change a person’s career opportunities in your country? Is the gap between English speakers and non-speakers growing or shrinking?
10. Why do some people become fluent in English while others study for years but never feel confident? What makes the difference?

Advanced (C1)

1. How does learning English change the way people think about their own language and culture? What do they gain and what might they lose?
2. Why do native English speakers often have less motivation to learn other languages? How does this create power imbalances in international communication?
3. What assumptions about intelligence and education do people make based on someone’s English proficiency? How do these assumptions function in workplaces and social settings?
4. How does the commodification of English (treating it as a marketable skill) change the reasons people learn it and the way it’s taught?
5. How might the simplification of English for international communication (avoiding idioms, using basic grammar) both aid understanding and strip away cultural depth?
6. When English becomes the common language in international companies, local employees often lose the ability to express subtle ideas. How does this affect workplace creativity, power dynamics, and decision-making?
7. Parents in many countries push their children to learn English from a very young age, sometimes at the expense of other subjects. What tensions exist between preparing children for a global economy and giving them a well-rounded education?
8. English borrows words from many languages, but as it spreads globally, other languages also absorb English words. How does this two-way exchange strengthen some cultures while threatening others?
9. Non-native English speakers now far outnumber native speakers. How might this shift change what ‘correct’ English means, and who gets to decide the rules?
10. In many countries, people who speak English well become the go-to translators and decision-makers in their communities. How does being ‘the one who speaks English’ change a person’s relationships and social position?
11. The English learning industry is worth billions, and new courses and apps promise fluency every year. Why do people keep investing in methods that often don’t deliver, and what does this tell us about how people really learn languages?

PDF: Download a PDF of all the questions