About ESLDesk
ESLDesk is a free English-learning site: vocabulary lists with audio, grammar guides with practice quizzes, a picture dictionary, graded reading, spelling and pronunciation practice, learning games, video lessons, and tools to build your own quizzes. It has been online since 1997.
How this site started
I came to the United States as an adult and had to learn English the same way many of you are learning it now — a little every day, while working and living my life. In 1997 I started keeping a simple page of links to the resources that were helping me. That page slowly grew into word lists, grammar lessons, quizzes, and the tools you see today.
I built the kind of site I wished I had as a learner: no account, no tricks — open a page and practice.
— Nick, creator of ESLDesk
What you'll find here
- English level test — 25 adaptive questions, instant CEFR result (A1–C1)
- Learning paths — step-by-step study plans for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners
- Picture Dictionary — 1733 English words, each with a picture and audio, plus picture & listening quizzes
- Vocabulary lists — 100+ themed lists with audio, translation, flashcards, and quizzes
- Grammar guides — all nine parts of speech, each explained with examples and follow-up quizzes
- Commonly confused words — quick rules and memory tricks for pairs like accept/except
- Spelling practice — graded tests, spelling-bee lists, and listen-and-type quizzes
- Pronunciation practice — minimal-pair listening drills with real American audio
- Reading — graded texts, IELTS/TOEFL-style exam practice, and full classic books in the tap-any-word ESL Reader
- Video lessons — 15 playlists from our YouTube channel, from picture vocabulary to slow-listening long plays
- Learning games — six arcade-style games plus a daily mini crossword
- Daily practice — the Today's 10 quiz and the Word of the Day
- Quiz & flashcard builders — turn any list into an adaptive quiz or printable cards
Editorial standards
Everything on ESLDesk uses American (US) English, following Merriam-Webster for spelling and usage; pages that compare UK and US forms teach both. Definitions and example sentences are written to be simple and clear for learners — when a word would confuse a beginner, we choose a simpler one. When readers report mistakes, I fix them.
How the site is supported
ESLDesk has no accounts or subscriptions. A small number of section pages show ads (Google AdSense); lesson and practice pages carry no ads. That is the whole business model.
Using & citing ESLDesk content
Original ESLDesk materials — graded reading passages, example sentences, quizzes, and audio — are free to use in classrooms and for personal study. If you share or adapt them, please credit ESLDesk with a link to the page you used. The classic novels in the Reading section are public-domain texts (via Project Gutenberg) and may be used without restriction.
Contact
Found an error, or have a suggestion? Email hello@esldesk.com — I read everything, and corrections get fixed. You can also find ESLDesk on YouTube and TikTok.