Learn English

Where is English spoken and which variant is taught in this course?

English is used globally. It serves as the official language or common means of communication in numerous countries and regions across all continents, in both daily life and professional, cultural, and digital contexts.

There are several variants of English, including British, American, Australian, and Canadian. These variants mainly differ in accent and sometimes vocabulary, but they remain fully understandable in common situations.

In this free online beginner English course, the English taught is a standard international English, designed to be understood everywhere. The voices used in the course are those of British actors, allowing learners to get accustomed to a clear and natural British accent from the start while building a solid international foundation.

Some learners prefer American English, often due to films, series, or music. This is entirely understandable. The choice of a British accent in this course is primarily educational: it offers clearer articulation, a more stable pronunciation model, and is historically very used in English teaching. Learning with a British accent does not hinder progress — on the contrary, it helps develop more precise listening skills and a solid base, making it easier to adapt to any English accent, including American English.

How English works: a direct and communication-oriented language

English relies on a simple and stable sentence structure. In most situations, word order is consistent, allowing learners to understand and produce sentences early on.

A sentence like “I work here” immediately conveys essential information. The message is clear, without complex transformations or unnecessary variations.

This regularity enables learners to focus quickly on the essentials: understanding, being understood, and reusing the language in real-life situations.

English grammar explained through real usage

In the “First Contact” course, English grammar is always introduced through usage, never as a set of abstract rules.

Essential structures are integrated directly into complete, frequent, and useful sentences:

• Subject pronouns, crucial for constructing sentences: “I”, “you”, “he”, “she”, “we”, “they”.
• Essential verbs, like “to be”, “to have”, “to go”, or “to work”, which express a situation, need, or simple action.
• Negation, very common in spoken language, with phrases like “I don’t understand” or “I don’t know”.
• Everyday questions, used to request specific information: “How much is it?”, “Where are the toilets?”.

These forms are repeated in different contexts until they become automatic. Grammar is thus memorized naturally through exposure and reuse.

What to learn first to start speaking English

To progress effectively, it is crucial to learn complete and immediately useful sentences rather than isolated words.

The “First Contact” course is built around real-life situations: greeting, introducing oneself, asking for a price, saying whether one understands or not, moving around, eating, booking, asking for help, or expressing a need.

Sentences like “Hello”, “Excuse me”, “I don’t understand”, “How much is it?”, or “Where are the toilets?” are learned as a priority because they are immediately reusable in real life.

A practical and effective checklist for learning English with Loecsen

Learning English sustainably relies on simple, regular, and well-targeted actions. The Loecsen method aims to create multiple memory connections around the same sentences: listening, speaking, understanding the structure, writing, and reusing.

• Practice every day, even for just 5 minutes. Regularity is more important than duration.
• Learn complete sentences, like “I don’t understand” or “I work here”, which simultaneously activate meaning, grammar, and pronunciation.
• Speak out loud systematically, to anchor the sounds and natural rhythm of English.
• Work on pronunciation through targeted repetition, by precisely imitating the British voices used in the course.
• Write simple sentences by hand, on a notebook or sticky notes, to reinforce memorization.
• Create visual reminders in your daily environment.
• Review the same sentences regularly until they become automatic.
• Use the Listening mode to immerse yourself in the sounds of English, even without actively speaking.
• Use the Chat with AI tool to reuse learned phrases in realistic dialogues.
• Use the Learn with music page with personal content, with or without music.

This approach allows for quick progress while building a solid and lasting foundation in English.

Useful tips to avoid giving up when motivation wanes

A drop in motivation is normal. It is part of the learning process and does not signify failure.

• Deliberately reduce the goal to 2 or 5 minutes to facilitate taking action.
• Change mode: listen instead of speaking, or reread a familiar phrase.
• Return to mastered sentences to regain a sense of competence.
• Use content you enjoy via the Learn with music page.
• Speak without seeking perfection. Practice is always better than silence.
• Change the time of day dedicated to practice.
• Remember the real goal: to understand and be understood in simple situations.
• Use the Chat with AI tool like a game, without pressure.

In language learning, continuity always outweighs intensity.

How the Loecsen “First Contact” course helps concretely

The Loecsen “First Contact” course is a free online English course, designed specifically for absolute beginners.

It is based on a structured progression focused on speaking, repetition, and real-world use. Grammar is introduced only when it becomes useful.

With 5 to 15 minutes of practice per day, it is possible to quickly reach a practical A1 level and handle common everyday situations.

Frequently asked questions about learning English

Is English hard to learn?

English is a direct and widely-used language. By starting with complete and useful sentences, it becomes accessible very quickly, even for beginners.

What type of English should I learn?

This course offers standard international English with clear British voices. This facilitates understanding of different accents while starting with stable and well-articulated pronunciation.

Do I need to learn a lot of vocabulary at the beginning?

No. It is more effective to memorize complete sentences rather than isolated words. Vocabulary naturally expands through reuse in real contexts.

How can I improve my listening comprehension?

Regular exposure to spoken English, as in this course, is very effective. You can also use the Listening mode to immerse yourself in the sounds, rhythm, and intonation of the language.

How can I practice speaking English if I have no one to talk to?

You can use the Chat with AI tool, which offers ready-to-use prompts for everyday situations, allowing you to practice speaking in realistic conditions without pressure.

How long does it take to see progress?

With regular practice of 5 to 15 minutes a day, you can begin to understand and use simple sentences within a few weeks. Progress depends primarily on consistency and active use.

How can I effectively expand my vocabulary?

By reusing the same sentences in different contexts, new words are learned naturally. Visual reminders and handwriting also help reinforce memory.

Do I need to learn all the grammar before speaking?

No. Grammar is acquired gradually by using frequent and meaningful sentences in real situations.

How can I continue to progress after mastering the basics?

You can use the Learn with music page to add your own content (songs, movies, series), which improves speaking skills and helps memorize vocabulary in complete sentences.

What is the best way to improve my pronunciation?

Targeted repetition with the British voices in the course helps build a clear accent. Listening and repeating out loud, precisely imitating the phrases, is one of the most effective methods for improvement.