Top resources for an English Language student

The English language is a great and complex thing, which is probably why there are so many different sub-categories within the subject, from morphology to phonology and everything in between! It can be daunting trying to find the best resources out there to help you with your study of English language and similar courses, but there are plenty of them, and this list introduces you to some of the resources that I find most useful when studying English Language…

The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of the English Language by David Crystal (3^rd edition, 2018)

This is one of my favourite books and the one that I find the most useful, especially when researching. It is a big book filled with essential knowledge for English Language students and one that I would really recommend reading. Crystal is one of the most renowned authors in the subject and he has written many other books, lots of which are very student-friendly, that I also recommend having a look at!

The Linguist List

The Linguist List is an excellent online resource offering everything from books and journals on the subject, to advice for students and writing tips. It is regularly updated and has such a wide range of information, and the “ask a linguist” and discussion sections are really helpful if you have any questions.

The British National Corpus

Corpus data is a really important part of English language study because it shows millions of real-life examples of language in use and allows you to refine your search options to look for specific patterns and trends. The British National Corpus contains around 100 million words, so is a vast and extremely useful resource for any English Language student!

Dedicated groups on social media

One of my personal favourites is this Facebook group which has almost 50,000 members and is a brilliant hub for discussing language related queries and theories. Personally, I find that regular interaction with the group is a great way to build connections and gain knowledge whilst also having fun. Another great benefit of using social media is that you can communicate with people from different cultures all over the world, which is particularly useful when studying intercultural communication!

Your lecturers!

Who better to ask if you need help than the experts who are teaching you in the first place? I find my lecturers extremely helpful for answering any questions I might have, whether they are about a specific concept or more general, and they will always be willing to help you and give you some advice, so don’t hesitate to send them an email if you need some help. Additionally, your lecturers know your course so can help to keep you on the right track and make sure you’re looking at the best resources that are most relevant to your modules!