Language Links and Resources

Helpful/Interesting Language Links

Resources for Language Learners and Teachers

The following is a growing collection of some of the resources that students and teachers of English might find helpful. Feedback and input is welcome. Please send comments and suggestions to the webmaster.

Sprachpraxis specific

• Language in Use Exams FAQ
• Language Terminology – Syntactic Form and Function
  • Sprachpraxis Syntactic Form/Function tutor
• Moodle Language Courses I and II (otherwise known as the "MLCs"): FAQ
• MS Teams / Moodle links:
  • Sprachpraxis UdS English - Students Team (A team that we encourage all students who are taking courses within the department's Sprachpraxis section to join)
  • Sprachpraxis UdS Students - Resources (A Moodle course chockful of useful recources such as past exam papers, Language Spots, etc.)
• The New York Times - Word of the Day

Online Dictionaries and other Grammar and Vocabulary Resources

• Oxford English Dictionary (The UdS is an institutional subscriber)
• Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
• Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
• Merriam-Webster Online
• YouGlish (authentic pronunciation samples)
• Online Etymology Resource

• Google books Ngram Viewer

  Collocations Dictionaries

• English Collocations Dictionary (Ozdic)
• English Collocations Dictionary (Collins)

• English Collocations Dictionary (Oxford; paywalled)

  Vocabulary and Grammar

• Cambridge Use of English Pro (Not free of charge but highly recommended) C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency
• English Right Now (An insight into British English grammar, vocabulary, and culture)
• John's English page (Grammar and vocabulary at C1/2 level)

Teaching Materials/Resources, Blogs

• British Council / BBC: Teaching English
• Chunk of the day: https://www.lexicallab.com/chunk-of-the-day/
• Writing and punctuation
• Cambridge exam prep: https://www.flo-joe.co.uk
• Practise your English with a tandem partner: https://www.tandem.net
• Check grammar/vocab against the CEFR: https://www.english.com/gse/teacher-toolkit/user/lo
• Sketch Engine corpus tool: https://auth.sketchengine.eu/#login
• English Grammar Profile Online (C1; Excel spreadsheet [*.xlsx])
• English Grammar Profile Online (C2; Excel spreadsheet [*.xlsx])

Selected News Sources

• BBC News
• BBC Culture
• The Economist
• The GuardianAudio
• The Independent
• Independent.ie
• National Public Radio News
• The New York Times
• Orion Magazine
• The Progressive
• The Times
• The Times of India

Radio/Podcasts (listening to English)

• RoPeCast - A Saarland University podcast for learners of English created by the late (and much-missed) Roger Charlton and Peter Tischer.
• ABC podcasts | Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National
• BBC podcasts | British Broadcasting Corporation
• CBC podcasts | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• NPR podcasts | National Public Radio (U.S.)

Professional Societies/Associations/Publications

• International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
• Internet Teaching English as a Second Language Journal