Best 9 English Intermediate Resources [Free & Paid]

If you’ve reached the English intermediate level, congratulations. 👍

It requires a lot of hard work to reach this stage, and your commitment has paid off.

But how can you keep up your momentum to move to a more advanced level? Do you feel like you’ve plateaued at the intermediate level and can’t keep improving?

You may just need some quality intermediate English resources which is what I’ll share with you in this list.

Read on for the best English intermediate resources, including books, websites and apps.

I’ve listed free and paid options, so you can choose the best ones for you.

Free English intermediate resources

I’ve listed some free English intermediate resources in this section to help you improve your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

Check the list below for more information.

1. Learn English with EnglishClass101 to improve your listening skills

With a range of videos, Learn English with EnglishClass101 is an excellent resource to help you improve your English listening skills.

This YouTube channel features videos on topics such as daily conversations, English listening comprehension for intermediate learners and 25 phrases intermediate learners must know.

2. Learning English Pronunciation Workshop for improving speaking skills

One of the best free intermediate options for improving your pronunciation is the Learning English Pronunciation website by the BBC.

The Learning English Pronunciation Workshop hosts are British speakers who will teach you some phonetic rules for pronouncing English words.

From the elision of the letter t to the pronunciation of long vowel sounds, there are several pronunciation lessons you can access.

3. Learn English British Council B1 and B2 reading to improve reading skills

The Learn English British Council has lower and upper-intermediate resources if you’re looking for a resource to help you improve your reading skills.

On this website, you can access several types of texts that are accompanied by reading lessons.

To complete the lessons, you must read the texts and answer questions related to the information in the texts.

The resource features a range of “true or false” and “complete the sentences” questions.

4. Write & Improve with Cambridge to improve writing skills

I highly recommend the Write & Improve with Cambridge tool to improve your English intermediate writing skills.

With this resource, you can select a writing task, upload your response, and receive feedback to improve your writing.

From improving your spelling to refining your grammatical skills, the benefits of this resource will help you increase your confidence in writing.

You can even use the Write & Improve with Cambridge tool to improve your vocabulary.

You have unlimited access to the tool, so you can practise until your writing is perfect.

The tool is free.

Non-free English intermediate resources

The paid English intermediate resources listed here are ideal for improving all English language skills.

Check the resources below to get more details.

1. Complete English Course: Intermediate Level for improving writing skills

The Complete English Course: Intermediate Level by Udemy offers a lot to English students.

You can hone skills such as writing in English and improve your knowledge of English grammar rules and vocabulary to further augment your writing abilities.

Udemy’s course offers other useful resources such as videos and interactive dashboards, PDF files corresponding to each lesson, and the option to practice speaking and listening in real-world situations.

2. English Grammar in Use for improving English grammar

The great thing about English Grammar in Use is that it complements English course materials and features practice exercises to help you improve your English grammar knowledge.

It is a comprehensive resource that will bridge the gap between B2 and C1-level English.

Written by Raymond Murphy, the textbook English Grammar in Use contains clear and concise English grammar topics; the writer is a skilled ESL teacher and explains the grammatical rules you need to communicate in English at the B2 level.

3. Short Stories in English for improving reading skills

Short Stories in English is a highly-rated book with eight stories from various genres, including history, science fiction and crime.

I recommend this book if you want to enjoy reading in English and perfect your English reading skills.

With Short Stories in English, you will learn the 1,000 most frequently used words at the intermediate level and increase your vocabulary.

The book provides a glossary and bilingual word list for each story.

It also includes a summary of the plot and comprehension questions at the end of each chapter.

This resource is written by renowned language expert Olly Richards, who emphasises that the stories will make reading in English stress-free.

4. English for Everyone for improving listening skills

It’s not easy to improve English listening skills, but with the audio accompaniment in English for Everyone: Level 3, you can improve your abilities.

For every module in this course book resource, you will find a specific audio recording to practice your listening skills as you learn.

This course book is particularly suited to students learning English at B1 or B2; its accompanying practice book has more than 700 exercises to consolidate what you learn in the main course book.

The material is perfect if you want to complete the TOEFL, IELTS, or TOEIC exams and must practice listening comprehension skills.

5. Preply for improving speaking skills

On the Preply platform, you can select a native English-speaking tutor to guide you as you communicate in English.

Many of the tutors on Preply have TEFL or TESOL experience and are certified to help you achieve English language fluency and hone your B2 language skills.

You can choose trial lessons before you commit to further sessions and search for tutors who also speak other languages.

Students can also align the lessons to their schedules by selecting the ideal lesson times.

Which resources are necessary when learning English?

Other resources you must have when learning English at the intermediate level include dictionary apps, verb conjugation and pronunciation guides.

Apps such as DeepL translator, WordReference and Google Translate are ideal for looking up English definitions, checking how to conjugate irregular English verbs and learning how to pronounce words, respectively.

What are the main features of DeepL translator?

DeepL translator features an embedded dictionary tool that works when you select a word typed into the translator.

It also generates sentences to help you see how the words are used in particular contexts.

What are the main features of WordReference?

WordReference’s main features include a verb conjugator lookup tool to help you conjugate past simple, present, future and imperative verbs, example sentences and a grammar and usage section that make this resource a comprehensive accompanying tool for learning English at the intermediate level.

The tool also features a word-of-the-day feature for both basic and intermediate levels, which can help you increase your English language vocabulary.

What are the main features of Google Translate?

Google Translate offers a direct, accurate translation feature.

You can translate entire documents or web pages and look up the definitions of words you don’t understand by double-clicking them.

This resource also tells you how frequently the word appears in public documents, and it has a tool to help you listen to the pronunciation of words you are struggling with.