Hello! My name is York Fern, and I’m a certified English teacher with a TEFL qualification. In this article, we’ll explore one of today’s most relevant questions: how to learn English with AI tools, and specifically, how to use ChatGPT effectively. As one of the most talked-about technologies of recent years, ChatGPT is a powerful language-learning companion. Drawing from my own experience, I’ll share practical tips and real-life examples of how to use ChatGPT to improve your English — from vocabulary and grammar to pronunciation, conversation skills, writing, reading, and even exam preparation.
Whether you’re a student learning on your own or an English teacher looking for creative new tools, this guide will help you understand the full potential of using AI to learn English. We'll also look at the pros and cons of ChatGPT and how teachers can integrate it into their lessons. Let’s dive in!
What is ChatGPT? ChatGPT is an advanced AI-powered chatbot developed by OpenAI. In simple terms, it’s an artificial intelligence model trained on a massive amount of text, capable of understanding human language and generating coherent and helpful responses — just like a real conversation partner. ChatGPT can explain grammar, provide examples, answer questions, and engage in dialogue. It’s a virtual language tutor that’s available anytime, anywhere.
Is it free or paid? Good news: the basic version of ChatGPT is free and accessible online. All you need is to register at chat.openai.com to start chatting. There is also a paid plan called ChatGPT Plus (around $20/month), which gives access to more advanced features and newer AI models. That said, for most English learning needs, the free version works perfectly well. Personally, I used the free version with students for a long time before trying the paid one — both are excellent tools for learning English.
How can English teachers use ChatGPT? ChatGPT is extremely user-friendly. Simply open the chat in a browser or mobile app and type your question — preferably in English to get practice — and the AI responds instantly in clear, written text. Your question can be anything from “Explain the difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple” to “Create a dialogue at a restaurant for A2 level.” You can have a full conversation, ask for clarification, examples, or request a simpler explanation — the AI remembers the context and adjusts its responses accordingly.
Many teachers are already using ChatGPT regularly. In fact, according to a recent survey, 4 out of 10 teachers use ChatGPT at least once a week in their teaching. This growing trend shows that AI is becoming a valuable asset in the classroom. Let’s now explore in detail how exactly ChatGPT can help you improve your English across different skill areas.
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ChatGPT is a truly versatile tool for anyone learning English. Whether you're a beginner, an intermediate learner, or even an advanced student preparing for exams, ChatGPT can act as your personal English tutor, language partner, and content generator — all in one. Below are the key areas where this AI tool proves especially effective:
Learning new words and expressions. ChatGPT makes it incredibly easy to grow your English vocabulary. You can ask it to generate word lists on any topic and even include definitions, translations, or usage examples. For example, if the topic is food, you can write: “Can you create a list of 10 intermediate-level English cooking words with definitions and example sentences?” ChatGPT will instantly give you a list with terms like to boil, to chop, seasoning, recipe, along with clear examples. It's an efficient way to access themed vocabulary without spending hours searching through books or websites.
Context-rich examples. Memorizing words in isolation can be dull and ineffective. But when you learn words in context — in stories, dialogues, or mini-scenarios — they stick. ChatGPT is great at providing this kind of immersion. You can ask: “Use these words in a short story: alleviate, deteriorate, pristine, jubilant.” It will craft a story using all the target words, making them easier to understand and remember. These stories feel alive and help you see the natural flow of language. You can even ask for poems, news articles, or dialogues featuring new vocabulary.
Idioms and synonyms. ChatGPT is also perfect for exploring idiomatic expressions and expanding your synonym toolkit. For example: “Explain 5 common British idioms about the weather with examples.” You’ll receive a list of phrases like “raining cats and dogs” along with explanations and usage. Or try: “Give me synonyms for ‘good’ with different nuances.” The AI will return terms like excellent, decent, satisfactory, superb, and explain when each is most appropriate. Even as an English teacher, I’ve discovered new expressions through ChatGPT — it’s a helpful tool for continuous learning!
Simulated dialogues with an AI partner. One of the most exciting uses of ChatGPT is practicing English conversation — anytime, anywhere. The AI can role-play any scenario you choose: a job interview, a shopping trip, a doctor’s visit, a friendly chat at a café. This is especially helpful for shy or introverted learners who feel nervous speaking in front of others.
Recently, one of my students preparing for a trip to London used ChatGPT to simulate ordering coffee. He wrote: “Let’s have a conversation at a coffee shop. You’re the barista, and I’m the customer.” ChatGPT instantly responded with: “Hello! What can I get for you today?” From there, they had a natural exchange, with the AI even correcting grammar and suggesting more fluent phrasing. It was like having a virtual English speaking club available 24/7.
Role-playing on any topic. Want to practice making a hotel reservation? Ordering food? Going to a doctor? Just tell ChatGPT what scenario you’d like, and it will adapt accordingly — even adjusting to your level. You can ask for A2-level conversation or request C1 idioms for advanced practice. The AI can act as a friendly helper or challenge you like a tough interviewer. This open-ended interactivity is one of ChatGPT’s greatest strengths.
Personal experience as a teacher: I once used ChatGPT to role-play a lesson. I played the teacher, and the AI pretended to be a student — even making deliberate grammar mistakes for me to correct. It was surprisingly realistic and useful! Now, I often recommend students “chat” with the AI when they don’t have a speaking partner. It boosts their confidence and provides endless language exposure. Many have told me it’s helped them feel more fluent and natural when speaking English.
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Understanding grammar rules with examples. Grammar can be one of the biggest challenges for English learners, but ChatGPT excels at making it understandable. If a student struggles with a particular grammar point, I often ask the AI to explain it in a simpler way or provide more examples. For instance, if a student is confused about the difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple, I type: “What’s the difference between Present Perfect and Past Simple? Please explain with simple examples.” ChatGPT typically replies with a clear explanation like: “Present Perfect shows a connection to the present (e.g., I have lost my keys), while Past Simple refers to a finished action in the past (e.g., I lost my keys yesterday).” Sometimes the AI even uses analogies or comparisons I wouldn't have thought of myself, helping students grasp the concept more easily.
Creating grammar exercises. Explaining a rule is just the beginning — practice is essential. ChatGPT can generate grammar exercises in seconds. I often ask it: “Create 5 sentences where the student has to choose between Present Perfect or Past Simple.” The AI provides practice sentences, sometimes with multiple-choice options, and usually includes the correct answers for reference. These exercises are great for classwork or homework and save me valuable prep time. The best part? The AI’s questions are often diverse and creative, keeping students engaged.
Correcting grammar mistakes. ChatGPT can also function as a grammar coach. If a student writes a sentence with an error, you can simply paste it into the chat and ask: “What’s wrong with this sentence, and how can I fix it?” The AI will identify the mistake and explain the rule behind it. I even encourage my students to ask the bot directly — they appreciate the clear, non-judgmental explanations. And because ChatGPT doesn't get tired or annoyed, students can repeat this process as often as needed. Sometimes, the AI offers better explanations than I do, and I learn a new way to teach the rule!
Improving pronunciation and accent. Pronunciation is another tricky area where ChatGPT can offer helpful support — although with some limitations. Since ChatGPT operates as a text-based system, it can’t hear your pronunciation unless you’re using the voice-enabled mobile app or external tools that include speech recognition. Still, even in text form, you can ask for guidance.
For example, you might ask: “How do I pronounce the word ‘schedule’ in British English?” ChatGPT will reply with the phonetic transcription — /ˈʃedjuːl/ for British pronunciation and /ˈskedʒuːl/ for American — and explain which syllable is stressed and how each sound is formed. It might also add tips like: “To pronounce [θ], try the phrase ‘think it through’ and place your tongue gently between your teeth.” These explanations are particularly helpful for beginners working on tricky English sounds.
Phonetic transcriptions and sound associations. You can also ask ChatGPT for IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcriptions of words or find rhyming pairs and sound similarities. For instance: “Give me a word that rhymes with ‘through’ and has the same vowel sound.” The AI might reply: “‘Blue’ rhymes with ‘through’ and shares the /uː/ sound.” Such comparisons help learners recognize patterns and internalize pronunciation rules. You can even simulate a student’s mispronunciation and ask ChatGPT for feedback. I once typed: “The student pronounced ‘knowledge’ as /ˈnəʊlɪdʒ/ — is this correct?” The AI immediately responded with the correct form /ˈnɒlɪdʒ/ and explained the common mistake. Sometimes students are more open to accepting feedback from the “AI expert” than from me, which makes ChatGPT a great ally in the classroom.
Voice chat features (where available). As of 2025, ChatGPT offers a voice feature in the mobile app using advanced models like GPT-4. This means you can now practice pronunciation by speaking directly to ChatGPT and hearing its spoken replies. It’s a huge leap for self-guided speaking practice.
I’ve tested this myself — I speak a phrase into my phone, and ChatGPT replies with a natural voice. If I make a mistake, like saying “I has went,” the AI might gently respond: “Oh, you have gone there? That sounds great!” This kind of subtle correction helps students notice and fix errors without pressure. While voice features may not be available everywhere yet, they’re becoming more common — and soon, practicing pronunciation with AI will be just as normal as listening to a podcast or watching YouTube.
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Improving English writing with AI. ChatGPT is a fantastic tool for developing your writing skills in English. It can act as a personal editor, writing coach, and style guide — all rolled into one. Here’s how I use it with students: I ask them to write a short text, like a letter, email, or opinion essay. Then, we paste it into the chat with a prompt like: “Please check this text for grammar and style mistakes.” ChatGPT analyzes the writing, highlights any errors, and offers suggestions. For example, if a student writes: “London are a very interesting city,” the AI will correct it to “London is a very interesting city” and may explain the rule: London is singular, so we use “is.” It often adds friendly feedback like: “Great job overall — just a small grammar fix!” which helps build confidence.
Style and vocabulary enhancement. Beyond grammar, ChatGPT helps make your English sound more natural. Many learners directly translate from their native language, which can result in awkward or unnatural phrasing. ChatGPT shows better alternatives. For example, if you write: “I very like to learn English,” and ask: “Make this sentence sound more natural,” The AI will respond: “I really enjoy learning English.” It might also explain that “very like” is incorrect and suggest better ways to express your meaning. This helps learners improve their vocabulary and style simultaneously.
Generating writing topics and formats. ChatGPT can also help generate creative ideas and outlines for writing tasks. Try asking: “Give me three creative essay topics for B2 level students.” You might receive: 1) “If I were the mayor of my city…”, 2) “My first day at a new school”, 3) “A letter to a friend about your dream vacation.” You can follow up with: “Write an example introduction for topic #2.” and get a sample paragraph that helps students understand structure. Of course, I always remind learners not to copy — the goal is to use the AI’s response as a model or inspiration. As a teacher, I also find it useful when I need a quick writing prompt or outline to use in class.
Getting access to fresh reading materials. ChatGPT is an excellent source for reading practice, especially when textbooks feel outdated or boring. You can ask the AI to write texts at a specific level, on almost any topic. For instance: “Write a short story (150 words) about a day at the beach using only Present Simple and Past Simple, for A2 learners.” Within seconds, ChatGPT produces a readable, level-appropriate story. You can also ask it to create comprehension questions: “Create 5 reading comprehension questions (true/false and open-ended) for this story.” This saves a lot of preparation time and offers customized content for students’ interests.
Simplifying difficult texts. Another powerful feature is the ability to adapt complex texts for learners. Suppose you find a great article from the BBC, but the vocabulary is too advanced. Just paste the text into ChatGPT and ask: “Simplify this text to B1 level and explain any difficult words.” The AI will rewrite the article using simpler sentence structures and easier vocabulary, and often include a glossary of tricky words explained in plain English. This allows learners to engage with meaningful content without getting overwhelmed. I’ve used this to help students understand authentic materials while maintaining motivation to read more.
Making reading interactive. Reading doesn’t have to be passive. I often turn it into an interactive task using ChatGPT. For example, after reading a story, I ask the student to quiz the AI about the text: “Ask ChatGPT three questions about the story you just read.” This reverses the roles: the student becomes the examiner, and ChatGPT is the test-taker. Usually, the AI answers confidently, and students feel empowered when they catch the AI making a small mistake — it makes the exercise more dynamic and memorable.
You can also do reading summaries as a challenge: both the student and ChatGPT write a short summary of the text, then compare results. It becomes a fun competition, but more importantly, it helps students see how ideas can be clearly and concisely expressed.
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Practice for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams. If you're preparing for standardized tests like IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge exams (FCE, CAE), or national English exams, ChatGPT can become your personal exam simulator. I’ve used it extensively to help students prepare for all exam components: reading, writing, speaking, and listening (when transcripts are available).
For speaking practice, try this prompt: “You are an IELTS examiner. Ask me a Part 2 speaking question, and then two follow-up questions.” ChatGPT might respond: “Describe a book you recently read. You have one minute to prepare and then you should speak for one to two minutes.” You can then simulate the entire speaking section, including follow-up questions. Students answer aloud or in writing, and the AI can offer feedback or model answers. This is an amazing way to practice solo — something that used to be nearly impossible at home without a teacher or partner.
Essay writing and grammar exercises. ChatGPT is excellent for preparing for the writing section of any exam. It can check essays, generate new topics, suggest useful phrases, and even provide scoring guidelines. For example: “Give me three formal phrases to use in a Cambridge FCE letter.” or “Write an IELTS Task 2 essay on this topic: Some people think children should learn how to cook at school.” The AI produces well-structured model texts that students can analyze and learn from. You can also use it to generate exam-style grammar tasks: “Create 5 Use of English questions to practice gerunds vs infinitives.” This saves time and allows for unlimited practice customized to the student's level and exam goals.
Reducing exam anxiety. Another surprising benefit of ChatGPT is emotional support and stress relief. Exam preparation can be intimidating, but practicing with the AI helps students get used to pressure and uncertainty. One of my students was extremely anxious about their IELTS speaking test. After practicing mock interviews several times with ChatGPT, they told me they felt much calmer on the actual exam day — “like I had already been there.”
The AI also provides positive feedback like: “Nice job! Your ideas were clear. Just watch out for verb tense consistency.” Even if it’s not always 100% accurate, this kind of encouragement helps students feel seen and supported — which is sometimes just as important as grammar corrections.
Creating lesson materials on demand. ChatGPT is not only useful for students — it’s also a powerful assistant for English teachers. From my own experience, it feels like having a co-teacher who helps with lesson planning, resource creation, and idea generation. You can use it to create dialogues, short texts, comprehension questions, grammar exercises, and vocabulary lists in seconds.
Let’s say I’m planning a lesson on sports for a B1 group. I can ask: “Write a short reading passage about a football match for B1 level with 5 comprehension questions.” Done. I get a relevant, level-appropriate text and exercises I can print or adapt. Need exercises on Past Perfect? Ask: “Create 10 gap-fill sentences to practice the Past Perfect tense.” It’s a massive time-saver — especially when juggling multiple classes.
Adapting texts for different levels. Teachers often need to adjust material to match the varied abilities in a classroom. ChatGPT simplifies this process. You can paste a C1-level article into the chat and request: “Simplify this to A2 level and explain difficult words.” Or: “Rewrite this paragraph for B1 learners using shorter sentences.” I’ve also used it to help students with learning difficulties. For example, one student with dyslexia found long texts overwhelming. I asked ChatGPT: “Break this text into short sentences and bullet points.” The result? A clear, digestible version that reduced the student's stress and helped them engage with the material.
Analyzing student errors. ChatGPT can also analyze student mistakes. I copy student sentences into the chat and ask: “Identify any grammar or vocabulary mistakes and explain them simply.” It returns a list of corrections, each with a brief explanation. This acts as both a check for me and a model for how to explain errors more clearly. You can even request creative ideas for error correction games or drills, making this task more interactive and less repetitive.
Generating engaging activities and ideas. Every teacher has days when inspiration is low. ChatGPT can spark creativity by brainstorming activities tailored to your lesson. Try: “Suggest fun vocabulary review games for a group of 5 students learning travel words.” You might get ideas like quizzes, role-plays, memory games, or even scavenger hunts. Teaching online? Add: “…suitable for Zoom lessons.” Need a writing prompt or project idea? Ask for environmental topics for teens, or debate topics for B2 students. One time, my class was bored with textbook drills, so I asked: “Give me a fun past tense activity for 8 students.” ChatGPT suggested a detective game using Past Simple — and it worked brilliantly. I adapted it on the spot, and the class was fully engaged while practicing grammar.
Saving time and reducing stress. Ultimately, ChatGPT helps teachers save time and reduce workload. While it’s not perfect and should always be reviewed before use, it helps you focus on the most important parts of teaching — connecting with your students, guiding their progress, and bringing enthusiasm to your lessons. It’s a tool, not a replacement, and when used wisely, it can help you stay energized and creative.
We’ve explored many ways ChatGPT can help you learn English or enhance your teaching. But like any tool, it has its strengths and limitations. Below is a summary of the most important advantages and disadvantages of using AI for language learning.
To sum up, ChatGPT has opened up a new era for language learners and teachers alike. When used wisely, it can make studying English more interactive, personalized, and accessible than ever before. Whether you want to expand your vocabulary, improve your writing, prepare for an exam, or just have a casual conversation — this AI tool is here to help.
From my experience as a teacher, incorporating ChatGPT into my lessons has brought new energy to the classroom. My students have more opportunities to practice, explore, and ask questions — even outside of class. It’s not a replacement for human teachers, but a powerful complement that can support learning in creative and flexible ways.
If you're a teacher — or dreaming of becoming one — I encourage you to experiment with ChatGPT in your lessons. Don’t be afraid of technology — use it with curiosity and purpose. The goal of these innovations is to empower both teachers and students to achieve more together.
And if you’re considering developing your teaching skills further, I highly recommend earning an international TEFL/TESOL certificate. I completed my training through tefl-tesol-certification.com, and it was a game-changer in my career. On their website, you can find courses, certification programs, and even job support to help you teach English professionally anywhere in the world.
Wishing you success on your journey as a language learner or educator. May your English lessons be full of inspiration — and may technology help you, not replace the heart and talent you bring to teaching. 🍎
IELTS, TEFL, TOEFL
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💼 Less preparation - more engagement and results in lessons.
🔹 20 topics: family, hobbies, travel, debates and much more
🔹 For beginners and experienced teachers
🔹 Fully ready-made lessons - open and conduct lessons easily!
🔥 Save time and make lessons interesting and effective
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