Blog with English course news

How can I improve my English?

You can take English classes or teach yourself but you need motivation and time if you want to improve your English. Regular lessons with a teacher means you don’t need to make all the decisions about how and what you learn...

How do I learn spoken English?

By speaking as much as possible, of course! But how can I find opportunities to speak?

How can I learn English vocabulary?

Learn collocations! A collocation is a pair or group of words which often occur together.

What vocabulary do I need to know?

Everything is useful, so start with what interests you and do it in English!

How often should I study English?

Study English as often as you can, but really try to do something with English every day.

What are private English lessons?

What are private lessons? Private lessons are the same as one-to-one lessons or Individual Tuition.

What can I learn on an advanced English course?

If you join an advanced level English course at ECS Scotland, you can expect to be exposed to a multiplicity of natural language so that you can develop your collocational and idiomatic use of English and augment your vocabulary range.

Environmental English course

Our Environmental English courses are aimed at Environmental Professionals from a variety of working backgrounds.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Believing in effigies - by Carmela Thiele, a student at ECS Scotland.

Visit to Rosslyn Chapel

Rosslyn Chapel is only 12 miles from the centre of Edinburgh. The visit starts at the information centre which has an exhibition about the history of the chapel, the carvings and the surrounding area.

Where can I get English classes for adults?

Adults from all over the world come to us to learn English as quickly and easily as possible. Adult learners of English tend to learn in different ways and have different interests to young learners.

Can you learn English fast?

The question most often asked by students at ECS Scotland is ‘How can I learn English fast?’. This is often because they have a short timescale in which to improve their English...

Is it possible to learn English conversation?

What exactly is conversation? What does ‘learning English conversation’ involve?

A visit to Glenkinchie Distillery

Glenkinchie Distillery is also know as the home of “The Edinburgh Malt” is located in the rolling farmland of East Lothian and houses an excellent exhibition in the listed red brick buildings.

What is the difference between various international English exams?

First you must decide which examination is most appropriate for your present or future needs.

Compliance with the law

Compliance with the law in the UK

Council tax

If you plan to live in the UK for more than a few months, it may be necessary for you to pay council tax for your house or flat.

Accommodation in Edinburgh

Visitors from all over the world come to Edinburgh to enjoy the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty our city has to offer.

Why is it important to learn Business English?

The spread of English as the language of international business has made it more important than ever for people working with colleagues, clients and partners from other countries to understand each other, so that they can form effective and productive working relationships.

Learning English for business use in Edinburgh

TOLES exam - what is TOLES?

TOLES stands for Test of Legal English Skills and was developed to test the legal English skills of those working in the legal profession who do not speak English as a first language.

How can I learn to speak English?

Firstly, think about why you need to speak English? Think about the times when you use English and what you usually talk about, can you express yourself in every situation?

How can I learn English easily?

Many people ask us ‘is there an easy way to learn English?’

International student insurance

Do you have insurance which will cover the cost of cancelling your flights, accommodation and English course?

Give the gift of language

Are you still looking for a special present for that important person? ECS Scotland offers gift vouchers for all our English langauge courses for adults in Edinburgh.

Do you need a study visa for your English course?

Please note that immigration regulations can change quickly. Keep up to date here.

FCE exam course in Edinburgh

Why should I take the Cambridge First Certificate Examination (FCE)?

Registering with the police in Edinburgh

Who needs to register with the police in Edinburgh?

Tips

Why study Academic English?

Language is at the heart of learning and studying in every country and every university. In order to understand and communicate ideas, whether simple or complex, we need to have good language skills.

Legal English course in Edinburgh

Anyone who works in the law in an English-speaking context needs Legal English. Most people think this means only solicitors and barristers, but in fact there are a range of other professionals who also work in the law, such as paralegals or legal secretaries.

English grammar help - Echo questions

An echo question is a type of direct question that repeats part or all of something that someone else has just said to you.

A few things to do in Edinburgh

What to do in Edinburgh after class or at the weekend

Visit to House of the Binns

The House of the Binns is the only National Trust property for Scotland that is still home to the same family that built it all the hundreds of years ago.

Visit to Holyrood Palace

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is a truly royal visit, the Palace is the Queen's official residence in Scotland.

Visit to Falkland Palace and gardens

The palace was originally rebuilt by King James IV and V into a luxurious hunting lodge.

Visit to the Museum of Flight

If you like anything and everything to do with flying, this is the excursion for you! The airfield was actively used during both World Wars and it now houses a rare selection of aircraft and flying related objects.

Visit to Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle has played an important part in Scottish history for hundreds of years. The castle has been restored and refurbished and it is a popular visit with our students.

Our teachers : Laura Mckinlay

Laura is often your first point of contact with ECS Scotland as she takes care of the enquiries, bookings, administration, homestay accommodation and excursions at ECS Scotland

Our teachers

Our teachers : Flora McPhail

Flora's been teaching at ECS for a number of years now and enjoys teaching general and conversational classes. She also organises our summer social programme which involves afternoon local trips to museums or places of interest.

Our teachers

Our teachers : Jane McKinlay

Jane's main goal in life is to promote effective communication and inter-cultural awareness between people of different language backgrounds.

Our teachers

English for Environmental Science course in Edinburgh, Scotland

It’s not just ecologists who need English for Environmental Science! Professionals working in the energy industry, forestry industry, conservation, town planning, countryside management and tour guides all need to be able to explain key concepts common in environmental English.