What to watch to learn English
Everything 3 working English teachers told us they would actually put in front of a learner, with a note on why each one works and the level it suits.
20
Recommendations
3
Teachers
What to watch to learn American English
Picked by
Gabby Wallace
American English
When I was learning Spanish, I watched every movie I could get my hands on — that's where real fluency came from for me, not from a textbook. So here are ten American movies I love for English: watch each one with subtitles the first time, then again without, and try shadowing the actors a few minutes at a time. Go for connection, not perfection, and keep it fun — the fluency follows.
See Gabby Wallace’s picks
Cast Away
Tom Hanks stranded on a deserted island; long stretches with little dialogue make it a gentle, very visual listen.
Beginner-Intermediate
Toy Story
A fun animated adventure for adults and kids alike, with clear, simple dialogue — one of the friendlier picks for newer learners.
Beginner-Intermediate
500 Days of Summer
A modern rom-com told out of order, full of relaxed, natural dialogue about relationships and everyday life.
Intermediate
Forrest Gump
An American classic following one man through decades of US history; the slow Southern narration and simple, heartfelt dialogue make it very followable.
Intermediate
The Break-Up
A light romantic comedy built almost entirely on everyday arguments and conversation — great for hearing how couples really talk.
Intermediate
The Hunger Games
A hugely popular blockbuster; the familiar, well-known story makes the English easy to follow and fun to discuss with friends.
Intermediate
The Shawshank Redemption
A moving prison drama with steady, measured narration that's easy to follow, and themes of hope and freedom that stay with you.
Intermediate
The Hangover
A fast, hilarious comedy about a Vegas trip gone wrong, packed with casual slang and natural back-and-forth.
Intermediate-Advanced
The King's Speech
The true story of a king overcoming a stammer — a film literally about speaking clearly, with a pronunciation lesson built in (this one's British English).
Intermediate-Advanced
The Social Network
The story of how Facebook was founded — the plot's already familiar, and the fast, witty dialogue is a good stretch for advanced listening.
Advanced
Picked by
Eliza Marabyan
American English
I teach exam prep — IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge and the Duolingo test — and the learners who improve fastest are the ones who train their ears on real English, not just practice questions. These three are my go-to authentic resources for B1 to C1. If you're around A2 or below, come back to them later and start with material made for your level first, since native-speed audio will only frustrate you right now. For everyone else: watch with subtitles the first time, then again without, and don't panic when you miss things. Catching the gist before every single word is exactly the skill the exams reward.
See Eliza Marabyan’s picks
TED-Ed
Short animated lessons that unpack one big idea at a time, with clean narration and on-screen visuals that carry the meaning. Great for building the academic vocabulary exams love without drowning in fast speech.
Intermediate-Advanced
The Mel Robbins Podcast
A hugely popular self-improvement podcast where Mel talks through motivation and everyday life in clear, direct American English. Of the big podcasts it's the most followable, and a natural step up once ordinary conversation feels comfortable.
Intermediate-Advanced
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon's late-night show — monologues, celebrity interviews and silly games in fast, natural American English. Perfect for picking up humor, slang and the real rhythm of how people actually talk.
Intermediate-Advanced
What to watch to learn British English
Picked by
Stuart Carson-Gravé
British English
Watch something you genuinely enjoy. I get to know what each learner is into and build the listening around that, and I ask them not to try to understand every word: real listening is about following meaning, tone and intention.
See Stuart Carson-Gravé’s picks
The Marvel films
A friendlier place to start than most films, because the story is carried by the action. The vocabulary stays common and everyday, and the gaps between lines give you time to catch up.
Beginner-Intermediate
BBC News
Clear, careful, standard British English, and every clip comes with a written version of roughly the same story. Read it first, then listen, and you will hear far more than you expect.
Intermediate
Friends
Six people, one apartment, and twenty two minutes an episode of the small talk you actually need. The situations repeat enough that you start predicting the language before you hear it.
Intermediate
Naturally English (Stuart's own channel)
Stuart's own business English videos: the meeting, the interview, the presentation, and the tone that gets you taken seriously at work.
Intermediate
Breaking Bad
A chemistry teacher turns to cooking meth, and the tension does half the work of keeping you listening. Slower and more deliberate than most drama, with long stretches where nobody says anything at all.
Intermediate-Advanced
Keeping Up Appearances
Hyacinth Bucket insists it is pronounced Bouquet, and the whole joke lives in how British people say things rather than what they say. Slow, clearly spoken, and a short course in politeness and class all at once.
Intermediate-Advanced
Last Night of the Proms
The closing night of the BBC's summer classical season, flags and all. Less a listening drill than a way in to the culture behind the language, and the songs everyone in the hall already knows by heart.
Advanced
Frequently asked
What can I watch to learn English?
Gabby Wallace of Go Natural English recommends Cast Away, Toy Story, 500 Days of Summer and Forrest Gump, 20 teacher-chosen picks in total (American English & British English). Each links out to where you can watch or listen, with a note on the right learner level.
What can I watch to learn American English?
Gabby Wallace of Go Natural English recommends Cast Away, Toy Story, 500 Days of Summer and Forrest Gump, 13 picks in American English. Each links out to where you can watch or listen, with a note on the right learner level.
What can I watch to learn British English?
Stuart Carson-Gravé of Naturally English recommends The Marvel films, BBC News, Friends and Naturally English (Stuart's own channel), 7 picks in British English. Each links out to where you can watch or listen, with a note on the right learner level.
What shows can I watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime to learn American English?
Gabby Wallace, who teaches American English at Go Natural English, recommends Cast Away, Toy Story, 500 Days of Summer, Forrest Gump, The Break-Up, The Hunger Games, The Shawshank Redemption, The Hangover, The King's Speech and The Social Network. Eliza Marabyan, who teaches American English at Eliza English, recommends The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. These are all TV series and films, so you will usually find them on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Each one links out to where to watch it, with a note on the level it suits.
What shows can I watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime to learn British English?
Stuart Carson-Gravé, who teaches British English at Naturally English, recommends The Marvel films, Friends, Breaking Bad, Keeping Up Appearances and Last Night of the Proms. These are all TV series and films, so you will usually find them on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Each one links out to where to watch it, with a note on the level it suits.