You understand English. So why won't the words come out?

One to one British English lessons that get you speaking without freezing.

Build the confidence to speak with
colleagues, friends and strangers.

You can hold a conversation. You've studied for years. But when you need to speak, you go blank, reach for the wrong word, or it comes out wrong. Nobody has ever shown you why. That's what we fix.

Not sure if it's right for you? Send me a message

You're not alone in this.

"My brain just goes blank when I try to speak.""I know the word. I just can't find it fast enough.""Nobody ever corrects me, so I never know if I'm right."

Sound familiar? These aren't vocabulary problems. You already know more English than you can actually use.The gap is between what you know and what comes out of your mouth under pressure. That's what these lessons are for.Our goal is confidence in the situations that matter to you: work meetings, social conversations, and everyday talk.

I'm Joe, from Brighton, UK. I've been teaching British English online for four years, and I've worked with over 200 adults, mostly in China, Germany, Italy, France and Spain.Before teaching I ran a construction company in the UK for 15 years, so I'm not a career academic. I teach the English people actually use.

Three ways to work with me

The Reset

12 lessons · 6 weeks · £540

For adults who can already hold a conversation but freeze, go blank, or can't find the right words.

Build the confidence to speak and listen at work, in social situations, and in everyday conversations.

Let's get you speaking more confidently.

  • 12 lessons of 50 minutes, one to one on Google Meet

  • Speaking, listening and vocabulary, with some reading

  • Simple ways to buy thinking time so you don't freeze

  • I catch the words and habits that trip you up and give you the natural version

  • We work on the main ones step by step

Twice a week for six weeks, or slower if that suits you better.

Taster Package

4 lessons · 45 days · £180

Four lessons to get started, at the same rate as the full programme. Let's see how it goes 😊

  • 4 lessons of 50 minutes, one to one on Google Meet

  • Speaking, listening and vocabulary, with some reading

  • Expires 45 days after your first lesson

Pay upfront, then book your lessons whenever suits you within the 45 days. One taster per student, the Reset is the natural next step if you want to keep going.

The Upgrade

24 lessons · 12 weeks · £1080

For adults who want to raise their level, not just tidy up what they have.

We'll build it around you.

  • 24 lessons of 50 minutes, one to one on Google Meet

  • A structured course for your level, covering speaking, listening, vocabulary, grammar and reading

  • Video comprehension tasks

  • Weekly written homework

  • Phrasal verbs and idioms that make you sound British

Twice a week for twelve weeks, or slower if that suits you better.

Pay in two parts: £540 now, and £540 before lesson 13.

Not sure which one? That's what the diagnostic is for. We'll talk, I'll listen, and I'll tell you which one you need.

What actually happens in a lesson

1. We talk.

About your work, your week, an article, whatever gets you speaking. You do most of the talking. That's the point.

2. I help you as you go.

When you get stuck, I give you ways to keep going. When something comes out wrong, I give you the natural version, in the moment.

3. Next lesson, we work on it.

We revise the previous lesson and mistakes and work on them step by step.

50 minutes, one to one, on Google Meet. On the Reset there's no homework and no materials, just you talking. On the Upgrade we work from course materials with listening exercises and video alongside the speaking, plus a bit of written work between lessons.

What students say

"I've been making some of the mistakes for decades without realizing it. Teacher Joe was the first person to point them out. It was a real eye opener."
Bo, China

"When I use a wrong word or a textbook-style expression, he tells me about that and shows me the right word or a more natural expression."
York, France

"It's the first time that I feel that I'm learning the real English."
Francesco, Italy

Start with 25 minutes

Before you buy anything, we talk.You speak, I listen properly. At the end I tell you what I heard: Your English level, your goals, where you get stuck, the habits holding you back, and which programme would suit you.If I don't think I'm the right teacher for you, I'll tell you that too.£15. One to one on Google Meet. No sales pitch, no obligation.

Questions

How do the lessons work?
50 minutes, one to one, on Google Meet. No fixed days or times. Book each lesson whenever suits you, one week or three the next.What if I need to cancel?
Reschedule or cancel yourself, free and unlimited, up to 24 hours before. Inside 24 hours the lesson counts as used, unless you use one of your free late cancellations. The Reset includes two, the Upgrade three.How long do I have to use my lessons?
120 days for the Reset, 180 for the Upgrade, counted from your first lesson rather than the day you pay.Can I pay in two parts?
Yes on the Upgrade. £540 now and £540 before lesson 13. I send the second link when you have two lessons left.What if something comes up?
You can pause once, for up to two weeks on the Reset or three on the Upgrade. Just tell me before the break rather than after.Do you do accent training?
No. I work on grammar, word choice and sounding natural. If you want to change your accent, I'm not the right teacher and I'll say so.What level do I need to be?
You should be able to hold a conversation already. If you're not sure, that's what the diagnostic is for.

Read the full booking and cancellation policy

Teacher Joe · Big Ben English
British English lessons, one to one, online.Instagram · TikTokFree guide: 10 phrases Brits actually useSelf-study course: Stop Sounding Like a Textbook