esl

IPA/ˌiː.esˈel/
IPA/ˌiː.esˈel/

esl — noun

1. written abbreviation used in education for programs that teach English to people

1.名詞B1
釋義

written abbreviation used in education for programs that teach English to people living in an English-speaking country whose first language is not English — the classes cover everyday communication, schoolwork, and job-related language needs

例句

Sven took an ESL course at the city college to improve his English.

uncountable noun: an ESL course / take ESL

The school hired three new ESL teachers because the number of immigrant students had grown.

compound noun: ESL teacher / ESL class / ESL program

同義詞
  • EFL

    English as a Foreign Language — used when English is taught in a non-English-speaking country where learners do not use English daily outside the classroom

  • ESOL

    English for Speakers of Other Languages — a broader term that covers both ESL and EFL; common in UK and Australian contexts

  • ELL

    English Language Learner — refers to the student, not the program or subject

用法筆記

ESL is always written in capital letters. It is an uncountable noun, so it does not have a plural form (❌ ESLa, ✅ ESL). It usually appears before a noun for a program, class, or teacher (ESL class, ESL student), or after 'of' when referring to a period of study (two years of ESL).

常見錯誤

❌She is an ESL.
✅She is an ESL student.
💡ESL describes a program or field, not a person. Use 'ESL student' instead.
❌I have three ESLs this semester.
✅I have three ESL classes this semester.
💡ESL is uncountable; it needs a countable noun like 'class' or 'course' for plural contexts.
❌He studies ESL in Taiwan.
✅He studies English in Taiwan.
💡ESL specifically refers to learning English in an English-speaking environment. In countries where English is not widely spoken, 'English' or 'EFL' (English as a Foreign Language) is more accurate.