Best TV Shows to Learn English on Netflix

Netflix has a huge collection of TV shows to watch and in this article, I want to show you the best TV shows to learn English.

Netflix often changes the T.V shows that are available to watch and it also depends on where you live.

Why Learn English with Netflix?

Watching TV is a great way to improve your English if you use it as one part of your study. You can use TV as a way to relax after you spend time studying and practicing English. 

You will not become fluent in English by just watching Netflix. You also need to speak the language. You can do this online with Cambly or Italki.

9 Best Tv Shows to learn English on Netflix

1.Ozark https://www.netflix.com/title/80117552

A greedy banker gets involved with a drug dealer and moves his family to the middle of nowhere. This TV show demonstrates to you how a few bad decisions can make things so much worse.

 2. Modern Family https://www.netflix.com/title/70143858

This series has a lot of great characters (my favourite is Phil!) and it is very funny. It takes a little time to understand the relationships but when you do you will enjoy this TV show immensely  

3. How I Met Your Mother https://www.netflix.com/title/70143824

Ted looks for a wife and many funny incidents happen in the meantime. Watching TV shows like How I met your mother will help you to understand jokes in English speaking countries. 

4. Grace and Frankie https://www.netflix.com/title/80017537

Grace and Frankie proves that older people can be funny too. This TV show is about getting old but it is great for younger English students too. 

5. Suits https://www.netflix.com/title/70195800

On the run from a drug deal gone bad, Mike Ross, a brilliant college-dropout, finds himself a job working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City’s best lawyers.

6. Master of None https://www.netflix.com/title/80049714

This is a hilarious (very funny) show that shows the problems about life today. Dev shows us how it is more difficult to find a girlfriend/ boyfriend and more difficult to meet people in general. 

7. The Big Bang Theory https://www.netflix.com/title/70143830

Another very funny T.V show. This time we follow some scientists and their day to day life working in a university. They are taught about the world outside of science by Penny, a woman who moves into the apartment across the hall.

8. Brooklyn Nine-Nine https://www.netflix.com/title/70281562

A police comedy with lots of funny characters. Learning English can be fun with comedies like Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The language they use in this series is modern so you will sound natural when you are speaking after watching this T.V series. 

9. 13 Reasons Why https://www.netflix.com/title/80117470              A teenage drama with lots of suspense and emotion. Emotion is an important part of learning a language because we remember vocabulary better when there is an emotional connection.

What else should I watch to learn English?

Watching Netflix is a great way to practice your listening skills but maybe you have different interests. I recommend finding something that you are interested in and learning about that subject in English. You could also take an English online course and you can find many here on Espresso English.

Which TV channel is best for learning English?

TV channels are different in every country so it depends on what type of English you want to learn. If you want to visit the U.S.A then you can watch popular channels like CNN. If you want to practice English from the U.K then you can watch BBC. If you want to go to Ireland you can watch RTE. You can become familiar with many different accents by watching TV from different countries and learning how English is different. 

What if I don’t have Netflix?

If you don’t have Netflix, then you can watch videos on Youtube and you can find my channel here. If you have a low level of English, then I recommend watching shorter videos like the type of videos you can find on Youtube.

Which is the best British English series?

My recommendations:

• The Office
• Fawlty Towers
• The I.T Crowd
• Broadchurch

Does watching English movies improve your English?

Yes, Watching movies in English will improve your listening skills if you practice regularly. It is important for learning the sounds of English and the rhythm of the language. It is important to remember that you will not become a fluent English teacher by watching movies. You need to practice the sounds of English by moving your mouth and speaking English. 

Difficulties understanding when watching TV shows for learning English

Some of the difficulties include:

• Low level of English
• Difficult accents
• Different vocabulary

If your level of English is very low, then there is no point watching a movie in English and expecting to understand everything. Start with shorter pieces of language and you can find some here on the British Council’s website.

English is different around the world. You may find it more difficult to understand someone from Scotland or Ireland because English from these countries is not as common as in the bigger countries. It is all about practice. I promise you that after a few Irish T.V shows you will be able to understand Irish people better.

There are also different words in different countries. In my opinion, it is not a good choice to watch some fantasy drama or a period drama from 100 years ago. Watch something modern like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and you will have fewer problems when you talk to people in the real world!

How can I improve my spoken English quickly?

Do not forget to practice speaking!! The best way to practice this skill is by practicing with native speakers. You can have a 15-minute class on Cambly here.

I hope you found some good ideas to watch tv shows on Netflix and if you have any recommendations for other students please leave them in the comments.

Happy learning!!