Great movies to help you learn English

PTE Author
PTE Author
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Reading time: 5 minutes

Learning a language is much easier when you’re enjoying yourself – which is why watching movies can be a great way to immerse yourself in the language.

What better way is there to pick up new phrases and slang terms that you would not learn in the classroom, all with popcorn in hand?

It can be hard to know which movie to choose so here are our top ten to help you get started. These films are chosen for their language clarity and cultural insights, offering a fun way to improve English skills for beginners and advanced learners alike.

If you are not feeling confident, watch with subtitles and you will soon pick things up.

1. Forrest Gump (1994)

A fantastic choice for beginners, this film teaches English while taking you through the heart of American history. This movie is one of the best English movies for learners as Forrest speaks so slowly throughout the entire movie. It is also an iconic 90’s movie which will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

2. Harry Potter series

Perfect for all ages, these films are a treasure trove of rich vocabulary set in a magical world. Many things make the Harry Potter series great for your linguistics skills! Aside from the rich vocabulary, due to the sheer number of films in the series you will get to build up your understanding of different characters, their personalities, accents and ways of communicating.

3. The King's Speech (2010)

What a great idea for learning English – watching a film where the main character – a historic British figure – is learning to speak! King George VI struggles to communicate due to a speech impediment, which means pronunciation is a very big focus in this movie.

4. Pride and Prejudice (2005)

For lovers of classic literature, this film offers a window into historical British English. The movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will also expose you to societal norms, colloquial expressions, formal language and phrases as this movie is set in the early 19th century England.

5. Home Alone (1990)

This is one of the best English movies to watch, especially for beginners. It is full of day-to-day phrases and a slower pace, so it is easier to follow along. It is also a Christmas classic for all the family.

6. Love Actually (2010)

Great for picking up informal turns of phrases, slang and expressions used by British people. It also showcases a variety of British (and Irish) accents, so you can expose yourself to a breadth of British ways of speaking.

7. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

A charming film for mastering conversational American English.

8. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Immerse in everyday conversational English set in contemporary America.

9. Brave (2012)

Animated and perfect for beginners, this film is set in Medieval Scotland so you will get to experience the Scottish accent and culture as well as learning some everyday phrases and idioms.

10. Inception (2010)

This movie should be on your list if you are focusing on advanced language learning. The language and the plot are both really complex. You will be exposed to advanced vocabulary and narratives which are really thought-provoking.

These films offer an immersive, engaging, and often emotionally resonant context for language learning. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your skills, each movie is a step forward in your language-learning adventure.

More ways to prep

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  • Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

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2. The Social Network (2010)

The Social Network is an interesting movie. Although it’s an English language film, it tackles a subject matter that almost every person in every country is familiar with: social media.  

The Social Network stars Jesse Eisenberg as Harvard University student, Mark Zuckerberg, the real-life current CEO of Facebook. As Zuckerberg establishes a social network that will go on to be one of the most dominant forms of media in the current age, he is being sued by twins who claim he stole their idea, as well as the co-founder who was eventually ousted from the business. 

The familiarity of the subject matter is bound to be helpful to those learning English, especially when trying to understand the context and gravity of this film in a new language. 

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3. Jurassic Park (1993)

Jurassic Park is a ridiculously entertaining movie and memorable due to its impressive special effects, sweeping score and some of the most iconic scenes in modern cinema history. After dinosaurs are brought back to life using DNA samples, a park is opened where the beasts can roam. Paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) is invited to inspect the park before it is opened, but when a storm knocks out the park’s power and security systems, the dinosaurs are let loose and the race to escape the park is on. 

If you have been learning English for some time already, Jurassic Park is one of the great movies to learn English too, with some fancy scientific terminology thrown in that can really open up your vocabulary. The sheer entertainment factor will have you coming back again and again for more in-depth learning. 

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 4. Australia (2008)

Directed by iconic Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, Australia is a fantastic choice for learning through movies for various reasons. Set in northern Australia before World War II, Australia follows the journey of English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) as she comes to Australia and reluctantly teams up with stock-man Drover (Hugh Jackman) in order to protect her newly inherited property from a takeover plot. This sees them drive 2,000 cattle across the harsh Australian Outback. 

Australia is a great movie that can be used as a tool to understand the English language, Australian accents, and unique slang, and the many facets of Australian culture.

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5. The King’s Speech (2010)

The King’s Speech is a fantastic introduction to British accents and is a rare film that focuses on an individual’s manner of speech – which is rather important when you’re the king of England and World War II is approaching. It almost works as an English lesson on its own, as King George (Colin Firth) works under a speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) to tackle his stammer. 

This highly acclaimed film is another that does more than cover the English language; it also brings in plenty of colloquialisms (get ready to hear “bloody” used in a new context!) and a rich lesson in British history.

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6. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Considered to be one of the best English movies of all time – perhaps the best – The Shawshank Redemption is a long film, but a must-see if you’re learning English and want to appreciate an absolute classic. The story follows two imprisoned men and their years spent in an American prison, and the ways that they deal with their torturous lives. 

A highly emotional film, The Shawshank Redemption might be difficult to follow until the advanced stages of English, but regardless it is a film that all English-speakers should one day see.

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7. Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone (2001) 

With seven movies to follow the first, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone. is a fantastical look into a hidden wizarding world and the magical school of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With a cast made up almost entirely of UK actors, it gives you excellent exposure to many English, Scottish and Irish accents and a great sense of British culture as well as fun words that are entirely unique to the Harry Potter franchise, such as “Muggle” (a non-magical person) – and plenty of British slang, too. 

The film’s plot is thoroughly enjoyable and easy to follow but eventually builds in intricacy as the franchise goes on.  

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 8. Forrest Gump (1994)

This charming and funny film follows the life of Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) and his unknowing involvement in parts of America’s history, including the Vietnam War and teaching Elvis Presley how to dance. Due to the simpler way Forrest speaks throughout the film (as is part of his character), he is easy to understand, especially for those who are new to learning English, although he does speak with a strong southern American accent.  

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As you can see, English language movies are an excellent aid in becoming a proficient English-speaker – and it’s a lot more fun than staring down at a textbook all day! And when it comes time for you to test your understanding of English, Pearson PTE Academic can help to set you up for the future.

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