Meaning & use
EFL
Last updated
Meaning
abbreviation
the teaching or learning of English as a foreign language, in a country where English is not the main language
Grammar: Used before a noun or as a noun: an EFL teacher, teaching EFL.
Patterns
- EFL teacher
- EFL class
- teach EFL
She has an EFL certificate and teaches English in Japan.
Many EFL students study English for school exams rather than for daily life.
The school advertises EFL courses for beginners.
Common combinations
- EFL teacher
- He works as an EFL teacher in Seoul.
- EFL learner
- EFL learners often have little chance to speak English outside class.
- EFL classroom
- In an EFL classroom, the teacher may be the only fluent speaker.
- teach EFL
- After graduation, she decided to teach EFL abroad.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: EFL or ESL?
EFL vs ESL
ESL means English as a second language and is used when English is learned in a country where it is widely spoken, such as the US or the UK.
Practice
Which sentence uses EFL correctly?
Choose one answer.
EFL refers to English as a foreign language, so it fits a non-English-speaking setting. Option 1 describes an ESL situation, option 2 is about French, and option 3 describes first-language teaching.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “EFL”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.