About Steve Ellis

Welcome to The British English Insider.

I’m Steve Ellis, a British English teacher with twenty four years’ experience helping advanced learners speak more naturally, confidently and fluently.

During that time I’ve taught students from all over the world, from professionals and university students to teachers of English preparing for the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) and C2 Proficiency (CPE) examinations. I also worked for British Council as a Teacher Trainer

So why another English newsletter?

Because after years of teaching, I became convinced that many advanced learners were concentrating on the wrong thing.

Grammar is important. It gives English its structure and precision.

But grammar alone won’t make you sound natural.

The biggest difference between someone who speaks correct English and someone who speaks fluent English is often their command of lexical chunks — the collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms and fixed expressions that native speakers use automatically every day.

It’s the difference between constructing sentences one word at a time and speaking in ready-made pieces of language.

I don't just teach English—I help advanced learners understand why native speakers sound the way they do.

That’s why you’ll find so much emphasis here on natural English rather than simply correct English.

How I came to this way of teaching

When I first started teaching abroad over twenty years ago, something surprised me.

I’d use expressions that seemed completely ordinary to me, only to discover that even experienced local teachers had never heard them before.

At first I couldn’t understand why.

Then I discovered Michael Lewis’s The Lexical Approach. Although it’s not the easiest book to read, its central idea immediately struck a chord with me because it explained exactly what I’d been seeing in my own classrooms.

Since then I’ve built much of my teaching around helping learners notice, understand and use the language that native speakers actually rely on in everyday conversation.

What you’ll find here

Whether you’re preparing for a Cambridge exam or simply want to sound more natural in English, you’ll find regular posts covering topics such as:

• lexical chunks, collocations, phrasal verbs and idioms

• advanced vocabulary in real context

• British English and the expressions we really use

• grammar that genuinely improves fluency and style

• Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) and C2 Proficiency (CPE) tips

• the occasional reflection on British language and culture

Some articles are available to everyone because I want these ideas to reach as many learners as possible.

If you decide to become a paid subscriber, you’ll also receive more in-depth articles, previews of the courses I’m developing, downloadable resources, premium quizzes with fully explained answers, and additional guidance for advanced Cambridge exam preparation.

Above all, I hope this publication helps you enjoy English a little more—and discover that becoming more fluent isn’t about memorising endless grammar rules. It’s about learning to think in the language that native speakers really use.

Join the Conversation

If something resonates, feel free to comment or share your thoughts.

Language is, after all, something we explore together.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll join me on the journey.

Steve Ellis

High Flyer English