Exploring English: Shakespeare (FutureLearn)

Offered by British Council,
Exploring English: Shakespeare (FutureLearn)

Explore Shakespeare’s life, discover famous Shakespeare plays, and improve your English language skills with the British Council. Explore the English language through Shakespeare’s plays. This course will look at the life and works of William Shakespeare and take you from his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon to the Globe Theatre in London, from where he secured his central place in English literature.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

We will look at five of Shakespeare’s plays with the help of actors and experts from around the world. They will explain and explore the universal themes Shakespeare addressed in his work.

What topics will you cover?

  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Hamlet
  • Much Ado About Nothing
  • The Tempest
  • Macbeth

Our video tutor will guide you through the course and look at some of the words and expressions that Shakespeare introduced to the English language.
Short quizzes will check your understanding and you’ll be asked to share your ideas and opinions on the topics Shakespeare raises.

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the life and works of William Shakespeare.
  • Investigate five of Shakespeare’s plays and look at the universal themes Shakespeare addressed in his work.
  • Reflect on words and expressions that Shakespeare introduced to the English language.

Who is the course for?
This course is for people who are learning English and interested in the language and legacy of William Shakespeare.
The material is designed for non-native English speakers who have studied English to around intermediate level (approximately B1 on the CEFR).

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Learn English Through TV Drama Series: Skipper's Pass (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Chasing Time English

Learn English Through TV Drama Series: Skipper's Pass (FutureLearn)

Improve your English language skills by watching a short television drama series. Explore a unique and engaging way to learn English. English language classes should grip your imagination and inspire you to speak and write. The unique format of this course allows you to watch an original and exciting TV drama series and then apply the language from each episode to your English language learning journey. By the end of this course, you’ll be able to apply your English language skills in everyday contexts, such as asking for directions.

Jun 27th 2022
4 Weeks
Exploring English: Food and Culture (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Council

Exploring English: Food and Culture (FutureLearn)

Improve your English language skills and learn how to cook some classic British dishes while exploring modern UK culture. Explore British food and culture to develop your English language skills. This four-week course from the British Council will help you practise your English language skills while you learn more about modern culture in the UK.

Jul 5th 2021
4 Weeks
PTE Success: The Skills You Need (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Griffith University

PTE Success: The Skills You Need (FutureLearn)

Discover and practise the skills to improve your performance in the PTE test. PTE Success: The Skills You Need is an interactive skills-based course designed to help you prepare for the PTE Academic Test. It is designed and delivered by expert English language teachers and focuses on the core communicative skills of speaking, writing, reading and listening with an explicit emphasis on uncovering the subskills required to be successful in different item types.

Available Now
4 Weeks
English for the Workplace (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Council

English for the Workplace (FutureLearn)

This course for learners of English helps you with the language you need to find a job and successfully function in the workplace. This course is for people who are learning English and who are interested in developing English language skills for employability and workplace contexts. It will help job seekers and young professionals with the English they need.

Jun 1st 2020
4 Weeks
Shakespeare and his World (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The University of Warwick

Shakespeare and his World (FutureLearn)

Together with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Professor Jonathan Bate explores Shakespeare, his works and the world he lived in. William Shakespeare is one of the most famous authors of all time. 2014 marks the 450th anniversary of his birth. His words have inspired and moved people from around the globe for centuries.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Inside IELTS: Preparing for the Test with the Experts (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Cambridge Assessment English

Inside IELTS: Preparing for the Test with the Experts (FutureLearn)

Learn about the skills you need for IELTS Academic and beyond, on this free online course from the experts who produce the test. Are you wondering what skills you need for success in the IELTS Academic test? Maybe you want to know how IELTS examiners assess your level, or how to improve your band score? This course will help you find the answers, understand how to study for the test, and develop your academic English skills.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Practise your PTE Academic Speaking Skills (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Macquarie University,PTE Academic

Practise your PTE Academic Speaking Skills (FutureLearn)

Achieve your desired score in the speaking section of PTE Academic. Learn new skills and strategies and build confidence. Practise and improve your speaking skills for PTE Academic. In this course, we will analyse sample responses from the speaking section of PTE Academic based on oral fluency, content and pronunciation to show how understanding these can lead to success.

Nov 15th 2021
3 Weeks
Learn English Through TV Drama Series: Adrift (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Chasing Time English

Learn English Through TV Drama Series: Adrift (FutureLearn)

Take your English language skills to the next level by exploring pronunciation, complex phrases, and grammatical functions. Learn the core building blocks of conversation. On this five-week course from Chasing Time English, you’ll build on your language knowledge by watching and studying the television drama Adrift. This series focuses on instruction and adjacency pairs, which will help you develop the main building blocks of conversation.

Jun 27th 2022
5-12 Weeks
English for Healthcare (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
King's College London

English for Healthcare (FutureLearn)

Develop your language and communication skills for a career in healthcare and learn new healthcare vocabulary in English. Learn the language and vocabulary of healthcare professionals. The language of healthcare can be complex. On this course, you will develop your English language skills and learn vocabulary for a career and study in healthcare.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
An Intermediate Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading

An Intermediate Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn)

Improve your academic English skills further, learning about critical analysis, using sources, avoiding plagiarism and more. On this course you will expand your academic English skills and learn the necessary extended writing and research skills for producing a thorough and high standard extended essay.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
A Beginners' Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading

A Beginners' Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn)

Learn how to use English for study at university or college and develop your writing skills, vocabulary and grammar. Academic writing can be very different from other types of written English. This course has been developed to help you learn the basics of academic writing and develop your English language skills.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks