American English Language School

Visiting Irvine on a tourist visa and hoping to brush up on your English? Good news: B-1/B-2 visa holders can take part-time ESL classes while in the United States — and AELS Irvine makes it easy. Part-Time Study Is Allowed The B-1/B-2 visa is meant for tourism and business, but it does permit short, recreational, part-time study. You can join an English class as long as studying is not the main reason for your trip. The 18-Hour Rule The key limit: your study must stay part-time — fewer than 18 hours of class per week. Anything at or above 18 hours counts as full-time study, which requires an F-1 student visa. A part-time ESL course keeps you compliant while still building real English skills. Thinking About Full-Time Study? If you want to study English full-time, you would need to change your status to F-1 by filing Form I-539 with USCIS and receiving a Form I-20 from a SEVP-certified school. If that is your plan, start early and consider speaking with a qualified immigration attorney...

Even fluent speakers slip up on a few English grammar rules — and small mistakes can change your meaning or dent your confidence. At AELS Los Angeles , here are some of the most common ones we help adult ESL learners fix. Simple past vs. present perfect: "I lived in Los Angeles for five years" means you moved away; "I have lived in Los Angeles for five years" means you still live here. Subject–verb agreement: match the verb to the real subject. "The list of items is on the desk" — not "are." Articles (a, an, the): use a/an for something general, and the for something specific. Prepositions of time: in June, on Monday, at 3:00. Run-on sentences: don't join two full thoughts with just a comma — add a period or a word like "so." The fastest way to make these stick? Practice out loud, with feedback. Our small-group ESL classes in Los Angeles give you the time and support to catch these patterns and correct them naturally — f...

Have you ever heard someone say they were "under the weather" and wondered why weather had anything to do with feeling sick? Or maybe a coworker said they "hit the nail on the head" and there was no hammer in sight? Welcome to the world of English idioms. Idioms are phrases where the meaning is completely different from the individual words. Native speakers use them constantly at work, in school, and in everyday conversation. If you are studying ESL classes Fullerton , learning idioms is one of the fastest ways to start sounding like a natural English speaker. 5 Idioms to Know Right Now 1. Bite Off More Than You Can Chew — To take on more than you can handle. ("I signed up for four classes and a part-time job — I really bit off more than I could chew.") 2. Lone Wolf — Someone who prefers to work alone. Common in workplace and academic conversations. 3. Stay Put — To remain in one place. Simple but used constantly in everyday English. 4. Hit the Nail on ...

Thinking about switching schools but worried about losing your F-1 status? Good news — transferring your F-1 visa to AELS Irvine is one of the simplest moves an international student can make, and you don't have to leave the country to do it. Why Students Choose AELS Irvine Students from community colleges, universities, and other language schools transfer to AELS Irvine every term. The reasons are consistent: smaller class sizes, a strong focus on real conversation, more flexible schedules, and a friendlier price point. Add in the central Orange County location — close to beaches, freeways, and great food — and Irvine becomes one of the easiest cities in California to call your new academic home. Our ESL classes in Irvine include full-time and part-time options for all levels, plus TOEFL prep and Conversation Bridge for students preparing for college or American workplace life. How the F-1 Transfer Works Most students are surprised at how simple it is. Your F-1 visa st...

Every summer, visitors from Japan, South Korea, Europe, and around the world come to California with a goal beyond sightseeing — they want to improve their English. If you are visiting the United States this summer on an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) or tourist visa, taking English classes at AELS could be one of the best decisions of your trip. What Is ESTA and Can You Study English on It? ESTA is the travel authorization used by citizens of countries in the Visa Waiver Program — including Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, and more than 40 other nations. It allows you to visit the US for up to 90 days for tourism, business, or casual study. Visitors on ESTA are welcome to attend short-term language courses for recreational or personal enrichment purposes. This means you can take English classes at AELS during your summer stay — no student visa required. Why Summer at AELS Is Perfect for International Visitors Summer is one of the b...

Getting that approval notice for your F-1 change of status is an exciting milestone — but it is also the beginning of a new chapter with important rules to follow. If you are studying ESL in Los Angeles, here is what you need to know to stay in status and keep moving forward. Step 1: Confirm Your New I-20 As soon as your change of status is approved, contact your Designated School Official (DSO) to receive your new I-20. This document is essential for maintaining your F-1 status in Los Angeles. Step 2: Enroll Full-Time F-1 students must maintain full-time enrollment. At AELS Los Angeles, our adult English classes are designed to meet this requirement while helping you improve your communication skills for work, school, and daily life. Step 3: Understand the Travel Restriction After a change of status approved inside the U.S., you do not hold an F-1 visa stamp. If you leave the country, you will need to apply for an F-1 visa at a U.S. consulate before re-entering. Plan any inte...