Question 1

What is brillingo?

Accepted Answer

brillingo is a new way to learn English through authentic content from around the web that is tailored to your interests.  We provide you with comprehensive workbooks which allow you to successfully self-study English in an engaging, varied, and exciting way.

Question 2

Who is the self-study service for?

Accepted Answer

All you need to use our service is an internet connection, an email address, and a passion for learning English.  We have designed our materials for people who have reached an intermediate level of English and want to improve, or those who are quite fluent and need to keep their English up to date and fluent.

Question 3

What English level does your course teach?

Accepted Answer

Our self-study service uses real-world English, so it is not suitable for beginner students.  We choose materials that are challenging but understandable for intermediate to advanced students.  
 
Vocabulary exercises cover CEFR B2 to C2 vocabulary, and grammar exercises cover CEFR B1 to C1 grammar, as outlined by Cambridge English and British Council guidelines.

Question 4

Does your course use British English or American English?

Accepted Answer

Our founder is British, and we try to get as many British English material sources as we can.  However, our self-study programme currently uses a mixture of different "kinds" of English: mostly British and American, but we also have sources spoken by Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand speakers.  We avoid using anyone with an accent that is too strong for most native speakers (of any region) to understand.

Question 5

Can the self-study course help me improve my speaking and writing skills?

Accepted Answer

Yes!  Each workbook includes an Output Mission, which sets you a speaking or writing challenge.  Practice makes perfect, so we hope you'll give these missions a try!  Some workbooks also include a pronunciation exercise, which can help you to improve your speaking.

Question 6

Do you have any courses for children?

Accepted Answer

Not yet!  This is something we really want to create, and we have a couple of projects in development.  Currently, our self-study programme is only for adults and older teenagers (age 16 or older).

Question 7

How do I log in to my customer portal?

Accepted Answer

Easy!
1.  On the www.brillingo.com Site, click the "Log In" button at the top right of the page (or in the menu on your mobile device).
2.  From the two options, click the "Log In" button under "Manage my subscription".
3.  Your customer portal login page will open.  Enter the email you used when you signed up and your password.
4.  You're in!  You can now manage your subscription.

Question 8

How do I change my interest choices?

Accepted Answer

Easy!
1.  On the www.brillingo.com Site, click the "Log In" button at the top right of the page (or in the menu on your mobile device).
2.  From the two options, click the "Update" button under "Update my interests".
3.  A form will open.  Complete the form with your name, the email address you use for your subscription, and then choose your new interests!
4.  Don't forget to pick 4 or more interests.
Enjoy!

Question 9

I've forgotten my password!

Accepted Answer

Don't worry!  On your customer portal login page, click the "Forgot your password?" button and follow the instructions.  We'll send you an email which will allow you to reset your password.

Question 10

How do I cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

This is very easy, and you can do this anytime. 
1.  Log in to your customer portal (see the instructions above) and then scroll to the bottom of the page.
2.  There is a red text link "Cancel this subscription" at the bottom of the page.  Click the link.
3.  Choose whether to "Cancel Immediately" or "Cancel on next renewal".
4. Click the "Cancel your subscription" button.
Done!

Question 11

Who are you?

Accepted Answer

brillingo was founded by Alicia Robertshaw, an English-as-a-Foreign-Language teacher who has a passion for language teaching and learning.  After seeing how her students faced an ongoing struggle to find compelling and suitable self-study materials and plan their learning, she decided to create a service to help.  Nice to meet you!

Frequently asked questions