What's the Difference Between ESL, EFL, ESOL, TESOL, TEFL, ESP, and EAP? (And Should You Care?)

By Hadi Golkar
Master’s in Applied Linguistics

​If you’re learning or teaching English, you’ve probably seen these short forms—ESL, EFL, TEFL, TESOL, ESP. They’re everywhere! But what do they stand for? And and how are they different? In this post, we’ll explain each one clearly and simply—so you finally know which is which, and why they matter.​

We’ll also cover other terms you might come across, including ESOL, EAP, ELL, ELT, and more—giving you a complete guide to the most common English language teaching and learning abbreviations.​ Let’s begin with the two most commonly used terms.

1. ESL vs. EFL – It All Depends on Where You’re Learning English 
ESL (English as a Second Language) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language). ESL is what we call it when someone is learning English in an English-speaking country—think students from Korea, Brazil, or Turkey who move to the U.S., the U.K., or Australia and need English to live, work, or survive grocery shopping. EFL, on the other hand, is used when someone is learning English in a non-English-speaking country. Key difference? It’s all about environment. ESL learners are immersed in English daily; EFL learners aren’t. It’s like learning to swim by jumping in the ocean vs. reading a manual on dry land.

What about ESOL?
ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. Similar to ESL, it refers to English classes for people living in English-speaking countries, but the term is more commonly used in public education and adult learning programs outside the U.S., especially in the UK.

​​2. TESOL vs. TEFL: So You Wanna Teach English? If you're thinking of teaching English, these terms are your new best frenemies.
TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. It’s the umbrella term. It covers both ESL and EFL teaching. A TESOL-certified teacher might work in Chicago with recent immigrants or in Seoul teaching at a private language school. Think of TESOL as the big umbrella in the world of English teaching—covering any English language learner, anywhere, anytime.

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. It's more specific: it refers to teaching English in a country where English is not the primary language. Teaching business English to adults in Prague or helping elementary kids in Dubai learn the alphabet.
​
So which one should you get certified in?
​Well, TESOL is often used in academic settings or in the U.S./Canada, while TEFL is the ticket for those looking to teach abroad.

3. ESP: Not a Superpower, Just a Specialization
​Now let’s talk about ESP—English for Specific Purposes. ESP means teaching English tailored to a specific field or profession. Here are some examples:

• English for Aviation – Pilots and air traffic controllers learning phrases like “request descent to flight level 300,” not “Where is the bathroom?”
• Medical English – For doctors or nurses who need to understand phrases like “administer 5 mg stat,” not “The cat is on the table.”
• Business English – Perfect for someone preparing to negotiate a deal in London or present quarterly sales in Singapore.

​ESP is for learners who don’t want to chat about the weather—they want English for getting stuff done in their profession.

4. EAP (ELAP): Should We Talk About It? 
EAP stands for English for Academic Purposes, also known as ELAP (English Language for Academic Purposes). It’s actually a subcategory of ESP, focused on students who need academic English to survive (and ideally thrive) in English-speaking universities. ​A student from Saudi Arabia preparing for a Master’s degree in engineering in Canada and trying to understand how to write a “literature review” without getting stuck in Shakespeare.

Should we compare ESP and EAP?
Only if you’re deep into curriculum design. 

5. Other Common English Learning Abbreviations (ELL, EL, ELA, ENL, ELT, EIL, ELD)
You’ll also see other abbreviations used mainly in the United States, especially in school systems and education-related job ads. ELL (English Language Learner) and EL (English Learner) refer to students who are actively learning English, and are widely used in U.S. K–12 education. ELA (English Language Arts) describes the general school subject covering reading, writing, and grammar in American curriculums. In some regions like New York, ENL (English as a New Language) is used instead of ESL. On the other hand, ELT (English Language Teaching) is a broader, international term commonly used in academic and professional circles around the world. EIL (English as an International Language) refers to the use of English as a global means of communication, especially between non-native speakers from different language backgrounds. ELD (English Language Development) is often used in U.S. K–12 education to describe structured programs that help English learners build language skills across reading, writing, speaking, and listening—especially when integrated into core subject areas. While similar to ESL, ELD typically refers to curriculum-based instruction aligned with academic standards.

Abbreviations That Matter

• ESL (English as a Second Language) — Learning English in an English-speaking country
• EFL (English as a Foreign Language) — Learning English outside of an English-speaking country
• ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) — Another term for ESL, mostly used in the UK and in public education settings
• ENL (English as a New Language) — An alternative term for ESL, used in some U.S. states like New York
• TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) — Teaching all English learners, anywhere
• TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) — Teaching English specifically abroad
• ELT (English Language Teaching) — A broad international term referring to the overall field of teaching English
• ESP (English for Specific Purposes) — English for careers and specific goals (pilots, doctors, businesspeople)
• EAP / ELAP (English for Academic Purposes / English Language for Academic Purposes) — ESP’s nerdy cousin, focused on academic life
• EIL (English as an International Language) — Refers to English used as a global means of communication between non-native speakers
• ELL (English Language Learner) — A student who is actively learning English, mostly used in school settings
• EL (English Learner) — A shorter version of ELL, often used in education policies and school systems
• ELA (English Language Arts) — The school subject focused on reading, writing, and grammar
• ELD (English Language Development) — Structured language instruction in U.S. schools, focused on helping English learners build academic language skills

Whether you're learning, teaching, exploring the field, or just trying to impress someone at a conference, understanding these terms helps you navigate the world of English language education—complete with its own unique terminology.

​Now, go ahead and throw one of these acronyms into your next conversation. Just be careful with ESP—someone might mistake you for a fortune teller (Extrasensory Perception) instead of a language teacher!

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