Last updated: 27 May 2026
7ESL is an English-language learning resource published since 2017. We currently maintain approximately 4,000 free lessons covering grammar, vocabulary, idioms, slang, writing, speaking, and pronunciation, with content used by millions of ESL learners and teachers each year.
This page describes how our content is created, reviewed, updated, and corrected. We publish this policy because the people who use our lessons — students, parents, and teachers — deserve to know who stands behind the material they study from, and how that material is produced.
Our editorial team
Content on 7ESL is produced and approved by the 7ESL Editorial Team. Our team includes:
- Editors and content leads who plan, commission, review, and approve content before publication.
- Contributing writers, who include native English speakers and English-language educators.
- Reviewers who verify grammar, definitions, and example sentence usage before content is published.
Named contributors include:
- James Manheim — Teacher from Michigan, USA, who leads our editorial team and hosts the 7ESL Learning English YouTube channel (approximately 2.5 million subscribers as of 2025). A native English speaker and experienced English educator, James writes original lessons across our grammar, vocabulary, idiom, and pronunciation sections, and produces video lessons that complement our written content.
Other named editors and contributors who have worked with 7ESL — including ESL teachers, content leads, and senior editors — are listed on their individual author archives. All named individuals on 7ESL are real people who have contributed or are contributing to our editorial work.
Posts on 7ESL appear under one of two bylines:
- Named author — for posts where an individual editor or contributor is the primary author (for example, James Manheim, or other named editors and contributors listed on their author archives).
- 7ESL Editorial Team — for posts produced through team collaboration, where naming a single author would not accurately reflect how the post was made.
In both cases, every post passes through the editorial review process described in this policy.
How our content is created
- Topic selection. Topics are chosen based on what ESL learners actually search for, what our community requests, and gaps we identify in existing English-learning resources.
- Drafting. A draft is produced by a contributing writer or editorial staff member, drawing on reference materials such as the Cambridge Dictionary, Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, established grammar references (Quirk & Greenbaum, Swan, Biber et al.), and reputable ESL pedagogy sources.
- Editorial review. Every draft passes editorial review for:
- Grammar and syntax accuracy in example sentences
- Definition accuracy against major dictionaries
- Pedagogical clarity for the target ESL level (A1–C2)
- Example sentence quality and natural usage
- Pronunciation guides (IPA) where included
- Brand-safety and age-appropriateness review. Because 7ESL is read by learners of many ages, content is checked for register-appropriateness. Slang, idiom, and informal-English pages may include content that is mature or vulgar in nature; such content is flagged with register notes and is intended for adult learners interested in real-world informal English.
- Publication. Approved content is published and linked into our broader topic structure.
Sources and references
For language-of-record claims (definitions, grammar rules, etymology, register), our reference standards include:
- Cambridge Dictionary and Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary
- Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries, and Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- Authoritative grammar references including Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik’s A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language; Swan’s Practical English Usage; Biber et al.’s Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English
- Established pronunciation references for IPA transcription
- Peer-reviewed sources for any historical, etymological, or factual claims outside the language domain
Where a claim cannot be verified against an authoritative source, we either remove it or clearly mark it as a folk explanation or popular usage rather than a confirmed fact.
AI use disclosure
7ESL builds AI-powered learning tools for our users, including our AI Speaking App, Writing Assistant (Grammar Checker, Paraphraser, Summarizer, Word Counter), and Word Tools. These are products we develop for learners; they are separate from our content workflow.
Within our content workflow, AI tools may be used as a drafting or research aid on some posts — for example, to help generate initial draft outlines, brainstorm candidate example sentences, or produce starter word lists. Every post passes through human editorial review before publication. Human editors are responsible for the final wording, the accuracy of facts and definitions, the appropriateness of examples, and the pedagogical soundness of every published post.
In line with current search-engine guidance, our position is that AI is a tool that supports — not replaces — human expertise and editorial judgment.
Updates and historical content
7ESL has been publishing since 2017, and we maintain a large archive of older content. Older posts may not always reflect our current editorial standards. We are systematically reviewing and updating our archive — focusing first on our most-trafficked pages — for:
- Grammar and definition accuracy
- Currency of examples (replacing dated cultural references)
- Pronunciation guide consistency
- HTML structural cleanliness
- Removal of inappropriate or off-policy content
When a post is materially updated, we record the update date on the page. Routine copy fixes (typos, formatting) are not separately dated.
Corrections policy
We take corrections seriously. If you spot an error — a misspelling, a wrong definition, an incorrect grammar claim, a misclassified word, an inaccurate origin or etymology, or a problematic example sentence — please tell us.
To report a correction: email us at [contact@7esl.com] with the URL of the page and a description of the issue. We aim to acknowledge correction reports within five business days and to fix or respond within fifteen business days for routine corrections, and sooner for safety-critical issues.
When we make a substantive correction (anything more than a typo), we update the page’s last-reviewed date and, where the correction affects meaning, may note the correction in the post.
Off-policy content removal
We sometimes remove or rewrite posts that no longer meet our editorial standards or that are inappropriate for our audience. Such removals may result in:
- The page returning a permanent redirect (301) to a closely related topic
- The page returning a “page no longer available” status (410)
- The page being kept online with edits to remove problematic sections
We do not remove pages to hide reasonable criticism; we remove or edit pages when content quality, accuracy, or appropriateness for ESL learners requires it.
Independence and conflict of interest
7ESL is supported primarily by advertising. We use third-party advertising networks (see our Privacy Policy). Advertisers do not influence editorial decisions, topic selection, or the framing of content. Editorial and advertising are independent.
Where a post mentions a specific product, service, or external resource, the mention is editorial. We use affiliate links on a limited basis; where present, an affiliate link relationship is disclosed on the page that contains the link.
Contact
For all inquiries — general questions, editorial corrections, or feedback on our content — please email [contact@7esl.com]. For corrections, use the same address with “Correction” in the subject line.
We read every email that comes in about our content. Even when we do not reply individually, your feedback informs how we update the site.