Quick answer: A successful trial online English lesson is about your student, not you. Aim for a 70:30 student:teacher talking ratio – spend the first third building rapport and getting them talking, the middle third drawing out exactly why they want to improve, and the final third summarising their needs back to them, correcting one or two things via the chat box, and gently booking the next class. Listen more than you teach, and the trial converts itself.
Many first lessons you give in English are trial lessons, where a student tries you out for free and then takes lessons, depending on how they feel it went.
So, when giving a first ‘trial’ lesson 1-1, it is tempting to think you have to wow by explaining your credentials or by creating something exciting to teach in order to showcase your skills.
Well, that’s not my experience. In over 10 years of online English teaching, I’ve learned that the best trial online lessons – ones that convert to paid lessons – are much more about my student than me, so rather than teach anything, I focus on listening, creating rapport and giving them the space to speak.
What should a trial lesson include?
So, what does this mean in practice? I let the student talk and tell me what they need. Then, I simply respond to what I hear. So that I can really learn about my student, I’ve found something like a 70:30 student:teacher talking time ratio works best. That means I ask pertinent questions and guiding, but mostly, I listen.
So, below is my approach to successful trial lessons. For ease, I’ve broken down the lesson into 3 easy stages, and there is a video at the bottom explaining how I take my new 'potential' student through each stage.
Stage 1 – the first third of the lesson: welcome and get your student talking early
Smile, say their name (check pronunciation of it if needed) and check they can hear or see you. Then, ask a simple open question designed to get them talking as soon as possible. I often say:
‘As I’m English, I must ask you about the weather. How is it with you?’
I then move on to:
‘So, tell me about yourself.’
See how open this is? At this point, I don’t correct. I just show interest and ask simple follow-up questions and make a couple of notes for future reference.
Stage 2 – the second third of the lesson: hearing their objectives and meeting them
Here I ask questions to drill down into why they want to improve their English. I will ask some of the following questions:
- 'So, why do you want classes?
- How often do you speak English?
- What problems do you have in English?
- Tell me about: the last time you spoke English/a typical English exchange/a difficult experience you had in English.
- How is your reading/speaking/listening/writing/grammar/fluency? Which do you think you need most help with right now?
- Do you read/listen to things in English?
- What do you like to watch/listen to in your own language? What are your interests?
- Have you got time to read/listen to some things between lessons? This will really help your progress if you can do a little bit between lessons.’
Then, summarise their needs back to them, which shows you have been listening. Keep sentences short:
‘So, you have a problem making conversation, right?
And you feel like you are translating in your head?
And you want more phrases, and vocabulary to sound more natural?’
Give them a chance to say yes or no at the end of each of your short, summary statements. This is very powerful and students really respond well to this. Everyone likes to feel they have been understood.
Stage 3 – final third of the lesson: close and the next step
If you have understood their needs well, above, then I say something like:
‘I can help you with this. First, with me you will have a safe place to practice and make mistakes. Then, we can speak about interesting themes like xxxx where you can learn and practice new vocabulary and phrases. With practice, you will begin to think in English more and not translate.
So, you will become more fluent. Is that OK?'
Ask:
‘Do you like to be corrected?’
It’s always great to get permission. With their ‘yes’, I go on to correct one or two things only from notes I have made earlier. I use the chat box and give them the chance to self-correct, where possible. This gives them a flavour of my teaching style and proves it is a safe place to make mistakes.
Then I commend them for what they have done well today.
I also give them a chance to ask questions:
‘Well done today. You’ve had a 30 minute discussion with a native English speaker! You’ve understood me. Your intonation and pronunciation are really clear. You’ve used some natural phrases today like xxxxx. We can explore some interesting themes together to improve fluency, phrases and vocabulary. With practice, you will improve.'
'How does that sound?/is that good for you?'
'Have you got any questions?’
A 30-minute trial lesson plan, minute by minute
Here is the whole structure above as a timed plan you can keep beside you in the lesson:
| Minutes | What you do | What it achieves |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | Smile, use their name, check audio/video, open with an easy question | Nerves settle on both sides |
| 2–10 | ‘Tell me about yourself’ – follow-up questions, no correcting, quiet notes | Rapport, and a feel for their level |
| 10–20 | Objectives questions: why classes, where English hurts, interests, time available | You learn exactly what they are buying |
| 20–24 | Summarise their needs back in short sentences; get a yes after each one | They feel understood – the single biggest converter |
| 24–27 | Ask permission, then correct one or two things via the chat box; commend what they did well | A taste of your teaching style, safely |
| 27–30 | Propose how you can help, invite questions, agree days/times for lessons | The booking, made naturally |
And as a checklist of steps:
- Welcome and warm up. Smile, say their name, check they can hear and see you, and open with one easy question to get them speaking in the first two minutes.
- Get them talking about themselves. Ask open questions, show real interest and make quiet notes. Do not correct yet – aim for the student doing 70% of the talking.
- Drill into their objectives. Ask why they want classes, where English causes them problems, what they read, watch and enjoy, and how much practice time they have between lessons.
- Summarise their needs back to them. Use short sentences and let them confirm each one – everyone likes to feel understood.
- Correct one or two things with permission. Ask ‘Do you like to be corrected?’, then use the chat box and invite self-correction. Commend what they did well.
- Close and book the next lesson. Explain how you can help, invite questions, then agree days and times that suit you both.
How do you convert a trial into a paying student?
If all seems well, you can gently ask them to book lessons with you:
‘So, what times and days are best for you for lessons?’
Then, reply:
‘Great! that works for me.’
Then:
'So, are you happy to continue?’ or ‘So, shall we book the next class?'
One more thing I’ve added over the years: follow up within 24 hours with a short written message summarising what you heard and what you propose – two or three lines is plenty. It shows professionalism, restates the value while the trial is fresh, and gives hesitant students an easy way to say yes. Once they book, the work shifts to keeping them: see how to retain online English students.
Should trial lessons be free?
It depends where you teach. On marketplace platforms such as italki, trials are typically offered at a reduced price you control – a sensible middle ground. As an independent, a free 30-minute trial is a fair marketing cost when you are building a student base, but cap it at 30 minutes and run it to the structure above so it stays purposeful. Once you have regulars and reviews, a paid-but-discounted trial filters out the students who were never going to book.
A final word
Remember to smile, encourage and prompt as you go. Keep the lesson moving, don’t make questions sound like an interrogation and always find positives to say, as everyone likes constructive feedback.
The basic structure above works for me almost every time – and creating the space to allow a student to talk and establish a rapport in the first lesson really carries through to future classes. For more on this, watch the video below and good luck with your lessons. Let me know how you get on with your first lessons on YouTube or below the line here.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a trial English lesson be?
25–30 minutes is the sweet spot: long enough to build rapport, hear the student’s goals and demonstrate one or two corrections, short enough to leave them wanting more. A full-hour free trial gives away too much and often signals you are short of students.
What questions should I ask in a trial lesson?
Open questions about them, then their goals: Why do you want classes? How often do you speak English, and where does it cause you problems? What do you enjoy reading or watching? How much time can you give between lessons? Their answers write your lesson plan for the next three months.
How do I follow up after a trial lesson?
Within 24 hours, send a short message: thank them, summarise the two or three needs you heard, and propose a simple plan with suggested days and times. Keep it to a few lines. If they don’t reply, one polite nudge a week later is enough.
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Louisa Walsh is Course Director at Global English TESOL and also runs her own online English teaching business. She has given hundreds of trial lessons by video call to 1-1 English students.
Want to be a 5* online English teacher? Louisa is offering 1-1 customised coaching to enable you to launch as an independent or deliver quality lessons for an online employer. Discover more >>
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If you've aced your online trial lesson, what next? Here's a video walkthrough and plan for your first online English class >> And if you are still weighing up how to get started at all, our guide to teaching English online covers equipment, platforms and rates.
What is a trial lesson, exactly?
A trial lesson is a short first lesson - usually 25–30 minutes, free or heavily discounted - where an online student decides whether to book you. Platforms use them as the conversion step between your profile and a paying booking, so treat the trial as a structured taster, not a free consultation: teach one small thing well, and finish with a clear plan for lesson two.
The 25-minute trial that converts
- 3 min - warm welcome + level check: two or three natural questions; note errors silently.
- 5 min - goals: why are they learning? Exam, work, travel, confidence? Repeat it back in one sentence.
- 12 min - teach one thing: a micro-lesson pitched at their level, with them speaking at least half the time.
- 3 min - feedback: one strength, one fixable habit, said kindly and specifically.
- 2 min - the plan: “In our next three lessons we'd work on…” - students book teachers who have a plan.
Should trial lessons be free?
On marketplace platforms the platform usually decides. Where you choose: a discounted trial filters out no-shows better than a free one, and students who pay something convert to full price far more often.
What if the student's level is much lower than expected?
Drop your material, not your structure: slow down, switch to your simplest activity, and let them succeed at something small. A student who leaves a trial feeling capable books again; one who leaves overwhelmed doesn't.