The intensive English course schedule at Q Language is simple: classes run Monday to Friday, in the morning or the afternoon, with no more than eight students in each class. Each class lasts three hours, plus a 15-minute break.
This guide explains what to expect from an English class on our intensive General English courses in Hong Kong: the timetable for Intensive 15 and Intensive 24, what happens in a typical lesson, how your level is checked, and what students say. Byron, one of our teachers, describes a typical class in his own words further down.
Nobody enjoys being the new person in the room, especially when the room speaks a language you are still learning. So here is exactly what happens, so there are no surprises on your first morning.
Last updated: October 2026. Timetables may change.
Table of Contents
- The short answer: Intensive 15 and Intensive 24 at a glance
- The timetable, hour by hour
- What you study
- A teacher’s view: what a typical class is like
- How your level is checked
- What students say
- Video: what to expect
- Before you start: costs, visas and start dates
- FAQ: English Classes at Q Language
The short answer: Intensive 15 and Intensive 24 at a glance
Q Language offers two intensive courses. They use the same classrooms, the same teachers and the same class size. The difference is the number of hours.
| Intensive 15 | Intensive 24 | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | 15 | 24 |
| Days | Monday to Friday | Monday to Friday |
| Morning class | 10am to 1:15pm (or the afternoon class below) | 10am to 1:15pm, every day |
| Afternoon class | 2pm to 5:15pm (instead of the morning class) | 2pm to 5:15pm, three afternoons a week |
| Break | 15 minutes in every class | 15 minutes in every class |
| Class size | Up to 8 students | Up to 8 students |
| Start dates | Beginning of each month | Beginning of each month |
| Course Materials | Included | Included |
Intensive 15 is a morning or an afternoon class every weekday. Intensive 24 is the morning class every weekday, plus three afternoon classes a week.
The timetable, hour by hour
Three hours is a long time to use a second language. The 15-minute break is how everyone survives it. On an Intensive 24 afternoon, your day looks like this:
| Time | Intensive 24, on a day with an afternoon class |
|---|---|
| 10am to 1:15pm | Morning class, with a 15-minute break |
| 1:15pm to 2pm | Lunch (45 minutes) |
| 2pm to 5:15pm | Afternoon class, with a 15-minute break |
Afternoon sessions will focus on topics alternative and unique to the morning classes.
If you’re choosing between 15 and 24 hours, think about energy as well as ambition. Our guide to how long it takes to improve your English shows what each number of hours means for your progress, and our guide to how much an English course costs in Hong Kong shows what each one costs. If you’re weighing intensive against part-time study, our guide to intensive vs semi-intensive English compares the two.
What you study
Every lesson is built around a topic or theme, and each lesson includes a grammar point. You practise four skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Course materials are included. There are classes for beginner, intermediate and advanced students, so you study with classmates at a similar level.
The classroom is small by design. With no more than eight students, the teacher can hear you speak, correct you, and notice when you are confused. Your classmates come from many countries, so English is usually the one language you all share.
A teacher’s view: what a typical English class is like at Q Language
The rest of this post is written by Byron, an integral member of our English teaching team.
Early days at Q Language
When I first started teaching at Q Language, I didn’t really know what to expect in the classroom. I had taught children before, and this was my first time teaching a room of adults.
As you can imagine, I was pretty nervous on my first day. I went to the teachers’ room early to prepare the materials for the day, and then walked into the classroom to wait for my students to arrive.
That was a long time ago now, and all those students have moved on to their jobs or universities, but I still remember many of them. Although it was my first day, it was not theirs. They immediately showed me how eager they were to learn English. They showed off their small-talk skills with a lot of questions, and within five minutes, they had put me at ease.
I quickly grew to like the small, informal classroom at Q Language. With no more than eight students, classes feel like friendly get-togethers.
Class length
The English classes I teach at Q Language are generally three hours long, plus a 15-minute break. This gives us time to cover the material properly and to practise every part of English: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
How classes begin
Every class begins with small talk. This is a time for students to practise speaking and for us to welcome new students into the class. We always enjoy hearing about new students’ backgrounds and their reasons for moving to Hong Kong to study English.
How the lesson progresses
After the opening small talk, we review the material from the previous lesson. I ask the students to explain it back to me, as if I were the student and they were the teachers. Students can use the whiteboard to explain the grammar point or the vocabulary. The floor is theirs.
Homework review
Then we go through the homework from the previous lesson. I usually give a little homework at the end of every lesson, to encourage students to review the grammar point of the day.
If the students have the right answers and find it easy, I know I can move on to a new grammar point. If they are struggling with the material from the previous class, I delay the new material and spend more time reviewing it.
Introduction to new grammar
After reviewing the previous lesson and checking the homework, I introduce the new grammar point. Until now, I have tried to keep as quiet as possible, to encourage the students to talk.
The new grammar point is my time to lecture. I use example sentences and textbook diagrams to explain it as clearly as I can, and then I take questions and give some practice exercises. Between exercises, I encourage speaking practice with the grammar we are learning. Practising through real communication is much better than just filling in the blanks in a textbook.
The break
About halfway through the class, there is a 15-minute break. The whole school breaks at the same time, and students and teachers go to the neighbourhood cafes and juice shops for a drink and a snack.
Reading, listening and the end of class
After the break, we finish the grammar work and begin practising with reading or listening. I use short story books that my classes enjoy reading. In class, we go around the room, with each student reading a page at a time. This is excellent practice for pronunciation and a great way to learn new vocabulary. Sometimes, instead of a storybook, we read a newspaper article or a short essay written for English learners.
I check reading comprehension and encourage speaking by asking questions about the text. Sometimes I ask students to write an essay about it.
Sometimes, instead of a reading text, I show a video clip or play an audio clip. Understanding recordings of native speakers is difficult for most students, so we watch or listen at least twice. There are questions and discussion to check comprehension and practise speaking.
We finish class with a few minutes of talking about plans for the rest of the day and homework reminders.
I’m always available for a few minutes after class for one-on-one questions, and to provide extra practice work for anyone who wants it. Talking to a student who is interested enough to ask questions after class is a great pleasure.
Byron, English teacher at Q Language
How your level is checked
Before you start, you take a free placement test. You can take it online or in person at our centre in Sheung Wan, between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. The result helps us place you in a class with classmates at a similar level. To arrange your test, contact us.
What students say
You do not have to take our word for it. Here is what two students wrote in Google reviews.
The teachers are professional, kind and very engaging. I met people from many different countries and made lots of new friends.
Andrea Crepaz, Google review, after a 3-month English course
The class was very dynamic, with lovely classmates from all over the world, different backgrounds, different ages, different occupations.
Lam, Google review, a returning student
You can read more in our student reviews and meet some of our students and teachers in our videos.
Video: what to expect
Before you start: costs, visas and start dates
If you would like to join a class, these guides will help you plan:
- Costs: how much it costs to study English in Hong Kong, including tuition, accommodation and living costs.
- Progress: how long it takes to improve your English.
- Visas: our student visa service is free of charge for overseas students on Intensive 15 and Intensive 24 (T&Cs apply).
- Moving here: our guide for international students studying English in Hong Kong.
Want to know why other students came to Hong Kong to study English? Read their stories:
- Studying English In Hong Kong: An Interview With Two Q Language Students
- Student Interview: Discover Why Oxana from Kazakhstan Studies English at Q Language
- Student Interview: Yulia from Belarus Shares Her Experiences of Studying English at Q Language
More reading:
- 10 Top Tips for Choosing the Best Language School in Hong Kong
- How These Hong Kong Professionals Mastered English and How You Can Too
- Creating a Language Learning Community
- Language Learning for Career Growth
We hope this gives you a clear picture of what it is like to study here. If you have questions, contact us or message us on WhatsApp. We are at 14/F Wing On Cheong Building, 5 Wing Lok Street, Central.
FAQ: English Classes at Q Language
1. How many hours a week is the intensive English course?
Intensive 15 is 15 hours a week and Intensive 24 is 24 hours a week. Classes run Monday to Friday, and each class is three hours long, plus a 15-minute break.
2. What time do classes start and finish?
Morning classes run from 10am to 1:15pm and afternoon classes run from 2pm to 5:15pm. Intensive 15 is held either in the morning or in the afternoon. Intensive 24 includes the morning class every day plus three afternoon classes a week.
3. How many students are in each class?
Classes have no more than eight students, so the teacher can hear each student speak and give feedback.
4. When can I start an English course?
New courses start at the beginning of each month.
5. How is my English level checked?
You take a free placement test, online or in person, between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. The result helps place you in a class at a similar level.
6. What will I study in class?
Every lesson is built around a topic or theme, and each lesson includes a grammar point. You practise speaking, listening, reading and writing, and course materials are included.
7. Is there homework?
Teachers usually give a small amount of homework at the end of each lesson, so you can review the grammar point of the day.
