About
Hi, I'm Johny Ray Stark
English teacher, curriculum designer, and the person behind English But Better.
English teacher, curriculum designer, and the person behind English But Better.
I've spent over 11 years teaching English. I hold a Bachelor's degree in English Teaching and a 120-hour TESOL/TEFL certification. But credentials only tell part of the story.
Currently teaching adult students online through DRC Academy, and building a growing YouTube community of learners from around the world.
What actually shapes how I teach is the same thing that probably brought you here: I know what it feels like to learn English as a second language. I've made every mistake my students make. I've struggled with the same traps textbooks never warn you about. I've had to figure out the difference between what grammar books say and what people actually use in real conversations. That experience is why the explanations here don't sound like they came from a textbook. They come from someone who had to learn this language the hard way.
Because generic English isn't enough. Textbook English isn't enough. Native-speaker rambling isn't enough. What you need is English that's clearer than what your teachers gave you, more accurate than what native speakers accidentally produce, and more useful than what a 30-second video can teach. That's the standard I hold every piece of content on this site to.
Every tense explained with form tables, real examples and a focus on the mistakes learners actually make — not the ones textbooks assume you make.
Fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice exercises built around real errors from real classrooms. Instant feedback, all free.
Designed for classroom use or self-study. Start with the Crossing the River riddle and watch for new games coming soon.
Video lessons organized so you can find what you need without endless scrolling. Subscribe to get new lessons each week.
Audio materials with real conversations and pronunciation practice, organized by level and topic.
Direct booking access to work with me personally on your specific English goals.
If you're serious about improving your English, you're in the right place. Beginners, intermediate learners, advanced students trying to sound more natural, professionals preparing for interviews or work in international environments, teachers looking for materials to use with their own students — English But Better is built to serve anyone who wants real explanations instead of surface-level tricks.
Outside of the classroom, I'm also a musician. I mention it because it's part of who I am, not because you'll find anything music-related here. This website is for English. My music lives somewhere else. But knowing that your teacher is a full person, not just a talking head with credentials, matters. Or at least it does to me.
Have a question? A suggestion? Want to request a grammar topic? I'd love to hear from you.
Contact me →Welcome. Take a look around.
