This study reviews language learning strategies used by adult English language learners (ELL) in a community-based Adult Basic Education (ABE) Program to determine what gaps there may be between what ELL say they do and what they actually do when employing language learning strategies (LLS). This study looks at factors (age, gender, L1, and level of education in the L1) that might impact the LLS the ELL say they use versus what they actually use in their language learning. This study focuses specifically on adult learners working on improving their academic abilities, preparing for college entrance exams, or improving employment opportunities. The results of this study indicate that all participants used at least one or more LLS for both known and unknown target words with participants who learned to read and write English at an older age using more LLS for unknown words but approximately an equal number of LLS for known words as participants who learned English at an earlier age. The number of LLS participants said that they used versus the number they actually use did not indicate that L1 or gender was a factor
