Five Reasons to Learn English

English is spoken by approximately 1.35 billion people worldwide. That’s about 17% of the world’s population and 400 million of these are native speakers. Although Spanish and Mandarin boast more native speakers they are not spoken as widely as second languages as English (although I would highly recommended learning either or both as they will boost your chances considerably in each of the reasons below)

Here are my five reasons below:

1) Employability: If you can speak English even to intermediate level you will considerably raise your chances of being able to find a better job. If this level increases to C1/C2 level then you will certainly be at an advantage to those who cannot speak English. In some countries is is expected to learn English and be able to speak it at a certain level but in countries with a lower English proficiency you will have job offers much more easily.

2) Brain Power: Did you know that learning a language is healthy for your brain? This is of course not specific to English but to all languages and the more you speak, the better! It actually reduces the risk of Alzheimers in old age but also encourages healthy brain activity from the get go. In order to learn a language certain pathways and links are fused together in your mind and this helps to create connections that would have otherwise not been there at all.

3) Friendships: As English is spoken so widely you will also find that you are able to communicate with many more people. You will be able to meet people you would not otherwise be able to speak with. This can open doors, it can be great for networking but it can also give you the opportunity to build deep and lasting friendships with people. You will be able to share with wonderful people from all over the globe!

4) Experiences: Learning English can also help you to make the most of your travel experiences. Some of my students have told me they have been on trips abroad (not necessarily English speaking countries) and they have not been able to communicate with barely anyone. This has made them stressed, nervous and has not made their trips enjoyable ones. Thankfully now they have made the choice to actively learn and practise and their travel experiences have significantly improved.

5) Understanding: When you learn a language, you not only learn about the language itself but you also learn about the culture. This can help you become a more understanding person and it can also help you to understand your own culture and language better. There are things in every culture we may not fully understand or even like but by learning about them we can become better and more open people. You will find yourself being more flexible and adaptable and this is a very positive thing indeed!

Helena Marilicán - English Tutor