5 Reasons Why It’s Important to Learn to Read English
Even if you can’t speak English or understand spoken English, it’s very helpful to be able to read it.
As you know, English is everywhere these days. You hear it on TV, in movies, and in music. You speak it at your job and when you travel. It’s the language of science and medicine and much of business.
Knowing how to read English opens up more opportunities to you.
Reasons to Learn to Read English
1. Gives you wider access to information
A whopping 55% of the world’s webpages are in English. This means that there is a huge wealth of information online that is only accessible if you can read English.
As English is the language of science, it’s vital to be able to read it if you pursue a career in science. In fact, 95% of scientific articles are written in English, even though only about half of the articles come from English-speaking countries. If you learn to read English, a vast amount of knowledge opens up to you.
2. Enables you to read great works of literature
Some of the best literature in the world is in English: from Shakespeare, to Jane Austen, to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, to JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, to Hemingway—the list is seemingly endless. And if you’re a literature fan, this world can be yours.
These books, of course, aren’t for beginners—it will take a lot of practice to get to the point where you can read these works, but it will be worth the challenge.
3. Helps you connect with popular culture
Many of the best and most popular movies in the world are made in the U.S., and most are in English. American television series are also enormously popular: millions of viewers from around the world watch The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, and The Simpsons, among others.
Being able to read English means that you’ll be able to watch movies and TV shows (and other media like YouTube videos) with subtitles.
4. Makes traveling easier
Even if you can’t speak English well, being able to read signs, maps, menus, and a range of other things can help you immensely.
If you’re overwhelmed by the idea of learning to read English, focus on the vocabulary you’ll need for traveling, such as directions, verbs, and food.
5. Allows you to function in the business world
English is the global language of business. Multinational companies such as Airbus, Samsung, and Microsoft in Beijing have mandated English as the common language.
Many jobs require employees to communicate with customers and other companies in English, both via email and on the phone. You may also have to read articles, PDF files, PowerPoint slides, and more at work. What’s more, if you speak or read English, this makes you a much more attractive job candidate.
So, as you can see, improving your reading skills can open up many more opportunities for you.
It will make traveling abroad easier. It will make you a more attractive candidate for a job. You will be able to read amazing books, plays, poetry, as well as TV and movie subtitles. And you’ll have access to much more information on the internet.
