Why should I learn English?
If French is the language of love you can be certain that English is the language of opportunity. Mandarin may have the highest number of speakers but English is in fact the most widely used language on planet earth. There are at present 196 countries in the world and 60 of these use English as their first language. It is also the official common language of the EU, NATO and the United Nations. Approximately 1 billion people are learning the language and 1.5 people speak it already.
Being able to communicate effectively in English will help you in every aspect of your life. For those who travel frequently, will find that businesses based in tourism will use English as the primary language used to communicate. You will be able to travel to a vast amount of countries in the world and never have to worry about what you are going to eat or where you will have to stay. It is also common in countries that do not use English as their first language, to communicate with you using English as its deemed to be the “common language” meaning that many people know how to speak it.
Studies of 5300 employers in 38 different countries have shown that over 50% of employers will offer a better employment package to a potential employee who can speak English and that in every industry surveyed that there is a gap between the English language skills the current employees possess and the English language skills required in that field of work. This proves that there is still a huge demand for the skill and that employers are willing to compensate for the attribute.
English is often referred to as the “language of business” and if you wish to enter this field then knowledge of English is essential. It means that you will be able to attend and participate in international business. When more than one language is present between companies it is common practice to revert to English to conduct business.
Even if you do not wish to attend university or progress your career it’s worth noting that 95% of internet web pages are written in English. Not being able to read English will seriously limit the amount of knowledge and information available to you globally.
English isn’t just to be considered for education and business however, the majority of pop culture is dominated by the language. The vast majority of films are made in Hollywood and therefore are written and performed in English. Say goodbye to badly dubbed movies and enjoy them as they were intended to be enjoyed.
It can also not be forgotten the wealth of literature there is written in English; Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens and perhaps even more recently Rowling. Do not deny yourself access to these works of genius by limiting yourself.
It can be intimidating deciding you want to learn a new language and there has to be an acceptance that the only way to be good at it, is to practice, practice, practice. However, there is one last key point regarding why you should learn English.
It is actually one of the easier languages to learn contrary to what some may believe. For example there is no masculine or feminine in English and the language does not possess accents. You never have to worry about a “la” or an “El” or being able to drill your letter R like a motorbike. It will take hard work and it will require dedication and practice, but it is guaranteed that with English what you put into learning you will make up for in earning.
If perhaps, you are not ready to enter the workplace but wish to further your education, it may be of interest to know that if you wish to attend the highest performing universities in the education league tables for example; MIT, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or Stanford, if you are not a native English speaker you will have to pass a proficiency exam to prove your English is at a high enough level to attend these universities.