English is the most-spoken language in the world, with an estimated 1.5 billion people speaking English as a first or second language globally. It is the language of science, technology, tourism, and business.
The benefits of learning English are, therefore, numerous. Not only can studying English open up new opportunities for employment, academia, and travel, but it can change your life on a personal level, too.
Let’s take a closer look at why learning English is important in 2024 and how it can benefit you and the people around you.
11 Benefits of learning English
1. Speaking English brings better employment opportunities
Being the most widely-spoken language in the world, English has also become the international language of business.
Knowing English and being able to communicate professionally will undoubtedly give you access to new career opportunities and make you stand out among other applicants. A survey by Cambridge English found that over 95% of employers in many non-native English-speaking countries consider English an important skill.
As companies do more business internationally, the ability to communicate in English will only become more important to those who want to progress at work; the same survey found that in 18% of companies, employees move to higher job grades faster if they have good English skills.
This is backed up by a 2019 study which found that advanced-level English commands a wage premium of 12% on average. Intermediate-level English brings about half this amount. Interestingly, the premiums for advanced-level French and Spanish were almost double and triple, respectively.
So, whether you wish to work for a multinational company in another country, or you just want to build a solid career, learning English will help you achieve your goals. The good news is that there are some excellent online business English courses available these days, many of them free to access.
2. Learning the English language opens up the world
English is the language not only of international business, but also of travel and tourism. If you wish to travel to other countries where you don’t speak the native language, chances are that understanding English will help you navigate public transport systems, converse with locals, and learn more about the culture.
Even if English is not the official language in the country you are traveling to, it is still by far the most common second language spoken globally. In fact, over 1 billion people around the world have chosen to learn English as a second language, so one of the benefits of speaking and understanding English is that you will share a language with around 20% of the world’s population!
You can explore more ESL statistics here – and find out which country has the best non-native English speakers.
If you want to move to live or study in a country where English is the main language spoken, it’s even more important that you can communicate well with native English speakers and interact with the world around you. Fortunately, once you move there, learning the language will become easier as you have the benefit of English immersion.
3. English is important for accessing information
Around 95% of all articles published in scientific journals are written in English, even if it is not the author’s first language.
If you want to be able to access global knowledge and do your own research on any topics of interest, this information is much easier to access if you have a certain level of proficiency in English.
English is also the dominant language of the internet, with almost 59% of websites published in English. This is over ten times more than the next-highest share, which goes to Russian with 5.3%.
Source: Statista
4. Academic advantages of learning English
Given that the main language of instruction in many renowned universities and academic programs is English, you may find that you need to achieve a certain level of English proficiency before you can proceed with your studies.
This is especially true if you wish to pursue higher degrees, participate in research collaborations, and engage in academic discourse within your field of interest.
You may also decide to study in a country where English is spoken as the primary language, and you will certainly need a good command of the language in order to succeed with this.
In this way, studying English can open doors to other fields of study, too.
5. Learning another language boosts cognitive ability
One of the many benefits to learning a new language is that it encourages your brain to work in different ways.
This study looked at adults learning a second language and noted that after an initial learning period, and with sustained practice of at least five hours per week, the subjects benefitted from longer attention spans and a better ability to maintain attention when switching between tasks.
There is growing evidence that people who can speak more than one language are more creative and empathetic toward others. It’s also believed that language learning can counteract some of the negative cognitive decline brought on by aging. Specifically, it can improve memory recall and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Cultural benefits of learning English
Learning to speak English can also help make you more culturally aware and broaden your horizons in life.
Firstly, as you study the language you are also learning about the culture of English-speaking countries: national holidays, family traditions, history, food, music, and more.
Secondly, learning English will give you chances to meet people from other countries who are also learning the language. As you practice speaking together, you will discover fascinating things about how they do life differently to you.
Finally, as we mentioned earlier, English language skills can help when it comes to traveling and exploring new cultures first-hand.
7. Enjoy more entertainment
Another benefit of learning English is that you can more easily access and enjoy movies, books, TV shows, music, and podcasts. Again, English dominates international pop culture and being able to watch, read, or listen in the original language is much more enjoyable than reading subtitles or listening to a dubbed version.
Once you have a reasonable knowledge of English, you can also start using these forms of entertainment to continue learning, building your English fluency and comprehension.
For example, there are many ways you can use podcasts for learning English or learn new vocabulary from movies.
8. It’s a gift to your children
If you already have children or plan to start a family in the future, it’s an amazing gift to teach them English from birth or from a very young age.
Growing up bilingual, kids will experience the many benefits of knowing English without having to study it as a second language later in life. It’s a great way to give them a headstart in the globalized world they are living in.
Bilingual children also tend to have better attention spans, be better at multitasking, and be more emotionally perceptive than monolingual children, according to an article published by MindShift.
Speaking English at home can be a lot of fun, especially if you incorporate some English-learning games into your family time.
9. Learning English can help you communicate better in your native language
As you learn a foreign language, you become more aware of how your primary language works.
If you want to learn English grammar, for example, you must first understand the grammar of your native language so you can recognize exactly what you are trying to say. It’s this kind of thing that you may never really consider if you only speak one language your whole life.
Second language fluency can also give you a better appreciation of the range and limitations of your native vocabulary. There are many words that exist in other languages that do not have an equivalent in English, and vice versa. This is why languages end up ‘borrowing’ words from one another so speakers can express themselves more eloquently.
10. You’ll form new relationships when you can speak English
English is the language of communication not just in business, but also when it comes to forming international friendships and relationships.
Whether you want to participate in global networking opportunities, write to a pen pal abroad, or even check out the international dating scene, you’ll find more opportunities opening up as you start learning the English language.
One great way to learn English and start meeting new people is with a language exchange program. You pair up with an English speaker who is interested in learning your native language, and you help each other by chatting in both languages.
11. English skills will give you greater confidence
Our final benefit of learning English (or anything else, for that matter) is that it will build your overall confidence in yourself.
As you use English more and realize your comprehension and communication are improving each day, you will gain confidence in your own ability to take on new challenges and meet the goals you set for yourself.
In this way, learning English will help motivate you to try other new things and continually develop yourself. If you’re lacking motivation right now, these quotes about learning English may help inspire you!
Start learning English easily
We hope that reading this list of benefits of learning the English language has inspired you to continue with your studies. Now you realize the many advantages that learning English brings, what are you waiting for?
There are many possible ways to learn English, from apps to online English courses to podcasts and more. This means it is easier than ever to access the resources you need to take your language skills to the next level. And even better – many English-learning resources are completely free!
Just make sure that you consider your goals for learning English and you keep these in mind as you study and practice. Having clear goals is one of the best ways to learn English faster and stay motivated. It also helps to have other people who understand why learning English is important to you, since they can support you as you learn.
