Learning a new language is always an excellent idea. It provides you incredible benefits that come with the backing of science!

One of the most useful languages to learn is English. 1.5 billion people are speaking English today. Across the world, English is the default choice of countries and major industries. You might even be surprised some of the countries that become more accessible to you just for learning the language. The benefits of learning English are immense and vast.

Today, we'll explore nine of these fantastic benefits you could acquire from learning English. Some might even surprise you!

‍

‍

9 Surprisingly Awesome Benefits of Learning English
‍

1. Keeps Your Brain Sharp

Learning any language keeps your brain active and challenged. In fact, your brain changes electrical activity and size when learning a new language. No matter what age you start at, there are benefits for learning a new language. When you decide to learn English, you give yourself an extra rigorous workout due to its complicated nature.  

English is a combination of several origins like Germanic, Latin, and French. Speakers with these native tongues will have some advantage learning. Meanwhile, speakers from areas like Japan could find themselves going through mental hurdles to understand and master mostly unfamiliar sounds. Additionally, with spellings of words changing throughout the English speaking world, it's quite difficult to get the correct pronunciation of words.

If you don't believe us, just go ask an American and an English person to say 'aluminum.' So, if you’re looking to develop more mental muscle, English is an excellent choice.

‍

2. Make More Money

The world may not have a global language, but English is the default option for countless forms of communication across the globe. That’s why one of the benefits of learning English is that it significantly boosts your hiring potential. Not only is it an appealing credential on your resume, but it’s also statistically proven to increase your hiring potential.

In 2014, those entering the workforce with second language fluency expected an additional 10% to 15% pay bump.

In these three particular areas, English is the go-to language:

‍a. Business
‍Globalization pushed the language into areas of the world it otherwise might not reach. A recent LinkedIn survey revealed that 90% of HR Directors, CEOs and CMOs claimed that having English-speaking employees is beneficial to their businesses. They likely claim so because English’s impact on the business world has been long felt. Today, it’s a mainstay in the business sector.

‍b. Science
‍Science is also a largely English-centric community. With new terms and published articles most likely to show up in English, the benefits of learning English are immense.

‍c. The Internet
‍Beginning in two English speaking countries (The UK and US), the Internet always had an advantage to English speakers. One benefit of learning English is having access to the 55% of the content available on the web today. Today, this has brought the digital community into the English language fold and makes knowing it virtually a key to the internet.

‍

‍

‍
‍

3. One of the Best Languages to Learn For Travel

If you think English can only take you to places like the U.S., U.K., and Canada, we’ve got some great news: There are over 50 English-speaking countries around the world. And that doesn’t count for all over the world. In many cities, particularly in Europe, English is almost an unofficial second language where expats and tourists make up a significant portion of the community. Even in places like China where a few million out of the country’s 1.3 billion speak the language you run a good chance of meeting English speakers in its cities.

Just take a look at some of the destinations around the world where you can truly feel the benefits of learning English:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• St Lucia
• Trinidad and Tobago

Additionally, these are just some of the countries that use English heavily:

• Sweden
• The Netherlands
• Denmark
• Singapore
• Malaysia
• South Korea
• Argentina

Ready to grab your passport?
‍

4. Helps You Get Into Great Schools  

Like job applications, one of the best benefits of learning English is the educational opportunities. If you desire access to some of the best schools like Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge or MIT, then knowing English provides you an incredible edge. It’s expected that around 2 billion people around the world will learn English over the next decade.

If you want to be seriously considered for entrance, it helps to understand the native tongue. That doesn’t mean non-English speakers won’t gain entry; it just becomes much more challenging.
‍

5. Become a Better Writer

One of the best ways to understand a new language is to write. The more that you write, the more exposure to the new language you receive. This helps your book comprehension and eventually your creativity. In a classroom setting, writing helps drive in the fundamentals of a new language. Think back to your early education days. How often were you writing your alphabet and basic sentences? The same goes for when learning as an adult. In turn, this regular effort will help you take those simple words and build your knowledge out. Simple words will turn into more complex and soon you will have the descriptive words needed to become a creative writer.

Much like becoming a musician, you won’t understand your tool until you try it out for hours on end. The same goes for English. Start writing today, see the benefits soon.
‍

6. Enjoy Classic Literature and Films in Native Language

Over the past few centuries, many of the world’s classic works of film and literature were created in English. While you can gain access to translated copies, something always tends to feel “off” about the final product. The same can be said for classic works translated into English. These sorts of botched translations make it difficult to appreciate some of the great works of English-speaking artists from Shakespeare to Stephen King. From Hitchcock to Scorsese, to truly feel a great work of film or literature it’s best to experience it in its native language.

Similarly so, one of the benefits of learning English is your understanding of pop culture. If you learn from some of the major films of today, you immediately give yourself a topic that's relatable to millions of people. Hopefully, this affords you access to more speaking and practicing opportunities.
‍

7. Immigration Benefits

If you don’t speak English, it could cause you to have a significant disadvantage. In the United States, to become a citizen, you must pass an English test. However, it isn’t just getting into the country where English is beneficial.

Finding employment is difficult even if you can speak English. Without it, the job market becomes much more narrow. This causes a strain on your finances and overall quality of life. Furthermore, it makes getting by in your day-to-day life incredibly trying. Imagine having to go to the grocery store, bus station, and even the hospital without understanding English.

For some families, not every generation speaks English with coming to a new country. If that’s the case, get the family involved. Teach the older generation some English and watch their days improve by being able to help with homework and other family activities.
‍

8. Improved Focus

Recent studies confirm what most of us had thought for some time: bilingual brains have better attention and focus than others. This feat is mainly attributed to evidence that appears to prove a link between the lifetime task of switching between languages and improved concentration skills.

Your improved focus likely comes from a two-fold approach. To successfully learn a new language, you need to pay attention to your studies as well as the people you speak to. One without the other probably won’t produce the greatest speaker. To correctly become a well-rounded English speaker it takes both parts. This is especially true when traveling. As we discussed, English changes depending on the region you are in. With the right attention to detail, even the trickiest of dialogs won’t throw you off.

9. You’re Better Equipped to Learn English Slang Words

To say English has a few dialects to choose from would be an understatement. There are five international classifications used to designate the English language:

• World English
• North American English
• Mid-Atlantic English
• South Asia English
• East Asia English

Even if you choose one region, it would be a lifelong task to attempt to comprehend each dialect. However, by understanding English you give yourself a beneficial edge. From tourism to moving to a new region of the world, knowing English helps. You may not be able to grasp everything in Hawaiian Pidgin or Cajun Vernacular, but an understanding of General American English will help you understand what is being said around the nation. The same can be said for Geordie and Manx English speakers in the United Kingdom.

While some slangs might still give even native English speakers a hard time, knowing English is quite beneficial to understanding the world around you. Education, employment, and communities become more accessible the more you study and comprehend English.

Now that you understand the major benefits of learning English it's time to check out our post on how to learn English quicker!