The best books to learn English
When you are learning or trying to improve your English, reading a book is a great idea.
Reading a book is an enjoyable thing to do. But did you know it can also help you improve your language skills? That is an added bonus!
Using English books can help you improve your vocabulary and fluency. It can even help you learn new facts and cultural information (depending on the book you choose). Also, reading is something that you can do at your own pace. When listening to tapes, podcasts or TV, you have to keep up with the pace of the speaker. But when you are reading, you can do so at your own pace.
Which book should I choose?
It is a good idea to choose a popular book (often called a best seller). These books are generally written in an easy to read style, which is helpful when you are learning a new language. They are also great to chat about with people afterwards!
Pick your genre
To narrow down your book choice a little before you set off for the library or book shop, it is a good idea to choose a genre. A genre is a style or category of art, music, or literature. In books, popular genres are crime, classic, novel, romance, science fiction, horror, history and fantasy. Here we will look at some best sellers that you can choose to help you improve your English:
- Crime: Cross Justice by James Patterson.
About the story: When his cousin is accused of a heinous crime, Alex Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown. As he tries to prove his cousin’s innocence, Cross unearths a family secret that forces him to question everything he’s ever known.
About the author: James Patterson is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His writing style is easy to follow and the stories are very gripping.
- Romance: I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
About the story: A couple of glasses of bubbly with the girls and Poppy’s life has gone into meltdown. Not only has she lost her engagement ring, but she’s lost her phone too. When she spots an abandoned phone in a bin it seems it was meant to be…
About the author: Sophie Kinsella is a writer and former financial journalist turned best-selling novelist. This is another great book to learn how people talk, written in the first-person point of view.
- Fantasy: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
About the story: Harry Potter is young boy who has an awful life with his aunt, uncle and cousin. Then, one day, he gets an invitation to come to a special school for wizards and his life changes forever….
About the author: J.K. Rowling is a Scottish writer, and very few people in the world have not heard of her young hero Harry Potter. Aimed at young adults, the writing style is easy to follow but watch out for those magic spells….
- Novel: Charlotte’s Webb by E.B. White
About the story: The novel tells the story of a pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a spider named Charlotte. Although aimed at children, this book is also a firm favourite with many adults.
About the author: E.B. White was and American writer. He wrote several books for children, including Stuart Little (1945), Charlotte’s Web (1952), and The Trumpet of the Swan (1970).
- Classic: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
This classic tale takes place in the English countryside and shares the adventures of four animals, Mole, Toad, Rat and badger, who live by the river.
About the author: Kenneth Grahame was born in 1859 in Edinburgh. The Wind in the Willows was born out of tales he used to tell his young son, and has become an English classic. Grahame’s simple use of language with imaginative stories makes this a pleasurable read for both adults and children.
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