Why we study English in English. We are writing an essay about why we study English! Buy goods in foreign online stores

In Runet you will not find even a tenth of what is in English-language sources. For comparison: of the sites existing in 2017 Usage of content languages ​​for websites. only 6.7% in Russian, and in English - 51.3%.

Having studied English, you will no longer depend on the opinions of copywriters who decide what to translate and what not.

You will search for information not limited to the RuNet, read the opinions of foreign experts, study scientific research, check foreign news.

A lot of information can be gleaned from English-language videos on YouTube: from analysis of exercises to culinary recipes and playing musical instruments.

If you've decided to learn English online and are looking for a suitable resource, try Puzzle English. This is a serious tool that develops all skills - reading, writing, speaking and listening - and maintains a keen interest in classes. Currently, about four million users with different levels of experience learn English with its help.

To quickly improve your English language skills and open up a world of new information, try “Personal Plan” from Puzzle English. This is a flexible, customizable learning plan that is tailored to your language level, interests and needs. With this plan, you can focus on reading, listening comprehension, or vocabulary, which will be useful for you to master any information on the Internet.

2. Watch movies in the original

You will finally be able to find out how your favorite actors really talk and hear their unique intonations. Most likely, many films will open up to you in a new way and you will want to re-watch all your favorite films and TV series - now without translation.

You may find it difficult to understand English at first because it will be fast, with accents, slang words, and abbreviations.

To quickly get used to it, Puzzle English offers a unique teaching method - “Video Puzzles”. You watch a short video in English, and then use individual words to put together sentences from the video. A fun way to learn that simultaneously expands your vocabulary and teaches you how to understand English.

3. Get more from traveling

English is the official language in 59 countries. In addition to Great Britain, it is spoken in the USA and Canada, Australia, India, Pakistan, and many African countries. English is understood almost throughout Europe, as well as in many popular tourist countries.

In English, you can explain yourself faster without fear of being misunderstood, order food in a restaurant without help, explain to a taxi driver where to take you, as well as make acquaintances with tourists from different countries and penetrate deeper into the culture of the country you are visiting.

If you want to learn English for travel, Puzzle English offers a travel course called Puzzle Academy - fun video lessons with native speakers on the topic of travel. From the lessons of an Irish teacher you will learn everything you need for a successful trip to an English-speaking country: about transport, food, shopping, accommodation, culture and much more.

4. Understand what is sung in your favorite compositions

When you learn to understand English by ear, the meaning of your favorite foreign songs will be revealed to you. It’s one thing to read a translation on a website, and quite another to understand it while listening.

However, the lyrics of the songs are filled with allegories and slang even more than films, and in order to correctly translate and understand them, you need some experience. In the Puzzle English “Songs” section you will find many famous compositions with translation and karaoke, as well as video analysis, from which you will learn a lot about set expressions and allegories.

5. Earn more

According to How to write a working resume in English: 5 main rules. HeadHunter, in Russia, in positions that require knowledge of English, workers’ salaries are 30–40% higher than in jobs where this is not required.

As a rule, programmers and testers, financiers, HR specialists, and top managers need a foreign language. If a company is already working with foreign partners or intends to do so in the future, all its employees may need English: from an engineer to a manager.

Knowledge of English, along with other professional qualities, can become a ticket to a company’s foreign representative office or help you get a job in foreign giants like Google.

If you need English for work or business, Puzzle Academy has a business English course. During the course, the Canadian teacher will tell you how to write a resume, make a presentation, conduct a telephone conversation and much more.

6. Expand your social circle

By communicating with foreigners, you will learn a lot about the culture and way of life in different countries, and if you ever get ready to travel, pen pals will show you the real country - away from the tourist routes.

You can meet foreigners on specialized websites or through social networks, communicate by correspondence or by calling over the Internet. Talking via video calls is useful for mastering the language and is simply interesting, but at first it may be difficult for you to cope with embarrassment and fear.

Learning English, like any other, has its difficulties. Sometimes, each of us asks the question: why do we need to know a foreign language? Therefore, Smile English provides you with 10 main reasons that will answer this question and reveal the importance of learning English.

Reason 1. Expanding our social circle

Everyone knows that English is widely spoken all over the world, therefore, knowing this language, you can easily communicate with people from different countries. This will allow you to make useful contacts, talk and correspond with foreign friends, and learn a lot of new and interesting information. Please note that for this you do not have to travel abroad; the Internet and courses at an English school will come to your aid.

Reason 2. Career growth

Agree, today there is quite high competition in the labor market. Therefore, a person whose resume shows proficiency in a foreign language will, in most cases, arouse the interest of a potential employer. If you have long found a suitable job, then knowing English will help you move up the career ladder. And in the case when your work is related to business, then it is worth remembering that international business communication is based specifically on the English language.

Reason 3. Train your memory

The best way to train your memory is to learn new words, phrases and rules. Over time, you will be surprised at how easily you can remember large amounts of information.

Reason 4. Go on vacation without problems

When traveling abroad, you will be able to solve any problems, such as those related to room accommodation, excursions, etc. You will not be completely dependent on Russian-speaking guides. Knowing English will give you confidence and open up new opportunities.

Reason 5. Music with meaning

Agree, it’s much more pleasant for you to listen to the songs of your favorite artists when you understand what they are singing about.

Reason 6. Movies without translation

You can easily watch English-language films without translation and subtitles. Plus, it will help you improve your pronunciation. And, if you have children, they will be able to strengthen their English by watching cartoons.

Reason 7. Books in Shakespeare's language

You will be able to discover the magical world of English-language literature. Reading in the original language is significantly different from reading translations or adapted literature. You will be able to get acquainted with phraseological units and expressions unique to English speech.

Reason 8. Self-education

Learning English will allow you to improve your educational level. And, having mastered it at a sufficient level, you will be able to read specialized English-language literature, because not all high-quality textbooks have translations.

Reason 9. Additional income

Knowing English, you will never be left without money: you will be able to make translations, write essays and articles to order. You will be able to teach lessons for children and adults, helping them learn English.

Reason 10. Cultural enrichment

In-depth mastery of a language implies not only learning new phrases, but also getting to know the traditions, mentality and culture of native speakers.

And these are not all the reasons why it is important to learn a language. As you can see, knowing English will bring you a lot of benefits if you understand how to apply this knowledge correctly.

Nowadays it is almost impossible to find a person who does not strive to learn an international language. Although, there are also those who ask in surprise: “Why?” In what practical ways can knowledge of English be useful to us? Here are six advantages for you! Receive it and sign it!

Knowing English will make you more in demand and competitive in the labor market. Many employers make knowledge of a primary foreign language a mandatory requirement when hiring. In companies that cooperate with foreign partners or use their goods and services, knowledge of English is not just “desirable”, but “required”!

With knowledge of English, you can travel around the world without any problems. Since this language is international, it is spoken by people in all countries of the world, and even more so in resort cities! You have probably noticed signs in English on shops, restaurants, cafes, clubs, and beauty salons more than once. The same is true in other countries. The international language erases all borders!

Would you like to read English books in the original and watch films without translations? Knowing English you can afford it! To understand original jokes, and not their pathetic analogues in Russian, to feel the mood of the author, and not the translator. Watch "Friends" and "Sex and the City", read Shakespeare in the original, and you will understand everything yourself!

Mastering a computer without some knowledge of English is quite difficult, isn’t it? Nowadays, the operating systems of almost all modern technology are written in English. You've probably noticed this yourself when accessing your computer's program files or installing a program. Yes, and besides, not all useful programs are translated into Russian: most of them are in English! Therefore, in order not to feel behind the world, knowledge of the English language is simply necessary!

How wonderful it is to have friends living abroad! And it doesn’t matter whether they are real, virtual or pen pals. Send letters to each other by email or regular mail, talking about your life and learning a lot about the culture and traditions of another country. Be sure to contact someone from the other side of the world! And although your mentalities may differ widely, you will learn a lot of interesting things from each other!

Self-realization or the invention of fools? Agree, knowing a foreign language is respectable. It doesn’t matter for what purpose you studied it: to pass an exam at a university, to get a well-paid job, or to understand what Riana, Eminem and Lady Gaga are singing about. Something else is important. As a certain smart person said: “The number of languages ​​you know, the number of times you are human.” Do you agree?

Interest in foreign languages ​​is becoming more widespread. This is due to many factors: the development of technology, the tourism business and The following are the most common answers to the question “Why do you need to know English?”

Career

Often, to advance in your career, you need to acquire additional skills and explore new horizons. Perhaps you work for a company that plans to expand its borders and go global in the future. Of course, you can hire a translator. However, many managers give preference to employees who, in addition to their main profession, have knowledge of a foreign language. One of the compelling arguments why you need to learn English is that you get a significant advantage and increase your chances of achieving success.

Studying abroad

Many people seek to get an education abroad. To enter most universities, you will need a certificate confirming sufficient Therefore, another good reason, English, is the successful completion of exams. Each educational institution has its own passing score, so the higher your result, the greater the chances of entering a good university. The dream of acquiring an education in another country and then finding a decent job is a good motivation. And the answer to the question “Why is English needed?” in this case it is very obvious.

Personal development

Another reason to learn English is that it will help you develop many useful personality traits.

• Memory training. Constant practice and the need to memorize many words, common expressions and grammatical rules will significantly improve memory.
• Flexibility of thinking. The English language is very rich in synonyms. Another of its features is flexibility, which allows the same idea to be conveyed using different formulations. This has a beneficial effect on the development of intellectual abilities.
• Motivation to develop. A clear understanding of why you need English is the first step towards success. This gives motivation for further action and the desire to develop. Next, you should make efforts and regularly dedicate time to improving your language skills.
• Strength of will. There are no special exercises for developing willpower. It strengthens if a person decides to persistently pursue his goal and regularly makes efforts. This could be sports training, playing a musical instrument or learning foreign languages. To achieve success, it is important to constantly devote time to learning, which in turn helps to develop qualities such as the ability to concentrate for a long time, perseverance, and the ability to clearly formulate goals and achieve them.
  

Tourist trips

Perhaps one of the most common reasons why English is needed is to communicate with foreigners abroad. If you like to travel, you need to master the language at least at the initial level (A1), also called Survival level. And good knowledge will help you get even more pleasant emotions from your trip, because you can not only see the sights, but also communicate with native speakers, get in touch with the culture of another country and expand your circle of friends.

Expanding boundaries

Learning new things allows you to go beyond the familiar and expand the boundaries of understanding. Any language is not just a set of lexical units and grammatical rules through which people exchange information. When learning a foreign language, a new picture of the world gradually forms, which may differ from the usual system of thinking. After all, any language reflects the way of thinking, belief system, culture, traditions and worldview of the people. Therefore, one of the reasons to learn English is the opportunity to better understand the people for whom it is native. You will have the opportunity to expand your social circle, find friends among foreigners, and you will also feel freer when traveling.

Another advantage is the ability to watch films and read books in the original, and understand the meaning of foreign songs. Sometimes even the highest quality translation is not able to fully convey the entire essence of what was said in the original language, because there are certain features that are understandable only to native speakers. Therefore, if you are interested in cinema and classical literature from the UK or the USA, you should definitely master the language of these countries.

In addition to all of the above, English allows you to expand your understanding of your own language. Many words in Russian are borrowed from English. Similar examples can be found in any field: business, sports, science, information technology, transport, etc.

If you have already determined for yourself why you personally need English, all that remains is to start regular classes. Below are a few simple tips that will help you spend your time and energy more efficiently:

• Regularity. When starting to learn something new, it is very important to devote time to learning every day. Even 30 minutes every day will be much more effective than a three-hour lesson once a week. Reinforcing recently learned material will save a lot of time in the future, since you won’t have to relearn what you’ve already encountered.
• Diversity. Beyond courses or learning materials, there are many ways to make learning fun and exciting. This includes watching films, listening to and translating your favorite songs, reading magazines and newspapers. The main thing is to choose exactly what interests you. Vivid emotions and inspiration increase the quality of memorization of new material.
• Mastering a foreign language means making it your own. It is very important to start putting new words and rules into practice as quickly as possible. When starting to study, you should first of all pay attention to the vocabulary that you use in your native language when talking about yourself, your interests and everyday life. This will help you gain an active vocabulary and polish your speaking skills.
• Another effective method is to write in the language you are learning. You can keep a diary, recording impressions and new ideas, and also write essays, articles, or start communicating with foreigners on social networks. Any of these methods will help increase your vocabulary and develop writing skills.

It is very important to determine why you need to learn English. An accurate understanding of your own goals will allow you to increase motivation and cope with doubts that sometimes overcome a person who has chosen one or another path of personal development. In moments of disappointment, it is important to remember why you started everything. This will help you achieve success despite obstacles and difficulties!

The goal in learning English plays a decisive role. It is she who forces us to spend our free time alone with educational material, and not in a noisy company of friends. And if the goal also has a time frame, we can work wonders and master huge amounts of information in the shortest possible time.

Currently, more than 1,100 students are studying at the Inglex online school. All these people came to us not out of idle curiosity, but with a specific purpose. We decided to find out from our students why they need to learn English. To do this, we conducted a study and found out what most often motivates people when they apply to an English language school. We will also tell you which course of study is best suited to achieve each goal.

How we assessed students' goals

Let's start with a story about who our clients are. 87% of our students are adults aged 18 to 70 years. The remaining 13% are schoolchildren and university students, the latter being the smallest group. Most students have beginner and intermediate levels of knowledge and take a general conversation course. 77% study English with a Russian-speaking teacher, the remaining 23% with native English speakers.

In our school, English-speaking teachers teach students who have already reached the intermediate level (and above) and continue to improve their knowledge. We assumed that the goals of students at lower and higher levels would be different, so we decided to separately consider the goals of language learning for students of Russian-speaking teachers and students of native-speaking teachers. We asked all of our teachers to clarify the learning goals of each student and analyzed the data obtained. As a result, we were able to identify 8 groups of goals that correspond to the courses offered by our school.

What goals do our students pursue?

The most popular goals for our students were “English for work”, “English for travel” and “English for yourself”. We decided to display the data obtained during the survey in a convenient proprietary diagram.

1. English for work

Learning English for work was the most common goal among students. Students driven by this goal fall into two main categories: those already working in a position that requires good English skills, and those who want to improve their situation by obtaining a new position or changing jobs. Let's list the most popular goals for each group.

1. Those who improve their knowledge for current work learn English with the aim of:
   • communicate with English-speaking partners;
   • communicate freely on business trips;
   • conduct business correspondence with partners or clients;
   • conduct presentations in English;
   • read professional English-language literature;
   • attend international conferences and trainings.

It is these people who most often choose, since its program fully meets all of the listed goals. At higher levels of knowledge, students working in international companies prefer classes with native speakers, which allows them to quickly prepare for communication in real working conditions.

2. For those who are counting on career advancement or want to get a more promising position in another company, it is important:
   • be able to write a cover letter;
   • be able to indicate your level of English proficiency on your resume;
   • learn to take interviews in English;
   • raise the general level of knowledge, since companies often require passing an internal test to obtain a higher-paid position.

If the goal of a student from this group is not urgent, that is, at this stage he is satisfied with his job, but in the future he would like to apply for a more interesting position, he almost always chooses. This is a comprehensive course that allows you to move from level to level, developing all speech skills (speaking, listening comprehension, reading, writing), and also expands your vocabulary and improves your knowledge of grammar.

In case a student urgently needs to prepare for an interview or internal company testing in English, we provide, including the “Interview Preparation” course. In this case, the teacher will prepare the material directly to the needs of the student, taking into account his strengths and weaknesses. In an interview preparation course, the teacher discusses popular interviewer questions with the student and helps them come up with appropriate answers, as well as role-playing a real interview situation with the student.

In general, we can say that English for work is the most powerful motivator, because in this case, a person’s well-being and self-realization depend on the level of knowledge of the English language. The prospect of career growth is why you need to learn English.

2. English for travel

Another popular goal for our students is English for travel. The higher the level of knowledge, the wider the list of opportunities for using English abroad becomes. Thus, the majority of students studying with Russian-speaking teachers have a lower level, and for them, English for travel rather involves solving organizational issues during a trip (, shopping center, restaurant). But those who work with native speakers are those who want not only to see another country, but also to learn more about it from local residents. These students want to be able to carry on a conversation and make foreign friends.

English for travel abroad is the second most popular goal among students of Russian-speaking teachers and third among students of native speakers. We believe this is due to the fact that at higher levels, communication abroad is no longer a problem and other, more interesting tasks come to the fore.

The course "English for Travel" is studied within the framework of. Immediately before the trip, the teacher concentrates on those topics that will help you feel confident in a foreign language environment.

3. English “for yourself”

• communication with relatives who study or live abroad (this goal is often pursued by people over 40, whose children and grandchildren live in the UK and the USA);
• communication with foreign friends;
• desire to use in practice the knowledge gained through independent language learning;
• watching films and reading books in English;
• memory training;
• assistance in learning English for your children or grandchildren.

In addition, for many students, learning English is a favorite hobby or a way to fill their free time. This is especially true for mothers on maternity leave and older people.

Students with the listed goals are engaged at all levels.

To sum up the research, we were pleasantly surprised that the “for oneself” goal is more popular among native speaker students. The fact is that, having reached a higher level of knowledge, students have most likely already completed the goals for which they began to learn English. But they liked the learning process so much that they decided to continue working on their knowledge. We believe that the goal of learning English “for oneself” in itself is not a strong motivator, but when it is added to the desire not to lose the results achieved and to further expand one’s knowledge, its existence becomes justified.

4. English for school and university studies

Goals from this group are in fourth place in popularity both among students of Russian-speaking teachers and among students of native speakers. Parents are often wary of sending their children to English courses via Skype. Nevertheless, at the moment we have 198 schoolchildren and students studying. They have three main goals:

• improve knowledge within the school/university program, improve academic performance;
• pass exams or tests well;
• increase the level of knowledge, study topics that go beyond the curriculum.

We should also highlight students of language universities who consider the level of teaching at their university not high enough and turn to us for training in a more intensive and complex program.

The listed goals are achieved when studying on the course "". If a schoolchild or student urgently needs to prepare for an exam, the teacher is ready to develop an individual program, in which case the course will be considered. Also, schoolchildren and students often ask for help with grammar, and in this case the “” course is suitable for them.

5. English for moving or living abroad

It turned out that such an important goal of learning English as moving abroad is not very popular among our students. Only 6% of students with Russian-speaking teachers and 2% of students with native speakers learn the language for emigration. Here is a list of specific goals combined in this group:

• desire to feel confident after moving;
• job search abroad;
• adaptation to the conditions of an English-speaking country, studying its culture.

Half of the students with these goals already live abroad, but continue to improve their knowledge with our teachers. They prefer to gain knowledge systematically, rather than fragmentarily from conversations with local residents. Nevertheless, the opportunity to apply acquired knowledge in practice in a language environment allows you to speed up the learning process.

Interestingly, students pursuing these goals often turn to Russian-speaking teachers rather than native speakers. This suggests that when they move, their level is not yet high enough, but this does not stop them from trying to find themselves in a new place.

In our practice, there was a case when a student was planning to move to a specific US state and was looking for a native teacher who could not only help her “conversate”, but also prepare her for the cultural peculiarities of life in this place. We were glad to offer her just such a teacher.

All goals from this group are implemented within the framework of the “” course. If necessary, the teacher supplements the program with materials from the courses "" and "".

6. English to obtain a certificate

In terms of popularity among our students, international certificates are arranged in the following order: IELTS, CAE, TOEFL, FCE, CPE, KET, PET.

Obtaining the international certificate itself is rarely the ultimate goal of students. Most often, a certificate is necessary to realize other, more global ambitions. The result of the international exam is required to be presented in the following cases:

• upon admission to a foreign university;
• for employment in a large Russian or international company (both in a foreign branch and in a local office);
• when immigrating to English-speaking countries, as a document confirming that a person speaks English sufficiently;
• to confirm the level of knowledge - English teachers.

We also have students who have been studying English as a hobby for a long time, and therefore want to receive an international certificate “for themselves” or “for the future.” Any exam is a lot of stress, so such a desire deserves respect.

Students prepare for international exams with both Russian-speaking teachers and native speakers. The fact is that your success in the exam will largely depend not only on your actual level of knowledge, but also on the correct approach to completing tasks. Therefore, students often resort to the help of Russian-speaking teachers to practice successful tactics and improve grammar, and work with native speakers to improve their speaking skills and expand their vocabulary.

Students wishing to receive a certificate take the course "". This is a specialized course during which all the features of the exam are studied. If the student’s current level of knowledge is not enough to qualify for a high score, training begins with the “” course.

7. English for studying abroad

To enroll in a foreign university, you first need to be fluent in English. Unfortunately, very few students pursue this ambitious goal of learning English (only 3% of students with Russian-speaking teachers and 2% with native speakers). These people are not necessarily graduates or students of Russian educational institutions. Adults are also preparing to enter foreign faculties, graduate school or an MBA program.

The choice of course for this purpose depends on the timing of admission (“” or more intensive “”) and the need to present an international certificate upon admission (course “”).

8. Improving knowledge for working as an English teacher

As teachers, we couldn't help but highlight this goal separately, even though it could have been part of the English for Work goal. However, it is also very important for teachers to improve their knowledge, and we are glad that they are thinking about it. It is important to note that English teachers make up 4% of the students of native speakers and only 1% of the students of Russian-speaking teachers. These people see their goals as follows:

• increase your level of knowledge to work at higher levels of language proficiency;
• expand your vocabulary to work with students in more complex training programs;
• gain confidence in your knowledge to move from working with children to teaching adults;
• pass an international exam and qualify for higher pay for your work or get a job at a prestigious educational institution.

Any course that meets the specific needs of the instructor is suitable for this purpose.

What skills are students most concerned about?

What is the most important thing for students in the learning process, what do they ask the teacher to pay more attention to during classes? In addition to the global goal, each student has a desire to concentrate more on one or another aspect of the language. Among the most popular requests, we highlighted the desire:

• pay maximum attention to the practice of oral speech, work on fluency, expand your vocabulary;
• learn to understand your interlocutor’s speech by ear, understand words in films and songs;
• understand English grammar, learn to speak and write correctly;
• improve pronunciation, remove Russian accent;
• learn words and expressions used in a specific field (business, information technology, aviation, law, etc.)
• develop business and academic writing skills.

Obviously, the most common goal is the development of oral speech. After all, the ability to not only quickly, but also correctly formulate your thoughts is the main result for which we learn a language.

Unusual goals for learning English

1. Family goals

   Many parents begin preparing their children for adulthood from a very early age, and sometimes even months. So, one of the students is studying English in order to immediately teach her recently born daughter.

   Our other student is 12 years old. She wants to become a singer and perform songs in English, so her mother asked us to work on the girl’s pronunciation.

   But the older student has a more trivial goal: his entire family, even his 5-year-old daughter, speaks English easily. In order to keep up with his family, the man also decided to learn English “for himself.”

2. Creative goals

   People whose work involves traveling abroad can best appreciate the convenience of classes via Skype. Among them there are many representatives of creative professions.

   For example, one of our students is a professional photographer. She travels the world and teaches photography courses and workshops for international students. It is clear why she is interested in learning English.

   We also have students who study acting. Their goal is to be able to go to courses and trainings abroad, and, if they are lucky, even get a role in a foreign film.

   There are also students who dream of starting to write novels and stories in English. And one of them plans to write a book for his son, who now lives in England.

3. Personal goals

   Everyone knows that learning a foreign language helps develop mental abilities and train memory. People who come to us with such a wish often begin to additionally learn a second foreign language at our school.

   Another goal of some students is also justified - to increase self-esteem. Indeed, the ability to speak, write, read or understand English can come in handy suddenly, and the way you present yourself will not only impress others, but will also help boost your self-confidence.

To summarize, we would like to say that having a clear goal guarantees success in learning English. You must clearly understand why you need to learn English. If you're just starting to study, we recommend setting a goal for yourself that is long-term enough for your efforts to pay off, but at the same time achievable so that you don't lose motivation halfway through. So what goal will you set for yourself?