Read the news in English
One of the best ways to learn English is definitely to enter into the world of the news, taking advantage of the multitude of articles you can find all over the internet. With so much selection out there you’ll have plenty of chances to read up on just about any topic; you can do a search for news related to your hobbies or whatever you find most interesting, and start familiarising yourself with how English speakers talk about them, and what kinds of terminology they tend to use.
These days technology, medicine, and scientific experiments are all conducted using a universal language – English – which is spoken and widely used all over the world. It’s today’s global language, and as such, you should get exposure to it so you can begin to learn and understand it.
I recommend exploring different news sources based on your level. This is because if you start off with a really tough article and don’t understand it, you may risk getting frustrated and giving up.
1. Short articles (easiest)
Here are a few websites with news articles that are best if you’re just looking to get some light practice and don’t want to go too crazy having to look up every single word in the dictionary:
– Breaking News pick your level and start reading
– VOA Special choose an article based on your favourite subject
– English news each topic is available in three different levels
– Learning English offers something for everyone, with loads of different subject areas
Practice often with these really helpful websites, and when you feel more secure and confident, you can move on to the next section.
2. Real newspaper articles (for more advanced students)
Here are links to the websites for a few real newspapers, for a higher level. These articles aren’t impossible to read and can help you improve your reading comprehension.
– BBC news certainly needs no introduction – the BBC homepage.
– The Guardian ultra famous and equally important; a website with all different kinds of news articles
– International Herald Tribune for information that’s constantly updated and can expand your English vocabulary
When you can easily understand all the articles available on these websites (you’ll need a bit of time to get used to the writing), your English level will be quite high.
3. How about an easier option?
If you read the news on Mail Online, you can learn more about celebrities, thanks to the gossip section of this online newspaper.
