Why should I read novels to improve my English?

One of the things about language learning is that there’s always things you can do to get better: to move up from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced, to proficient. Even native speakers are always discovering new words or idioms that they didn’t know before. If you want to improve your fluency, then reading a book in its original English is a great way to do this. So go ahead and abandon that translation of Harry Potter you’ve got on the shelf – reach for the English version instead.

Why reading helps your English

Why? Well, for a start, it is a truth universally acknowledged (Jane Austin fans will like what I’ve done there, *wink*) that the more you read, the better your vocabulary will be. And it’s true. You absorb words. Your brain is truly an amazing organ and has this ability to pick up words from the surrounding context in what’s known as passive learning.

Real English, not textbook English

The good thing about reading books is that they show you real English. Textbooks are all very well, but they have been written so that you can learn English, not so that you can necessarily enjoy English. Novels, on the other hand, show you how we use English in the real world, and are also a great way to show you how to describe emotions. Want to know how to tell someone you’re angry, happy, sad, hungry, bored or in love? Read books to find the right words to describe your emotions, express your ideas, or tell your own stories.

Grammar and syntax, not just vocabulary

And it’s not just vocabulary that books will help you with, but grammar and syntax as well. Authors are usually experts at writing and have had their books checked by expert editors – so pay attention to the way things are written. What grammar is used? Why? This will help you with your own writing.

Reading is active interaction

Then, there’s the interaction. When you read, you’re interacting with English in a very close way. It’s very different from watching a film. Reading allows you to develop a personal relationship with the language. It’s not just the story itself, but its meanings - the implications of the story, the characters and worlds you get to know. What’s your opinion of them? What does the story mean to you? Perhaps you can even share your ideas by joining a book club, and this of course, means that you get to practise English with others who’ve read the same books as you.

How to choose the right book

So where do you begin? Well, pick a book that excites you. Don’t pick a book on history if you hate history. Don’t read a crime novel if you find them boring in your own language. Pick a book that YOU find interesting.

Graded readers for beginners and intermediates

Beginners and intermediates can also pick up graded readers which are specifically designed with the language-learner in mind. These are actually real books that have been adapted or simplified so that a learner of English can understand them. They come in different levels and have a glossary at the back (or click on the word in eBook Readers to take you straight to the glossary) which will explain any unfamiliar words. This makes them a nice, safe way of getting into reading in English. They are less scary than picking up a book that’s meant for more fluent English speakers.

Start with a story you already know

Then if you want to move on to real English books, pick a story that you are familiar with. Coming back to Harry Potter, maybe you have watched the film, or read it in your own native language. That’s great. You know the story, and so it will be easier to follow it in English. Just be warned, they often change the names of characters or places when books are translated, so get ready to find out that your favourite hero or baddie (Pedro Pettigrow, for example) may not be who you think they are!

Choosing your own books

When you’re ready to choose your own new books to read, remember that a good novel will be one that captures your imagination and that is simple and easy to understand. Read a few paragraphs and make sure that you already understand most of it, but there should still be a few new words that you don’t already know. Your new book will introduce you to these words in context. Try to guess the meaning from the story, then check in an English-English dictionary, then, and only then, use a translator if you want. Reading doesn’t have to be expensive. You can often read books online for free if they are no longer under copyright, or join your local library to borrow a whole range of books, from old to new, also for free. Lastly, you can even pick up books from community libraries, often at places like train stations, where you can leave your old books once you’re done with them and pick up a new one for free. Reading a novel may seem like hard work, but it can be one of the most exciting and rewarding ways to improve your English. It’s not like learning lists of vocabulary or grammatical rules, but it’s using the English you know to achieve a goal – to understand and enjoy a story – and that’s a great incentive.