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I am a big fan of reading and I believe that reading in English is a great way for English learners to improve all their English skills.
Reading can also help you with other areas of your life, such as mental health, cultural awareness and cognitive ability.
In this guide, I would like to introduce you to NINE benefits of reading in English.
Are you ready? Let’s dive right in…
Reading Can Broaden Your English Vocabulary
I think it should go without saying that if you read in English, you are going to learn new English words and phrases.
No one knows every single word in the English language. I often see English words that are new to me and I do this by reading.
You can too!
Every time you pick up a book to read, or you are reading an English article, make sure you have a system in place to write down any new English words. That way you can look up the meaning at a later time and make a note of the definition.
Over time, I guarantee your English vocabulary will increase regularly.
Reading is a great way to improve your English vocabulary!
Reading Can Improve Your Comprehension Skills
And of course, by engaging with books and articles you are practising the skill of English reading.
Therefore, you are going to naturally improve your English reading comprehension skills.
As you read, you will want to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words, try to understand the different phrases you come across, and come to grips with the sentences and paragraphs that you read in texts you pick up.
You will seek an understanding of the text from the actual context of the writing. Plus, you will be able to identify the main ideas of the passage you are reading.
You will also be able to understand the intent of the writer and what they are really trying to say in the things you are reading. And you will be able to join the dots — make a connection between different parts of the text you are reading, so you have a clearer overall understanding of the entire book or article.
This is not only of great value to you when you are studying and reading for academic purposes, but it will also help you in your own everyday life.
This will help you become a more effective communicator in English and in critical thinking.
Reading Can Introduce Different Cultures
Apart from travelling to other places, there is probably no better way to understand other cultures than by reading.
Reading books about other places, countries and cities can open a window for you to another culture.
Just imagine reading a book such as Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami or The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald and you could enter the world of Japan in the 1960s or America in the 1920s.
You will be subjected to the ways of life, how people speak and the sights and smells of the places in which the books are set.
Reading can help you gain incredible empathy for other cultures and societies.
And all you need to do is pick up a book…
If you want to check out my other guides on READING and how to improve your reading skills, click the links below…
How to Master your English Reading Comprehension
Reading Can Improve Your English Language Proficiency
And the more you read, the more you will improve your English language proficiency.
Not only will you learn more English vocabulary, you will become more fluent. And very quickly too!
As you dive into different articles and books — all at increasing English levels — you will become much better at understanding how English grammar works, sentence structures, idioms and collocations.
You might read well-written prose or poetry and this can help you understand a refined linguistic style of English.
But also you could read books written in the native accent or dialect of a region or city. You will learn the varying ways that English is used around the world.
Reading Is Good For The Mind
Another great benefit of reading is that it can improve your cognitive ability.
This means it can help you with things like concentration and focus. In the age of smartphones and social media, this is a great advantage!
The more you read, the better you get at focusing on things.
Start small by just reading for ten minutes a day. Build up, minute by minute, and over time you could be reading for one hour a day.
If you can read for one hour a day, your ability to focus and pay attention in other situations in your life will greatly increase.
Reading Can Expose You To Different Writing Styles
Of course, if you read a wide selection of reading material, you are going to expose yourself to different writing styles.
Reading novels is very different from reading the news or journalistic articles.
And reading detailed scientific reports is not the same as reading poetry or song lyrics.
All of these different reading styles can show you different narrative techniques and writing devices. This in turn can help you gain a much deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of the English language.
I strongly encourage you to read all kinds of reading material — novels, non-fiction books, news, articles and everything in between.
This will help you learn how to read all the various writing styles and you will learn a lot from it.
Reading Can Prepare You For Academic And Professional Life
If you want to prepare yourself for college or university in a great way, then reading is one of the best things you can do.
The same for your working or professional life.
In higher education, you will be expected to read and analyse many different kinds of texts for your major. You will need to read articles and books based on your subject of study and you should be able to take notes from these texts.
By reading thoroughly and getting into a strong reading habit, you will be able to do this with more ease.
The same thing applies to your working life.
You may need to read professional documents and conduct business correspondence. Or stay updated in your chosen field of work.
No better way to do this than by reading.
Reading Can Reduce Stress And Help You Relax
This has been scientifically proven.
Reading can help you relax, and it can help relieve stress.
Who would not want to do that?
And all you have to do is indulge in reading a book or an article that you enjoy reading. It is that simple!
The very act of reading is often done in a quiet place. And as you read, you are transported to a place of mental solitude and tranquillity.
Try it — it works.
Reading Can Promote A Habit Of Lifelong Learning
Life is a journey of eternal learning.
We should endeavour to learn something new every day.
And one of the best ways to do this is by reading.
Reading can help you get into a habit of lifelong learning and personal growth. The very skills and knowledge that you may acquire from reading useful texts can provide you with the foundation for continuous learning.
This can provide you with a rich resource for your personal and professional life.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many great benefits to building up a regular daily reading habit.
Not only can you improve your English vocabulary and comprehension, but you can also boost your mental abilities and provide stress relief at the end of the day.
Reading can also help you gain great personal and intellectual growth.
And this is made very easy for you. All you have to do is pick up a book and read for a few minutes every day.
It is simple.
What do you think about reading?
Is it a great habit to have?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below…
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