📚️ Learn English quickly / Free speaking practise

Speak English now! 🗣️ 

Join me and other English speakers from around the world in the new ChatBubble conversation group on Telegram.

It’s fun, free and a great opportunity to improve your conversation skills.

We talk about new topics every day and hold discussions by sending audio messages.

Spaces are limited so come and see what you’re missing.

What are the best books to read? 📚️ 

Reading is an especially effective way for intermediate learners to take their language skills to the next level.

How can reading books improve my English?

1. Vocabulary Expansion: Reading introduces new words, idioms, and phrases, broadening your lexical horizons.

2. Grammar Mastery: Exposure to well-structured sentences and proper grammar usage refines your language skills. You see examples of the grammar you’re learning.

3. Enhanced Comprehension: Reading enhances your ability to understand context, leading to better listening and speaking.

4. Cultural Insights: Books provide insight into different cultures, helping you understand cultural references.

OK but what should I read?

This is a question almost all my students ask me sooner or later.

The short answer is…whatever you like! 😅 Seriously, if you’re passionate about motorbikes, search online for an article about the newest model, or get a magazine about motorbikes. Don’t go and read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet just because you think it’ll be more useful (in my opinion the outdated language isn’t actually useful at all for English learners!)

If you’re interested in what you’re reading, the experience will be more fun and you’re likely to learn much more.

That said, here is a list of books I personally enjoyed and resources I think most learners will enjoy using 😀 

1. A Little History of the World - E. H. Gombrich

This is quite an old book (written in 1935) and is actually aimed at kids, but since I never really studied history at school, (seriously I know embarassingly little about anything historical 😅), this book offered me a fun and simple overview of some of the main events in history, from the stone age to the invention of the atomic bomb.

Written in a fun and simple style, I’d recommend it to anyone who’s interested in some light, entertaining reading, whilst picking up some very useful vocabulary.

2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

I have to start by telling you I almost never read fiction (=novels and stories that aren’t real). I don’t know why, but it’s very rare that I find a book of this type that I enjoy, but I couldn’t put this one down.

It’s a mystery novel told through the eyes of Christopher, a 15-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome. Although, this isn’t actually mentioned in the book, the story offers the reader the chance to view life in a surprising and revealing way from Christopher’s unique perspective.

I found it touching as well as entertaining and it left a lasting impression on me. Stupidly, I thought it was a true story and was actually a little disappointed when I found out it was a novel 😅 maybe this means I do like fiction after all?

I recommend this to English learners because of the simple writing style and the fact that each chapter is about 1-4 pages long, so you can work through it in nice neat chunks!

3. Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It - Chris Voss and Tahl Raz

This book provides practical techniques that can be applied to everyday negotiations, enhancing your communication and problem-solving skills for both personal and professional success.

Plus, each technique is introduced by a story from Voss's experience as an FBI hostage negotiator. So, yeah, totally badass (*this is slang and could be offensive) and just a great read!

4. BBC News

Start your day off by getting up-to-date with the latest news from around the world. The articles are very well written, as you’d expect, and if you download the app you’ll have a great reading resource at your fingertips that you can dip into whenever you have 5 minutes free.

There are plenty of videos on the app for you to practise some listening too, plus they do a weekly quiz to see if you’ve been paying attention!

5. The English Workout - ChatBubble

I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to promote myself now, was I? 😆 Seriously though, newsletters can be a great way for you to have content delivered directly to you on a regular basis.

As you know, this newsletter is specifically made for English learners just like you. If you want more practise, you can access all of the past editions here. Enjoy!

Let’s chat!

I’m curious to know about your reading habits. Reply to this email with your answers to the following questions. I’m looking forward to hearing from you! 😃 

1. What was the last book you read? Are you reading anything at the moment?

2. Think about your reading habits. What do you usually read more? Books, magazines, social media, or online news?

3. What was the best book you’ve ever read? When did you read it and would you feel differently if you read it for the first time now?

4. Can you think of any films that are better than the original books?

5. Do you have any book/reading suggestions for people who are learning English?

OK but, I hate reading…

Oh, oops 🤭 Well, I get it, not everyone likes reading. Sorry if you found this week’s editions boring, I tell you what, here’s a quick word game for you to flex your vocabulary muscles!

Rearrange the letters to see how many words you can create before the time runs out. Go!