In this blog, I’ll try to answer the question – “Which English books to read to improve English?”
I am sure all of you, at this point, feel that I will advise you to do some heavy reading. But I am going to advise you to do just the opposite. Keep reading to find out what it is!
How Does Reading Help?
Does reading help?
What if I find it boring?
To answer the first question- reading definitely helps. It introduces you to new words that increase vocabulary. Not only that, as you read these words in a certain context, you also understand how they are to be used. As the story progresses, you recognize the situation a particular word is used in, what intonation it has and what it conveys – all of this without any memorizing!
There can be two reasons if you find it boring:
- You are not doing it willingly i.e. someone is forcing you to read.
- You are not reading the right books i.e. you need to change the genre, find something that interests you.
Reading works only if you do it without any pressure. So relax – don’t think of it as a task that needs to be completed, but something that will help you improve English. Once you have done that, pick a genre that you like – mystery, comedy, romance, adventure – anything!
Reading offers more benefits than one. You don’t just learn new words, you also learn:
- Collocations
- Sentence structure
- Grammar
And, the fun that you have and confidence that you gain are an added bonus!
Why You Should Read Children’s Books
If you are new to reading, DO NOT choose novels or heavy reading. You may not enjoy them and hence lose the motivation to read altogether. Read children’s books as the story line and language used is simple and easy to comprehend.
Also, you will not feel bored as the stories are short and there will be a sense of accomplishment that will encourage you to read more. You can also experiment and finally decide what genre you prefer.
Progress on to novels and other nonfiction books slowly. Choose your genre and start learning!
Also read: Comic Books can help you learn English!