9 great novels to help improve your English

a hand reaching for a book from a bookshelf

Reading is one of the most fun and effective ways to help improve your English language skills. It can help to expand your vocabulary and expose you to different sentence structures, all while you enjoy some wonderful stories.

E-readers and tablets make learning English even easier because if you dont know a word, you can click on it to read its definition. On the Kindle, you can even add new words youve learnt to its Vocabulary Builder feature, which is stored on the device. Others recommend listening to and reading text at the same time as an excellent way to enhance the learning process. Kindles Whispersync for Voice is designed for just this purpose and includes audio with selected books, so you can listen and follow the text as you read.

9 great novels to help improve your English

Below, we reveal nine novels, including William Goldings Lord of the Flies and George Orwells Animal Farm, to help improve your English.

1. The Wind in the Willows C Kenneth Grahame

This classic tale takes place in the English countryside and shares the adventures of the animals that live by the river. Grahames simple use of language with imaginative stories makes this a pleasurable read for adults and children.

2. Lord of the Flies C William Golding

This book is a modern classic and a popular study text for schools all over the world. When a group of boys are isolated on a desert island, the society they create descends into ruthless behavior. Golding uses dramatic and descriptive language, almost like poetry, making you feel like youre in the scenes yourself.

3. The Old Man and the Sea C Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway is well-known for his clear, straightforward writing style and short sentence structure, which is great for English language learners and many people have read it in school. Its the courageous tale of a Cuban fisherman and his battle to land a giant marlin and its a perfect introduction to Hemingway as an author.

Check out our English Readers for more inspiration

4. Animal Farm C George Orwell

This short, allegorical novel tells the story of animals rebelling against their human masters, and is a satire of the Stalin era in the Soviet Union. Orwell uses simple English to appeal to all reading levels with a less is more approach, and the animals speak in short, clear sentences.

5. Tuesdays with Morrie C Mitch Albom

When Mitch Albom reconnects with Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor, he learns valuable life lessons and shares with readers all the funny, insightful wisdom that Morrie reveals in the last months of his life. Its a great book to pick up a more conversational reading and writing style. Its also a great book to read aloud.

6. High Fidelity C Nick Hornby

A must-read for any music lover, this modern story uses a casual language style. It is written from the point of view of the main character, Rob, a heartbroken vinyl record store owner living in north London. It has a quick-pace feel with short, funny conversations between characters that really keep the story moving.

7. The Giver C Lois Lowry

Lowry uses short sentences and simple grammar to create an attention-grabbing story from the start. Its about a boy called Jonas and his community C where freedom, individuality and choice dont exist.

8. Fantastic Mr Fox C Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl is one of the greatest childrens authors and very popular with adults too. Beginning with a childrens book is an excellent way to begin reading English novels, as they often have exciting plots and fun dialogue.

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

This is the story about the adventures of a young boy with autism, Christopher. When he discovers the murder of his neighbors dog, he decides to investigate it. As its told from Christophers point of view, his matter-of-fact explanations for everything he sees are clear and easy to understand and take you on an intriguing journey.

More of a sci-fi and fantasy fan? check out our post?Books to improve your English: Sci-fi and fantasy edition

Need more reading ideas? We have a wide range of English Readers for all ages and interests.

?See our range of English Readers here

More blogs from app

  • Expressing love around the world: Interesting facts and how to say "I love you" in different languages

    By Sam Colley
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Love is a universal language that transcends borders, cultures and languages. For those learning another language, understanding how to express love in various tongues can be both fascinating and useful. Whether you're planning to travel, connect with friends from different backgrounds, or simply expand your linguistic repertoire, knowing how to say "I love you" in different languages as well as the cultural context, can be a beautiful way to show appreciation and affection. Let's take a look at some of the many ways to express this timeless sentiment and some interesting facts.

    1. Cultural nuances:

    In many cultures, the way you express love can carry different weights and meanings. For example, in Japanese, "ۤƤ" (aishiteru) is a very strong expression of love, often reserved for serious relationships, whereas "ä" (daisuki) is more commonly used among friends and family.
    However, French, often called the language of love, uses "je t'aime" to express love as a romantic phrase that can be used for both partners and close family members.

    2. Gender differences:

    Some languages have gender-specific ways of saying "I love you." For instance, in Arabic, "????" (a?ibbuka) is used when a woman says "I love you" to a man, and "????" (a?ibbuki) is used when a man says it to a woman. Similarly, in Hindi, men say "??? ????? ????? ???? ???" (main tumse pyaar karta hoon) and women say "??? ????? ????? ???? ???" (main tumse pyaar karti hoon).

    3. Formal vs. informal:

    Some languages have formal and informal ways of expressing love. In Spanish, "te amo" is more formal and used for romantic love, while "te quiero" is more casual and can be used for friends and family.
    ?

  • Understand your English level

    By Sam Colley
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Learning English as a second language is a journey that can be fun and tough. A key part of this journey is knowing your current skill level. The Global Scale of English (GSE) helps learners check their skills. The GSE is a scale from 10 to 90 that measures English ability. It gives clear information about what learners can do at each level. In this blog, well look at how to find out your English level using GSE scores, levels, and "I can..." statements.

    Why understanding your English level matters

    You may wonder, Why is it important for me to know my language level? If you start studying without knowing your skill level, you might feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or find learning too easy and be put off or not make any learning progress.
    Knowing your English level helps you in many ways, such as to:

    1. Set realistic goals: Tailor your learning objectives to your current abilities.
    2. Choose appropriate materials: Select books, courses, and resources that match your proficiency.
    3. Track progress: Measure improvement over time and stay motivated.

    GSE levels and what they mean

    The GSE levels range from Starter to Expert, each with specific "I can..." statements that describe what you should be able to do at that level. Heres a breakdown of each level, along with some practical examples:

  • Teacher and primary school students colouring

    Planning effective ESL lessons for the upcoming year: Tips and ideas for teachers

    By Sam Colley
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    As the new year approaches, it's the perfect time to reflect on our teaching practices and plan engaging, effective lessons for our English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Thoughtfully crafted lesson plans can make a significant difference in the learning outcomes and engagement levels of your students. Whether you're teaching young children, teenagers, or adults, the principles of effective lesson planning remain consistent. Here are some ideas, hints and tips to help you create dynamic and successful ESL lessons for students of all ages.

    Start with clear learning objectives

    Begin each lesson with clear, achievable objectives. What do you want your students to learn by the end of the lesson? Objectives provide a roadmap for both you and your students, ensuring that everyone is focused and aware of the goals. For example, an objective might be "Students will be able to use past tense verbs to describe their weekend activities." Clear objectives provide direction and help you measure student progress.

    Incorporate a variety of activities

    To cater to different learning styles and keep students engaged, incorporate a mix of teaching methods and activities. Here are a few ideas:

    • Listening: Use audio recordings, songs, or podcasts to improve listening skills.
    • Speaking: Organize pair or group discussions, role-plays, or presentations to enhance speaking abilities.
    • Reading: Provide a variety of texts such as articles, short stories, or dialogues.
    • Writing: Assign tasks like journal entries, essays, or creative writing exercises.
    • Homework activities: For something outside of the classroom, a nature walk or a recipe can be used to help learn specific vocabulary.

    Use authentic materials

    Authentic materialssuch as newspapers, menus, brochures and videosexpose students to real-world language and contexts. These materials can make lessons more interesting and relevant, helping students see the practical application of their language skills. Even better, theyre everywhere, so easy to find. Here are some more suggestions for how to select and use authentic materials in your English language teaching.

    Integrate technology

    Teachers are already used to leveraging technology to enhance lessons utilizing online resources, language learning apps and interactive platforms to create a dynamic learning environment. Why not take this a step further by using AI to create your own resources. Take a look at our blog on How to make the most of AI in the classroom for some more ideas.
    ?