Are you a fan of science fiction and fantasy books? These genres are not only very entertaining but can also help you improve your English skills. You can enhance your language proficiency by reading books with captivating storytelling, unique vocabulary and imaginative concepts.
Following on from 9 great novels to help improve your English, we've gathered a list of great sci-fi and fantasy books that will transport you to amazing worlds and improve your language skills.
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This is an excellent option if you're searching for a classic sci-fi novel. This exciting book can help improve your vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing skills, critical thinking, and understanding of cultural and historical contexts. The exciting story of Martian invaders will captivate you, showcasing creative storytelling and making you appreciate the English language.
A captivating novel for young adults that combines science fiction and fantasy, featuring time travel and otherworldly adventures. L'Engle's writing style is straightforward, making it an ideal choice for those learning English. Explore its fascinating themes and vivid imagery to improve your language skills.
If you want a gripping sci-fi book about war, leadership and morals, try reading 'Ender's Game'. This book has it all, from thrilling action sequences to intriguing characters, and provides ample food for thought. Additionally, immersing yourself in this book can enhance your English language skills, expand your vocabulary and hone your critical thinking abilities.
This well-known magical world needs no introduction. The Harry Potter series follows a young wizard on his adventure through a fantastical realm of spells, friendship and excitement. The language is simple, the story is engaging and the characters are lively. This makes it perfect for English learners wanting to improve and pick up an easy-to-read novel.
An excellent choice for English learners seeking an insightful and challenging read. This science fiction novel can enhance your English vocabulary, reading comprehension, critical thinking and analysis skills.The text explores various writing styles and techniques, while also exploring cultural and social themes that can challenge your perception of reality and the world. ‘Ubik’ offers a thought-provoking and mind-bending experience for those willing to explore its depths.
For an entertaining and light-hearted read, check out Douglas Adams' ‘The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy’. It's a science fiction series that uses humor, satire and adventure to tell its story. Adams' clever writing, wordplay and humor make it a fun way to explore the English language with a lighter touch.
For those seeking a challenge this is a classic example of the fantasy genre. This book takes readers on an exciting journey through Middle-earth, complete with intricate world-building, vivid descriptions and unique characters. Read it to improve your vocabulary and comprehension skills while immersing yourself in a timeless story of good versus evil.
Want something set on earth and with historical references? '11/22/63' is a sci-fi book that mixes time travel and history, making it a great read for English learners who are interested in modern history. This book introduces readers to a range of new vocabulary, helps improve reading comprehension and exposes the reader to the book's setting of 60's America.
If you’re looking for an immersive reading experience, check out Christopher Paolini's 'The Inheritance Cycle' series of books. This young adult fantasy series helps readers learn new words, understand stories better, follow character growth and enjoy detailed world creation. As you follow Eragon's story, you'll learn about writing techniques and the magic of storytelling in epic proportions.
Sci-fi and fantasy books take you to new worlds and enhance language skills with complex ideas and varied vocabulary. It can also help with understanding English pop culture references too. Try these books and let your English ability soar to new and unexplored heights.
English is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, but how much do you know about the language? Here are 11 facts about Englishthat you might not know.
Students all over the globe learn English for many reasons. Some of these motivations may come from the students themselves – perhaps they are learning because they are travelling to an English-speaking area, or they want to be able to converse with English-speaking friends and colleagues. Other reasons for learning could include meeting school requirements, studying abroad, or progressing their careers.
As well as different reasons to learn English, there are also different goals. Many students are still focused on becoming fluent in English, and we are seeing an increase in people who want to learn the language for specific reasons. For example, immersing themselves in a particular culture or simply being able to order from a menu while travelling abroad.
Teachers are focusing on these personal needs to help students achieve their actual goals. It’s likely you’ve already spoken to your students about why they want to learn English. Understanding this is important as different motivations can influence a student’s attitude towards learning the language – and it may be necessary for you to adapt your teaching strategies for different groups of learners.
Let’s meet some different groups of students, learn a little more about their motivations and explore whether different motivations alter how students learn English. You may recognise some of these learners in your classes.
These students are learning English for pleasure or personal reasons. It might be because of travel, social or family reasons or perhaps because a better grasp of English might assist them with their careers. There are also adult learners who could be learning English as an immigration requirement.
For example, 23-year-old Alice decided to learn English so she could meet people and have more meaningful interactions with her English-speaking neighbours. She says: “I was very shy and not very confident in speaking to people, but learning English helped me connect with others and meet new people. I have changed a lot.”
A motivation like Alice’s requires strong teacher support and peer motivation woven into structured learning. Alice can set her goals and with the GSE Learning Objectives map out what she needs to do to achieve them. Teacher encouragement and personal support – and easy access to digital coursework, a social community of others all learning English, and small classes that emphasise conversation – keep people like Alice engaged and motivated to achieve her language goals. “I cannot do it without them”, she says.
These learners are typically in a more formal type of English programme and are learning the language to achieve specific career milestones, such as a promotion. Their employer might even be paying for their learning or they might be reimbursed for the cost of their lessons.
Vincenzo is 33 and works as a Product Manager in Milan for an international organization with offices around the world. He says: “I asked to take English classes as part of my professional development. My company chose an English provider and gave me a choice of group or one-to-one classes. I chose one-to-one classes as I’m easily distracted.”
Professional learners like Vincenzo succeed using a blended learning model of learning in class and at home that they can tailor around their lives. They have a strong motivation to succeed – that’s why learning at home works for them – but step-by-step progress provided by the GSE Learning Objectives is also important to keep this motivation alive. “I met with my teacher once a week where we would work on mistakes I would make while speaking English. He would also give me extra practice materials, like interesting games and videos to listen to in my own time, to help me really get a better understanding of the language,” Vincenzo says.
Learning English is a requirement for many school programmes and students will continue this at college or university. Many of these students will be learning English with a formal course that offers practice tests for high-stakes exams.
Seventeen-year-old Subra is from Malaysia and learns English at school. Some of her family live in Australia and she is considering studying abroad to attend a University that specializes in health care. When she was young, she learned in a traditional classroom backed with tests that helped her see how she was progressing. Now she uses technology, such as her Android Huawei phone to practise her English but still needs the validation of regular testing to know she is on track.
Subrasays: “I am used to studying for tests as I prepared hard for exams to get into middle school and senior school, which was totally determined by test results.”
Academic learners like Subra need to see demonstrable results to help them stay motivated and guide them to the level of English they need to achieve to get the required score on high-stakes tests. With the clear GSE Learning Objectives and a placement test, academic learners can map out where they are right now and where they need to be in order to reach their academic goals. These learners need encouragement and validation of their progress from their teachers to help keep them on track.
Understanding student motivations will help you teach to their specific needs, thus helping them to stay focused and motivated in achieving their goals.
Kirsty Murray taught English for a year at a collège (the French equivalent of a secondary school) in Villers-Cotterêts: a town in the north of France known for being the birthplace of Alexandre Dumas. She taught mixed-ability groups of 11- to 16-year-olds, with classes ranging in size from 10 to 35 students. Here, she shares the five lessons she learned from the experience.
