400 million people around the world speak English as their first language. Not only that, but English is listed as one of the official languages in more than a quarter of the countries in the world. What’s more, English is the rest of the world’s “second language”.In fact, one in five people on the planet speak or understand at least a little bit of English.This makes English one of the most useful languages you can learn. Companies are becoming more international, and English is listed as an essential skill for more and more jobs. There are some organisations that now conduct all their business in English, no matter where in the world they are based. If you want the best paid opportunities, learning English is a great idea. Also, as I said before, English is the world’s second language. This means that learning English makes it much easier to travel anywhere you want. Even if you don’t find other travellers or local people that speak your mother tongue, you are practically guaranteed to find someone who understands some English. Most importantly, many of the world’s biggest news outlets, including TV, newspapers, magazines and radio, are produced in English. Some of your favourite films, TV shows and pop music are probably English-language. English is the international language of media and arts and so, if you want to access as much as possible for yourself, without relying on translations, it’s the most powerful language you can learn today!