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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:38 pm
by Lithium
Yeah ! Thanks

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:27 pm
by Bambang
skorpion wrote:
Lithium wrote::D It isn't a total waste of time !

I'm a beginner and reading English helps me very much. There's no need to read long articles and books ... you know what I mean :wink:

ps:thanks for the correction
But are you sure you're learning to pronounce words the right way? What about intonation? What about tag questions? What about inflection? Those things (and others) are very important, and you can't learn 'em by reading.

Get my point?

Cool.

Join these topics:

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/v ... 813#328813

Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:49 pm
by Bibina
Well,
lots of my students have the opinion that reading generally, not only in English, is a waste of time. I must disagree, it´s a great way of learning vocabulary, you can see how the language works and you can also improve grammar.I believe that reading in the language you are learning is beneficial. Shortened versions of boks for different levels of learners are great, they are very motivating.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:24 am
by norhan
I don't think that reading in English is a waste of time. as we all know that now English is the global language .most of the greatest books wrritten in English so if u want to be an aware preson u have to read in English.reading in english isn't that easy u need to practise first and u practise by reading a small books at first cuz we all know that "practise makes perfect".so it's noy wasting for our time...

Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:09 am
by harryin
Well!
Here are the benefits of reading english:-
1. Increases General Knowledge.
2. Increases Practical knowledge of daily activities.
3. Source of information.
4. Sharpens your brain.
5. Incrases your concentration level.
6. Incrases vocabulary.
Last, but not least, Helps in learing the language.

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:13 pm
by vince90
Sometime it is. There are bad English writers out there.

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:31 am
by milococosiro
English nowadays becomes the second language of many countries. When we talk about language, not only English but also the others, if we want to be an expert, we must practice. One of the most useful way is reading. I have the same opinion with harryin that:
Reading brings out many benefits. Such as:
+ improve knowledge (general and specific)
+ learn more about collocation (which is collected by reading because it isn't taught in classroom)
+ writing skill becomes more better.

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 5:23 am
by harryin
milococosiro wrote:English nowadays becomes the second language of many countries. When we talk about language, not only English but also the others, if we want to be an expert, we must practice. One of the most useful way is reading. I have the same opinion with harryin that:
Reading brings out many benefits. Such as:
+ improve knowledge (general and specific)
+ learn more about collocation (which is collected by reading because it isn't taught in classroom)
+ writing skill becomes more better.
:D :)

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:36 pm
by Cunyeu
if u want to improve ur English,u should read in English alot.this is one of most effective ways to learn E.It not only expand our vocabulary ,but also help us to speak E more fluently.So read in E alot,never think that reading in E is a waste of time. :) :)

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:35 pm
by meylenlau
If ones' proficiency of English language is weak,then the time spent on reading will be definately longer compared to those who are better.That's why they may have the perception: "Reading in English is waste of time"
If one really wants to learn and improve English,he/she really has to spend lots of time and efforts, as Rome was not built in a day!
A strong determination is needed.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:28 pm
by brocoli
English reading keep the language alive i think. I`m not of those people who love book reading but i can`t agree with your opinion.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:19 am
by trungkienb
[quote="TalkingPoint"]Reading in English is a waste of time!

Do YOU agree?[/quote]

well, you know what? to people who don't know english, reading in English is absolutely waste of time, because they can't understand.
but for people who are learning E, it's really useful, and definitely important. to write well, you hae to read a lot.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 4:23 pm
by southrnpride
Reading in ANY language makes you more versed and intelligent if you read at a challenging level. English is no different. The more you read, the more natural the language becomes to you.

I find English, which is my native language, to be beautiful because there are so many wonderful ways to convey your ideas,describe your feelings, tell a story, and so much more. Most books I've read in English are so enthralling that you forget you're even supposed to be studying. (and perhaps it's like that in other languages, but the only foreign language book I've read is Pobre Ana, and it wasn't exactly a page turner....)

Keep studying!

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:01 pm
by gvantsa
Reading in English is a waste of time!

NOOOO!!!! OF COURSE NOOOOT!!!!!!!

I LOVE ENGLISH AND I WANT TO KNOW IT WELL!!!!!

: )))))))

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:26 pm
by Wilhelm
Reading english is great. I didn't read much english before, but i started for about 3 three years ago and I beacame much better after having read some books in english. But i don't know if it is best to practice grammar or read books to improve your english fastest :D

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:51 am
by aznfantasii
Pfft. Nah! I dont think so!

Learning how to read in different languages is actually good! :mrgreen:

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:22 am
by rcernar
Hi!!

Well, if you ask me the reading is the best for learn any lenguage:English, spanish, italian, etc.
Any way for learn lenguages...is good!! :)

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:54 am
by sweets
Reading is a good way to improve enghish but sometime it's hard for us as second language but it does not mean that we have to stop reading in same time we can improve our enghlish in other ways t.v. and internet.

but as i think english reduce or destroy our mother languges people tend to use english expression in speaking in order to show superiorty and things like that
................................


[u]so our mother languages as i think are in danger[/u]

see u

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:45 pm
by Bambang
sweets wrote:Reading is a good way to improve enghish but sometime it's hard for us as second language but it does not mean that we have to stop reading in same time we can improve our enghlish in other ways t.v. and internet.

but as i think english reduce or destroy our mother languges people tend to use english expression in speaking in order to show superiorty and things like that
................................


[u]so our mother languages as i think are in danger[/u]

see u
We are in danger if we can't speak English.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:32 pm
by sweets
"We are in danger if we can't speak English"

well uncle Bambang iam not calling to leave english as a language but to take care about our national languages :|

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 2:41 pm
by Bambang
sweets wrote:"We are in danger if we can't speak English"

well uncle Bambang iam not calling to leave english as a language but to take care about our national languages :|
OK. Never forget to practice our national languages. :P

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:31 pm
by sweets
this is a good move :)

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:38 am
by lxguy
Reading plays a very important role in language learning.But we should choose suitable reading materials according to learners' learning level.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:10 pm
by gem
Reading itself is not a waste of time. It is a way of learning, widening your knowledge. Reading english materials will surely improve your english skills. So if you dont want or dont appreciate english language then it will be a waste of time for you but for those who are very eager and find english language very useful..in work , studies and for his /her entire life then its definitely NOT a waste of time..... :P

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:16 pm
by Seafarer
Oh, you really talked like my students:) I can't change your mind, but it gets harder as long as you resist it:) The same explanation that i make to my students :D

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:47 am
by Annaa
I don`t think so :-D

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:47 pm
by HelenMm
skorpion wrote:
TalkingPoint wrote:Reading in English is a waste of time!

Do YOU agree?
I think it really depends. If you're a beginner, it is a waste of time, cause you'll be guessing the pronunciation of a lot of words you don't know, and that'll just make your English hard to understand. Beginners should practice their English by listening a lot and then by speaking. When the learner has strong listening and speaking skills, then he/she can move on to reading.

If you're an advanced student, then reading should not be a waste of time... provided that you keep a good dictionary next to you so that you can always check the correct pronunciation of new words.

I hope this helps.

I don't agree that beginners should only listen or speak English. I think that reading helps people to improve their vocabulary and extend their horizons. I began learning English from reading.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:09 am
by alkhader
That's completely untrue, because reader gain many things when they read much.
First, Students, people, and none native speakers who don't have ability to read Englsih in correct way they can improve their reading by reading more and more. So the more youread the more you be perfect reader.

Second, Many people and leaders who always read a lot have a lot of experience in many things. For Instance, People who read old histories have a good knowledge and learn from mistakes that happened in last wars and histories and going to a void them.

High Regards
Alkhader Ali

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:37 pm
by Koala
I totally disagree. Reading English is the good way to improve your vocabulary and event your grammar. When you read regularly, you meet new words frequently so you can know them without trying to learn them by heart and it save you a lot of energy. Perhaps it take you a lot of time at the first time but it isn't waste and when you accustomed to reading, you can save a lot of time and learn not only English but also many things from this.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:00 am
by denvinbo
When you are reading a book or a story....you should read carefully to recognize the grammars the writer used....you can try to understand some words you don't know....or you can use the dictionary immediately.....and remember after use found it....retain it in mind....and recall it whenever you want it.... :-)

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:22 pm
by bruna
I would never say "reading in English is a waste of time". Reading in a second language is always an effort but it helps a lot. It is a good idea reading a magazine about a topic you really love (travelling, fashion, ...). In my opinion this is the best way of thinking you are learning and not wasting your time. :-P

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:16 pm
by babyfacehao
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Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:47 am
by Vittoria
bruna wrote:I would never say "reading in English is a waste of time". Reading in a second language is always an effort but it helps a lot. It is a good idea reading a magazine about a topic you really love (travelling, fashion, ...). In my opinion this is the best way of thinking you are learning and not wasting your time. :-P
Yes, you're right. In addition, when you start to read in a second language you'll spend more time than usually due to the fact that impossible to refuse your original mentality and the way of thinking but it trains your brain.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:10 am
by rehman
reading newspaper and books in english are very important to enrich english..... it is only the best way to collect vacuballary and way of writing........ so i think more reading you will learn more grip over the language.......

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:06 pm
by studentss
Even though I would like to read from original sources, I couldn't learn all possible languages and since there isn't translated everything to every language

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:31 pm
by Rui
For me the most important way of learning a language is to communicate, of course that to achieve a level where you are able to establish a normal conversation you must study a bit by reading, writing and learning some grammar rules, although after that just start communicating with other people because its when you really figure which words and how you should express your thoughts in certain matters.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:24 am
by keenlearner
No Way! Reading in English is not a waste of time

It is the best remedy to our minds nowadays.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 12:05 pm
by martinohare
Wasting time is one of the biggest problems that faces us these days. Why? There's so much info. available these days that dealing with the deluge is what defines good usage of our time - to a large extent.

Reading fiction that is not tainted in any way is a great way to fire the imagination,likewise non-fiction that is uplifting gives food for thought. Seeing how others showed wisdom ,overcame adversity or showed great originality or bravery can make us think in a positive light.

For learners of English it is a great way to extend their vocabulary,to give them a greater sense of sentence construction and pnctuation. They should remember to read in a half voice - to enunciate the words as this helps retention of chunks of language allied to vocab retension.

So reading, a balanced diet of it,is one productive way to use your time. Seconds out!

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:07 am
by lyphan
English is a international language, it becomes more and more important nowadays. Mastering English skill is one of the gold keys to communicate with people all over the world.
Reading English help you develop your English skills, therefore it is very essential.
i study English as my second language. Although i have studied hard, my English is not good until now. Please give me advices at "khicon_*******.com"
thank so much.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:49 pm
by coolg
I think,for every language learning, reading, writting, listening, and speaking are complementary things. So it's impossible for us to neglect one of those methods if we want to master the language. In my case, I can't master these four things yet, but I try to progress here.
So, I extend special thanks to the creator of the site for letting me participate in this very nice web! ;-)

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 6:06 pm
by tuanhoang
If you are an English learner, reading in English gives you many big advantages that you can not afford to ignore it!

First of all, reading English books or articles helps you to improve your vocabulary and grammar. Almost English contents you encounter will be written in correct and precise English. So you will learn lots of correct sentences and words by reading those texts. But many people afraid of new words when reading English books which is usual and shouldn't see as a problem. Those new worlds will stay in your brain once you read more texts about the same subjects, for example: medical or technology. Once you master those words, reading will become a leisure activity for you.

Secondly, most of the world's best books are written in English. So improving your English reading skill will be an important key to your future success. If you are a college student, you can clearly see that most of the reference books of your courses are in English. Of course, there are translated editions to some books you want to read. But normally, translated editions somewhat altered contents of original editions and will not fully give you ideas the authors want to tell you.

Finally, according to scientist reading in any language or in English with good contents will keep your brain sharp! No matter how old are you, keeping your mind sharp is a key activity to make you live longer. Besides, with a good brain, you will live your life to the fullest. What can be better than this!

In conclusion, reading in English helps English learners improving their language skills and also give them opportunity to put their English skills to use. In addition to that, reading English books will broaden your knowledge and help you sharpen your brain and live a best life. So, make this as your everyday activity and experience the good it bring to you.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 3:42 pm
by cassieho
Don't need to mention much...reading is absolutely a good way to improve english...everyone knows that...

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 12:07 pm
by emresenoglu
I'm opposite to your idea.
Reading is so imported to improve your skill in English.
If someone wants to learn English easly, must read whenever it is posible.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 9:59 am
by ArnauEstanyol
Read in general is very good. Why would be a waste of time read English?. I like read in English, so I don't consider I'm wasting my time. I do what I like, I don't care. I'm happy. In addition I learn many new words and expressions. Improving is not a bad thing.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:53 pm
by duytrung
Reading so much seems crazy for me. Use your time for other things not only in reading English. In addition, learning English doesn't mean you only reading as much as possible.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:33 pm
by ArnauEstanyol
Obviously I'm not reading all day. But reading is culture. You can never learn too much.

It depends

Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:59 am
by Haiziasher
Reading good English papers and essays in large amounts surely improves my reading ability, by not only enabling me to read fast, comprehend easily, but aslo helping me absorb various categories of knowledge and information, which might be of use, big or small, in my future work or study. Of course, I need a good memory to support storage of them. And one of the feasible methods is by repetition.

Going to the bad English, including those poorly-structured sentences, ill-worded contents, casually-planned essays, I suggest an efficient solution: skipping and skimming, which is a skill my English teacher passed on to us at university, by spotting the just useful parts in briefing, a common way most readers apply when reading papers.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 7:12 am
by nurwandi
Hi.. . i'm new in this forum chart. i'm indonesian, in my country the nationality language is Indonesia, the language similar with malay language. i'm happy can joint in ESL forum, it's can make my English be better. by the way, telling about a waste of time, only 1 word for this phrase NO WAY IN OUR LIFE. i really angry if i meet someone do something but nothing. he/she spend their time only for nothing to do, not productive.
ArnauEstanyol wrote:Obviously I'm not reading all day. But reading is culture. You can never learn too much.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 6:07 pm
by triochrio
First,there are a lot of books in english I like to read,because they aren`t translated into my mother tongue german.

Second,for me it worked very well to improve my english grammar and enriched my vokabulary.

Third,as mentioned earlier in this thread,if you read out loud,you improve your talking skills.

Re: Reading in English is a waste of time!

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:09 am
by adin
The idea proposing the post "Reading English is a waste of time!" is really provocative and I love it. You know already the answer from the others and good luck for your good idea.

How about if I propose "Having sex before marriage is okay" will you think it is an idea we should really discuss about? For me, as long as it is for practicing our language.. and then why not. :lol:

Best regard

Adin