Boost Your English with Real News Articles
- Claire Hayward
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
Using real, authentic materials to learn English can be beneficial to your vocabulary and grammar building as well as increasing confidence naturally. They are also helpful to increase reading skills as well as real-world understanding. I will give you a step-by-step guide on how to use real news articles to boost your English skills.
Why Use Real News Articles to Learn English?
Authentic news articles use real, modern English. Depending on the publication, you can read informal and formal English which covers a wide range of topics and vocabulary. Real news articles can teach you about a culture and keep you aware of global news. You can keep up to date and engaged with current events all while learning English.
Choosing the Right Articles
It is important to read the news at your current level of English. It is okay not to understand every word as this will build your vocabulary but start with simpler or learner-friendly news. For example, 'BBC learning English' is a great tool, as well as 'news in levels'. Choose topics which you are genuinely interested in, this will help to keep you motivated but also may help with understanding context if you already know a bit of background on a topic. As a beginner, avoid overcomplicated, technical or political topics as these involve lots of terminology aimed at more advanced learners. For example, 'The Guardian' is an upper-intermediate/advanced publication.
How to Read News Articles for Learning
Step-by-step method:
Scan first for headlines and structure. Read the headline and skim through the first couple of paragraphs to get an idea of the article.
Read slowly, paragraph by paragraph. Stop after each paragraph to gather your thoughts and if what you have read makes sense to you. Remember, you don't have to know every word to understand the context.
Highlight new words and phrases. Underline or make a note of any new or unfamiliar words, find their meaning in the oxford dictionary and look through the paragraph again. Does the paragraph make more sense and do you understand slightly better?
Summarise each paragraph in your own words. Summarising is a great way to put your understanding into your own words. As a beginner, try changing the more common words you know, and as a more advanced learner try changing entire sentences or structures into your own words.
Look up unfamiliar grammar structures or idioms. Try not to google translate idioms or phrases and grammar structures as the direct translation may not be completely accurate or sound a little strange. Try using AI tools to understand meanings or type the idiom/phrase/structure into google and lots of information will pop up for you to check meaning and example sentences. Next, try making your own sentences.
Vocabulary Tips
There are a few different ways you can learn and practise new words you have read from a news article. Try using a notebook or digital journal (whichever you prefer) to make a list of new news words. Once you have looked up their meanings and understand, try putting the words into your own sentences. As you will likely have a long list of words the more articles you read, try to group the vocabulary into topics, such as, environment, health, disasters, etc. You can also try using apps like Quizlet where you can practise with flashcards. Remember, once you have practised yourself, in order to remember the words you have to use them often. Try talking to a friend about an article you have read and make a point of using some new vocabulary to explain the context.
Speaking and Writing Practice
In order to remember vocabulary for a long time to come, you have to use it. There are different ways to practise in speaking and writing. Discuss news articles with family and friends or a tutor. Try recording yourself summarising an article and listen back a few times focusing on a different area each time, for example, 1- vocabulary context, 2- grammar mistakes, 3 - fluency etc. You could try to write paragraphs or essays based on the article, for example, do you agree or disagree? Include any new words/phrases or idioms in writing. You can also try doing this for IELTS practise in writing and speaking sections.
Useful Resources
BBC Learning English – News Reports
News in Levels
Simple English Wikipedia for background reading
Breaking News English
One Stop English
News articles are a powerful, free way to learn English. Follow the steps above and you can really benefit from reading authentic materials. Just one article a day can boost your English skills fast - you just need to be consistent.
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