Do you want to practice English with news stories? I know that looking at news headlines and stories from the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal is a little scary. The grammar in the headlines doesnât make sense, and the vocabulary in the stories can be difficult for native speakers, too.
News is very important, though. Itâs a big part of our everyday lives and often the topic of conversations. To take your English to the next level, I highly recommend practicing with news.
With some preparation and proper material, practicing English with the news doesnât have to be scary!
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Why Practice English with News?
As I mentioned above, news is part of most peopleâs lives. Itâs everywhere, every day. Itâs on TV, on our computers, on our phones, and itâs in our conversations. If you want to communicate with people in another language or live in another country, it’s good to be a little familiar with current events and how to read the news.
Another reason to practice English with news stories is because there is something for everyone. The news covers all topics, e.g., sports, politics, science, business, entertainment, weather and more!
Also, the content is always new (although some stories seem to repeat!). Every day, you have access to new stories with new vocabulary and phrases.
By practicing English with news stories, you can keep up with current events and improve your knowledge of the world. You’ll also improve your reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.
What Material Should I Use to Practice English with News?
For starters, I recommend my website! I write real news stories in simple, easy to understand English. You can also find explanations of difficult vocabulary and phrases with each story.
If the level of the news on my site is too easy for you, you might be ready for professional news stories. Some of the sources of news I use for this site are The Verge for technology news, CNN, FOX Business, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Kyodo News, Euronews, BBC, and more. Check them out!
You can read articles on those sites, find videos on those sites, or visit their YouTube channels to watch and listen to the news. The level can be difficult!
Of course, you can also follow them on social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram to read shorter versions of stories.
Take a look at my article about breaking news stories in easy English to help you choose good sources!
How Do I Practice English with News Stories?
There are many different methods for using the news to practice English. You should first decide whether you want to practice listening or reading.
Reading
A common method is to first read the full news article. Itâs OK that you donât understand every word or sentence, just go through the full article one time. Think about what you understood. Is the main point of the article clear?
Second time, go through the story and write down or highlight unfamiliar words and difficult sentences. If you can, try using an English dictionary to understand the meaning of the word instead of translating. If you’re reading the easy news stories on this site, there are lots of definitions at the bottom of the page.
If reading definitions and explanations in English is too difficult, try WordReference. It’s a great translation dictionary for many languages.
If youâre having trouble understanding a sentence, you can refer to Google Translate or DeepL.
If youâre really confused, book a lesson with an English instructor on iTalki and ask! You can also discuss the news with your teacher and practice speaking.
Once you understand most of the words and sentences, make sure you read the news article one last time!
Listening
My basic advice for practicing listening using news articles is similar to reading. Start with listening to the full news story. Donât stop for words you donât understand! Just keep going.
After listening one time, think about what you heard. Did you understand the main point of the story?
When listening the second time, try writing down important words that you understand. If your task is to âget informationâ, you will listen more closely. Did you understand better the second time? Can you understand the story based on the words you wrote down?
The third time, you should read the story while listening. Almost all of the simple News stories in English on my page have audio! After, use the tools I mentioned above to understand any new vocabulary or difficult sentences.
Listen to the news story one last time!
If you find listening difficult, please check out my advice in this article.
Preparing for a Test
If you are preparing for an English test like TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS, the Duolingo English Test or something similar, the above methods can be helpful, too. To add some pressure to your practice, set a timer and try reading as fast as you can.
If you choose to practice the news in English on my site, there is usually a quiz at the end of the article. Can you answer the questions correctly?
I Am Going to Practice English with News!
Take it slow. Find topics that interest you. Enjoy it! Practicing English with news stories can be a fun and engaging way to improve your language skills and stay informed about the world.
Itâs OK that you donât understand every word or sentence! If you can understand 70% of the story, thatâs a big success. Move on to the next story!
I hope this advice helps, and you enjoy practicing English with news stories!
Good luck!
