English is spoken worldwide, not only in the United States or England.

English Around the World Part 1.

Duration: 50 minutes.

Let’s take a look at today’s lesson

English is spoken worldwide, not only in the United States or England.
Millions use it as a second language. Each nationality adds influences from their culture, first language, and education, shaping unique expressions and styles.

Lesson Key: (V) = Vocabulary. (U) = Understanding. (R) = Reading.

English Around the World.

English is not only spoken in the United States or England.
Today, millions of people use English as a second language. Each group of speakers brings something special from their own language, culture, and education system. That is why English sounds a little different depending on who is speaking.

People often have trouble understanding accents for a few main reasons:

Different pronunciation patterns – Sounds can shift depending on the accent (for example, the “r” sound in American vs. British English). If your ear isn’t used to those patterns, it takes time to adjust.
Rhythm and intonation – Each accent has its own “music” (stress, speed, pitch). If it doesn’t match what someone is used to, comprehension becomes harder.
Unfamiliar vocabulary or expressions – Sometimes what feels like an accent issue is really about word choice, slang, or idioms tied to a region.
Listening habits – People are most comfortable with the accents they hear often. If you mainly hear your local variety, less familiar ones feel “strange” or harder to decode.
Cognitive load – When you’re trying to understand an accent, your brain is working extra hard to “translate” the sounds into words. That can slow comprehension and make it tiring.

Let’s look at some examples:

Northern Europeans

People from countries like Sweden, Norway, and Germany usually learn English very well at school. They often speak with clear grammar and simple, correct sentences. Their pronunciation can sound “flat” or “serious” because their first languages have less melody than English. For example, they might say: “I go now to the shop.” (direct, short, clear).

Listen to the audio and read the text at the same time.

“Today I present the report. It shows numbers from last month. Please look at slide one.”
(Note: Direct and simple sentences. Northern European languages often use clear word order and less small talk.)

Indians

India has many official languages, but English is important for business and education. Indian English sometimes uses old British words and very polite forms. For example: “Kindly send me the file.” They also use different rhythm and stress when speaking, influenced by local languages.

Listen to the audio and read the text at the same time.

“Respected colleagues, kindly pay attention to the figures. We will discuss them in detail shortly.”
(Note: Very polite, sometimes formal. Indian English keeps many older British forms like “respected” or “kindly.”)

South Africans

South Africa has 11 official languages, and English mixes with them. South African English has its own accent and special words. For example, they say “shame” to mean something sweet or nice, not only something bad. Their way of speaking often reflects the mix of cultures in the country.

Listen to the audio and read the text at the same time.

“Shame, this team has worked really hard! Let’s check the results together, hey?”
(Note: “Shame” can mean something nice or sweet, not only negative. Ending with “hey?” is common in South African English.)

Brazilians

Brazilians speak with energy and rhythm because Portuguese is very musical. Sometimes Brazilians add extra vowels at the end of English words, like “dishee” for “dish,” or they use Portuguese grammar patterns, like “open the light” instead of “turn on the light.” But this makes Brazilian English warm and friendly.

Listen to the audio and read the text at the same time.

“Guys, can you open the light? I want to show you the slides. After, we talk about the project.”
(Note: Direct translation from Portuguese “acender a luz” → “open the light.” Brazilians often use friendly, informal words like “guys.”)

American Native Speakers

In the United States, English is usually faster and more relaxed. Americans use many phrasal verbs like “pick up,” “hang out,” or “figure out.” They also like contractions, like “gonna” (going to) or “wanna” (want to).

Listen to the audio and read the text at the same time.

“Alright everyone, let’s kick this off. I’m gonna walk you through the key numbers, then we’ll figure out next steps.”
(Note: Americans use many phrasal verbs and contractions: “kick off,” “walk you through,” “gonna,” “figure out.” Very casual and fast style.)

Remember: All these versions are correct in their own way.

English belongs to the world, not just to one country. The important thing is communication. Different accents, grammar patterns, and phrases show the beauty of cultural diversity.

Table of Examples.

Sentence or Phrase	Nationality	Explanation
“I go now to the shop.”	Northern European	Direct word order, influenced by Germanic languages.
“Kindly send me the file.”	Indian	Polite form, common in Indian English from older British style.
“I am staying in the flat.”	Indian	Use of “flat” (British word) instead of “apartment.”
“Shame, that baby is so cute!”	South African	“Shame” used to mean “sweet/nice,” not negative.
“Dishee is very good.”	Brazilian	Adding vowel sounds at the end of words.
“Let’s hang out later.”	American	Common phrasal verb meaning “spend time together.”
“I’m gonna call you.”	American	Contraction of “going to,” very common in spoken US English.