9 great novels to help improve your English

Steffanie Zazulak
a hand reaching for a book from a bookshelf

Reading is one of the most fun and effective ways to help improve your English language skills. It can help to expand your vocabulary and expose you to different sentence structures, all while you enjoy some wonderful stories.

E-readers and tablets make learning English even easier because if you don’t know a word, you can click on it to read its definition. On the Kindle, you can even add new words you’ve learnt to its Vocabulary Builder feature, which is stored on the device. Others recommend listening to and reading text at the same time as an excellent way to enhance the learning process. Kindle’s Whispersync for Voice is designed for just this purpose and includes audio with selected books, so you can listen and follow the text as you read.

9 great novels to help improve your English

Below, we reveal nine novels, including William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and George Orwell’s Animal Farm, to help improve your English.

1. The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

This classic tale takes place in the English countryside and shares the adventures of the animals that live by the river. Grahame’s simple use of language with imaginative stories makes this a pleasurable read for adults and children.

2. Lord of the Flies – William Golding

This book is a modern classic and a popular study text for schools all over the world. When a group of boys are isolated on a desert island, the society they create descends into ruthless behavior. Golding uses dramatic and descriptive language, almost like poetry, making you feel like you’re in the scenes yourself.

3. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway is well-known for his clear, straightforward writing style and short sentence structure, which is great for English language learners and many people have read it in school. It’s the courageous tale of a Cuban fisherman and his battle to land a giant marlin and it’s a perfect introduction to Hemingway as an author.

Check out our English Readers for more inspiration

4. Animal Farm – George Orwell

This short, allegorical novel tells the story of animals rebelling against their human masters, and is a satire of the Stalin era in the Soviet Union. Orwell uses simple English to appeal to all reading levels with a ‘less is more’ approach, and the animals speak in short, clear sentences.

5. Tuesdays with Morrie – Mitch Albom

When Mitch Albom reconnects with Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor, he learns valuable life lessons and shares with readers all the funny, insightful wisdom that Morrie reveals in the last months of his life. It’s a great book to pick up a more conversational reading and writing style. It’s also a great book to read aloud.

6. High Fidelity – Nick Hornby

A must-read for any music lover, this modern story uses a casual language style. It is written from the point of view of the main character, Rob, a heartbroken vinyl record store owner living in north London. It has a quick-pace feel with short, funny conversations between characters that really keep the story moving.

7. The Giver – Lois Lowry

Lowry uses short sentences and simple grammar to create an attention-grabbing story from the start. It’s about a boy called Jonas and his community – where freedom, individuality and choice don’t exist.

8. Fantastic Mr Fox – Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl is one of the greatest children’s authors and very popular with adults too. Beginning with a children’s book is an excellent way to begin reading English novels, as they often have exciting plots and fun dialogue.

9. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon

This is the story about the adventures of a young boy with autism, Christopher. When he discovers the murder of his neighbor’s dog, he decides to investigate it. As it’s told from Christopher’s point of view, his matter-of-fact explanations for everything he sees are clear and easy to understand and take you on an intriguing journey.

More of a sci-fi and fantasy fan? check out our postÌýBooks to improve your English: Sci-fi and fantasy edition

Need more reading ideas? We have a wide range of English Readers for all ages and interests.

ÌýSee our range of English Readers here

More blogs from ɫèAV

  • A woman/teacher teaching her students in the classroom.

    Top tips for writing a winning English Teacher Awards 2024 nomination

    By Thomas Gardner
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    We are celebrating teaching excellence around the world through the ɫèAV English Teacher Awards 2024.Ìý

    Open to all types of English language educator, the 15 lucky global winners will take home thousands of pounds of prizes, from trips to conferences to the latest language learning software for their school.Ìý

    Nominating an educator for the ɫèAV English Teacher Awards is simple. All applications are made via the awards entry page, and you have 600-1000 words to tell us how your nominee builds learners’ confidence to be themselves in English.Ìý

    Here are our top tips to make the most of every word and ensure your entry is top of the class.Ìý

    Application tips

    1. Make it category specificÌý

    One of the core judging criteria is how well an application matches the category description.Ìý

    Educators can be nominated in one of five different categories:Ìý

    1. Teaching Young Minds English
    2. Empowering Teen Confidence in English
    3. Cultivating Lifelong Learners in EnglishÌý
    4. Innovation in English Language TeachingÌý
    5. Rising Stars of English Language TeachingÌý

    Tailoring your answer to the category description will make sure our judges understand exactly why your nominee is the perfect winner.Ìý

    For a detailed description of each of the categories, take a look at our recent blog post.

    2. Focus on confidence

    Learning a language isn’t just about knowing the vocabulary or understanding the grammar; it’s about having the confidence to go out there and use your newfound skills to unlock a world of opportunities.Ìý

    But feeling confident in something you’re still learning is hard. Anyone that’s learnt a language has experienced those dips in motivation and confidence when you come across a topic that doesn’t come naturally to you.Ìý

    That’s where a great teacher can make all the difference. The right support and encouragement combined with innovative teaching techniques can help learners protect and even build their confidence in challenging moments.Ìý

    That confidence is what transforms language learning from just communicating to feeling able to really be yourself in English. And when you’re able to do that, great opportunities come your way.Ìý

    Our judges are looking for nominations that understand the connection between confidence and self-expression and the impact that can have on learners’ lives.Ìý

    3. Demonstrate your impact

    Including relevant data and examples in your application will help judges understand the impact your nominee has had.Ìý

    This might include data such as internal or external test results, as well as how those results have changed during that teacher’s tenure.Ìý

    Evidence doesn’t have to mean numbers. Judges also welcome anecdotes and examples that describe the impact an educator has had on learners’ confidence.Ìý

    The judging process

    Nominations can be submitted between 15th August and midnight (CST) on 1st November 2024.Ìý

    After that date, all entries will be reviewed and a shortlist submitted to our expert judges.Ìý

    There are two to three judges for each category who will independently review and shortlist nominees before collectively awarding a Gold, Silver, and Bronze winner in their category.Ìý

    Shortlisted entries will be contacted by our team and announced at the ɫèAV Teacher Awards ceremony on November 21st 2024.Ìý

    Meet the judges

    From Argentina to Algeria, Italy to Germany, ɫèAV English Teacher Award 2024 judges come from all over the world.Ìý

    Many have years of ELT teaching experience, as well as expertise from academia and business.Ìý

    Here are just three of our expert judges:Ìý

    • Belgin Elmas: Head of the English Language Teaching Department at TED University in Ankara, Belgin is a professor with more than 34 years of teaching experience.Ìý
    • Dr Silvia Minardi: President of Lingua e Nuova Didattica and Vice President of Aermigo. Dr Minardi has extensive experience in CLIL training, collaborating with the ECML and the Council of Europe.
    • Dr Renata Condi: An experienced teacher, development professional, and course book author, Dr Condi holds a PhD and MA in Applied Linguistics and an MBA in School Management.Ìý

    The prizes

    With a Gold, Silver, and Bronze winner in each of the five categories, there are 15 chances for educators and their schools to win.Ìý

    Gold winners will receive a trip to a regional professional conference, including flight and hotel, as well as up to £500 in credit for professional development.Ìý

    Their school will win annual licenses to top language learning app, Mondly by ɫèAV as well as a course, assessment, and certification bundle valued at £1000Ìý

    Silver and Bronze winners will take home top prizes too, with £250 in credit towards their professional development and up to 500 Mondly by ɫèAV licenses for their school to continue their good work building learners’ confidence in English.Ìý

  • Childten sat at a desk staring up at a tablet

    Embracing AI for the new school year

    By Thomas Gardner
    Reading time: 2 minutes

    Back-to-school season is the perfect time to introduce something new into your teaching toolkit. With advancements in technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important for educators to incorporate into their workflow and beneficial for students. Here are some practical ways AI can enhance your classroom experience this new school year.

    AI saves valuable time

    One of the biggest challenges teachers face is finding the time to plan and create engaging lessons. AI can maximize your time by generating word sets, images and activities. Imagine having a virtual assistant that can suggest fresh ideas for your lessons, create tailored resources and even develop entire lesson plans. By automating these time-consuming tasks, AI allows you to focus more on teaching and interacting with your students.

    How AI can help

    • Lesson planning: Generate detailed lesson plans and activities.
    • Lesson inspiration: Get new and creative ideas for classroom activities.
    • Resource creation: Develop word sets, images and other teaching materials.

    As you prepare for the upcoming school year, consider how integrating AI tools can elevate your teaching practice, making your lessons more engaging while freeing up precious time for interactions with your students.

    Personalized learning and targeted feedback

    Every student learns differently, and tailoring lessons to meet individual needs can be challenging. AI can help by providing personalized learning experiences and targeted feedback. Using data-driven insights, AI tools can identify areas where learners are struggling and offer customized recommendations to help them improve. This not only enhances the learning experience but also ensures that no student is left behind.

    Benefits of AI in personalization

    • Personalized lessons: Adapt lessons to suit individual learning styles.
    • Targeted feedback: Provide specific feedback to help students improve.

    Creating an inclusive classroom

    ÌýAI can play an important role in creating an inclusive classroom environment. AI can generate visuals, audio, videos and text, or a combination of all four, catering to different learning preferences. This ensures that all learners, regardless of their learning styles or abilities, have access to the same educational content.

    AI in inclusion

    • Multimodal content: Use various formats to cater to different learning preferences.
    • Accessibility: Ensure that all students can engage with the material.

    Supporting independent learning

    Encouraging students to take charge of their own learning is essential for their development. AI can support independent learning by providing platforms that facilitate self-study at home. These platforms offer a range of resources and tools that help students learn at their own pace, making education more flexible and accessible.ÌýExplore how supports independent learning with immersive AI-powered conversations.

    AI tools for self-study

    • Independent learning: Foster a culture of self-directed learning.
    • Self-study resources: Provide tools and platforms for students to use at home.

    Integrating AI into your teaching practice can revolutionize the way you educate and engage with your students. From saving time on lesson planning to creating an inclusive classroom and supporting independent learning, the benefits are significant.

    Want more AI tips and tricks for the classroom? Join us on the page for the next video in our series.

  • A smiley woman and one of her friends/students working in a cafe.

    English Teacher Awards 2024: Understanding the categories

    By Thomas Gardner
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Teachers shape every aspect of our learning experience, especially when it comes to language learning. Great teachers give learners not only the skills but the confidence to go out in the world, start speaking up and discovering new opportunities.Ìý

    We’re celebrating those exceptional educators with the ɫèAV English Teacher Awards 2024.Ìý

    With five different categories and a Gold, Silver and Bronze winner in each, there are 15 chances to take home thousands of pounds worth of top prizes for the winning teachers and their schools.Ìý

    Find out more about who can enter and the different categories in this article.Ìý