A reader wrote to me last week:
“I want better English because everybody speaks English in this Globe.”
A quick Google search tells me there are 1.5 billion English speakers.
That’s a lot.
But most people don’t understand just how big a billion really is.
They know a million is a lot.
And a billion is more.
But it’s not just a little more…
For example…
Do you know how long would it take you to count to one million?
One number per second… no bathroom breaks…. no sleeping…
The answer is: 23 days
Now, how long would it take you to count to one billion?
The answer: 31 years, 251 days!
A billion is not just big, it’s HUGE, ENORMOUS, GIGANTIC, MAMOTH…
And my favorite new English word: ginormous (giant+enormous)
So here’s my final thought for you….
Most of those 1.5 billion learned English as a second language.
So…
If they can do it, why not you?
Planet English is a big place.
We’ve got room for more.
But first, you’ve got to take action and try something new.