Did you know Emma Watson (aka Harry Potter’s very own Hermione Granger) studied English Literature at university? Just in case this is not enough, the Get My Grades team have listed 5 of the best responses to give a student who asks ‘What’s the point of studying English?’ Responses like ‘because you have to’ or ‘because you have two exams in it’ are not likely to stir up a deep love and appreciation of the subject in the student.

Reason 1

It is no secret that studying English improves your oral and written communication skills. Let’s dissect the benefits of this. This means learning how to write and speak concisely, clearly and coherently – skills that are transferable to a variety of other subjects and career paths, they are in high demand and are unlikely to lose their value. Why wouldn’t you want to invest in yourself and perfect these skills? With English, you get one for the value of five as essay and writing skills are not limited to English alone. Subjects such as History, Politics, Geography, Religious Education and more benefit from the communication skills that studying English enhances.

Reason 2

Studying English helps you to become a better critical thinker. Accepting things at face value is not enlightening and can even be dangerous when we look at things such as the news. Being more analytical means you pay attention to detail, you can handle complex ideas, you can search for patterns and interpret information well. Studying English inevitably sharpens your eye for detail and looking beneath the surface.

Reason 3

Studying English develops your ability to formulate a clear argument, express your opinion and utilise your perspective. It is a subject that promotes the individual, making it acceptable, and even rewarding, to have a completely different response to the person sitting next to you.

Reason 4

Through studying English, you will gain planning and research skills which are important in other subjects and vital for life after study. English is multifaceted, you will have an introduction to history, philosophy, psychology and even different cultures. The potential for access to all these strands is insightful, rare and impressive.

Reason 5

Finally, you may dub yourself as someone who is ‘not creative’ or doesn’t like English, but the beauty of English lies in the fact that there is something for everyone. There may be a novel, play, poem that you relate to because you see yourself in the character or because you relate to a particular experience presented. There are many advantages to reading a novel that reading a textbook cannot grant you. Studying English allows you to intimately engage with the past, present and even future through your lens. There is the potential to gain a better understanding of yourself and the world you live in via English Language and Literature.

After these words of truth and insight, we hope it will be the last time a student asks you ‘What’s the point in studying English?’

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