Without English, you cannot communicate with 75% of the world

With rapid advancements in the economy and technology, some argue that students should be free to choose which foreign language they want to learn rather than being required to learn English. While this idea sounds appealing, it does not hold up in a globalized world. Learning English is not just an option; it is the key to progress.

A woman is teaching English in a class. Illustration photo by Pexels

English is the foundation of academia.

Science, technology, and research are mostly written in a common language: English. Scopus, the world's largest academic database, reports that over 90% of scientific studies are published in English, even when the authors are non-native speakers. Breakthroughs that shape the future, like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and renewable energy, are first documented in English before being translated into other languages.

For example, a Vietnamese medical student who cannot read English will struggle to keep up with the latest cancer treatments. A software engineer without English proficiency will fall behind peers who can access original documents from Google and Microsoft. Even in fields like history, philosophy, and sociology, more than 75% of influential research is first published in English, according to the Linguistics Society of America.

If English is not prioritized in education, a country will always lag in science, technology, and global research. Relying on translations of key studies and innovations often leads to delays, incomplete information, or inaccuracies. Worse, it risks missing out entirely on cutting-edge advancements in medicine, artificial intelligence, and engineering.

English is the language of global business.

Some believe that foreign language education should align with a country's business environment—learning Japanese for Japanese companies and Chinese for Chinese companies. However, this argument overlooks a crucial fact: English is the shared language in 90% of cross-border economic transactions, as reported by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

At global economic forums like Davos and G20, no business leader speaks Japanese or Korean—everyone uses English. Even Chinese corporations conduct business with European partners in English rather than Chinese.

A Harvard Business Review study found that multinational giants like Airbus, Nokia, Samsung, and Rakuten require employees to use English for all internal operations. Even Japan has made English its primary business language to stay competitive. Vietnamese companies aiming to expand internationally cannot rely solely on Japanese or Korean, as these languages are mainly limited to their respective countries. Without English, companies miss out on partnerships, investments, and opportunities in the broader global market.

Without English, you cannot communicate with 75% of the world.

Some argue that Chinese is the most valuable language to learn, but the numbers suggest otherwise. English is spoken in 118 countries by 1.5 billion people. In contrast, Chinese is used in only five countries, with most speakers concentrated in mainland China, according to Ethnologue’s 2014 report.

The real advantage of a language lies not just in the number of speakers but in its global reach. English opens doors to careers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Singapore, the UAE, South Africa, and across Europe. Someone fluent only in Chinese is largely limited to mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, and some parts of Southeast Asia. Learning just Japanese or Korean narrows opportunities even further to only those two countries.

A Vietnamese student who knows English can communicate with about three-quarters of the world and work almost anywhere.

The U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and Singapore have one thing in common: they are global leaders in economics and education, built on an English foundation. Singapore is the clearest example. Despite having Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil as official languages, its decision to make English the main language transformed it into a financial and technology powerhouse in Asia.

India, despite its complex education system, has become a global tech hub outside the U.S. largely because its people speak English.

Any country aiming for rapid development needs access to world-class education and research. The key to unlocking these opportunities is English. At this point, English is no longer optional—it is the global standard, the gateway to knowledge, market expansion, and national progress.

The real question is not whether students should learn English but how to ensure they master it. Countries that invest in English education stay ahead. Globalization is inevitable, and the choice is clear: adapt or fall behind.