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English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. In more than 70
countries English is an official language (See supplement [2]). Estimates range from 309 million
to over 400 million native speakers worldwide, and a very high number of people speak English
as a second language. The British Council have forecast that there will be 2 billion learners of
English as a foreign language by 2016.
According to research by the
British Council
, "English has official or special status in at
least seventy-five countries with a total population of over two billion.
English is spoken as a
native language by around 375 million and as a second language by around 375 million speakers
in the world. Speakers of English as a second language will soon outnumber those who speak it
as a first language. Around 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign
language*. One out of four of the world's population speak English to some level of competence.
Demand from the other three-quarters is increasing."
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