How many Words Should I Know to Speak English Well? Check out my Free Training: http://doeng.co/udf4 Written Version & Notes: https://doingenglish.com/blog/how-many-words-should-i-know-to-speak-english-well/ Click here to Subscribe! ★FILM + DAILY EMAIL ▶︎ http://doingenglish.com/?utm_source=yt-howmanywordsshouldiknow-dntnWdUknOU If you liked this video you might also like ► “FORGETTING ENGLISH ISN’T YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE” — a film for intermediate and advanced English learners. ► http://doingenglish.com/feiyfl In this video… Question time: How many words should I know to speak English well? I’m going to be blunt. This is a stupid question. It has no answer; and if you think about it even just a little, you’ll see that it doesn’t even make sense. Think of it this way: How many clothes do you need to be fashionable? How many books do you need to read to be well-read? How many pieces of pasta to make spaghetti Bolognese? How many friends do you need to be happy? How many employees to have a successful company? How many photos to become a photographer? How many flowers to make a garden? I hope you realise why these are all such silly questions. Imagine asking a gardener, “How many flowers do I need to have a nice garden?” They’d look at you like you were crazy. Part of the problem is the misconception that you need to learn more words to get good at English. You don’t. You need language to discuss topics. Because when you talk…you talk about topics. Yes, talking always involves using words. But the number of words is irrelevant. It’s the power of the words you’ve got that matters. That is, what matters is how useful they are, and wether you can combine them with other words to make phrases. Native speakers know, on average, 25,000 words after graduating university. I used to say: “Aim for that”. But I now think that’s a mistake. Want a better way? http://doingenglish.com/feiyfl ABOUT DOING ENGLISH Doing English with Julian is a channel for intermediate and advanced English learners who feel stuck with their English. Whether you’re an IT professional, an accountant, a doctor or an artist — speaking English well will bring opportunities to your life. ◆ Watch the Doing English FILM: http://doingenglish.com/feiyfl Thanks for being a supporter.