How many people speak English?

English is widely spoken globally, with various sources providing different estimates of the number of English speakers worldwide. According to a 2020 report by Ethnologue, an international reference on languages, there are approximately 1.5 billion English speakers globally. This includes native speakers of English, as well as those who speak it as a second or foreign language.

However, it's worth noting that these estimates can vary depending on the methodology and definitions used. Some estimates include individuals with limited English proficiency or those who only speak it in specific contexts, while others focus solely on native speakers.

Additionally, the number of English speakers continues to grow and evolve, influenced by factors such as globalization, migration, and the increasing use of English in various domains like education, business, and technology.

Therefore, it's difficult to provide a definitive figure for the exact number of English speakers worldwide. However, the various estimates suggest that English is used by a substantial and growing portion of the global population.