Are you a native English speaker?
If you are reading this in Belgium, chances are that you are not. However, that does not seem to have stopped you from subscribing to an English-language newsletter.
According to the latest annual 'English Proficiency Index' compiled by international education company Education First (EF), that is not surprising at all, because for the second year in a row, Belgium ranks sixth for having the most competent non-native English speakers in the world – reinforcing the country's well-earned reputation for multilingualism.
The country with the most proficient non-native English speakers is the Netherlands, followed by Singapore, Austria, Norway and Denmark. Additionally, Belgium was also just one of 13 countries to fall under the study's list of nations deemed to possess a 'Very High Proficiency' in English.
Strikingly, and as with nearly all things in Belgium, the country's Dutch-French language divide also played a role in the results: in general, Dutch-speaking Belgians speak better English than their French-speaking compatriots.
The Belgian cities most proficient in English are also all situated in Flanders: Bruges, followed by Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven. In fifth place, there's Brussels.
The study found that adults around the world are making concerted efforts to improve their levels of English, but that, rather worryingly, for the youngest cohort (18 to 20-year-olds), proficiency is declining, with "their skill loss since the start of the pandemic being [being] particularly striking."
Within the EU, the report also singled out France, Spain and Italy as three countries that "lag behind their neighbours" in terms of overall English-speaking ability.
How is your English? Let @Maajtee know.
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
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