eslreading.org for English language learners

Shakespeare & the English language

William Shakespeare is widely considered the greatest writer in any language. He is also very important in the evolution of the English language.

One element of his influence is that he greatly increased the number of word in common use. In his plays and poems he used over 20,000 words. This was at a time when the average vocabulary was less than 1,000.

There are countless examples of words and phrases from Shakespeare. Here are a few examples:
  • 'star crossed lovers' (Romeo and Juliet),
  • 'sound and fury' (Macbeth) 'salad days' (Anthony and Cleopatra)
  • Neither a borrower nor a lender be (Hamlet)
  • Brave new world (The Tempest)
The early versions of the Bible also had an important role in expanding vocabulary.

The Bible


Do you know the words we use to describe he English language?

Try this crossword. You can find all the words in the glossary of this section of ESL Reading.