Atomic Habits, the international sensation by James Clear has reached a level of fame few books ever achieve, especially non-fiction books. But, how difficult is the original English version to read?
Quick Review:
English difficulty: 2.5 / 5
English Level: B1/2 +
Overview:
A quick Google search will return a million results all explaining how amazing and powerful this book is. So let me tell you something you won’t read elsewhere…
The fact that you are reading this is a DIRECT result of this book. I am living proof that the advice of the author works. I waste less time procrastinating and have built a number of new, healthy habits into my daily routine including; writing. So, I can say that it is definitely worth reading!
But, if English is your second language, how difficult is it to read?
What English level is required to read Atomic Habits?
This book is perfect for level B2 (upper-intermediate) students and above. However, if you are at B1 level you will be able to understand and follow the main ideas of this book.
I read this book with my students at levels B1 - C2. For B1 levels you might need a dictionary to help you understand some words but you will be able to follow the advice without too much trouble. For higher levels, C1/2, you will be able to understand 99% of the vocabulary but will probably pick up a few interesting idioms throughout the book.
What makes this book easy to read?
Clear & easy to understand writing style - The author uses language typical of B2 level for most of the book. Grammatical structures are simple and meaning is usually easily understood from the context. A lot of the main information is written in present and future simple tenses.
Simple vocabulary - There are not many idioms or uncommon words - most ideas are explained in simple terms
Human experiences - The examples and stories mentioned in the book are not ‘culture-specific’, they are all human experiences that anyone, anywhere is able to understand.
Repeated vocabulary - Throughout this book, a lot of words and expressions are repeated again and again helping you build understanding of the text and remember these new words.
What difficulties will I face when reading this book?
The most difficult section of the book is the introduction and the section titled “My Story” as the author uses several idioms, uncommon expressions and occasionally some advanced vocabulary, mainly adjectives. However, once you overcome the first section the language gets considerably easier and it will be a very enjoyable read.
Conclusion:
If you are a B2, C1 or C2 level student “Atomic Habits” will be easy for you. If you are B1 level then I still suggest you read this book but you will need to go slowly and possibly re-read some paragraphs to fully understand the message.
If you would like to improve your English one page at a time, take a look at my Online Book Club for Atomic Habits.