Today English is the principal means of communication among people of different nations. It is estimated (Bowen, 1976) that between 500 and 600 million people living on all continents use English as their primary or secondary language. More and more countries are making English theirlingua francato communicate with the rest of the world—not just the native English‐speaking world. English is being used not only as a second or foreign language but also as an international language (Richards, 19