TextRanch

The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

1. Input your text below.
2. Get it corrected in a few minutes by our editors.
3. Improve your English!

One of our experts will correct your English.

second language vs a second language

Both 'second language' and 'a second language' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Second language' is used when referring to the concept of a language learned after the native language, while 'a second language' is used when specifying that someone knows more than one language.

Last updated: March 21, 2024 • 695 views

second language

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when referring to a language learned after the native language.

This phrase is used to describe a language that is learned after the native language. It is a common term in the field of language learning and education.

Examples:

English is often taught as a second language in many countries.
She speaks Spanish as a second language.
Learning a second language can be challenging but rewarding.
French is considered a second language in Canada.
Many people around the world speak English as a second language.

Show examples from the web [+]

A person's second language or L2, is a language that is not the native language of the speaker, but that is used in the locale of that person. In contrast, a foreign ...
Second-language acquisition, second-language learning, or L2 (language 2) acquisition, is the process by which people learn a second language.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2016. Cite This Source. British Dictionary definitions for second language. Expand ...
second language. n. 1. (Linguistics) a language other than the mother tongue that a person or community uses for public communication, esp in trade, higher ...

Alternatives:

foreign language
additional language
target language
acquired language
non-native language

a second language

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English when specifying that someone knows more than one language.

This phrase is used to indicate that someone knows more than one language. It is often used in contexts where the focus is on the individual's language abilities.

Examples:

She speaks English as a second language and French as a third language.
Learning a second language can open up new opportunities.
Being bilingual means knowing a second language fluently.
He is proficient in English as a second language.
Many professionals are required to know a second language for their work.

Show examples from the web [+]

More informally, a second language can be said to be any language learned in addition to one's native language, especially in context of second language ...
English as a second language (ESL) is often used for non-native English speakers learning English in a country where English is commonly spoken. English as ...
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast. ESL Podcast Blog. Tue, 01 Mar 2016. Super (Crazy) Tuesday. This year's election of the next president of ...
Acquiring English as a Second Language. What's "Normal," What's Not. [en Español]. By the 2030s, say demographers, English language learners (ELLs) will ...

Alternatives:

an additional language
another language
a supplementary language
a secondary language
a new language

Related Comparisons

What Our Customers Are Saying

Our customers love us! We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283,125 votes.
Also check out our 2,100+ reviews on TrustPilot (4.9).

"Thank you!"
Sachi Nakama July 2024
"I have literally been through chat, PI, claude, bard and bing and I got conflicting answers! Thank you! Human intelligence reigns!"
Retha July 2024
"Faster than AI"
CYNTHIA December 2023
"This was very helpful and I personally think this site is the best."
Kaden October 2023
"It was extremely thorough and very helpful!"
imperialelisa October 2023
"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"
Zubair Alam October 2023
"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."
Selena October 2023
"Without textranch I would be stuck!"
宏祐 October 2023
"Accuracy and fast response. Personal comments from editor. Thank you."
Clh September 2023
"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"
Arturo September 2023
"The fact that you can get reliable fast feedback on your texts."
Vinicius Antonio August 2023
"you guys are better than grammarly i'm being honest here"
ordinary July 2023
"OMG! This is really good than any other text correction tools I've used so far. Highly recommend this."
Vehan July 2023
"Very fast and accurate. thank you."
mojtaba July 2023
"I love this app because it's help to writing skills all of students ♥️"
Tarisini July 2023
"This was exactly the mistake I was looking for, the wording dind´t sound right at first. Better than grammarly!"
Ente July 2023
"The immediate help that I received was reassuring and very satisfactory. Thanks."
priiiyanshuu July 2023
"this helps A LOT for my studies."
kathnunez02 June 2023
"Woow!! I would never have expected such precision! Thank you soooo much!!"
Berta June 2023
"Real Time Editor and not AI. Many Thanks."
Priya June 2023
"The very first thing excites me about Textranch is how much your editors care."
sepideh June 2023
"The fact that texts are checked by human editors rather than by AI, etc. I appreciate this!"
Анна June 2023
"Feel welcome, immediate response, high quality feedback"
martin.roy June 2023
"This is the best app that I have ever seen"
Burulai May 2023

Why choose TextRanch?

Lowest prices
Up to 50% lower than other online editing sites.

Fastest Times
Our team of editors is working for you 24/7.

Qualified Editors
Native English experts for UK or US English.

Top Customer Service
We are here to help. Satisfaction guaranteed!