The Voice of America has been broadcasting programs in Special English since 1959. Special English is VOA’s method of communicating with English learners around the world in a way that is easy to understand. The vocabulary is limited to about 1,500 words. The sentences are short. The speed is slower than normal.
Special English programs are broadcast on the Voice of America, on radio stations around the world, on satellite television and on the Internet. These programs present the latest world news as well as information about science, medicine, education, economics, American history and life in the United States.
This book explains the meaning of the words used in our broadcasts and on our Web site.The first edition was published in 1962. The list of words has changed since then, as the language itself has changed. We thank all those people at VOA who started the process and who helped make this edition possible.
You can download transcripts and audio files of our programs at our Web site, www.VOASpecialEnglish.com. You can also get details of where to find our programs on radio and television.
Download full wordbook [PDF]
We want your comments and suggestions for making the site as useful as possible for English learners. Please write to special@voanews.com
