* Different definitions of "speak English": Do we mean native speakers, fluent speakers, people who can understand it, or those who have some basic knowledge?
* Data collection challenges: It's hard to gather accurate data from every country, especially in regions with limited resources or unstable political situations.
* Continuously changing numbers: The number of English speakers is constantly growing due to factors like globalization, education, and migration.
However, there are some estimates:
* The British Council estimates that 1.5 billion people speak English as a first language (L1) and another 1 billion speak it as a second language (L2). This adds up to 2.5 billion speakers worldwide.
* The EF English Proficiency Index states that around 1.5 billion people are proficient in English. This includes both L1 and L2 speakers who have a good level of fluency.
It's important to remember that these are just estimates, and the actual number could be higher or lower.
Overall, English is considered the most widely spoken language in the world, with a large and diverse population of speakers.