Modern English, sometimes described as the first global lingua franca,[13][14] is the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy.[15] Its spread beyond the British Isles began with the growth of the British Empire, and by the late nineteenth century its reach was truly global.[16] Following British colonization in North America, it is the dominant language in the United States, whose growing economic and cultural influence and status as a global superpower since World War II have significantly accelerated the language's adoption across the planet.[14]
A working knowledge of English has become a requirement in a number of fields, occupations and professions such as medicine and computing; as a consequence over a billion people speak English to at least a basic level (see English language learning and teaching). It is also one of six official languages of the United Nations.

this can be debatable