The Inner circle is comprised of those countries who are considered the 'traditional bases' of English, such as the The U.S.A, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Barbados. English in these countries are classed as a first language or mother tongue

The outer circle is comprised of countries where English is not spoken natively but is still

maintained as an important language (2nd language). English is used in business and

government and as the medium of teaching. English in these areas is a characteristic of the

local speakers. These countries include: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, etc.

The expanding circle is comprised of countries where English is used as a foreign language to communicate, such as China, Taiwan, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc.