These are quotes about English class, reading, and writing, useful for a classroom poster, a syllabus header, a bulletin board, or a note to a student who loves books. They are sorted by what you need them for, and each is attributed to its real source. Where a popular line carries a name that cannot be verified, the note says so.
Quotes about reading
For a reading corner, a library wall, or the top of a book list.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
— Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one.”
— George R. R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons
Quotes about writing
For an essay unit, a writing workshop, or a composition classroom.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
— Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
— commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin; the attribution is widely repeated but not firmly documented in his writings
Quotes about language and words
For the grammar and vocabulary side of the subject.
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is… the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
— Mark Twain, in an 1888 letter
“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly—they’ll go through anything.”
— Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Quotes for the first day of English class
Short enough for a slide or a board on day one.
“You can make anything by writing.”
— C. S. Lewis
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”
— J. K. Rowling
“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”
— William Wordsworth, from an 1886 letter
For related sets, see our reading quotes for kids and, for the teacher’s side of the room, quotes about good teachers. The broader education quotes collection covers learning in general.
FAQ
What is a good quote for an English classroom?
The Dr. Seuss reading line works for younger rooms; Mark Twain’s “lightning bug and the lightning” fits older students studying word choice. Both are reliably sourced.
What is a short English class quote for a poster?
“You can make anything by writing,” by C. S. Lewis, is short and safe to attribute.
Is the Benjamin Franklin writing quote real?
It is widely attributed to him but not firmly documented in his writings. Use it if you like, but note the attribution is uncertain.
What quote works for a reading unit?
George R. R. Martin’s “a reader lives a thousand lives” line, from A Dance with Dragons, is a popular and well-sourced choice.
Leave a Reply