How To Learn English With Contagious, Jonah Berger

About the Book

Title: Contagious: Why Things Catch On
Author: Jonah Berger
Genre: Marketing, Business, Communication, Psychology
Year of Publication: 2013
Pages: around 250–270 pages, depending on the edition

Jonah Berger is a marketing professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He specialises in word-of-mouth, viral ideas and social influence, and Contagious is one of his most famous books, often listed as a bestseller in business and marketing categories.

Quick reference table

This table gives you a fast overview of the book and why it is interesting for English learners:

Summary: What the Book Is About

Contagious explains why some ideas, products and messages spread quickly, while others are forgotten. Berger shows that “going viral” is not just luck; it follows specific psychological principles. He uses real stories from companies, restaurants, charities and online campaigns to show how small changes in message design can make a big difference. For an English learner, this means you read modern, real-world stories with clear structure and repeated key terms.

A short quote from the book (kept very brief): “When we care, we share.”

The book introduces the well-known STEPPS framework: Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value and Stories. This model is widely discussed in marketing education and is used in many business schools and marketing teams around the world.

In Contagious, Jonah Berger does not only describe theories. He also explains what people actually do: why they talk about certain products, how emotions push us to share content, and how design choices (like making something easy to see in public) can multiply word-of-mouth.

English Level

English level: B2–C1 (upper-intermediate to advanced)
Recommended label: Learners preparing for IELTS 6.5+

Why B2–C1?

• The language is non-fiction business English, with many everyday words but also some technical marketing terms.

• Sentences are usually clear and not too academic, but some paragraphs contain complex ideas and references to research.

• You should already be comfortable reading magazine articles, business news and long online features in English.

For many learners:

• Moving from B1 to B2 usually means building an active vocabulary of around 3,000–4,000 word families.

• Moving from B2 to C1 often requires 5,000–7,000 word families and good control of more abstract words (for example, evidence, perception, segment, impact). These are the types of words you will meet many times in this book.

So Contagious is ideal if you already read in English and want a serious project book to push yourself to a higher level.

How Contagious, Jonah Berger Builds Your English Skills

Main language skills you develop

The book is especially helpful if you are an upper-intermediate or advanced learner and want to improve English in a realistic business context:

1. Reading skills

   • Understanding longer chapters with real case studies.

   • Following arguments across several pages.

   • Noticing how examples support a main idea.

2. Vocabulary

   • Marketing and business words: campaign, launch, segment, niche, brand equity, social currency.

   • Psychology words: emotion, motivation, memory, cues, triggers, bias.

   • Everyday verbs used in a more advanced way: spread, share, stick, catch on.

3. Idioms and fixed phrases

   • Expressions like word of mouth, go viral, catch on, behind the scenes.

   • Phrases common in business writing, for example at the end of the day or in the long run.

4. Grammar in context

   • Complex sentence structures with conditionals (for example, what happens if you change a message).

   • Passive voice, common in business and research descriptions.

   • Linkers such as however, therefore, on the other hand, as a result.

Because the book is around 260 pages, you can expect several thousand unique words. A realistic estimate for a book like this is about 7,000–8,000 unique word forms, which gives you repeated exposure to core business vocabulary and also some less common terms.

If you already use BBC Learning English to practise listening and shorter texts, this book is a great longer project to connect your listening practice with deeper reading.

Study Strategy For Intermediate And Advanced Learners

In Contagious, Jonah Berger focuses on how ideas spread. You can use the same logic for your English: create a clear “strategy” instead of random practice.

1. From B1–B2 To Solid B2

If you are around B1+ or early B2, your goals might be:

• Increase active vocabulary from about 2,000–2,500 word families to 3,500–4,000.

• Feel comfortable reading one chapter (10–15 pages) in about 40–60 minutes.

• Understand 70–80% of the book without a dictionary.

A simple weekly plan:

• 3 days per week – reading

  • Read 5–7 pages each time.

  • Underline 10–15 new words or phrases per chapter.

• 2 days per week – review

  • Put new words into a vocabulary app or notebook.

  • Write 3–4 short sentences about each chapter.

At this speed, many learners can finish the book in 8–10 weeks and feel a clear jump in reading confidence.

2. From B2 To C1 For Advanced Learners

For advanced learners, the focus changes:

• You probably know most basic words already.

• Now you need precision, style and natural collocations (words that go together).

Focus areas:

• Notice how Berger explains research in simple language.

• Copy his style to summarise other books or articles in 3–4 sentences.

• Pay attention to signpost phrases like first, second, finally, in contrast, in addition.

A useful list for advanced learners reading this book:

• Things to focus on

  • How examples are introduced and linked.

  • Which verbs are used with ideas (spread, share, catch, stick).

  • How the author builds a “hook” at the start of each chapter.

If you read actively like this, you can usually see progress from strong B2 to early C1 in three to six months, especially if you also watch programmes like BBC Learning English to develop your ear for natural speech.

Practical Reading Plan And BBC Learning English Integration

You do not have to read the whole book in one long push. Instead, you can follow a structured plan and mix reading with other resources.

Suggested chapter-based routine

This list shows one possible way to study each chapter:

1. Before reading

   • Look at the chapter title and first paragraph.

   • Predict what the chapter will explain.

2. During reading

   • Read in blocks of 3–4 pages.

   • Mark key words, examples and any confusing parts.

3. After reading

   • Write a short summary (3–5 sentences).

   • Choose 5 new phrases and try to use them in your own example sentences.

To support this, you can combine the book with BBC Learning English like this:

• Watch a short business or technology story from BBC Learning English once or twice a week.

• Compare the vocabulary and style with the stories you see in the book.

• Try to retell a news story using some of the phrases from Contagious.

This combination gives you reading + listening + speaking around similar topics (business, marketing, social media), which is very efficient for busy adult learners.

User Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This book helped me understand why some social media posts work and others do not. The English is challenging but clear, and I learned many useful business expressions.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I used Contagious as my main reading practice before an English exam. The chapters are full of stories, so I did not get bored. I had to check some words, but after a few chapters it became easier.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Great for marketing students and professionals. I highlighted many phrases that I now use in presentations at work. It is not for beginners, but perfect for upper-intermediate readers.”

Average Rating: 4.6 / 5

Did You Know?

1. The STEPPS model is widely taught.
   The six-part STEPPS framework from the book (Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, Stories) is now used in many university marketing courses and professional workshops around the world.




2. Berger is a leading researcher on word of mouth.
   Jonah Berger has published many academic papers on social transmission, and Contagious is his way to bring this research to a wide business audience in simple language.




3. The book became an international bestseller.
   After publication, Contagious appeared on bestseller lists such as The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and has been translated into multiple languages, which shows its strong global impact.

If you already follow series from BBC Learning English, reading this book can be your next big challenge to move from “good” English to truly confident professional English.

Similar Books You Might Enjoy

If you like Contagious and want to keep reading in the same area, here are three books that are similar in topic and learning value:

1. Made to Stick – Chip Heath and Dan Heath

   • Focus: Why some ideas are memorable and others disappear.

   • Good for: Learning storytelling techniques and persuasive language.

2. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – Robert B. Cialdini

   • Focus: Six key principles of influence in marketing and everyday life.

   • Good for: Building vocabulary about psychology, negotiation and decision-making.

3. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products – Nir Eyal

   • Focus: How companies design digital products that users want to return to.

   • Good for: Learning tech and product vocabulary and reading real examples from apps and online services.

All three books, like Contagious, Jonah Berger, mix research with stories and case studies, which is ideal for advanced learners who want rich, modern English.

Final Thoughts

By using Contagious, Jonah Berger as a structured reading project, and combining it with regular listening and speaking practice from trusted resources like BBC Learning English, advanced learners can turn one business book into a powerful tool for real, long-term progress in English.