English in Montreal. The lone official language of Quebec is French. Nonetheless , the province has a significant English-speaking population, mainly centered on the Island of Montreal. I haven't looked at official figures but I'd say that English is the first language of about 20% of Montrealers. Also, we have a lot of immigrants and for many of them, English is the preferred language for communication. I was born and raised in that wonderful city and my first language is French. The fact that I rarely speak English may surprise many. You can live there without any knowledge of it. The contrary is also possible. Although it happens, it is very rare that you encounter someone who can speak both languages perfectly without any accent. My use and knowledge of English are mainly passive. I read and watch TV almost only in English. I rarely write in it. Usually anglophones will switch to french when speaking to francophones. I happen to actually speak English only about two or three times a month. I could use some more practice to polish my grammar and my pronunciation. Although my university was a French-speaking one, almost all our textbooks were in English. In Montreal you can find English-speaking schools and hospitals. In some parts of the island, you hear only english and it seems like you are in another part of the country.