Expand: read English: read books. Reading is reading, books are books, and reading a book is reading.
I read in the afternoon. Read a book in the afternoon; She just reads books and watches TV every day. She reads and watches TV every day.
For John, reading is a kind of entertainment. For John, books are a way to escape from reality; I was reading quietly when the telephone rang. I was reading quietly when the phone rang.
Some children can read and write before they go to school. Some children can read and write before going to school; I was so absorbed in reading that I didn't hear you knocking at the door. I was so absorbed in my book that I didn't hear you knocking at the door.