Learning English as a Foreign Language for Dummies

by Gavin Dudeney, Nicky Hockly

Do you know a bit of English, and want to improve without a teacher? Whether you're a student, a traveller, or you just want to learn basic English, this plain-speaking guide will help you pick up the essentials so you'll be understanding and speaking English in no time. Improve your grammar, speech, vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, and prepare yourself to get around in any English-speaking country comfortably - and without embarrassment "Learning English as a Foreign Language For Dummies" includes:

Part I: Getting Started
Chapter 1: You Already Know a Little English
Chapter 2: Basic English Grammar
Chapter 3: Greetings and Introductions

Part II: English in Action
Chapter 4: Shopping and Numbers
Chapter 5: Eating Out
Chapter 6: Out on the Town
Chapter 7: Hobbies and Free Time
Chapter 8: Talking on the Phone
Chapter 9: At the Office and Around the House
Chapter 10: Written English - Newspapers and Signs

Part III: English on the Go
Chapter 11: Money
Chapter 12: Checking into a Hotel
Chapter 13: Asking Directions and Getting Around
Chapter 14: Handling Emergencies

Part IV: The Part of Tens
Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Speak English Quickly
Chapter 16: Ten Favourite English Expressions
Chapter 17: Ten Holidays to Remember
Chapter 18: Ten Phrases That Make You Sound Fluent in English

Part V: Appendices
Appendix A: Phrasal verbs explained
Appendix B: Common Verbs Agree, Can / be able, Come, Do, Go, Have, Make, Need, Put, Think] English Irregular Verbs
Appendix C: On the CD

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Genres: Language

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[PurplyCookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book's aim is to guide the reader through the complexities of everyday English language and teach a few things about life in Britain. It promises that, "You’ll know how to talk the talk – not only the words and the grammar, but also the ideas and notions that make the British what they are."

One thing that I have to remember and take away from this is: British English often uses the present perfect tense to describe a recently completed action, while American English uses the past simple. Example: A British English speaker would ask ‘Have you finished breakfast yet?’. An American English speaker, on the other hand, is more likely to ask ‘Did you finish breakfast yet?’.

Learning more of the differences between words used in British English and that of American English was somewhat of an enlightening experience for me. I didn't realize that I have been so inconsistent of my usage all this time! But upon reflection, I don't think I can chalk it up to that of my fault alone; knowing that Filipinos have been exposed to the two types of English languages.

I did love the tidbit on International words or loan words. Gives credence to English indeed being the 'lingua franca'.

I wished that there was more meat to the discussion on International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) but it just barely scratched the surface on that one. I guess one has to turn to Accent Training books then. But the "O Method" (for the lack of a term) is something useful when it comes to discussing word stress.

I also agree with the author when he opined building blocks (the grammar) aren’t much use unless you know how to put them together to create a useful object (communicating with others). Even if you know about all the rules in the English language, if you don’t know how to apply them when talking to others, this knowledge isn’t much use. Probably why I'm going back to my grammar books so that I can start from there in order to teach my trainees/students on how to communicate effectively using the English language. But take note though that the book discusses British English and not American English if the latter is what you were aiming for.

Still, I rated this highly due to the wedding between teaching somebody ESL and that of a practical knowledge of British culture and language. I learned a lot of things I wouldn't normally know about and I'll be sure to keep this handy should I (in the future) be assigned to handle a UK account in my current career.


More of Purplycookie’s Reviews @: http://www.goodreads.com/purplycookie


Book Details:

Title: Learning English as a Foreign Language for Dummies
Author: Gavin Dudeney
Reviewed By: Purplycookie

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievably poor,bland, outdated and stereotypical. Who on earth wrote this pile of trash?
First of all, the concept to a non native English speaker is baffling at best, hugely problematic at worst.
It's all in flouncy pretentious English and padded with far too many nuances and so much fluff!

It basically reduces the language and culture to out dated pop /tv culture references, stuffy food choices and the kind of sayings no one would even use post 1920 wrapped in some bizarre parody of itself. The other big issue is that this seems to be entirely focused therefore, on "British" English and stereotypes. The problem there of course being that Britain, is not the only country full of native English speakers. Take Scotland, Ireland or Wales for example, all other UK countries with their own words and expressions in English. America, who's use of English is quite different once more but native language spoken by a vast majority. I felt like I was reading Mary Poppins the how to Speak Guide as opposed to an informative and useful piece of literature.

SO let's examine some of the content...

With such offers as "popular" jokes about finding flies in your soup..?! (Seriously, that would be considered a health code violation and really not funny..) Whole chapters listing our "food choices" such as something on toast, fish & chips or asking for a cup of tea. Our home activities and things you simply have to know such as baking a cake or watching TV, Putting the kettle on. Because those are such vital things. We all spend days of our lives whipping up fruitcakes, knitting and sipping PG Tips you know. Key words you HAVE to know such as "roast dinner". ..
You see the issue here?

Teaching text talk or how to talk about Eastenders/a football match using stock slang. Do yourself a favour, if you're new to English- skip this one and go for something that teaches you the language. If you're not new to English- still skip this one and look at more realistic , up to date examples!

[barnabas barnabas]

Starting to learn English can feel overwhelming, especially if you're doing it from scratch. My advice? Don’t stress about perfection—just keep moving forward. I began with basics: greetings, numbers, and simple verbs. What helped most was choosing a learning tool that didn’t overload me with grammar right away. The promova app offered bite-sized lessons and real-life examples that made English feel more accessible. Over time, I gained enough confidence to speak and write without overthinking every word.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s like an English guide book for people who will soon visit England, full of native English tips, culture warnings, and so on. It was written simple enough for people who learn English as their second language to understand and the content is pretty relates and practical too.