Author Description

Based on the same research which produced the "Collins COBUILD English Language Dictionary" this three level course taking adult learners from false beginner level to pre-First Certificate focuses on everyday English. Each level covers about 100 hours of class work. The "Collins COBUILD English Course" has a new language syllabus - a lexical syllabus. Unlike traditional syllabuses, this lexical syllabus starts from a description of real language. COBUILD research has established that the 700 most frequent words of English account for 70% of all English text. The most frequent 1500 words make up 76% of text and a total of 2500 words constitute 80% of all spoken and written English. In taking these 2500 words, and their meanings as core items, this syllabus offers genuine coverage of the most central and typical patterns of English. The task based methodology provides a motivating context in which the learner is encouraged to communicate in English. Early oral and written tasks are very simple, so learners can readily achieve task objectives in English. Each level of the course comprises the following (1) Student's Book - in full colour throughout. Sections are numbered sequentially through the book, facilitating cross-referencing between the sections and the Practice Book. A special transcript booklet of the unscripted recordings is included at the back which can be pulled out for easy reference. (2) Practice Book - further reading and writing exercises for use in or out of class. (3) Teacher's Book - interleaved with pages from the Student's Book Teaching notes incorporate full answer keys and complete transcripts. (4) Cassettes - a balance of scripted and unscripted material. In Level 1 the syllabus covers the most useful patterns of 700 of the most frequently used words in English. Early oral and written tasks are very simple, becoming more challenging in later units. Regular Language Study sections encourage students to analyze recurring language forms and Wordpower illustrates common words which have several different categories of meaning. Special grammar sections highlight very common words which are used to build vital structures and common functions of English are treated in each unit. Phonology is covered in English Sounds sections and the final page of each unit reviews useful words and phrases. Every fifth unit is a revision unit.