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 components: (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 2, the syllabus revises and extends knowledge of the 700 words introduced in Level 1 and covers a further 850 words. There is added emphasis on reading, including a short story by Roald Dahl. The Preposition Spots in all units deal with essential meanings and regular Grammar sections take a functional approach. The first five units revise grammar learned in Level 1. Phrase-building provides training in clause structure and Word Study draws attention to target words. A review page at the end of each unit summarizes important words and structures, and there are regular revision units.