This volume contains a selection of research papers that were presented at the 15th Annual Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) on the themes of performance testing, and on aspects of communication in relation to cognition and assessment. This edited collection includes contributions reporting research into the testing of speaking and writing, especially in relation to raters, tasks and assessment criteria, contributions exploring the application of various statistical methods in langauge test validation and contributions addressing the issues relating to langauge testing in specific contexts with particular candidate groups. This volume will be of relevance to language testing specialists concerned with the design, development, delivery and validation of performance tests, as well as to academic researchers and graduate students interested in the complex relationship between cognition and assessment.

Do your sentences run longer than a page? Or do they hang in the air, waiting for a subject, an object or some punctuation to finish them off?
This easy-to-use guide to sentence writing not only teaches you how to overcome run-ons and sentence fragments, but also all of the sentence construction obstacles encountered by anyone who needs to master (or re-master) the English language-all without making you do a single dreaded diagram You'll learn a sentence-combining approach to writing that goes beyond helping you avoid errors by teaching you how to create sound sentences with variety and style.
You'll also find:
Clear discussions of rules and strategies for good writing.
Easy-to-understand explanations and plenty of exercises, from fill-in-the-blanks to transforming short sentences into longer and more graceful combinations.
An answer key at the back of the book to encourage you to work at your own pace and check your answers as you go.
Even if you can't spare 30 minutes a day to learn how to write brilliant sentences, "Better Sentence Writing in 30 Minutes a Day" allows you to customize your learning to take as little as five minutes a day.
Just like its companion guides in the Better English Series, this book is just what the teacher ordered

This new guide to French synonyms is the first to be produced specifically for English-speaking students of French. Its aim is to enable them to develop, broaden and enhance their awareness of the complexity and richness of French vocabulary by presenting in an easily accessible form information not readily available in traditional dictionaries. It contains a wide variety of material, both formal and informal, literary and practical. The tabular layout is designed for maximum ease of reference, with sample contexts and English equivalents for each French item. There are two indexes of French and English words.

A standard work of historical word formation research. Still unsurpassed, it sums up the results of predecessors in this area (the classical works of J. Grimm and W. Wilmanns and the presentations of H. Paul and F. Kluge) in a clear and understandable manner. Prof. Dr. Kurt Gartner"

Literacy is the second volume of the Encyclopedia of Language and Education, the first attempt to overview an area which has emerged as a coherent and exciting field of study in the last two decades. While forming part of a series of eight volumes, Literacy also stands on its own, drawing on some 25 state-of-the-art reviews of current concerns in the study of literacy prepared by leading writers and researchers.

The book is organised in four main sections: Reading, Writing, The Social Context of Literacy and Literacy Teaching in Selected Regions. The approach is multidisciplinary, drawing on insights from fields as diverse as anthropology and computer science, sociolinguistics and psychology. The international flavour of the volume is reflected not only in the choice of contributors from eleven different countries but also in the emphasis throughout on the impact of globalization on our understanding of literacy.

This publication examines spoken language as a field of study, looking at the various ways in which we can both theorize the place of talk in education, and examine the way talk is actually done in educational settings. Given the centrality of literacy-based practices in schools, a book focusing on talk brings quite different and important perspectives to the study of education. Talk is something that has all too often been devalued and taken for granted. What becomes evident throughout the papers included in this volume is that talk is of central importance in establishing identities and the cultures in which those identities are located. However, because we are unused to reflexively examining the way we talk, there is a serious disjuncture between what we believe talk should achieve and what can be seen to be achieved in actual talk in educational settings.

The present volume seeks to enable language and education practitioners, researchers, and interested lay readers alike to get a sense of the range of issues being pursued in language and education research and the array of methods employed to do so. A major assumption of the volume is that both micro and macro perspectives and both social and linguistic levels of analysis are critical for an understanding of the interaction between language and education. It is organized in four parts, focusing in turn on language and education in relation to society, variation, culture, and interaction. The contributing scholars hail from five continents and nine countries; they represent a great diversity of linguistic, cultural, and disciplinary traditions. For all that, what is most impressive about this volume is the unity of purpose and outlook with regard to the central role of language as both vehicle and mediator of educational processes and to the need for continued and deepening research into the limits and possibilities that implies.

You've mastered Spanish slang, conquered popular idioms, yet still feel like an outsider. The reason is simple. You haven't discovered the third piece to understanding everyday spanish: popular expletives and obscenities - those back-alley words and phrases constantly used in movies, books and coversations between native speakers.

STREET SPANISH 3 is the first step-by-step guide of its kind to explore the most comon curses, vulgarities, and obscenities used in many Spanish-speaking countries. Chapters include:

• Dating Slang
• Nonvulgar Insults & Putdowns
• Vulgar Insults & Name-Calling
• Body Parts in Slang
• Sexual Slang

• Bodily Functions, Sounds & Smells
• The Many Uses of "Mierda"
• The Many Uses of "Cagar"
• The Many Uses of "Coño"
• The Many Uses of "Chingar" & "Joder"

• Being Obscene Unintentionally!

DAVID BURKE is also the author of STREET SPANISH 1: The Best of Spanish Slang; STREET SPANISH 2: The Best of Spanish Idioms; STREET FRENCH 1: The Best of French Slang; STREET FRENCH 2: The Best of French Idioms STREET FRENCH 3: The Best of Naughty French STREET FRENCH SLANG DICTIONARY & THESAURUS all available from Wiley; plus STREET SPEAK & BIZ SPEAK (American slang and idioms).

This volume provides a comprehensive account of the implementation of bilingual education programmes in countries throughout the world. Bilingual programs have been implemented to achieve a variety of educational and social goals in different contexts. Some programmes are intended to support the maintenance of national minority languages or to revitalize languages whose long-term survival is threatened; others aim to help recent immigrants succeed academically while making the transition to instruction taught primarily through the majority language of the society. In addition, bilingual programmes have been used to teach additional languages to students from the majority or dominant language group. Similar theoretical principles underlie the development of bilingual conversational and academic skills in all these diverse contexts. For academics, graduate students, and policy-makers, this volume clearly outlines the social and educational goals that can be achieved through bilingual education. It also highlights the need to take account of the complex political context of inter-group relationships within which bilingual programs are inevitably embedded.

Whether it's for a professional document, a school paper, an Internet blog, or something more personal, effective communication depends on clear, concise and grammatically correct writing. Punctuation, spelling, and grammar rules can trip up anyone, while organisation and word choice can make writing memorable. or banal. Whether you are writing a term paper, a scientific article, a rsum, a business email, a text message, or presenting information in the social media, The Handy English Grammar Answer Book is an engaging guide to writing with clarity.

For anyone who fears the thought of writing and giving a speech--be it to business associates, or at a wedding--help is at hand. Acclaimed presidential speechwriter Peggy Noonan shares her secrets to becoming a confidence, persuasive speaker demystifying topics including:

• Finding you own authentic voice

• Developing a text that interest you

• Acing the all-important first paragraph

• Using logic to move your audience

• Creating, developing, and reinventing the "core speech" for diverse audiences

• Strengthening your speech with a vital element: humor

• Winnowing your thought down to the essentials

• Handling professional jargon, clichés, and the sound bite syndrome

• Presenting your speech in the best way

• Collecting intellectual income--conversing your speech treasures

• Breaking all the rules and still succeeding

• Reading for inspiration--how to use the excellence of others

Complete with lessons, tips and memorable examples, On Speaking Well shows us how to create forceful, persuasive, relevant speeches that will resonate with our audiences. Engaging, informative, and always entertaining, this is undoubtedly the authoritative how-to guide for anyone writing or giving a speech

What do you do when you use a metaphor? Or a simile or analogy? Can you tell the difference between a synecdoche and a metonymy? What are the secret tricks used every day by professional persuaders? In this learned little volume, illustrated by Merrily Harpur, AdinaArvatu and Andrew Aberdein demonstrate the principles of Rhetoric via its key figures and devices, using copious examples to show how all human communication deploys the techniques of this ancient art. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

Using a wide range of twentieth-century literary prose Laura Wright and Jonathan Hope provide an `interactive' introduction to the techniques of stylistic analysis. Divided up into five sections; the noun phrase, the verb phrase, the clause, text structure and vocabulary, the book also provides an introduction to the basics of descriptive grammar for beginning students.
* Presumes no prior linguistic knowledge
* Provides a comprehensive glossary of terms
* Adaptable: designed to be used in a variety of classroom contexts
* Introduces students to an enormous range of 20th century literature from James Joyce to Roddy Doyle
A practical coursebook rather than a survey account of stylistics as a discipline, the book provides over forty opportunities for hands-on stylistic analysis. For each linguistic feature under discussion the reader is offered a definition, a text for analysis, exercises and tasks, in addition to a suggested solution.
Stylistics: A Practical Coursebook is genuinely `student friendly' and will be an invaluable tool for all beginning undergraduates and A-level students of language and literature.

eBook available with sample pages: 020314757X

For nearly forty years, Understanding and Using English Grammar has been the go-to grammar resource for students and teachers alike. Its time-tested approach blends direct grammar instruction with carefully sequenced practice to develop all language skills. New to This Edition Pretests at the start of each chapter enable learners to check what they already know. Updated grammar charts reflect current usage and highlight differences between written and spoken English. A new chapter on article usage. A variety of high-interest readings include reviews, articles on current topics, and blogs that focus on student success. Additional incremental practice helps learners better grasp concepts, while thematic exercises and integrated tasks offer more contextualized language use. Step-by-step writing activities are supported by writing tips and pre-writing and editing tasks. New Essential Online Resources include Student Book audio, Student Book answer key, Grammar Coach videos, and self-assessments.

For nearly forty years, Understanding and Using English Grammar has been the go-to grammar resource for students and teachers alike. Its time-tested approach blends direct grammar instruction with carefully sequenced practice to develop all language skills. New to This Edition Pretests at the start of each chapter enable learners to check what they already know. Updated grammar charts reflect current usage and highlight differences between written and spoken English. A variety of high-interest readings include reviews, articles on current topics, and blogs that focus on student success. Additional incremental practice helps learners better grasp concepts, while thematic exercises and integrated tasks offer more contextualized language use. Step-by-step writing activities are supported by writing tips and pre-writing and editing tasks. New Essential Online Resources include Student Book audio, Student Book answer key, Grammar Coach videos, and self-assessments.

Have you ever struggled to communicate with a limited-English speaker? Have you been frustrated by unsuccessful interactions with non-native English speakers? Did you know there is a simple solution to improve cross-cultural communication in English? What most of us native speakers overlook in these situations is that the problem here may not be the limited English of the other person; it could be our English. And while we certainly can't do anything about the former, we can do a great deal about the latter. In just 160 pages, this book gives 50 practical tools to help you become aware of and adapt your own language to completely transform exchanges with limited-English speakers and greatly increase the chances of a satisfying outcome for native speakers and for the limited-English speakers they're trying to serve. And the good news is: it is not that difficult and it is entirely in the hands of the native speaker. Craig Storti is a nationally known figure with over 30 years of experience in the field of intercultural communications and cross-cultural adaptation, and the author of several standard works, including Culture Matters, a cross-cultural workbook used by the U. S. government in over 90 countries. He has successfully led workshops on cultural diversity for Fortune 500 companies, hotels such as Marriott, diplomats, civil servants, and foreign aid workers. But it was his 90-minute segments on common mistakes native speakers make when talking to limited-English speakers and how participants could improve interactions that became the most popular and useful aspect of his training. This much-needed book is ideal for anyone working in a public facing job from government to hospitality, international organizations, human resources, cross-cultural and diversity training, English teaching, foreign aid, or those with a love of language, culture and communication.

Anyone looking for a study guide that makes learning French language easier and faster will benefit from this book. Ideal for both teachers and students of all levels, it can be used in a classroom or for self-directed learning. French for Students is a useful reference guide for beginning learners or more advanced learners in need of review, for tutorial, homework practice and exam preparation. The content has been specifically designed to address the language structures commonly expected in standard undergraduate French courses. French in a Flash combines concise grammar and vocabulary lessons that are written in English and explained at a level appropriate for non-linguists. A simplified pronunciation guide specifically tailored to English speakers is provided. There is also a chapter on Spoken French for more advanced learners. To facilitate comprehension and memorization, the fundamentals of the French language are explained in accessible and simple terms, with helpful tips, clear summaries, visual shortcuts and charts that encapsulate everything one need to know in less than a page. Each lesson is also combined with helpful review exercises and answer keys to evaluate progress and fast-track language acquisition. French in a Flash is an indispensable and practical reference guide that makes even the most difficult structural parts of the French language easily understandable and accessible.

First published in 1984, this book examines a number of questions on the boundary of competence and performance - whose solutions have implications for linguistic theory in general. In particular, the form of grammatical statements, the relationship between various rules of grammar, the interaction between sentence in a sequence, and the inferences to be drawn from linguistic behaviour to linguistic knowledge. The author argues that many grammatical processes, inadequately handled by conventional sentence-grammars, require a text grammar in which the basic constitutive processes of information and deixis can be specified. They ago further to investigate the novel hypothesis that emphatic structure provides a crucial condition for the application of transformational rules, paying particular attention to the 'movement-rules' using mostly data culled from actual usage.

This all-in-one reference is a quick and easy way for book, magazine, online, academic, and business writers to look up sticky punctuation questions for all styles including AP (Associated Press), MLA (Modern Language Association), APA (American Psychological Association), and Chicago Manual of Style.
Punctuate with Confidence--No Matter the Style
Confused about punctuation? There's a reason. Everywhere you turn, publications seem to follow different rules on everything from possessive apostrophes to hyphens to serial commas. Then there are all the gray areas of punctuation--situations the rule books gloss over or never mention at all. At last, help has arrived.
This all-in-one reference from grammar columnist June Casagrande covers the basic rules of punctuation plus the finer points not addressed anywhere else, offering clear answers to perplexing questions about semicolons, quotation marks, periods, apostrophes, and more. Better yet, this is the only guide that uses handy icons to show how punctuation rules differ for book, news, academic, and science styles--so you can boldly switch between essays, online newsletters, reports, fiction, and magazine and news articles.
Style guides don't cover everything, but never fear This handbook features rulings from an expert "Punctuation Panel" so you can see how working pros approach sticky situations. And the second half of the book features an alphabetical master list of commonly punctuated terms worth its weight in gold, combining rulings from the major style guides and showing exactly where they differ. With
"The Best Punctuation Book, Period," you'll be able to handle any punctuation predicament in a flash--and with aplomb.

You ain't gonna like it: bad grammar's not so bad. - The Times Remember all those grammar rules from school? No? Most of us don't. Mike McCarthy, renowned corpus linguist and co-author of the 900-page Cambridge Grammar of English answers the awkward questions that regularly bother us about English grammar. In this helpful A-Z field guide, McCarthy tells us what the conventional rules are as well as shows us what people are writing or saying now and gives simple reasons why you might choose one or the other so that you can speak and write with confidence. Through witty and entertaining examples pulled from 50 years of teaching, 40 years of field notes picked from books, newspapers, letters, radio and TV, etc., and shamelessly eavesdropping on people's conversations in public spaces, and a British and American English computer database, McCarthy has created a book to browse and enjoy, as well as a useful reference to keep on your bookshelf. Why a Field Guide to grammar? - A to Z format makes it easy to access and to find what you're looking for - Presents solutions to a host of common, everyday grammatical problems - References current events to bring relevance to the grammar (fronted adverbials anyone?) - Looks at historical usage to illustrate how the English language has evolved, and continues to evolve - Gives guidance on appropriate usage where more than one way of saying something exists - Distinguishes between spoken and written grammar where appropriate - includes advice on vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, punctuation and style - Compares North American and British grammar, and includes Englishes from around the world - Charming drawings to illustrate the playfulness in the English language - Grammar guide backed by data and research True to the Chambers name, this field guide is as much quirky as it is informative. It is the perfect gift for any language lover, student, teacher, struggling parent or carer supporting their child's schooling, the grammar purist or the grammar descriptivist.

Focusing on communication needs in real-world clinical situations, Dr. Pilar Ortega's updated edition of this practical text helps you address today's growing demand for Spanish-speaking physicians and healthcare workers. This pocket-sized resource provides basic Spanish skills, sample interview questions, relevant cultural information, and more, in addition to online videos of physician-patient interactions, interactive self-assessment tools, and clinical vignettes. You'll find exactly what you need to develop better physician-patient communication skills, increase your cultural competence, and make better clinical decisions in your practice. Understand the nuts and bolts of better communication through Spanish grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, sample interview questions, and helpful interview techniques. Pocket size allows for quick reference in an easily accessible format. Improve your skills with new and expanded content including more practice exercises for self-assessment, information on cultural issues, grammar tips and practice, complex clinical scenarios, and how to best use interpreters in your practice. Stay up to date with new chapters on pediatric health; common procedures and informed consent; the physician's impression and plan; diabetes medication; travel history and special exposures; adult immunization history; exercise and adult health safety screening; and specialized physical examination. Gauge and hone your doctor-patient communication skills with interactive self-assessment tools and practice exercises. Watch video of real-time physician-patient exchanges (with English and Spanish subtitles), complete interactive practice exercises, and learn from clinical vignettes-all online at Student Consult. eBook version included! Access the entire book online or offline across all devices with the Student Consult eBook.