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Product Description
Product Description
With more than 200 new entries, this updated edition boasts almost 2,000 common phrases and colloquial expressions used in contemporary American English. From greetings and good-byes to everyday small talk, each entry is presented in a realistic context. Special attention to the needs of nonnative speakers includes usage restrictions and cautions as well as a phrase-finder index for on-the-spot reference. An essential dictionary for all students of English who want to know the most common expressions in American speech today.
About the Author
Richard A. Spears, Ph.D., is a reference editor, lexicographer, and former linguistics professor at Northwestern University who has written more than 30 dictionaries.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
I bet no dictionary can beat this reference! It's based on down-to-earth conversations and I had never seen a lot of informal expressions even in my electronic dictionary before. Especially, I was amazed to find there are many colloquialisms which omit subjects such as I, You, and There is(are). Of course, I suppose these things happen in daily conversations and take it as a way of life. But I didn't expect there would be so many! And every explanation is so informative that I can easily guess what they mean. Therefore, this reference may help you interact more smoothly with English-speaking people if you make the best use of it. How about buying this if you are planning to stay or live in English-speaking countries?
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
16 reviews
86 of 89 people found the following review helpful
Better as a reference than a gude
21 Oct 2002
Format:Paperback
Here's the problem: Context isn't considered in the book's FORMAT; the book gives phrases and idioms in alphabetical order. There are examples of usage given for each entry, but the alphabetical listing is not helpful for students learning new phrases, that is, there is no grouping in context. For example, if you want to learn a set of common phrases used when telephoning, or when you perhaps want to find out how to interrupt someone politely or otherwise, you're out of luck with this book. No way to go to a section on phoning, or conversational guidelines. To use this book, you need to have heard a phrase, memorized it, and want to look it up. It can be a good reference, probably useful for students doing translations.
In short, it's a shelf book, not a book geared for teachers to teach with or students to teach themselves from.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Good for those who only recently arrived to the United States
30 April 2006
Format:Paperback
...and also for those who have at least advanced or intermediate skill in English language. In my case I bought this book hoping to enrich my general conversational vocabulary. I have NOT achieved my personal goal since the book is full of most simple phrases that are very quickly learned from daily communication by anyone who lived in the US for more than 2 months (Thanks! Sorry 'bout that! See you! How you've been? and similar.)
However, I found this book to be particularly helpful in terms of idioms and expressions that are otherwise not clear to a non-native English speaker even in context (drop the ball, gone out the window, let's touch base tomorrow, and similar phrases.)
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is new to the country and needs to master the American slang and daily communication.
However, I found this book to be particularly helpful in terms of idioms and expressions that are otherwise not clear to a non-native English speaker even in context (drop the ball, gone out the window, let's touch base tomorrow, and similar phrases.)
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is new to the country and needs to master the American slang and daily communication.
31 of 34 people found the following review helpful
A reference book
8 May 2004
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The author is neither mad nor ashamed. This reference work is
filled with expressions that perplex ESL students, yet do not
often appear in dictionaries of slang or idiomatic English.
This is a reference work, not a teaching textbook. I think the first edition appeared in 1991, and the title has been in demand in the ESL market since it first appeared. Native speakers may not find the entries remarkable, but learners of English do. Check the sample pages. It may serve your needs.
filled with expressions that perplex ESL students, yet do not
often appear in dictionaries of slang or idiomatic English.
This is a reference work, not a teaching textbook. I think the first edition appeared in 1991, and the title has been in demand in the ESL market since it first appeared. Native speakers may not find the entries remarkable, but learners of English do. Check the sample pages. It may serve your needs.
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