This well-established and highly successful book, now in its Second Edition, builds on the strength of the previous edition, retaining many of the topics and incorporating some new topics in consonance with the present-day needs. The accompanying CD contains all the attributes of a good speech—proper stress, intonation and correct pronunciation—to enable better compre-hension of the topics. Some of the conversations and Words Often Mispronounced are also included in the CD to emphasize on the correctness of learning and enrich the learners in language skills. Primarily intended for students and learners who wish to enhance their spoken English skills, this book will be useful also for those who have long-felt need to communicate in English. It has all the rich ingredients to facilitate the learners talk effectively and confidently:  About 50 real-life conversations to improve one’s speech  Extensive list of vocabulary to aid in group discussions  Several useful language tips to pursue the global quest for personal and academic excellence NEW TO THIS EDITION  Discusses the need of the body language  Gives dos and don’ts for an effective communicator  Provides a list of a few non-verbal behaviours and their universal interpretation KEY FEATURES  Application of idioms for effective and creative speaking  Learning of expressions and phrases for better practical presentation  Numerous word meanings to clarify doubts  Grammar and usage in almost all the chapters to grasp the correct syntax  Activity to instill confidence in public speaking

Teaching of English in India has been traditionally grammar based. The teacher teaches a good deal of grammar; assigns exercises in class or as homework and makes a lot of corrections. Such painstaking efforts on the part of the teacher are, of course, helpful in learning the language but does not much help the student to use the language in day-to-day conversation. Leaving aside the traditional method of dealing with grammar as an isolated subject, the present book offers a specific course in spoken English that focuses on the language of interaction and social exchanges. Its main emphasis is on developing communicative ability of the learner.

English enjoys a preeminent position today among world languages. However, even the large populations that are proficient in the vocabulary and grammar of English are not equally proficient in the pronunciation of the language. This adult population is the target audience of this book. Based on the RP (Received Pronunciation) model - the most widely understood English pronunciation across the world - this systematically organized and lucidly written text covers the entire range from sound to connected speech, i.e., dialogues, anecdotes, passages and short speeches. The book is in two parts: Part I deals with all important aspects of English pronunciation; Part II comprises a pronouncing dictionary. Intended for adult learners of English, the book chiefly aims at remediation, and most of the practice materials and exercises are given with this end in view. Besides, with the help of numerous listening exercises, the course sharpens the learners' ability to comprehend spoken English with ease, thereby training them to face real-life situations (for example, interviews) with confidence and competence.

A sequel to the author’s well received book A Practical Course in Spoken English, this comprehensive yet compact book provides a practical course for enhancing one’s English speaking skills. Divided into six parts and 44 chapters, the book in Part I—The Knowledge Paradigm: The What and Why of Effective Speaking—discusses, among others, about phonetics and phonology, the phonemes, and stress and intonation. Part II—The Skill Paradigm A—Public Speaking Skills—covers such areas as using the 4Rs for effective speaking, combating stage fear, using audio-visual aids, and non-verbal communication. Part III—The Skill Paradigm B—Communicating with People—deals with such topics as making effective telephone calls, celebrating teacher’s day, expressing gratitude, participating in group discussions, and participating in TV/radio debate. Part IV—Further Strengthening Your Communication Skills—is devoted to a study of rein-forcing the reader’s vocabulary through such means as using phrasal verbs, linking words, consulting the Ready Reference Wordbook, and frequently used foreign words and phrases. The final two parts—Part V, The Desire to Achieve: Getting Motivated, and Part VI, Effective English Speaking Skills in Action—provide the meaning and techniques of self-motivation, evaluating daily progress, besides giving some memorable speeches delivered by great speakers like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, US Presidents Kennedy and Lincoln, and the civil rights activist, Martin Luther King. The book, written in an accessible and student-friendly manner, is meant for anyone who possesses a fair amount of English speaking skills but wishes to further enhance those skills. Undergraduate students of different disciplines and even plus two students should find the book quite useful and interesting. As acquiring communication skills is a must in today’s extremely competitive world, this book would do wonders to the student as well as the lay reader.

This is a helpful book for teachers and students who wish to improve their English pronunciation, and acquire the correct patterns of accent, rhythm, and intonation.

Combining coverage of the key concepts and tools within phonetics and phonology with a systematic introduction to Praat, this textbook provides a lively and engaging 'way in' to the discipline. The author first covers the fundamentals of the articulatory and acoustic aspects of speech and introduces Praat as the main tool for examining and visualising speech. Next, the unit of analysis is gradually expanded (from syllables to words to turns and dialogues) and excerpts of real dialogues exemplify the core concepts for discovering how speech works. The final part of the book brings all the concepts and notions together with commentaries to the transcription of several short excerpts of dialogues. This book will be essential reading for students on undergraduate courses in phonetics and phonology.