Since 1965, Donald Ayers' English Words from Latin and Greek Elements has helped thousands of students to a broader vocabulary by showing them how to recognize classical roots in modern
A book like [this] is evidently necessary in a time in which our education has slid down to a level nobody would have thought possible about half a century ago.
—General Linguistics
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English words. Its second edition, published in 1986, has confirmed that vocabulary is best taught by root, not rote.
The importance of learning classical word roots is already acknowledged by vocabulary texts that devote chapters to them. Why a whole book based on this approach? Ayers' text exposes students to a
wider range of roots, introduces new English words in context sentences, and reinforces vocabulary through exercises. It promotes more practice with roots so that students learn to use them as tools
in their everyday encounters with new words.
English Words is written from the standpoint of English; it neither attempts to teach students Latin or Greek nor expects a knowledge of classical languages on the part of instructors. Its
success has been demonstrated at both the secondary and college levels, and it can be used effectively with students in remedial or accelerated programs.
An Instructor's Manual (gratis with adoption) and a Workbook are also
available.
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