Product Description

If you already speak English, but now would like to start speaking even better, then the bestselling book & audio CD set Speak English Like an American is for you.

This set is designed to help native speakers of any language speak better English. Over 300 of the most-used American English idioms and phrases are presented in engaging dialogue, with plenty of usage examples, illustrations, and lots of exercises -- with convenient answer key -- to help you learn the material.

The audio CD includes all of the dialogues. Ideal for self-study as well as for ESL classroom use. A fun and effective way to improve your conversational English!

Also visit the other titles in this excellent series:
- More Speak English Like an American: with an addition 300+ idioms and expressions
- Speak Business English Like an American: over 300 of the business expressions you need to succeed!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27502 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Review
A highly recommended self-teaching tool... -- Midwest Library Review (review refers to the Spanish edition of this book)

I must admit that even after 15 years living in America, I found this book useful and relevant... -- Vadim Yarmolinets, Novoye Russkoye Slovo Newspaper (refers to the Russian edition of this book)

This book will serve as a great support for those who want to master contemporary conversational English. -- Dr. Vladimir Mylnikov, ESL instructor, Monterey, CA

From the Publisher
This version of book & audio CD set is the "all-English version" and is designed for native speakers of any language. Speak English Like an American is also available in specialized versions for:
- Native Spanish Speakers
- Native Chinese Speakers
- Native Russian Speakers
- Native Japanese Speakers

These language-specific versions define the idioms and expressions in both English and the target language. The dialogues are the same as with the standard, all-English version of Speak English Like an American.

About the Author
Amy Gillett has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in Prague, Czech Republic, and in Stamford, Connecticut. Her articles and humorous essays have appeared in many American publications, including MAD Magazine, Family Circle, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Ms. Gillett holds a Bachelor’s degree in Slavic Languages and Literature and a Master’s in Russian and East European Studies, both from Stanford University. She is also the author of Speak English Like an American for Native Russian Speakers, Speak English Like an American for Native Spanish Speakers, and Speak English Like an American for Native Japanese Speakers.

Amy Gillett has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in Prague, Czech Republic, and in Stamford, Connecticut. Her articles and humorous essays have appeared in many American publications, including MAD Magazine, Family Circle, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Ms. Gillett holds a Bachelor's degree in Slavic Languages and Literature and a Master's in Russian and East European Studies, both from Stanford University. She is also the author of More Speak English Like an American and Speak Business English Like an American.

Customer Reviews

Useful Book
This is a good book to read, esp. for non-native English speaker. I learn many new expressions with ease (because the book provides proper context). The reason I give 4, instead of 5, is that there are (too) many repetitions throughout the book.

pretty good content
have learned many useful phrases from the book.
The only problem is that in the audio CD, the conversations were spoken in a rather affected manner (too slow imo). I would like the conversations to be done in a more natural way. (But then the words are all pronounced very clearly when it's slow, so there is a trade-off)

A simple yet clever way to break into the "idiom barrier"
Remember your good old English textbook which started with an introduction of the characters who would be in the dialogs throughout the units? That's how this book is laid out. Idioms are contextualized and there are various consolidation exercises between units to reinforce them. The accompanying CD is very clear and the voices convey the moods of the characters - although I must say that the man who does Bob's voice sounds incredibly boring at times as his voice doesn't seem to show much pitch variation. Some of the idioms are already known to most high-intermediate students, but there are many others to learn, so it can certainly satisfy those students who resent not having enough "real-life" vocabulary in class. It may also be useful for the student working on his own, once the explanations are very clear. In a nutshell: It's worth buying if you're looking for a simple - yet effective - way to explore the most common idioms of American English.