This best-selling introduction to language studies includes a huge range of activities and projects, introducing core areas of language structure and grammar through analysis of real texts. Ideal for both A level and beginning undergraduate students, this second edition includes:

• an introductory section on how to use the book
• material on spoken and written language, children's language, language and ideology
• an range of texts, including advertisements, beer mats, horoscopes, newspaper articles, junk mail, political speeches
• extensions suggesting project work with an answer key at the back
• a concluding section giving students practice in analyzing the different topics explored throughout the book.