We all have heard the old adage “Never judge a book by its cover,”
but let’s face it, we all make snap judgments about everything, everyone, all of
the time. The way someone dresses, their hairstyle, mannerisms or the way they
speak makes us think highly, or perhaps not so highly of that person. It
is very important you make a lasting impression on people, and Practical English Level 365, Volume 1 (Day 1 - Day 200), by
Kaakyire Akosomo Nyantakyi gives us the essential skills to communicate and
write more effectively. Furthermore, it
provides lessons for substantially increasing your vocabulary.
Mr. Nyantakyi stresses from the very beginning of his book one has
to be consistent about studying the English language and work hard in order to
see results. Homework is necessary and a
fundamental aspect of knowledge acquisition. The famous phrase “No pain, no gain” is made clear in his book.
Practical
English is not an in depth study of grammar, but rather a highly
practical overview of grammar, punctuation and usage. It starts from basic sentence structures
to verbs, nouns then moves on to punctuation, dialogue and more advanced
writing skills. Many of the topics
covered are those one encounters when writing, making Practical English Level 365 extremely useful. Frequent and common errors are identified and
discussed, clarifying the reasoning behind such rules. Examples are given of both incorrect and
correct writing styles in a clear and non-judgmental fashion. In some sections, the formal and informal
methods are demonstrated, both of which are correct, depending upon the
context. Reading the “Instructional
Dialogue” examples followed by the “Workshop” wonderfully illustrates the
techniques of writing. The reader is not
just told, but also shown, how to use these skills. Moreover, the practice exercises are both realistic
and designed to test your understanding of what you have read, insuring a
higher level of retaining what you have learned. The book is paced so that each day you are
given a different exercise to study with two reading and writing assignments. I envision the exercises to be an easy and
intuitive way for people learning English, perhaps as a second language (ESL),
to acquaint themselves with the basic fundamentals of grammar without feeling
overwhelmed.
As an editor, I often find in other people’s work frequent misuse
of certain words, punctuation, tense and sentence structure. Proper use of
English was taught in grade school, but many people forgot or simply are in need
of a refresher course. I would encourage
anyone, at any skill level, to read each exercise as instructed, as Practical English can be used as a
resource to enhance your writing skills. Practical
English Level 365, Volume 1 (Day 1-Day 200) is
easy to read, logically organized and the approach is just right! I highly recommend this book to
students, adults and anyone who would like to review the nuances of the English
language. Simply put, it is an invaluable tool to enhance the reader’s skill
level.
Buy this book at Amazon.com
