English Made Easy: Volume Two

This document presents the table of contents and introductory pages for an English as a Second Language (ESL) textbook titled “English Made Easy Volume Two: A New ESL Approach: Learning English Through Pictures.” The book is structured into 20 units, including regular revision sections, each focusing on specific functions, grammatical concepts, and topics relevant to real-life communication. It emphasizes a picture-based learning approach designed for both self-guided students and classroom use, aiming to teach English usage rather than just grammatical rules. The publisher, Tuttle Publishing, specializes in books that bridge Eastern and Western cultures, with a strong focus on Asian languages and arts.

English Made Easy: Talking About Family

“Family relationships” is a core topic addressed in Unit 1 of “English Made Easy Volume Two”. The primary objective of this unit is to teach learners how to talk about family members.

The curriculum introduces a variety of terms related to family connections, including:

• Direct Relatives: father, daughter, brother, sister.
• Extended Family: uncle, aunt, cousin, grandfather, grandmother, nephew, niece.
• In-laws: daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, son-in-law.

To facilitate learning, Unit 1 provides practical examples through descriptive lists, such as “The Benson Family”. These lists illustrate how different family members are related, for instance, “Jim is Anne’s father” and “Marge is Anne’s aunt”. Learners also engage in practice activities, like completing “The Taylor Family” relationships, which helps reinforce their understanding and use of these terms in context.

The learning approach of “English Made Easy” emphasizes practical usage over explicit grammatical rules, especially for beginners. While the grammar structures informing Unit 1 include imperatives, paired verbs, prepositions, and the definite article, the book’s philosophy suggests that students learn by “observing, discovering and practicing how language is used” in real-life social situations. This means that the discussion of family relationships is designed to be highly functional and immediately applicable through pictures and contextual examples, rather than focusing on the theoretical underpinnings of grammar.

English Made Easy: Everyday Life Applications

While the term “Daily activities” is not explicitly listed as a primary “TOPIC” in the table of contents for “English Made Easy Volume Two”, the curriculum extensively covers functions, grammar, and vocabulary that are directly applicable to discussing everyday routines and actions. The book aims to provide learners with “easy access to the vocabulary, grammar and functions of English as it is actually used in a comprehensive range of social situations”.

Here’s how the sources touch upon elements of daily activities:

• Household Routines and Chores:
• Unit 1 introduces phrases related to managing a household, such as “lay the table,” “make the toast,” “butter the toast,” “pass the milk,” “clear the table,” and “load the dishwasher“.
• Unit 3 includes vocabulary related to different areas of a home, like “backyard,” “dining room,” “kitchen,” and “bathroom,” where many daily activities take place.
• Unit 6 provides phrases for operating electronic appliances, including “turn on,” “turn off,” “turn up,” and “turn down” (presumably for devices like radios or televisions). It also explicitly mentions “do the dishes“.
• Personal Care and Appearance:
• Unit 7 includes the phrase “I’m combing my hair“, indicating a personal grooming activity. It also lists “make-up” as a topic.
• Unit 11 focuses on “Clothes”, covering vocabulary like “bra,” “dress,” “hat,” “jumper,” “jeans,” “shirt,” “skirt,” “socks,” “suit,” “tee shirt,” “tie,” and “trousers”. It includes phrases such as “She’s dressing herself” and “I’m wearing a hat,” which are common daily actions related to clothing. The unit also covers describing problems with clothes like “creased” or “torn”.
• Unit 13 mentions “take off” and “put on” in relation to clothing, as in “You should take off your jacket”.
• Communication and Correspondence:
• Unit 1 highlights “Communicating with friends” and “Correspondence” as functions and topics. It introduces words like “letter,” “envelope,” “email,” “postcard,” and “fax”, all tools used in daily communication.
• Travel and Commuting:
• Unit 2 addresses “Describing time” and “Checking details”, with phrases like “be late,” “be early,” and “on time“, which are relevant to daily commutes or appointments. It also covers “Timetables and deadlines”.
• Unit 7 includes “Traveling on public transport” as a function and “Travel” as a topic.
• Leisure and Entertainment:
• Unit 6 explicitly lists “Television programs” as a topic.
• Unit 17 focuses on “Eating in restaurants” and “Food”, covering the social activity of dining out and discussing meals.
• Shopping and Financial Transactions:
• Unit 14 covers “Buying goods” and “Renting services,” as well as “Financial transactions”, which are frequent daily activities.
• Unit 16 continues this theme with “Shopping,” “Prices, discounts and sales,” and “Sizes”.
• Health and Wellness:
• Unit 13 focuses on “Describing medical problems,” “Symptoms,” and “Treatments”, which are aspects of daily life, particularly when health issues arise. It also includes advice such as “You should stop smoking” or “You need more exercise“.
• Making Plans and Describing Frequency:
• Unit 4 teaches “Making plans”, a common daily or weekly activity.
• Unit 18 introduces “Adverbs of frequency” such as “always,” “never,” “often,” “rarely,” and “sometimes“, which are essential for describing how often various daily activities occur.

The “English Made Easy” approach emphasizes learning “by observing, discovering and practicing how language is used” in “real-life social situations”. Therefore, while “Daily activities” might not be a labeled unit, its components are thoroughly integrated across various units through practical vocabulary, phrases, and functions, allowing learners to effectively communicate about their everyday lives.

English Made Easy: Navigating Travel and Transport

“English Made Easy Volume Two” addresses the topics of travel and transport by equipping learners with the vocabulary, grammar, and functions necessary for navigating various related social situations. While not a single dedicated unit, these concepts are integrated across several units.

Here’s how the sources outline the discussion of travel and transport:

• Core Topics and Functions:
• Travel is explicitly listed as a topic in Unit 7 and is included in the comprehensive index.
• Public transport is a key function taught in Unit 7, enabling learners to discuss using modes of shared transportation. It is also identified as a topic in the index.
• The broader term Transport is listed as a topic in the index, encompassing various means of movement.
• Timetables and deadlines are crucial topics covered in Unit 2, which helps learners manage schedules related to travel. This topic is also found in the index.
• Related functions include describing time and checking details, both taught in Unit 2, which are essential for coordinating travel plans and verifying information.
• Reporting events is another function from Unit 2 that can be applied to sharing travel experiences.
• Describing size and distance, covered in Unit 14, provides the language needed to discuss distances traveled or dimensions of travel-related items.
• Making plans, a function in Unit 4, is broadly applicable to planning journeys.
• Saying goodbye, taught in Unit 19, is a common social interaction associated with departures and travel.
• Vocabulary and Phrases for Travel & Transport:
• Time-related phrases from Unit 2 include: “be late,” “be early,” and “on time“. Learners also practice adverbs of frequency like “always,” “never,” “often,” “rarely,” and “sometimes,” which can describe the regularity of transport services or personal travel habits. For example, a practice sentence is “This bus is always on time“.
• Public transport specific vocabulary from Unit 7 includes: “attendant,” “exit,” “kiosk,” “newsagent,” “platform,” “return,” “single,” “ticket office,” and “via“. The ability to ask “Which one?” is also taught for seeking clarification, which is useful when choosing routes or services.
• General travel terms introduced across different units include: “airport” (seen in Unit 5 exercises), “flight” (also in Unit 5 exercises), and “bus“. Phrases like “arrive at,” “depart from,” and “take off” are presented in Unit 1. The phrase “change my flight” appears in Unit 19, relevant for travel alterations. Asking “How far is Meltone?” is an example of inquiring about distance from Unit 14.
• Relevant Grammar Structures:
• Reported speech (Unit 2) allows learners to convey information about travel arrangements or past events related to journeys.
• Present and past participles used as adjectives (Unit 2) can describe travel experiences, such as “Shopping is tiring. She is tired“, which could be extended to travel experiences.
• Wh-questions (Unit 8) are fundamental for asking about travel details, such as “When will you finish?,” “Who’s coming?,” “How is she coming?,” “Where is she coming from?,” “When is she coming?,” and “Why is she coming?“. The unit also teaches how to state “how long something takes“.
• Prepositions (Units 1, 3, 9) are critical for describing locations and movements, aiding in giving or understanding directions relevant to travel.
• Present continuous with future meaning (Unit 4) is used for discussing future travel plans, as in “What are you doing on Sunday?“.
• Modals of possibility (Unit 9) enable learners to express uncertainty or likelihood about travel situations.
• Comparatives (Units 7, 12, 16) help in discussing and comparing different travel options, such as “A truck is safer than a motorbike” or comparing prices of travel services.
• Conditionals (Units 6, 18) allow for conversations about hypothetical travel scenarios and their consequences.

The “English Made Easy” approach focuses on providing learners with “easy access to the vocabulary, grammar and functions of English as it is actually used in a comprehensive range of social situations”. The book teaches “how to use English” by having students learn “by observing, discovering and practicing how language is used” through “pictures and text” in “real-life social situations,” rather than by explicitly teaching grammatical rules at a beginner level. This practical methodology ensures that learners can effectively communicate about travel and transport in various contexts.

English Made Easy: Discussing Health and Injuries

“English Made Easy Volume Two” provides comprehensive language instruction for discussing Health & injuries, integrating this topic across several units to equip learners with practical communication skills in real-life social situations.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how the sources discuss Health & injuries:

• Core Topics and Functions:
• Health is explicitly listed as a topic in Volume 1, indicating its importance in the broader curriculum.
• Injuries are specifically covered as a topic in Unit 12.
• Medical problems are a primary topic in Unit 13, along with Symptoms and Treatments.
• The book teaches learners How to describe medical problems, which is a key function in Unit 13.
• Another crucial function in Unit 13 is How to make recommendations related to health issues.
• Giving advice is a function taught in Unit 12, directly applicable to health and injuries.
• Describing interrupted events (Unit 13) can also be relevant for explaining how an injury occurred, such as “I was having breakfast when the phone rang”.
• The topic of Feelings (Unit 2) and Emotions (Volume 1 index) are also relevant, as they allow learners to express how they feel when unwell or injured.
• Key Vocabulary and Phrases:
• Unit 11 introduces vocabulary related to physical damage, such as “hole“.
• Unit 12 provides terms and phrases specifically for injuries and repairs:
• Words: “bench,” “dentist,” “fix,” “injuries,” “motorbike,” “move,” “pack,” “repairs,” “truck,” “unpack,” “x-ray“.
• Phrases: “you’d better,” “you should,” “good idea,” “have it . . . -ed“.
• Practice Sentences: “I’ve got a toothache,” “You’d better take an umbrella,” “We’d better have it checked?,” “I’ll have it fixed,” “Can you move your arm?“. Comparing safety is also included: “A truck is safer than a motorbike“.
• Unit 13 focuses extensively on medical issues with a broad vocabulary:
• Parts of the body: “arm,” “chest,” “eye,” “finger,” “hair,” “knee,” “mouth,” “nose,” “thumb,” “tongue“.
• Medical problems and symptoms: “band aid,” “bandage,” “bite,” “bruised,” “cough,” “crutches,” “cut,” “itchy,” “rash,” “scratch,” “swollen,” “vomit“.
• Treatments and related terms: “caution,” “danger,” “few,” “medicine,” “prescription,” “rest,” “soon,” “tablet,” “until“.
• Phrases for recommendations and actions: “take off” (clothing), “put on” (clothing), “stay in bed,” “stop smoking“.
• Practice Sentences: “You should take off your jacket,” “You need more exercise,” “You should stop smoking,” “I burnt my arm,” “You can’t go until your bedroom is tidy“.
• Revision Unit 15 reinforces many of these concepts through practice exercises. For example, questions and answers include:
• “What’s the matter?” – “I hurt myself“.
• “Does it hurt?” – “Yes, it does“.
• “My watch is broken.” – “You’d better have it fixed“.
• “I’ve got a bad cough.” – “You should stop smoking“.
• “There’s a mark on my new shirt.” – “You should get a refund“.
• “My hand’s swollen.” – “You’d better see a doctor“.
• “I’m very tired.” – “You need to rest“.
• “I’ve got a toothache.” – “You’d better go to the dentist“.
• “I burnt my hand.” – “You might need a bandage“.
• “These trousers are torn.” – “You should get a refund“.
• “We’ve walked ten kilometers.” – “You must be tired“.
• “What’s the matter?” – “I’ve got a rash on my arm“.
• Previous units also introduce general terms like “accident” (Unit 2), which can be related to injuries.
• Relevant Grammar Structures:
• Modals of obligation (Unit 13) such as “should” and “need” are central to making recommendations or giving advice for health issues.
• Causatives (Unit 12) are used to express having something done, as in “I’ll have it fixed”.
• Comparatives (Unit 12) allow for comparing conditions or treatments, e.g., “A truck is safer than a motorbike”.
• Adjectives with “un-“ (Unit 12) describe negative states, such as “uncomfortable”.
• Interrupted past (Unit 13) helps describe the context in which an event (like an injury) occurred, using structures like “I was having breakfast when the phone rang”.
• “You’d better…” (Unit 12) is a direct and strong way to give advice.
• “Wh-questions” (Unit 8) are essential for asking about symptoms or causes of health problems, e.g., “When will you finish?,” “Who’s coming?,” “Why is she coming?“.

The teaching methodology of “English Made Easy” focuses on learning “by observing, discovering and practicing how language is used” in “real-life social situations” through “pictures and text”. This means that while grammar structures like modals of obligation or comparatives inform the book’s design, new students are not expected to “clutter their learning with grammatical labels and rules” at a beginner level. Instead, they learn to apply these structures naturally to discuss health and injuries through practical examples and exercises.

English Made Easy: Shopping and Finance Language Skills

“English Made Easy Volume Two” equips learners with the necessary language skills to discuss Shopping & finance in a comprehensive range of social situations. These topics are specifically addressed across several units, particularly Unit 14 focusing on financial transactions and Unit 16 on shopping.

Here’s a breakdown of how the sources discuss these areas:

1. Core Topics & Functions:

• Shopping is a dedicated topic in Unit 16. This unit teaches functions such as choosing prices and sizes.
• Financial transactions are a core topic in Unit 14, along with measurement and simple maths.
• Key functions related to finance include buying goods and renting services, and describing size and distance.
• The broader concept of Money is also a listed topic, as are Prices, discounts and sales.

2. Key Vocabulary and Phrases:

The sources introduce a wide array of vocabulary and phrases essential for shopping and financial discussions:

• For Buying and Renting (Unit 14):Words include: battery, borrow, car rental firm, centimeter, check, damage, deposit, discount, distance, drill, driver’s license, equals, exchange, far, fill out (a form), form, handbag, hammer, height, high, include, insurance (company), kilometer, lend, length, lights, limit, long, meter, minus, mirror, panel beater, percent, plus, point, receipt, refund, registration number, rent, saw, scarf, sign, signature, total price, unlimited, wheel, wide, width, windsurfer.
• Phrases taught are: “for sale,” “total price,” “divided by,” and “multiplied by“.
• Practice sentences demonstrate usage, such as: “Can I borrow your saw, please?“, “Could I have a receipt, please?“, “Can I have a refund, please?“, “You need a ten percent deposit.“, and “Does that include ten percent discount?“.
• For Shopping, Prices, and Sizes (Unit 16):Words include: other, price, sale, same, size, special.
• Phrases are: “half price,” “anything else,” “just right,” “other one,” “over there,” “try on,” and “pair of“.
• Examples of sentences used for practice are: “They are the same price.“, “They’re only half price.“, “They’re just right.“, “It’s too much.“, “Would you like anything else?“, and “Can I try them on?“.
• The revision unit (Unit 20) reinforces size-related phrases like: “Is your shirt too big? No, it’s just right.“, “Is the skirt too long? No, it’s too short.“, “The jacket’s too big. I’ll get a smaller size.“, and “This is too small. I’ll get a larger size.“.
• General Finance & Shopping Terms:The index lists terms such as bank, bill, cash, cent, credit card, dollar, extra, money, percent, price, refund, receipt, shop, and supermarket.
• The concept of “enough money” is practiced in Unit 3 and Unit 10, with a sentence like: “Can we buy a new suitcase? Have we got enough money?“.

3. Relevant Grammar Structures:

While “English Made Easy” prioritizes practical language use over explicit grammar rules, several structures underpin discussions about shopping and finance:

• Grammar of numbers (Unit 14) is crucial for handling prices, quantities, and mathematical operations. For example, “Eight divided by four equals two.“.
• Comparatives are used in Unit 16 to compare items based on price or size, as seen in “The big one is more expensive than the small one.“. Unit 12 also includes “Comparatives with than”.
• “Too + adjective” and “Not… enough” (Unit 9) are applied in Unit 16 and revision units for describing sizes, such as “too small,” “too big,” or “not big enough”.
• Modals of deduction (Unit 11) like “must be” and “might be” could be used for speculating about prices or product availability.

The book’s methodology emphasizes learning “by observing, discovering and practicing how language is used” in “real-life social situations”. This practical approach ensures that learners are well-prepared to engage in everyday shopping activities and financial interactions.

By Amjad Izhar
Contact: amjad.izhar@gmail.com
https://amjadizhar.blog

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