Self Study books for vocabulary
The vocabulary in use series
Many of my students at a higher level feel they aren’t really improving their English, this is partially due to not investing some time in studying new vocabulary. Other students, just want to expand their vocabulary, while others need to as they are studying for an English exam (IELTS, CAMBRIDGE, …). Personally as a teacher I focus more on vocabulary in the classroom, rather than grammar, while most students just want to focus on grammar.
A series of books that I recommend to all my students, lower level or higher level is vocabulary in use, which comes in different levels. They are ideal for use in class or for self study by students without a teacher.
They all have the same structure:
- You have a table of content with different units.
- Each Unit deals with different topics.
- For each Unit there is
- 1 page explaining the vocabulary
- 1 page with exercises practicing the vocabulary
- In the back of the book you have
- An answer key for the exercise
- Additional resources depending on the book
They are very common resources books around the world and can be bought in many local stores (try supporting local stores) if not, through Cambridge online or Amazon.
English vocabulary in use Elementary
This is for basic users on English at a low level (A2 level). Students who already know a little bit of English, but still need to learn a lot. The book has 60 units dealing with different topics:
- People
- At home
- School and workplace
- Leisure
- The world
- Social issues
- Everyday verbs
- Words and grammar
For more information on the book and buying the book:
For a full view of the table of content:
For a sample of the book, so you know what you are buying:
English vocabulary in use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate
This book is pitched at B1 level, students who are already comfortable using English, but still need to expand their vocabulary range. This means, for students who want to talk about something, but miss the words to express themselves.
The book as 100 units dealing with the following topics:
- Learning
- The world around us
- People
- Daily life
- Education and study
- Leisure and entertainment
- Tourism
- Communication and technology
- Social issues
- Concepts
- Functional language
- Word formation
- Phrase building
- Key verbs
- Words and grammar
- Connecting and linking
- Style and register
For more information on the book and buying the book:
For a full view of the table of content:
For a sample of the book, so you know what you are buying:
English vocabulary in use Upper intermediate
This book is for B2 level students. Students who are really confident at using the language, but still feel they are using the same expressions over and over again. Therefore, the book will help them expand their vocabulary range and use less common vocabulary to really help them express what they want to say.
The book has 100 units:
- Effective vocabulary learning
- Topics
- Feelings and actions
- Basic concepts
- Connecting and linking words
- Word formation
- Words and pronunciation
- Counting people and things
- Phrasal verbs and verb based expressions
- Varieties and styles
For more information on the book and buying the book:
For a full view of the table of content:
For a sample of the book, so you know what you are buying:
English vocabulary in use Advanced
This book is meant for students who are C1 to C2 level, experts at using the language and want to go towards proficiency. Students who already have a very large vocabulary but are missing some words to precisely say what they mean or would like to become native-like speakers of the language.
The book has a 100 Units dealing with:
- Work and study
- People and relationships
- Leisure and lifestyle
- Travel
- The environment
- Society and institutions
- The media
- Health
- Technology
- Basic concepts
- Functional vocabulary
- Words and meanings
- Fixed expressions and figurative language
- Language variation
For more information on the book and buying the book:
For a full view of the table of content:
For a sample of the book, so you know what you are buying:
Spread the word
Kristof Abrath
Teacher, Trainer, Course Designer
Teaching in English on 4 different continents since 2006.