Key features

The Company Words Keep examines how we store language in ready-made chunks that we retrieve and use, rather than elaborately constructing ‘grammar’ each time we speak. The authors provide a wealth of activities which apply their methodology to both the coursebook and to authentic contexts, taking advantage of corpus linguistics. Teachers are also offered suggestions and activities for further development in this exciting field.

The Company Words Keep proposes that:

• teachers need to develop a methodology that implements a more lexical approach
• learners at all levels need to be trained in collecting and expressing themselves in chunks
• teachers need to raise learners’ awareness of chunks, encouraging them to focus on word partnerships