This book offers a workbook approach to linguistics and provides guidelines for the study of language. It aims to give basic information and to indicate something of the background and development of the more important trends in the subject. Each chapter includes exercises which lead the reader outwards from the information given in the text. A list of suggested further reading and references follows each chapter so that each aspect of the subject may be followed up in greater depth if so desired. The book will be of particular use to first-year university students and to students in polytechnics, technical colleges, colleges of education and further education, and, the authors also hope, to many sixth-formers in secondary schools. It will also be of interest to the general reader who wishes to learn about linguistics.