English Words from Latin and Greek Elements

Since 1965, Donald Ayers' English Words from Latin and Greek Elements has helped thousands of students to a broader vocabulary by showing them how to recognize classical roots in modern English words. Its second edition, published in 1986, has confirmed that vocabulary is best taught by root, not rote. The importance of learning classical word roots is already acknowledged by vocabulary texts that devote chapters to them.

Why a whole book based on this approach? Ayers' text exposes students to a wider range of roots, introduces new English words in context sentences, and reinforces vocabulary through exercises. It promotes more practice with roots so that students learn to use them as tools in their everyday encounters with new words. English Words is written from the standpoint of English; it neither attempts to teach students Latin or Greek nor expects a knowledge of classical languages on the part of instructors. Its success has been demonstrated at both the secondary and college levels, and it can be used effectively with students in remedial or accelerated programs.

An Instructor's Manual (gratis with adoption) and a Workbook are also available.

• Workbook to Accompany the Second Edition of Donald M. Ayers's English Words from Latin and Greek Elements
• Dictionary of Word Origins: The Histories of More Than 8,000 English-Language Words
• The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
• The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology
• Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology
• Greek and Latin Roots - Keys to Building Vocabulary
• Office Of Assertion: An Art Of Rhetoric For Academic Essay
• Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
• Bioscientific Terminology : words from Latin and Greek stems
• English Words Instructor's Manual