本书为了帮助读者理解，每章后均附有思考题和练习。本书附有英汉术语对照，正文中的术语均用黑体表示出来，有些术语没有统一译文，提供的汉语译文，供初学者参考。

CHAPTER 1 Introduction
　1.1 What is linguistics?
1.2 What is language
Revision exercises
CHAPTER 2 Phonology
2.1 The phonic medium of language
2.2 Phonetics
2.3 Phonology
Revision exercises
CHAPTER 3 Morphology
3.1 Morphology
3.2 Morphology-the minimal units of meaning
3.3 Derivationl and inflectional morphemes
3.4 Morphological rules of word formation
3.5 Compounds
Revision exercises
CHAPTER 4 Syntax
4.1 What is Syntax?
4.2 Categories
4.3 Phrase structure rule
4.4 Phrase elements
4.5 Sentences(The Srule)
4.6 Transformations
Revision exercises
CHAPTER 5 Semantics
CHAPTER 6 Pragmatics
CHAPTER 7 Language Change
CHAPTER 8 Language and Society
CHAPTER 9 Language and Culture
CHAPTER 10 Language Acquisition
CHAPTER 11 Second Language Acquisition
CHAPTER 12 Language and Brain