- How does the English language work? If you are interested in discovering the answer to this question, then An Introduction to English Language is the ideal place to start. Written in a clear, lively, and easy-to-follow style, this introductory textbook is based around three core topics of linguistic study. WORD: English words, how they fit into sentences, their internal structure, their meaning and how they make up vocabularies for various purposes. SOUND: the sound systems of English, its phonetics and phonology, and English intonation and stress patterns. SENTENCE: English sentence structure and introductory English grammar.