Book Review: Mastering Oxford 3000 Words

Prof. M Zahidul Haque

By Prof. M Zahidul Haque

Nowadays, a considerable number of new books on English language learning are published daily, many of which focus on simplifying the process of learning English. These books emphasize practical communication skills—both spoken and written placing less weight on traditional grammar drills. By adopting this learner-friendly approach, the books aim to make English more accessible to beginners and non-native speakers. What stands out is their attempt to balance ease of use with effectiveness, offering readers’ confidence in everyday communication rather than overwhelming them with complex rules. This trend reflects a broader shift in language education, where fluency and usability are prioritized over rigid grammatical accuracy.

Oxford 3000 WORDS

English is the primary language used for browsing the internet. People are increasingly interested in learning English through both books and online resources. In Bangladesh, English language learning is progressing satisfactorily.

Recently, this reviewer came across the above-mentioned book—“MASTERING OXFORD 3000 WORDS” which have been compiled by the Oxford University Press adopting 3000 most used words. The book is indeed a practical guide for learning the English language.

Each entry word in the book not only shows Bengali meaning but pronunciation (IPA and Bengali) as well. More importantly, grammatical tips for sentenceconstruction with example have been incorporated in the book.

Meanwhile, during reviewing the book, this reviewer noted some issues in certain sentences. For example, the sentence সে সদ্য নতুন মডেলের স্মার্টফোন কিনেছে  (page no. 262, entry no. 7) is translated into English as “She just bought the latest smartphone model.” A more accurate translation could be “S/he has just bought a new model smartphone” or “S/he just bought a new model smartphone.”

Additionally, it appears that the feminine pronouns “She/Her” have been used when translating the Bengali pronouns সে/তার, while traditionally, using “He” as a gender-neutral pronoun is still common in English usage.

“MASTERING OXFORD 3000 WORDS,” compiled and edited by Soheli Tahmina and Fuad al Azad, and published by The Royal Press, is undoubtedly an excellent handbook for English language learners of all levels. The book is well presented, featuring an embossed attractive cover-page by The Royal Writers. ISBN 978-984-35-7794-8

(Professor M Zahidul Haque is a former Course Instructor of English at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Agricultural Training Institute, Dhaka)