This book is aimed at all those who wish to carry out close study of the way the English language is used in real situations. Hilary Hillier adopts a 'learning-by-doing' approach, presenting a series of small research studies which demonstrate a range of analytical perspectives and linguistic frameworks. Texts include informal talk, fictional narrative, newspaper reports, political speeches and TV advertisements. Analysing Real Texts will inspire readers to devise comparable studies of their own, drawing on their individual interests, background and experience.