Paul Tench's workbook is a comprehensive course in transcribing English speech. It consists of twelve chapters, equally divided between part I: Words and part II: Discourse, and is accompanied by a website with downloadable audio clips of all examples and excerpts used in the book. The material is presented in the order found in many foundation phonetics courses and thus segmental aspects of speech are dealt with before rhythm and intonation. The exercises are based on RP, which is, as the author remarks, a pragmatic choice since most UK publications on the subject of English phonetics use this accent as a reference.

The first three chapters deal with English vowels, consonants and lexical stress respectively. Chapter 4 covers main RP allophones. Chapter 6 offers exercises on connected speech processes. Chapter 7 deals with rhythm and its effect on weak forms, and chapters 8 to 10 dissect intonation. The coverage of its three basic aspects, i.e. tonality, tonicity and tone, is standard in any work on the subject, although there may be differences in terminology (Cruttenden Reference Cruttenden2008), order (cf. Wells Reference Wells2006) or the choice of symbols (Brazil Reference Brazil1994). The very short, yet informative chapters 11 and 12 deal with secondary tone and paratones, and they are an original and valuable aspect of the book, as these topics are not always discussed in other works. A useful list of practical, descriptive and reference works on English phonetics follows the chapters and the book closes with an index of terms.

The introductory paragraph in the workbook states that it is ‘a training course in developing students’ powers of observation on features of English pronunciation and their skills in recording them in writing’ (p.1). These objectives are achieved by an inductive presentation of transcription principles, subtle guidance on what to listen out for and a series of bite-size exercises, followed by feedback and quick tests. Examples of this treatment are the inclusion of epenthesis, considered among connected speech processes, and detailed guidance on the handwritten forms of IPA vowel symbols, the latter being an exercise I have not encountered elsewhere. As the book (and presumably the reader's grasp of transcription) progresses, the instructions become purposefully less explicit. Moving through the material resembles a lesson with an encouraging teacher. This feeling is compounded by motivational messages at the end of each chapter, which recap on what has already been achieved and congratulate the reader on their efforts.

Another forte of the workbook is its differentiation strategy. Links between chapters facilitate consolidation for students new to the subject. However, those with more background knowledge may select to work on later sections independently. For example, if one has no need for narrow transcription, chapter 4 (allophones) can be skipped. The same is true of the stand-alone chapter 5, which illustrates the ways accents may differ. This is done by introducing concepts such as phonological inventory, phonetic features, lexical sets and lexical distribution, in this way echoing Wells (Reference Wells1982). The selection covers native varieties, featuring accents of the USA, London, the West Country, the West Midlands, the North, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. English spoken as a second language is also represented (informants from Kenya and India) and the chapter closes with an example of a foreign accent (a Mandarin speaker). This chapter shows that phonetics and phonology go hand in hand and may pave the way for studying language variation.

The author's attention to detail and ability to anticipate difficulties students might encounter are also apparent in the second part of the book. For example, chapter 8 includes a table of symbols used in intonational transcription, comparing the present volume to three other sources and ToBi (a notational system for transcribing intonational features of language varieties; used in North America), followed by a paragraph pointing out differences in notation in several other frequently consulted sources. Another appealing aspect of the ‘Discourse’ part is the focus on the communicative function of intonation. Thus the communicative function of tones is demonstrated through a section on social interaction: greetings, farewells and thanks. Chapter 11, which deals with secondary tones, delves into intonation even further. It highlights the complexity of English intonation, pointing out that the exact interpretation of utterances is dependent on situational context and that not only the type, but also a degree of tone may indicate both a speaker's attitude and their strength of feeling. The suprasegmental material is introduced and practised through an authentic listening passage, preceded by hints on what to listen out for and accompanied by feedback. The same passage is reproduced in three chapters and is analysed clause by clause from different angles.

To find any shortcomings, one needs to go through the book's contents with a fine-toothed comb. Indeed, there are several things I would prefer to have been done differently, but they do not detract from this excellent textbook. For example, relabelling RP Southern England Standard Pronunciation is not necessarily of great value, as the entity referred to remains the same. As for the use of /ϵ/ for the lexical set of dress, I feel that the more currently widespread /e/ would fall better in line with the two major pronouncing dictionaries, Longman Pronunciation Dictionary and Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary. On p. 73 we find a statement that ‘many working-class Londoners regularly pronounce /t/ as [ʔ] in the middle and at the end of words’. This is not incorrect, but the context could be stated more precisely.

Tench's course supplements existing descriptive works on English phonetics and is ideal for autonomous learners, regardless of their level. It cannot be regarded merely as a practice book, as it puts transcription skills in a wider context and shows the value of being analytical and attentive to detail, qualities indispensable in academic research. Given the current paucity of transcription training material for university-level courses, it is a very welcome arrival on the scene. It is also a hugely enjoyable read.