《第二语言学习的条件》是一部论述第二语言学习诸规律，旨在建立一个通用的语言学习理论的学术著作。

全书内容包括；导论、14章节和一个附录（案例研究）。作者思路清晰，章节组织有条不紊，多数“条件”对中国的英语教学有指导意义。

本书的读者对象为英语语言学与应用语言学专业的教师、研究生，英语及相关专业的本科高年级学生以及其他相关专业的研究人员。

1 A general theory of second language learning

2 Knowing a language

3 Knowing how to use a language

4 Structures and functions

5 Measuring knowledge of a second language

6 The psycholinguistic basis

7 Ability and personality

8 The linguistic basis

9 The social context

10 Attitudes and motivation

11 Opportunities for second language learning

12 Formal instruction

13 Testing the model

14 The form of a general theory

Appendix

Bibliography and citation index

The model so far described may be presented schematically as in Figure 1.1(overleaf).This schematic layout is no more than a rough representation: the critical claim being made is that the preference model offers a method for formalizing what is left unspecified.