The use of linguistic principles in selecting reading materials is relatively recent. Several years ago at Wayne State University, over 200 principles were identified as possible criteria for the selection of materials. About 50 of these were linguistic principles, some of which conflicted with the others. Descriptive linguistics seems, at present, to bear the greatest relevancy to the teaching of reading, although this may change as transformational grammar develops. Five examples of descriptive linguistic criteria follow: (1) What provision is made for controlling grapheme-phoneme correspondence? (2) What focus is there in the materials on words per se? (3) Do the reading materials assume a single "correct" English? (4) Do the reading materials contain the common language structures of oral language? (5) Do the reading materials relate punctuation to intonation? For selectors to make wise choices, they must be aware not only of the whole range of principles, but also of the circumstances of given situations. (WL)