A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

The nitty-gritty of English usage, 01 Aug 2008
An invaluable reference book if you want to get right down to the real nitty-gritty of grammatical usage. Detailed and extensive, descriptive rather than prescriptive, and corpus-based, this is a grammar for the C21st.




Five star approach to real grammar, 17 Jul 2008
This book really is a gem given its size and the amount of grammar it covers. It is invaluable for answering all of the difficult questions TESOL teachers may face, e.g. phrasal verbs, modality and compound nouns etc. It also explains why written and spoken grammars are so different, and should be treated as so. All of the examples used are from a corpus of real language. I have used it both in my undergraduate and now post-graduate work. It is simply the best.

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

The nitty-gritty of English usage, 01 Aug 2008
An invaluable reference book if you want to get right down to the real nitty-gritty of grammatical usage. Detailed and extensive, descriptive rather than prescriptive, and corpus-based, this is a grammar for the C21st.




Five star approach to real grammar, 17 Jul 2008
This book really is a gem given its size and the amount of grammar it covers. It is invaluable for answering all of the difficult questions TESOL teachers may face, e.g. phrasal verbs, modality and compound nouns etc. It also explains why written and spoken grammars are so different, and should be treated as so. All of the examples used are from a corpus of real language. I have used it both in my undergraduate and now post-graduate work. It is simply the best.

Essential book for anyone taking IELTs, 30 Jun 2007
My students have appreciated the extra help from this book. It is easy to use, and a great starter for vocabulary when tackling a new topic.

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

The nitty-gritty of English usage, 01 Aug 2008
An invaluable reference book if you want to get right down to the real nitty-gritty of grammatical usage. Detailed and extensive, descriptive rather than prescriptive, and corpus-based, this is a grammar for the C21st.




Five star approach to real grammar, 17 Jul 2008
This book really is a gem given its size and the amount of grammar it covers. It is invaluable for answering all of the difficult questions TESOL teachers may face, e.g. phrasal verbs, modality and compound nouns etc. It also explains why written and spoken grammars are so different, and should be treated as so. All of the examples used are from a corpus of real language. I have used it both in my undergraduate and now post-graduate work. It is simply the best.

Essential book for anyone taking IELTs, 30 Jun 2007
My students have appreciated the extra help from this book. It is easy to use, and a great starter for vocabulary when tackling a new topic.

Useless as a language-learning tool, 20 Jun 2008
This book, as the synopsis says, contains over 700 verbs with over 1000 meanings. But I think this a weakness rather than a strength. Firstly, the phrasal verbs are grouped 16 to a page with one exercise per verb. The exercise is either a gap-fill, a multiple-choice or matching two parts of a dialogue. In itself this is not exactly imaginative, but the important fact is that it is impossible for a person learning English to assimmilate - much less activate - phrasal verbs in this way. There is no exploration of the nuance of each item: one exercise is deemed to be enough in conjunction with a very poor word or phrase definition in the "mini-dictionary" at the end of the book. The most the typical student will glean from studying (if that's not a misnomer) a page of this book will be a vague and unsatisfactory sense of some meanings which will be swiftly forgotten as being of no practical use.
As the synopsis also mentions, the phrasal verbs chosen are in the main arranged either by particle (eg "out") or by verb (eg "get"). This way of "organising" the material has as much sense as, say, grouping together words ending in "k", or beginning with "t". Importantly, however, there is absolutely no distinction between those items which are extremely common and those which are but seldom used.
In sum then, this book is sloppily conceived and put together and, whilst it may conceivably be of some use in testing the (passive) knowledge of someone who already knows the phrasal verbs, as a learning tool it's only likely to strengthen the learner's prejudice against this aspect of English.

Excellent., 02 Apr 2005
This book is very good for whom English is a 2nd language. It is well organized and with mini Dictionary you do not loose time to look up somewhere else. It`s comperehension is well enoguh for Cambridge Profiency test and for life.

very good range of verbs; clear layout; versatile, 08 Nov 2001
I have been very impressed by this book, and so have colleagues who have asked me to get copies for them. I work as a Speech & Language Therapist, and this is just the sort of resource that I can use: it's got a clear layout, approaches the verbs from different angles, makes suggestions about how to teach them to others, has many exercises and uses a clear format to keep the user focused on the learning points and not be distracted by fancy presentation. I'm sure it's similarly useful to people teaching / learning ESL.

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

The nitty-gritty of English usage, 01 Aug 2008
An invaluable reference book if you want to get right down to the real nitty-gritty of grammatical usage. Detailed and extensive, descriptive rather than prescriptive, and corpus-based, this is a grammar for the C21st.




Five star approach to real grammar, 17 Jul 2008
This book really is a gem given its size and the amount of grammar it covers. It is invaluable for answering all of the difficult questions TESOL teachers may face, e.g. phrasal verbs, modality and compound nouns etc. It also explains why written and spoken grammars are so different, and should be treated as so. All of the examples used are from a corpus of real language. I have used it both in my undergraduate and now post-graduate work. It is simply the best.

Essential book for anyone taking IELTs, 30 Jun 2007
My students have appreciated the extra help from this book. It is easy to use, and a great starter for vocabulary when tackling a new topic.

Useless as a language-learning tool, 20 Jun 2008
This book, as the synopsis says, contains over 700 verbs with over 1000 meanings. But I think this a weakness rather than a strength. Firstly, the phrasal verbs are grouped 16 to a page with one exercise per verb. The exercise is either a gap-fill, a multiple-choice or matching two parts of a dialogue. In itself this is not exactly imaginative, but the important fact is that it is impossible for a person learning English to assimmilate - much less activate - phrasal verbs in this way. There is no exploration of the nuance of each item: one exercise is deemed to be enough in conjunction with a very poor word or phrase definition in the "mini-dictionary" at the end of the book. The most the typical student will glean from studying (if that's not a misnomer) a page of this book will be a vague and unsatisfactory sense of some meanings which will be swiftly forgotten as being of no practical use.
As the synopsis also mentions, the phrasal verbs chosen are in the main arranged either by particle (eg "out") or by verb (eg "get"). This way of "organising" the material has as much sense as, say, grouping together words ending in "k", or beginning with "t". Importantly, however, there is absolutely no distinction between those items which are extremely common and those which are but seldom used.
In sum then, this book is sloppily conceived and put together and, whilst it may conceivably be of some use in testing the (passive) knowledge of someone who already knows the phrasal verbs, as a learning tool it's only likely to strengthen the learner's prejudice against this aspect of English.

Excellent., 02 Apr 2005
This book is very good for whom English is a 2nd language. It is well organized and with mini Dictionary you do not loose time to look up somewhere else. It`s comperehension is well enoguh for Cambridge Profiency test and for life.

very good range of verbs; clear layout; versatile, 08 Nov 2001
I have been very impressed by this book, and so have colleagues who have asked me to get copies for them. I work as a Speech & Language Therapist, and this is just the sort of resource that I can use: it's got a clear layout, approaches the verbs from different angles, makes suggestions about how to teach them to others, has many exercises and uses a clear format to keep the user focused on the learning points and not be distracted by fancy presentation. I'm sure it's similarly useful to people teaching / learning ESL.

Excellent for self-study., 09 Feb 2008
This book teaches over 5000 new words and expressions with over 650 vocabulary exercises. Fully illustrated and full answer key. I also recommend Intermediate Vocabulary by B J Thomas. And Target Vocabulary 1-2-3 by Peter Watcyn Jones. Highly recommended.

The most comprehensive vocabulary resource available., 08 Mar 2002
Teachers are always trying to encourage students to organize their vocabulary more logically. This book does it for them - 100 units organized around the topics that students need to be able to talk about from the typical old favourites (food, leisure time etc to the less frequently exploited (religion, social issues and an ecellent unit on football). Each unit starts by checking the basic vocabulary that students need to talk about the topic area and then introduces more challenging lexis. The exercises themselves are varied - gap-fill, matching and categorizing are all made use of and much of the language is at phrase level so students never feel they are simply learning lists of words. At the end of every unit there is a box where students can add their own words and phrases.

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

The nitty-gritty of English usage, 01 Aug 2008
An invaluable reference book if you want to get right down to the real nitty-gritty of grammatical usage. Detailed and extensive, descriptive rather than prescriptive, and corpus-based, this is a grammar for the C21st.




Five star approach to real grammar, 17 Jul 2008
This book really is a gem given its size and the amount of grammar it covers. It is invaluable for answering all of the difficult questions TESOL teachers may face, e.g. phrasal verbs, modality and compound nouns etc. It also explains why written and spoken grammars are so different, and should be treated as so. All of the examples used are from a corpus of real language. I have used it both in my undergraduate and now post-graduate work. It is simply the best.

Essential book for anyone taking IELTs, 30 Jun 2007
My students have appreciated the extra help from this book. It is easy to use, and a great starter for vocabulary when tackling a new topic.

Useless as a language-learning tool, 20 Jun 2008
This book, as the synopsis says, contains over 700 verbs with over 1000 meanings. But I think this a weakness rather than a strength. Firstly, the phrasal verbs are grouped 16 to a page with one exercise per verb. The exercise is either a gap-fill, a multiple-choice or matching two parts of a dialogue. In itself this is not exactly imaginative, but the important fact is that it is impossible for a person learning English to assimmilate - much less activate - phrasal verbs in this way. There is no exploration of the nuance of each item: one exercise is deemed to be enough in conjunction with a very poor word or phrase definition in the "mini-dictionary" at the end of the book. The most the typical student will glean from studying (if that's not a misnomer) a page of this book will be a vague and unsatisfactory sense of some meanings which will be swiftly forgotten as being of no practical use.
As the synopsis also mentions, the phrasal verbs chosen are in the main arranged either by particle (eg "out") or by verb (eg "get"). This way of "organising" the material has as much sense as, say, grouping together words ending in "k", or beginning with "t". Importantly, however, there is absolutely no distinction between those items which are extremely common and those which are but seldom used.
In sum then, this book is sloppily conceived and put together and, whilst it may conceivably be of some use in testing the (passive) knowledge of someone who already knows the phrasal verbs, as a learning tool it's only likely to strengthen the learner's prejudice against this aspect of English.

Excellent., 02 Apr 2005
This book is very good for whom English is a 2nd language. It is well organized and with mini Dictionary you do not loose time to look up somewhere else. It`s comperehension is well enoguh for Cambridge Profiency test and for life.

very good range of verbs; clear layout; versatile, 08 Nov 2001
I have been very impressed by this book, and so have colleagues who have asked me to get copies for them. I work as a Speech & Language Therapist, and this is just the sort of resource that I can use: it's got a clear layout, approaches the verbs from different angles, makes suggestions about how to teach them to others, has many exercises and uses a clear format to keep the user focused on the learning points and not be distracted by fancy presentation. I'm sure it's similarly useful to people teaching / learning ESL.

Excellent for self-study., 09 Feb 2008
This book teaches over 5000 new words and expressions with over 650 vocabulary exercises. Fully illustrated and full answer key. I also recommend Intermediate Vocabulary by B J Thomas. And Target Vocabulary 1-2-3 by Peter Watcyn Jones. Highly recommended.

The most comprehensive vocabulary resource available., 08 Mar 2002
Teachers are always trying to encourage students to organize their vocabulary more logically. This book does it for them - 100 units organized around the topics that students need to be able to talk about from the typical old favourites (food, leisure time etc to the less frequently exploited (religion, social issues and an ecellent unit on football). Each unit starts by checking the basic vocabulary that students need to talk about the topic area and then introduces more challenging lexis. The exercises themselves are varied - gap-fill, matching and categorizing are all made use of and much of the language is at phrase level so students never feel they are simply learning lists of words. At the end of every unit there is a box where students can add their own words and phrases.

Essential resource for anyone teaching business students, 13 Jul 2003
I've found this book to be indispensible this year while teaching Business English. Deals extremely comprehensively with all aspects of the Language of Meetings. The book is divided into units such as Opinions, Agreeing,Clarifying...

The units are separated into a kind of introduction to see what language the students already know (great for the TTT approach). It then gives lists of language used for each function. Great at showing "lexical chunks" of language.

Then there's a gapfill page to consolidate and help students learn and remember.

A 'mini-task' puts the language into practice with dialogue chains, or mini-roleplays with topic suggestions. The end of the units consist of collocation matching exercises.

Great to dip into for use in more general classes, or use more methodically and work through each unit with students who reguarly have to attend meetings.

Perhaps in too much detail - I'd say it's good for use with Upper Int students and above, but with a bit of cutting and pasting, can easily be adapted for lower level learners.

BUY IT! STEAL IT! USE IT! I love it and so do my students, and colleagues, as it's never on the resource shelf but on someone's desk being used...

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

The nitty-gritty of English usage, 01 Aug 2008
An invaluable reference book if you want to get right down to the real nitty-gritty of grammatical usage. Detailed and extensive, descriptive rather than prescriptive, and corpus-based, this is a grammar for the C21st.




Five star approach to real grammar, 17 Jul 2008
This book really is a gem given its size and the amount of grammar it covers. It is invaluable for answering all of the difficult questions TESOL teachers may face, e.g. phrasal verbs, modality and compound nouns etc. It also explains why written and spoken grammars are so different, and should be treated as so. All of the examples used are from a corpus of real language. I have used it both in my undergraduate and now post-graduate work. It is simply the best.

Essential book for anyone taking IELTs, 30 Jun 2007
My students have appreciated the extra help from this book. It is easy to use, and a great starter for vocabulary when tackling a new topic.

Useless as a language-learning tool, 20 Jun 2008
This book, as the synopsis says, contains over 700 verbs with over 1000 meanings. But I think this a weakness rather than a strength. Firstly, the phrasal verbs are grouped 16 to a page with one exercise per verb. The exercise is either a gap-fill, a multiple-choice or matching two parts of a dialogue. In itself this is not exactly imaginative, but the important fact is that it is impossible for a person learning English to assimmilate - much less activate - phrasal verbs in this way. There is no exploration of the nuance of each item: one exercise is deemed to be enough in conjunction with a very poor word or phrase definition in the "mini-dictionary" at the end of the book. The most the typical student will glean from studying (if that's not a misnomer) a page of this book will be a vague and unsatisfactory sense of some meanings which will be swiftly forgotten as being of no practical use.
As the synopsis also mentions, the phrasal verbs chosen are in the main arranged either by particle (eg "out") or by verb (eg "get"). This way of "organising" the material has as much sense as, say, grouping together words ending in "k", or beginning with "t". Importantly, however, there is absolutely no distinction between those items which are extremely common and those which are but seldom used.
In sum then, this book is sloppily conceived and put together and, whilst it may conceivably be of some use in testing the (passive) knowledge of someone who already knows the phrasal verbs, as a learning tool it's only likely to strengthen the learner's prejudice against this aspect of English.

Excellent., 02 Apr 2005
This book is very good for whom English is a 2nd language. It is well organized and with mini Dictionary you do not loose time to look up somewhere else. It`s comperehension is well enoguh for Cambridge Profiency test and for life.

very good range of verbs; clear layout; versatile, 08 Nov 2001
I have been very impressed by this book, and so have colleagues who have asked me to get copies for them. I work as a Speech & Language Therapist, and this is just the sort of resource that I can use: it's got a clear layout, approaches the verbs from different angles, makes suggestions about how to teach them to others, has many exercises and uses a clear format to keep the user focused on the learning points and not be distracted by fancy presentation. I'm sure it's similarly useful to people teaching / learning ESL.

Excellent for self-study., 09 Feb 2008
This book teaches over 5000 new words and expressions with over 650 vocabulary exercises. Fully illustrated and full answer key. I also recommend Intermediate Vocabulary by B J Thomas. And Target Vocabulary 1-2-3 by Peter Watcyn Jones. Highly recommended.

The most comprehensive vocabulary resource available., 08 Mar 2002
Teachers are always trying to encourage students to organize their vocabulary more logically. This book does it for them - 100 units organized around the topics that students need to be able to talk about from the typical old favourites (food, leisure time etc to the less frequently exploited (religion, social issues and an ecellent unit on football). Each unit starts by checking the basic vocabulary that students need to talk about the topic area and then introduces more challenging lexis. The exercises themselves are varied - gap-fill, matching and categorizing are all made use of and much of the language is at phrase level so students never feel they are simply learning lists of words. At the end of every unit there is a box where students can add their own words and phrases.

Essential resource for anyone teaching business students, 13 Jul 2003
I've found this book to be indispensible this year while teaching Business English. Deals extremely comprehensively with all aspects of the Language of Meetings. The book is divided into units such as Opinions, Agreeing,Clarifying...

The units are separated into a kind of introduction to see what language the students already know (great for the TTT approach). It then gives lists of language used for each function. Great at showing "lexical chunks" of language.

Then there's a gapfill page to consolidate and help students learn and remember.

A 'mini-task' puts the language into practice with dialogue chains, or mini-roleplays with topic suggestions. The end of the units consist of collocation matching exercises.

Great to dip into for use in more general classes, or use more methodically and work through each unit with students who reguarly have to attend meetings.

Perhaps in too much detail - I'd say it's good for use with Upper Int students and above, but with a bit of cutting and pasting, can easily be adapted for lower level learners.

BUY IT! STEAL IT! USE IT! I love it and so do my students, and colleagues, as it's never on the resource shelf but on someone's desk being used...

Clear commom sense, 06 May 2008
An excellent book, thoroughly recommended for those wishes to cut through the awful amount of waffle surrounding English grammar and get to the heart of its use and meaning.


we mean what we say, 13 Jan 2004
For someone who has been through the trial of trying to learn a foreign language using a "prescriptive" grammar, Lewis' book is a very welcome breath of fresh air, he discusses eloquently, and with clear and appropriate examples, his idea of how English grammar *actually* works (there is none of the sermonising about "poor usage" that you find in traditional grammar books).
From the careful explanation of his key idea, that grammar should be a matter of *describing* how the language is used by native speakers, rather than an attempt to tell them how to use their own language; he goes on to explain in detail what is wrong with a lot of the supposed "rules" that people learning the English language are taught (rules regarding the use of "shall and will" or "the subjunctive" being good examples), and gives much better usage guidelines that can be used (admittedly, only with more advanced pupils) to give a much better understanding of how verbs work in English.

This is a must-read for anyone who wants to teach English as a foreign language. It is a very enjoyable read for anyone who just wants to understand more about the language works.

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students to get an understanding of the ways in which the English language works. This in itself is no easy task for any book or author.

So, in spite of some negative reviews on this site, I would not hesitate to say that you should have a look at this title because it really is unique in its approach to teaching grammar. The whole format and design is very appealing to the eye, especially when many other grammar books are so dull to read. There are frequently pictures and little captions on each page to help engage your interest. Grammar rules are summarised well, and exercises are clearly laid out.

I would recommend this to ESL teachers, and to intermediate level students (and above) who want to consolidate their knowledge of the myraid and complex workings of English.

This book has earned me money, 12 Jul 2005
I have been using this book for a year and a half now, as support for students who need a quick reference for points of grammar they do not understand. It has been excellent in this way, and does not claim to be totally comprehensive (the blurb states 'intermediate - upper intermediate'). The test at the beginning is another way of saving time - finding the student's weakness, turning to the relevant page and fixing the problem.

True - English grammar is deceptively easy at the beginning, and becomes vast later on, but students have to start somewhere, and this book provides funny and relevant explanations. No book can claim to provide a purely systematic approach to English because the language simply has not evolved in such a way. No amount of snobbery can hide this fact. Moreover, the language is uniquely different from other European languages in that, for example, with English, there is no governmental body which has to authorize new vocabulary.

I have taught people of different nationalites, and I have noticed that speakers from Germanic linguistic groups, tend to want to apply the rigidity of their native languages to English. But English does not function in that way - and Swan has recognised this and has attempted to make the density of the language more accessable.

Grammar is explained in layman's terms and as concisely as possible - there are areas which seemingly overlap or contradict, but this is the nature of the English language itself. So there is an exactness about this book which I have witnessed tidy up points previously confusing for students. It is particularly good on the tenses for instance. It maintains a light-heartedness through its cartoons, which at the same time provide real and funny examples of grammar allowing the student to fully consolidate the target grammar point. This may just come down to your sense of humour - there are jokes about thieving bishops, 'armed' teachers, for instance, that I thought were hilarious!

So if you want an attractive alternative to the volumes of excercises allowing one to pound one's way through to an advanced level, without comprehending how to actually use English, then this is the book for you.

Waste of money, 27 Aug 2004
I must say I was extremely disappointed with this book. Compared to similar reference materials this book is both confused, contradictory and frequently amateurish. I must also say that I found the tone of the book to be extremely patronising and the illustrations were often ludicrous. As someone with over twenty years of classroom experience, my advice is that you leave this mess of a book well alone and spend your hard-earned cash on something less sloppy.

I would advise you to think again, 09 May 2004
as a trainee english teacher (TEFL) i taught 2 lessons using material lifted straight from this book, and was told after the lessons that my material was factually incorrect. it is very over-simplified and english grammar just isn't this straight-forward and i don't think it should be packaged that way. the descriptions are also very short, leave a lot unsaid, badly explained and it can often be confusing as to what exactly is meant! precision, clarity and awareness of exceptional cases are so important in grammar and this kind of simplification just doesn't help. i recommend you look elsewhere for a grammar guide.

The nitty-gritty of English usage, 01 Aug 2008
An invaluable reference book if you want to get right down to the real nitty-gritty of grammatical usage. Detailed and extensive, descriptive rather than prescriptive, and corpus-based, this is a grammar for the C21st.




Five star approach to real grammar, 17 Jul 2008
This book really is a gem given its size and the amount of grammar it covers. It is invaluable for answering all of the difficult questions TESOL teachers may face, e.g. phrasal verbs, modality and compound nouns etc. It also explains why written and spoken grammars are so different, and should be treated as so. All of the examples used are from a corpus of real language. I have used it both in my undergraduate and now post-graduate work. It is simply the best.

Essential book for anyone taking IELTs, 30 Jun 2007
My students have appreciated the extra help from this book. It is easy to use, and a great starter for vocabulary when tackling a new topic.

Useless as a language-learning tool, 20 Jun 2008
This book, as the synopsis says, contains over 700 verbs with over 1000 meanings. But I think this a weakness rather than a strength. Firstly, the phrasal verbs are grouped 16 to a page with one exercise per verb. The exercise is either a gap-fill, a multiple-choice or matching two parts of a dialogue. In itself this is not exactly imaginative, but the important fact is that it is impossible for a person learning English to assimmilate - much less activate - phrasal verbs in this way. There is no exploration of the nuance of each item: one exercise is deemed to be enough in conjunction with a very poor word or phrase definition in the "mini-dictionary" at the end of the book. The most the typical student will glean from studying (if that's not a misnomer) a page of this book will be a vague and unsatisfactory sense of some meanings which will be swiftly forgotten as being of no practical use.
As the synopsis also mentions, the phrasal verbs chosen are in the main arranged either by particle (eg "out") or by verb (eg "get"). This way of "organising" the material has as much sense as, say, grouping together words ending in "k", or beginning with "t". Importantly, however, there is absolutely no distinction between those items which are extremely common and those which are but seldom used.
In sum then, this book is sloppily conceived and put together and, whilst it may conceivably be of some use in testing the (passive) knowledge of someone who already knows the phrasal verbs, as a learning tool it's only likely to strengthen the learner's prejudice against this aspect of English.

Excellent., 02 Apr 2005
This book is very good for whom English is a 2nd language. It is well organized and with mini Dictionary you do not loose time to look up somewhere else. It`s comperehension is well enoguh for Cambridge Profiency test and for life.

very good range of verbs; clear layout; versatile, 08 Nov 2001
I have been very impressed by this book, and so have colleagues who have asked me to get copies for them. I work as a Speech & Language Therapist, and this is just the sort of resource that I can use: it's got a clear layout, approaches the verbs from different angles, makes suggestions about how to teach them to others, has many exercises and uses a clear format to keep the user focused on the learning points and not be distracted by fancy presentation. I'm sure it's similarly useful to people teaching / learning ESL.

Excellent for self-study., 09 Feb 2008
This book teaches over 5000 new words and expressions with over 650 vocabulary exercises. Fully illustrated and full answer key. I also recommend Intermediate Vocabulary by B J Thomas. And Target Vocabulary 1-2-3 by Peter Watcyn Jones. Highly recommended.

The most comprehensive vocabulary resource available., 08 Mar 2002
Teachers are always trying to encourage students to organize their vocabulary more logically. This book does it for them - 100 units organized around the topics that students need to be able to talk about from the typical old favourites (food, leisure time etc to the less frequently exploited (religion, social issues and an ecellent unit on football). Each unit starts by checking the basic vocabulary that students need to talk about the topic area and then introduces more challenging lexis. The exercises themselves are varied - gap-fill, matching and categorizing are all made use of and much of the language is at phrase level so students never feel they are simply learning lists of words. At the end of every unit there is a box where students can add their own words and phrases.

Essential resource for anyone teaching business students, 13 Jul 2003
I've found this book to be indispensible this year while teaching Business English. Deals extremely comprehensively with all aspects of the Language of Meetings. The book is divided into units such as Opinions, Agreeing,Clarifying...

The units are separated into a kind of introduction to see what language the students already know (great for the TTT approach). It then gives lists of language used for each function. Great at showing "lexical chunks" of language.

Then there's a gapfill page to consolidate and help students learn and remember.

A 'mini-task' puts the language into practice with dialogue chains, or mini-roleplays with topic suggestions. The end of the units consist of collocation matching exercises.

Great to dip into for use in more general classes, or use more methodically and work through each unit with students who reguarly have to attend meetings.

Perhaps in too much detail - I'd say it's good for use with Upper Int students and above, but with a bit of cutting and pasting, can easily be adapted for lower level learners.

BUY IT! STEAL IT! USE IT! I love it and so do my students, and colleagues, as it's never on the resource shelf but on someone's desk being used...

Clear commom sense, 06 May 2008
An excellent book, thoroughly recommended for those wishes to cut through the awful amount of waffle surrounding English grammar and get to the heart of its use and meaning.


we mean what we say, 13 Jan 2004
For someone who has been through the trial of trying to learn a foreign language using a "prescriptive" grammar, Lewis' book is a very welcome breath of fresh air, he discusses eloquently, and with clear and appropriate examples, his idea of how English grammar *actually* works (there is none of the sermonising about "poor usage" that you find in traditional grammar books).
From the careful explanation of his key idea, that grammar should be a matter of *describing* how the language is used by native speakers, rather than an attempt to tell them how to use their own language; he goes on to explain in detail what is wrong with a lot of the supposed "rules" that people learning the English language are taught (rules regarding the use of "shall and will" or "the subjunctive" being good examples), and gives much better usage guidelines that can be used (admittedly, only with more advanced pupils) to give a much better understanding of how verbs work in English.

This is a must-read for anyone who wants to teach English as a foreign language. It is a very enjoyable read for anyone who just wants to understand more about the language works.

A welcome addition to the Check Your Vocabulary series., 29 Aug 2006
As an English teacher, I have been a big fan of the Check Your Vocabulary series since I first started using the excellent IELTS and FCE+ titles with my exam classes a few years ago. This latest addition to the series is very similar in style, with a comprehensive range of vocabulary relevant to the TOEIC, presented and practised by topic in a variety of lively and interesting (and in some cases very original) exercises. An answer key at the back provides further information on the target vocabulary, such as showing synonyms, explaining usage and warning about words which are often confused with those in the exercises. The book is better structured and far more user-friendly than many of the other established TOEIC vocabulary titles currently on the market, and it works equally well as a classroom teaching aid or as a student self-study workbook. My students particularly like the underlying strand of humour and irreverence which help to make an otherwise serious and 'dry' subject more fun (check out the dodgy airline catering company on page 13, the heavy metal group from hell on page 19 and the 'Smell-o-phone' on page 45, for example). Highly recommended for ELT teachers and students alike.

A Useful Standby, 30 Dec 2007
I have used this book consistently for my first twelve months of Tefl in Prague. I generally carry it to deal with 'curve-ball' questions - it is excellent for short clear answers on a wide range of grammar points - and I photocopy the exercises as supplementary materials. Of course, it is not a workbook in itself, it is more of a reference book - that may explain some of the odd criticisms on here. The layout takes a little getting used to, as well, but once understood it is excellent. I bought four related titles when I started teaching, but this one has earned its keep.

A Very Good Book, 24 Mar 2006
In my opinion this is a very good grammar book. It is clear, concise and it enables students