Practical English Usage Review

The other day one of our visitors asked me if I would be able to recommend a good grammar reference book for him. Over the last five years several ESL learners have asked me the same question.

Countless grammar books are available out there. A large number of them are good, too. But if there is one reference book that I would recommend for every ESL learner, it has got to be the Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. This monumental reference book was first published by Oxford University Press in 2005. Now in its third edition, it has sold over 2 million copies and is a world best seller.

Why I like Practical English Usage?

As someone who writes content for English grammar sites, I have used several grammar reference books, but none of them were as comprehensive or as useful as this one.

I was doing my MA in English literature when I first came across ‘Practical English Usage’. It was recommended by our university teachers who felt that it was an indispensable reference book for all ESL students. They were right: This book has got an answer to almost every grammar question I have. In fact, it was the reference book that I used while writing content for this site. Do you find the content on this site useful? If so, you will find this book even more useful.

An indispensable dictionary of problem points

Practical English Usage isn’t exactly a conventional grammar textbook. It is actually a dictionary of problem points in English. The book has got over 600 entries listed in alphabetical order. Each entry contains an explanation of a problem, examples of correct usage and typical mistakes. Explanations are, as far as possible, given in simple everyday language.

Purpose of this book

English is full of problems for a foreign learner. While some of these problem points are easy to explain, others cause difficulty even for the advanced students and learners. For example, how exactly is the present perfect tense used? What are the differences between also, as well and too? Is have to the same as must? Practical English Usage is a guide to questions of this kind.

Who will benefit from this book?

Practical English Usage is aimed at intermediate and advanced learners and English teachers. It answers the questions your students ask.

Key features

600+ entries, listed A-Z makes it easy to find what you're looking for
Covers all the grammar and vocabulary areas you want to know about
Gives clear explanations that really answer your questions
Includes real examples so you know how language is used
Gives you information on American English

Where to order

Practical English Usage is available from Amazon. It is available in two versions – hardback and paperback.

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