Customer Reviews
Totally indispensable for TEFL teachers - By: Ian Shine, 04 Aug 2008 
In my time as a TEFL teacher this book camein useful on numerous occassions. TEFL textbooks have notoriously shoddy guides to grammar, which are often detrimental rather than helpful for student & teacher. Swan doesn't have any practice exercises, but everything is laid out plain & simple, from the most straighforward grammar points to the complexities of cleft sentences.
As a teacher, especiallyin my first year, I would have sunk without a trace if it hadn't been for this book. You simply cannot do without it as a TEFL teacher, or as a serious English language student. There's not much more to say about it than that!
Big, fat and useless - By: Greshon, 07 May 2008 
This is regarded as a classic text, butin the eight years that I have owned it I can't say that I have ever found the answer to a single grammar or usage problemin this book. During a stintin Japan as an ELT teacher I did use the section on taboo words as the basis for an Upper Intermediate/Advanced lesson, but this can hardly be said to justify the cover price - or the weight & space it took upin my suitcase!
Handy guide to refer to - By: J. A. Scott, 07 Sep 2006 
I've found this book very useful & easy to use for grammatical queries. You know how it is when you're not just quite sure about something, e.g. hypen usage - well this book is great to have at hand.
A very useful grammar the size of a dictionary - By: VENTURINI VIVIANA, 18 Jan 2004 This grammar book has the size of a dictionary, & the entries arein alphabetical order for quick reference. It is "intended for intermediate & advanced students, & for teachers of English," as it is statedin the introduction. I particularly enjoy the bright white of the paper & the use of a brown-red for the entries, whereas their explanations arein black,in bold type & cursive. There are also ten very interesting pages about "newspaper headlines" & useful information on "stress, rhythm & intonation," as well as "weak & strong forms."
I have a degreein foreign languages & literatures & have taught English for the last ten years. I think everyone who studies the English language should have this book on their shelves, next to their dictionaries, for whatever your grammar doubt is, you'll quickly find a solution to your problem.
it is recommended - By: , 11 Aug 2003 when I started studying English at university,I wasin great need to an English Grammar book.once I went to the liberary,and searching for that,I began having a look at all the grammar booksin there,I met with Practical English Usage & dwelled on studying its content.I found everything amazing & helpful.What I likein this book most is details on ing-form,Articles,Tenses.
Honestly,I am feeling that my English is good by virtue of this book.I recommend all students to have it immediately & have reference to it when Grammar problem arises.
Yours Sincerely;
Amrani Djallal.
Radio Operator.
