Best grammar reference book for teacher to buy?

grammar_is_tricky · Post by **grammar_is_tricky** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:46 am

Hi!
If I were to buy just one grammar reference book for both my study and as a reference for teaching, what would you recommend and why? (Or if there is no ONE book, which 2 (or 3!) should I get?

Considering -

Michael Swan - Practical English Usage

Martin Parrot - Grammar for English Language Teachers

Geoffrey Leach - A-Z of English Grammar and Usage.

Definitely open to other suggestions too, thanks!

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:53 am

I'd say the best reference of those three is Swan (followed by Leech). Parrot could I suppose be used as a sort of very general reference, but I think it's more meant as a coursebook for getting an overview of the broad brushstrokes of grammar and increasing one's language awareness, for example, whilst doing a CELTA.

Stephen Jones · Post by **Stephen Jones** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:58 pm

For your own usage the best grammar is

The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
by Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey Pullum

Product Details

Hardcover: 1860 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 2.73 x 10.05 x 7.42
Publisher: Cambridge University Press; (June 2002)
ISBN: 0521431468

or
A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language
by Randolph Quirk, Jan Svartvik (contributor), Geoffry Leech (contributor), Sydney Greenbaum

Product Details

Hardcover: 1779 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 3.29 x 11.92 x 8.25
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Pub Co; (February 1989)
ISBN: 0582517346

For a reference grammar for students the ones you have listed.

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:09 am

http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/13/13-1853.html

http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=5861

Macavity · Post by **Macavity** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:42 pm

I wouldn't touch "A Communicative Grammar of English" with a barge pole, otherwise the choice is yours. Swan is a safe enough bet to get started on though.

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:12 am

Why the aversion to the CommGE, Mac?

donnach · Post by **donnach** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:05 pm

A Student's Grammar of the English Language by Sidney Greenbaum and Randolph Quirk was what I chose after researching the topic and receiving recommendations from many people.

Don't be fooled by the title, "student" refers to those majoring in Linguistics or English.

Donna