Author Description

Practical English Usage is a dictionary of points in the language which often cause problems for students and teachers of English as a Foreign Language. It answers the student's question `Is this right or wrong?' and the teacher's question `How can I explain this to my classes?' The information it gives is practical, reliable, and easy to find. There are over 600 entries, arranged alphabetically. Most of these cover grammatical topics, but there are also a number on vocabulary, idiom, style, pronunciation, and spelling. First published in 1980, the book is regarded as a masterpiece of its kind, and has acquired the authority and following of a classic. New to this edition The text has now been thoroughly revised. It contains more information: many entries have been extended to cover their topics more fully, and fresh entries have been added which deal with important points not included in the first edition. It is clearer: to make them easier to consult, entries have been reorganized and signposted with more subheadings; many explanations have been rewritten and improved. There is no change, however, in the book's original character as a wholly practical reference guide for all who want to know more about the language and to avoid making mistakes.