Concise English Grammar

Concise English Grammar

One book. Everything you need. From the basics to the most advanced structures.

Concise English Grammar is the definitive reference for anyone who wants to master English grammar – whether you are preparing for a high‑stakes exam, writing university essays, or teaching the language. This comprehensive guide delivers clear explanations, authentic examples, and rigorous practice in a single volume.

What makes this book different?

• 16 in‑depth chapters covering every major topic: parts of speech, all 12 tenses, sentence structure, active & passive voice, conditionals, reported speech, articles, punctuation, and advanced structures (inversion, cleft sentences, subjunctive).
• Complete modal verb chapter – a rare feature in concise grammars. Master ability (can, could, be able to), permission, possibility, obligation (must, have to, should), logical deduction, and modal perfects (must have, should have, needn’t have). Includes the crucial used to / be used to / get used to distinction.
• Advanced clause analysis – dedicated chapters on noun clauses, adjective (relative) clauses, and adverb clauses, with full treatment of reduction, sentential clauses, and comparative correlatives.
• Verb patterns made simple – exhaustive lists of verbs followed by infinitives, gerunds, and those that change meaning (stop, remember, try, go on…). Clear tables and examples.
• Word formation & academic style – learn how prefixes, suffixes, and compounding work; build vocabulary with Cambridge‑style word family tables; master register, hedging, nominalisation, and cohesion for academic and professional writing.
• 1,200+ practice questions – 50 carefully crafted questions with full explanatory answers after every chapter. Modelled on real IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge examination papers, they test exactly the distinctions that separate excellent candidates from average ones.
• Exam traps highlighted – red Warning boxes flag the most common errors that appear again and again in every major English test. Green Tip boxes give positive strategies for remembering tricky rules. Gold Remember boxes capture the single most important idea in each section – ideal for last‑minute revision.
• Quick‑reference appendices – confusable words (advise/advice, affect/effect, lay/lie…), a complete grammar glossary, and transitional devices organised by register (formal, semi‑formal, informal).

Who this book is for:

• Examination candidates – IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge English (FCE, CAE, CPE), TOEIC, and national matriculation exams. The exam‑focused traps and signal words will sharpen your performance.
• University students – master the structures required for academic writing: noun clauses, hedging, nominalisation, and formal register.
• Teachers – a ready‑made source of crystal‑clear explanations, error analyses, and classroom‑tested exercises that save hours of preparation time.
• Self‑learners – structured to be used as a complete course, from intermediate to advanced, or as a quick reference when you need an answer fast.

What’s inside:

• Part 1 – Core Grammar – parts of speech, verb tenses, sentence structure, active/passive voice, conditionals, reported speech, articles, punctuation.
• Part 2 – Advanced Grammar – inversion, cleft sentences, subjunctive mood, gerund vs infinitive meaning shifts.
• Part 3 – Modal Verbs – ability, permission, possibility, obligation, deduction, modal perfects, and the used to family.
• Part 4 – Clause Mastery – noun clauses, relative clauses, adverb clauses, reduction, and comparative correlatives (the more…the more).
• Part 5 – Verb Patterns – complementation, verbs with infinitive only, gerund only, dual‑pattern verbs, adjective patterns, and complex object constructions.
• Part 6 – Word Formation & Style – prefixes, suffixes, compounding, word family tables, register, academic conventions, cohesion, and transitional devices.
• Appendices – confusable words, grammar glossary, transitional devices by function and register.