Grammar Books Project

In this project I offer a narrative of my informed opinion and an account of my discoveries in the
area of present-day English language grammars.

Books that describe grammar rules

Description В.Л.Каушанская. An Н.А.Кобрина An Douglas Biber. Longman
English Grammar English Grammar. Student Grammar of Spoken
Syntax. and Written English. Longman
2003
Title An English Grammar An English Grammar. Longman Student Grammar of
Syntax. Spoken and Written English.
Longman 2003
Authour В.Л.Каушанская, Н.А.Кобрина,Е.А.Кор Douglas Biber, Susan Conrad,
Р.Л.Ковнер, неева, М.И.Оссовская, Geoffrey Leech
О.Н.Кожевникова К.А.Гузеева
Prospective For advanced students For advanced students For advanced students at
user/level specializing in the English of pedagogical university or on teacher-
language institutes specializing in training courses
foreign languages
Publisher, Ленинград издательство Издательство Pearson Education, Longman,
year of «Просвещение»,1973 «СОЮЗ» Санкт- 2002
publication Петербург,1999
Arrangement The material is presented in The main material of The Longman Student
of material a clearly defined order.The the book is presented Grammar is based on an
book includes Accidence, from the point of analysis of 40-million words
i.e. the parts of speech and modern English literary of British and American
morphological categories, grammatical norm, but English , takes vocabulary and
and Syntax, i.e. the sentence American variants are grammar together and looks at
and the part of the sentence. also fixed, as well as how they interact
colloquialisms and
archaic forms used in
poetry. each new topic
is summarized with
brief information giving
a general description of
the phenomenon being
described.
Illustrative The rules are illustrated by a Illustrative examples Over 3000 examples of real,
examples lot of examples taken from are taken from 20th corpus English is used to
English and American century Anglo- illustrate the points. The
th th
authors of the 19 and 20 American. examples are taken from news,
centuries For instance, fiction, academic and spoken
For instance, The present indefinite. English.
Ways of expressing the I live in St.-Peterburg. For instance,
subject. Most dogs bark. Finally, some head nouns can
1.A noun in the common It’s a long way to control only of+ing-clauses,
case. Tipperary. such as cost,task, and
The sulky walter brought problem: They presented the
my tea. move as a contribution by the
 Marcellus slowly turned his
head.
Paralinguistic Consists of paragraph
features numbers and its sub-
paragraphs. There are
tonograms in some
paragraphs.
Government to the huge cost
of improving water quality.
(news)
It therefore seems logical to
begin the task of
disentangling the relationship
between movement and urban
structure.(acad)
All material is divided There are a lot of tables and
into paragraphs with graphs.
continuous numbering.
There are also tables,
paradigms and
transcription.

Douglas Biber. Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Longman 2003
 Examines patterns of use in news, fiction,academic, and spoken English
 Takes grammar and vocabulary together and looks at how they interacted
 Is based on an analysis of 40-million words of British and American, written and spoken
corpus text
 Uses over 3000 examples of real, corpus English to illustrate the points
 Uses frequently tables and graphs to make the new findings of this grammar clear
 The workbook is also available
 Includes index, glossary of terms, A-Z list of irregular verbs

Books that combine grammar explanations and practice exercises

Description Michael Vince. Virginia Evans. Round- Virginia Evans. Round-up 6
Advanced Language up 4
Practice.
Title Advanced Language Round-up 4 Round-up 6
Practice.
Author Michael Vince Virginia Evans Virginia Evans
Prospective For upper-intermediate For intermediate students For learners in the upper-
user/level and advanced learners of intermediate stages of English
English who are working language learning
either with a teacher or
on their own
Publisher, Macmillan Education, Pearson Education, 2005 Pearson Education, 2011
year of 1993
publication
Arrangement The book is divided into The material is arranged There are more practical
of material two parts: a study section in clear way. One material than theoretical one.
and a reference section grammar topic is divided One unit describes one
into 4-5 units (i.e. grammar topic. There are
tenses). There are ‘English in use’ at the end of
revision exercises at the each topic.
end of the topic.
Illustrative Each unit consists of text, Each unit consists of Each unit consists of
examples exercises and notes theoretical explanation theoretical explanation with
where you can find the with examples and examples and a lot of
explanation with exercises. exercises.
examples. For instance, For instance,
 For instance,
We use after:
-as a preposition: I’ll see
you after lunch. I’ll see
you after that.
Paralinguistic The book is divided into
features units and a picture is
attached to each text.
Present Simple is used:
1.for permanent
situations. She works in
an office.
1.She ……..(study) every
morning.
Grammar points clearly
presented in colourful
boxes and tables, highly
illustrated games and
activities. There are a lot
of pictures.
Present Perfect:
 To announce news or
give new information
The Prime Minister has
decided to call a
general election.
Grammar points clearly
presented in colourful boxes
and tables, lively, full-colour
illustrations and oral and
written activities. There are a
lot of pictures and tables.

Virginia Evans. Round-up 4 vs Virginia Evans. Round-up 6

Similarity:
 Colourful boxes and tables present language clearly
 Lively, illustrated exercises and games
 Pre-tests to identify student’s knowledge
 Regular revision sections and Progress Tests
 Teacher’s Guide includes answer keys and extra tests
Difference:
 More exercises than theory (round-up 6)
 One unit consists of one full topic (i.e. tenses)

Guides to English grammar or practical reference guides to English usage

Description John Eastwood. Oxford Peter Strutt. Longman Michael Swan. Practical
Guide to English Business English Usage English Usage. Oxford
Grammar. OUP.
Title Oxford Guide to English Longman Business Practical English Usage.
Grammar. OUP. English Usage Oxford
Author John Eastwood Peter Strutt Michael Swan
Prospective For intermediate and For people who reached a For intermediate and advanced
user/level advanced learners of broadly intermediate level students, and for teachers of
English, and their of English. English
teachers
Publisher, Oxford University Press, Pearson Education, 1992 Oxford University Press,
year of 1994 1980,1995
publication
Arrangement Each chapter starts with a The entries are organized Problems are mostly explained
of material summary which reviews alphabetically for easy in short separate entries; the
the topic as a whole and reference. The entries book is more like a dictionary
shows reader where to provide straightforward than a grammar in form.
find the particular descriptions, with clear
information they need. examples of meaning and
use.
Illustrative The use of helpful Examples are drawn from Examples of common
examples examples a wide range of business mistakes, illustration of
For instance, fields stylistic differences and
Demonstratives For instance, differences between British and
Choosing a gift Please insure the cargo American usage
Debbie: I just want to against all risks. For instance,
look at these jugs. I’m You can rest assured that Lay and lie
 going to buy my mother everything is under 1)lay
one for her birthday. control. Lay is a regular verb except for
Felicity: Those glass its spelling. Its forms are:
ones are nice.  Infinitive: (to) lay
 -ing form: laying
 Past: laid
 Past participle: laid
2)lie
The form of the irregular verb
lie are:
 Infinitive: (to) lie
 -ing form: lying
 Past: lay
 Past participle: lain
Paralinguistic Chapters are divided into The book is divided into The book is divided into
features smaller chapters. There paragraphs and consists of paragraphs. There are tables.
are pictures in some a lot of diagrams, tables
chapters. and charts.

Michael Swan. Practical English Usage. Oxford

 Over 600 concise, authoritative entries
 Numerous examples of natural spoken and written British English
 Examples of common mistakes
 Illustrations of stylistic differences
 Illustrations of differences between British and American usage
 Cross-references between related entries
 A glossary of language terminology
 A very full index

Encyclopedias/dictionaries describing grammar of the English language among other things

Description David Crystal. Sidney Greenbaum. The Bas Aarts. Oxford Dictionary
Cambridge Encyclopedia Oxford English Grammar. of English Grammar
of the English Language.
Title Cambridge Encyclopedia The Oxford English Oxford Dictionary of English
of the English Language Grammar. Grammar
Author David Crystal Sidney Greenbaum Bas Aarts, Sylvia Chalker,
Edmund Weiner
Prospective For advanced students, For native speakers o For advanced students, and for
user/level and for teachers of English and others who teachers of English
English use English as their first
language
Publisher, The Press Syndicate of Oxford University Press, Oxford University Press,
year of the University of 1996 1994,2014
publication Cambridge, 1941
Arrangement The material is divided Covers written and spoken Entries are strictly alphabetical.
of material into parts and chapters British and American There are clear definitions and
but not in a strict order English, across both the meanings of abbreviations
formal and informal
registers of the language.
Each chapter starts with a
summary.
Illustrative The use a wide range of There are a lot of examples anaphora
examples examples For instance, The use of a 'word or words as
For instance, Intensifiers may also a substitute for a previous
Words and phrases used modify comparatives: linguistic unit when referring
as exclamations, Actually Simon can’t be back to a person, thing, event,
questions, and too much older than us. etc., denoted by the latter.'
commands, such as Nice So I think it’s slightly Pronouns and other 'pro-forms
day!, Taxi?, and All lighter. are frequently used
aboard! anaphorically to avoid
repetition, e.g.
I called John because I wanted
to ask him something
Paralinguistic There are a lot of The book is divided into There are no pictures, tables or
features colourful maps, chapters. The tables are diagrams.
diagrams, pictures and used in this book.
photos in this book.

David Crystal. Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language:

 is one of the publishing phenomena of recent times
 Packed with over 100 colour illustrations, maps, tables and graphics
 provides the most comprehensive coverage of the history, structure and
worldwide use of English
 is divided into parts
 There have been numerous subsequent updated reprintings

Conclusion of the research:

I think that each book that is described above is unique and very useful. And on my
opinion the book ‘Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language’ by David Crystal
is a must for English learners because in this book the author describes not only
grammatical rules but also tell us about the history of language providing useful
examples together with maps, pictures and tables.