A Communicative Grammar of English, Third Edition

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: A great one

Rating:
Summary: If the 2nd Ed. is as Good as the First ...
Review: G. Leech and J. Svartvik wrote the first edition of this book, released in 1975. I used it as a University text in the late 1980s, and it sits prominent amongst my references in my office. Though the book is designed for advanced ESL students (at the University level), I am a native speaker of the language, and find the approach taken unique, but of greater value than many other style manuals. I refer to it before going to the Chicago Manual of Style or the MLA Style Manual.

The authors look at the USES of grammar rather than the STRUCTURE of grammar. This is very useful for writers (like myself), teachers of ESL, advanced students of ESL, or those who need to learn how to communicate better (Engineers).