10 Best English Grammar Books UK 2024
We know how tough it can be to find the right English grammar book for you; perhaps an Oxford English grammar guide? Something for adults or kids? Or a book with answers specifically to improve your grammar for a test? We’ve compiled the top 10 best English grammar books you can buy online from Amazon and eBay, ranked according to utility and value for money. Read on to find the ideal tome that’ll whip your grammar into shape.
Quick List - Top English Grammar Books
A.J. Thomson & A.V. Martinet
Essential Reading for Teachers & Students of Grammar
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How to Choose an English Grammar Book in the UK – Buying Guide
Grammar Guides Are Aimed at a Range of Different Groups
English Grammar Books that Examine the Complexities of Language Are Best for Native Speakers
For School-Age Learners or Anyone Hoping to Brush up on Grammar, Pick a Specialist Book
If You’re Learning (or Teaching) English as a Foreign Language, Books With a Breakdown of Meaning and Form Will Help
These books include clear examples of different tenses like the past simple and continuous, as well as timelines illustrating the meaning and an almost mathematical formula for writing them down.
Grammar Books With Practice Tasks Help You Consolidate Your Learning
Consider the Size and Binding Type According to Where You’ll Use Your Grammar Book
Paperbacks are light, making them great to carry into class and flexible enough to squash into packed schoolbags. Hardcovers are sturdy and durable enough to last the years. Flexibound is a third option which balances the solidity of a hardcover with the movement afforded by a paperback.
Kindle Editions Mean You Can Store a Number of Books in One Place
Lots of people still prefer the feeling of a real book in their hands, especially if there are answer sections or pages you want to annotate by hand. However, kindle versions of books have plenty of advantages which might sway you. Kindles are light and allow you to have many grammar books in one place.
They are also incredibly affordable. Once you've bought the kindle, you'll save money in the long run as you usually get a few pounds off the paperback or hardback price.
Top 10 Best English Grammar Books in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Raymond Murphy English Grammar in Use | | The Perfect Book for Self-Studying Grammar | |
2 | Bas Aarts Oxford Modern English Grammar | | A Definitive Guide to Grammar | |
3 | John Seely Oxford A – Z of Grammar & Punctuation | | ‘Small, Concise & Informative’ | |
4 | A.J. Thomson & A.V. Martinet A Practical English Grammar | | Essential Reading for Teachers & Students of Grammar | |
5 | Raymond Murphy Essential Grammar in Use | | Clear Examples & Practice Tasks | |
6 | Cambridge University Press Grammar for IELTS With Answers | | Nail IELTS-level Grammar | |
7 | Oxford Primary Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Dictionary | | An Essential Primary Grammar Guide | |
8 | DK English for Everyone English Grammar Guide | | Bold, Accessible Guide for Visual Learners | |
9 | CGP KS2 English｜Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling Study Book | | Colourful & Easy-to-Read Guide for the English SATs | |
10 | Sean Williams English Grammar: 100 Tragically Common Mistakes & How to Correct Them | | A Bible for Grammar Nerds |
The Perfect Book for Self-Studying Grammar
Each section looks carefully at one area of grammar, highlighting with superbly succinct examples why each grammar point is used. The facing page is then divided into sections with practice tasks to test the point just discussed. Comprehensive and wonderfully easy to follow.
A Definitive Guide to Grammar
This hardcover book is ideal to keep on your shelf at home, either for grammar experts to check the finer intricacies of this complicated tongue, or for learners of English as a second language to check usage, stress and pronunciation of various tenses and structures.
‘Small, Concise & Informative’
With no practice tasks, this is more of a guide for grammar buffs with an advanced to proficient understanding of the English language. It’s nice and small so can be transported easily along with you, wherever you’re headed on your crusade for immaculate grammar!
A.J. Thomson & A.V. MartinetA Practical English Grammar
Essential Reading for Teachers & Students of Grammar
Ideal for either a learner or a teacher of the language, this book could also be used by younger or older learners. A great reference book when looking up, say, the different uses of which and that or the uses of perfect tenses or explaining their uses to other people.
Clear Examples & Practice Tasks
Not only is a flexible paperback ideal for transporting to and from the classroom, it also has fantastically clear explanations of every element of English grammar, including timelines expressing the time period each tense relates to, plus lots of exercises to hammer the points home.
Cambridge University Press Grammar for IELTS With Answers
Nail IELTS-level Grammar
And that’s where Cambridge’s guide to grammar specifically for the IELTS exam steps in. It’s a comprehensive guide to the types of language points you’ll encounter in this tricky exam, with loads of practice tasks that’ll have you acing English grammar in no time.
Oxford PrimaryGrammar, Punctuation and Spelling Dictionary
An Essential Primary Grammar Guide
The user-friendly layout and bold colours make this book fun to use for children and parents alike. It’s a nice big size, and the fact it’s a paperback makes it all the more pleasant to work through. The book includes lots of tips and tricks to improve basic literary skills.
Bold, Accessible Guide for Visual Learners
It is a particularly useful guide for visual learners as it sets out grammar points with the key words in bold, accompanied by little illustrations which should help the information stick! The guide comes with a practice book filled with more than 3,000 questions to test you.
CGPKS2 English ｜ Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling Study Book
Colourful & Easy-to-Read Guide for the English SATs
The flexible paperback style is ideal for squishing into a school bag, but the large A4 size pages mean the layout is clear and easy to follow. There are tasks with spaces to write your answers and each chapter finishes up with a recap so you know you’ll retain your new knowledge.
Sean WilliamsEnglish Grammar: 100 Tragically Common Mistakes & How to Correct Them
A Bible for Grammar Nerds
‘100 Tragically Common Grammar Mistakes’ talks you through the kind of errors being made by students, social media users and even writers every day. It’s a small and flexible paperback so it’s easy to transport and also works well as a gift for grammar geeks.
Try Other Books to Learn Different Languages
As you attempt to master the English language and all its complicated grammar, why not start exploring the intriguing grammar of other languages too? They say that understanding the structure of other languages helps to improve your knowledge of your own. And let's not forget, there are plenty of practical reasons why being good at languages will help you in today's world.
Summary
Author: Annie Hopkins
Top 5 English Grammar Books
No. 1: Raymond Murphy｜English Grammar in Use
No. 2: Bas Aarts｜Oxford Modern English Grammar
No. 3: John Seely｜Oxford A – Z of Grammar & Punctuation
No. 4: A.J. Thomson & A.V. Martinet｜A Practical English Grammar
No. 5: Raymond Murphy｜Essential Grammar in Use
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