Page 8 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

TO THE STUDENT

Who the book is for
The book is intended for more advanced students of English. It is written mainly as a self-study
book, but might also be used in class with a teacher. It revises some of the more difficult points of
grammar that you will have already studied - such as when to use the, a/an or no article, and
when to use the past simple or the present perfect - but will also introduce you to many more
features of English grammar appropriate to an advanced level of study.
How the book is organised
There are 120 units in the book. Each one looks at a particular area of grammar. Some sections
within each unit focus on the use of a grammatical pattern, such as will be + -ing (as in will be
travelling). Others explore grammatical contrasts, such as whether to use would or used to to
report past events, or when we use because or because of. The 120 units are grouped under a
number of headings such as Tenses and Modals. You can find details of this in the Contents on
pp. iii-vi.
Each unit consists of two pages. On the left-hand page are explanations and examples; on the
right are practice exercises. The letters next to each exercise show you which sections of the left-
hand page you need to understand to do that exercise. You can check your answers in the Key on
page 289. The Key also comments on some of the answers. Four Appendices tell you about
passive verb form, quotation, irregular verbs and Typical Errors (see below). To help you find the
information you need there is an Index at the back of the book. Although terms to describe
grammar have been kept to a minimum some have been included, and you can find explanations
of these terms in the Glossary on page 265. л
On each left-hand page you will find a number of • symbols. These are included to show the
kinds of mistakes that students often make concerning the grammar point being explained. These
Typical Errors are given in Appendix 4 on page 246, together with a correction of the error, and
an explanation where it is helpful.
The symbol Й?я is used to show you when it might be useful to consult a dictionary. On the
explanation pages it is placed next to lists of words that follow a particular grammatical pattern,
and on the exercise pages it is used, for example, to show where it necessary to understand what
particular words mean in order to do the exercise. Good English-English dictionaries include the
Cambridge International Dictionary of English, the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary
English, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, and the Collins Cobuild English Language
Dictionary.
How to use the book
It is not necessary to work through the units in order. If you know what grammar points you have
difficulty with, go straight to the units that deal with them. You can use the Index to help you find
the relevant unit or units. If you are unsure which units to study, use the Study Guide on page 280.
You can use the units in a number of ways. You might study the explanation and examples
first, do the exercises on the opposite page, check your answers in the key, and then look again at
the explanations if you made any mistakes. If you just want to revise a grammar point you think
you already know, you could do the exercises first and then study the explanations for any you
got wrong. You might of course simply use the book as a reference book without doing the
exercises.
A number of Additional Exercises are included for further practice of particular areas
of grammar.

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