Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English Workbook (Grammar Reference).
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| Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English Workbook |
To the student
We designed this Workbook to give you practice in analyzing English grammar andunderstanding how it works in real communication. The Workbook differs from other
grammar textbooks known to us in its exclusive focus on how English is actually used. All
examples in the exercises are taken from naturally occurring English texts and
conversations, rather than being invented, idealized language.
Advantages of this Workbook
The focus on real language has three advantages.- First, authentic instances of how people really use the language are more interestingthan made-up sentences. They can even be fun! It is often entertaining to see whatpeople actually say and write.
- Second, analyzing authentic examples will give you the tools you need as Englishlanguage students and professionals. Authentic pieces of English can be messy, andless 'tidy' than made-up sentences. But a book with made-up sentences would not have prepared you to understand the use of grammar in natural settings. For example, if you become an English teacher, your students will ask you to explain the grammar of real language use: sentences in their essays, or snatches they heard on the radio or read in a newspaper. Also, during the rest of your time as a student, it is likely that you will be surrounded by authentic English: in conversations, lectures, textbooks, newspapers, and so on. This Workbook will give you the practice and tools needed to analyze the grammatical structure of the language around you.
- Third, in our focus on authentic language we explicitly contrast the grammar of spoken and written English.You will quickly discover that the typical grammatical constructions of conversation are very different from those found in academic writing.You will probably be especially surprised by the grammar of conversation: rather than consisting of simple one-clause sentences (as you might imagine from some textbooks), you will find that conversation regularly makes use of complex-seeming structures with many kinds of embedding, as well as a generous sprinkling of ultrasimple structures which have no verb and contain only one or two words. In contrast, written texts build up their complexity with longer phrases, with much embedding of one phrase in another. By examining and contrasting the grammar of these different kinds of language, you will gain the expertise and insight needed to apply your knowledge in real communication.
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