Understanding phrasal verbs

Posted by on Mar 11, 2013 in Grammar, Vocabulary |

One of the best resources for this (besides a good monolingual dictionary) is Using English.com.  Using English has an excellent phrasal verb dictionary (also an idioms dictionary) as well as a forum where you can ask for extra information or just check that you are using them correctly. Try and notice patterns with certain particles (the prepositions or adverbs that make up the phrasal verb) and how they change the meaning of the base verb on...

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Answer all of your grammar questions

Posted by on Mar 11, 2013 in Grammar |

Sometimes an exercise book just isn’t enough and you really want to know the details.  This is when you need a grammar reference.  Practical English Usage and Cambridge Grammar of English are two of the best.

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Grammar exercise books

Posted by on Mar 11, 2013 in Grammar |

Raymond Murphy’s Grammar in Use Intermediate is one of the most comprehensive books around of grammar rules and exercises.  Every student should have this.  There is also Advanced Grammar in Use, and while it is very complete I think it is appropriate for an extremely high level (Cambridge Proficiency Exam).  A good exercise book in between these two is Cambridge Grammar for CAE and Proficiency.

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Advanced grammar guides online

Posted by on Mar 11, 2013 in Grammar, Writing |

The Purdue OWL (Online Writing Laboratory) is a huge reference to improve your writing.  They have a large section of grammar and punctuation rules for native speakers for your most difficult grammar questions. About.com has a lot of resources although it may be difficult to find what you are looking for if you don’t know the correct terminology.  Use your textbook or another grammar reference to identify what you are looking for and then...

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