The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar

Author: None
Publisher: OXFORD
Publication Date: 1998-01-01
Features: Defined here are 1,000 terms used within the current mainstream of grammar, as well as within the related fields of phonetics and semantics, generative grammar, and linguistics. Examples of terms include fricative, linking verb, participial adjective, and pluperfect. Entries provide cross-references to synonyms (with the definition placed following the preferred term), indications of terms that enjoy a contrastive relationship, and cross-references to related and overlapping words. Entries include part-of-speech labels and illustrative quotations (sometimes with an indication of a phrase's earliest recorded appearance). The definitions constitute an interesting combination of telegraphic writing style (for the formal definition of a word) and narrative writing style (for explanations of the formal definition). Where British and American English differ, explanations for both are provided. For example, the definition for present perfect explains that American English often uses simple past, while British English prefers present perfect... This is a remarkable resource. It is not a usage dictionary, but its definitions of grammar terms include usage information. The illustrative quotations are superb at facilitating understanding of complicated concepts; the format is unusually clear; and everything seems to be included, from A ("adverbial as an element of clause structure") to Z ("any of the functional parts into which clause and sentence structure is analyzed"). This book will be used often by teachers, students (high school through college), writers, and of course, students of grammar. It is highly recommended for purchase by public and academic libraries; school librarians will want to preview before making a purchasing decision. -- This text refers to the Hardcover edition.