Reviews (33)

Fantastic!Useful for looking up words, but also assists in language learning
This is by far the best Arabic-English Dictionary out there.It is based on Arabic's triletter root system, and not based on alphabetic order.
Major strengths of the book
If you have the money and want to buy an Arabic-English dictionary, this one is the best there is.
poor quality of print
The book is very small, which should have been an indication.Printed in India, most of the pages are blurred or faint printing.Not readable.A huge price for something unusable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Arabic language    3. Dictionaries    4. English    5. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    6. Multi-Language Dictionaries    7. Reference    8. Bilingual dictionaries   

Reviews (1)

Very handy and well-designed
This is a useful phrasebook for the novice heading to Iraq for the first time. No Arabic script; a shame, but that seems to be the case with almost all such handbooks tailored to one dialect of Arabic. The almost pocket-sized booklet starts off with a description of the phonetic system and moves quickly to a few very basic elements of grammar, basic words, numbers, telling time, and common situations from greetings to arrival at the airport, checking in at a hotel, getting around town, food and drink, personal care, sight-seeing, visiting mosques, medical care, security situation, and timely police station and checkpoint dialogue. Nothing special in terms of military lingo, but handy sections on "searching a house" and handling "demonstrations". Prepared in 2004, but not with the occupation and post-occupation too much in mind, no mention of roadside bombs or beheadings, prisoners, or prisoner handling; almost as if Iraq were a normal country. Ends with a 1,000 word basic dictionary. At this price you can't go wrong by keeping a copy handy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Arabic Language    3. Conversation and phrase books    4. Dialects    5. English    6. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    7. Foreign Language Study    8. Grammar    9. Iraq    10. Language    11. Foreign Language Study / Arabic    12. Language self-study & phrasebooks    13. Reference   

Reviews (1)

Great Results
It was a wonderful first time for me purchasing from Amazon.The books came in perfect conditions and in a timely manner.I am very satisfied with the results of my purchase. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bilingual Education    2. Education    3. English As A Second Language    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. General    6. ELT: teaching theory & methods    7. Education / Bilingual Education    8. English    9. Industrial or vocational training   

Reviews (13)

Fun to read, useful information, and makes a great gift
This book hits a sweet spot for me.Paul Brians uses a common sense approach in discussing how we use and misuse our language.His approach is not fussy or full of rules.Instead, he uses humor and a light touch to help the reader develop a sense for what is proper and logical.He also helps us learn where we commonly fall into traps by mishearing and misusing words through regionalisms or simply similar sounding words.
It is really useful andentertaining.I love it!
I usually don't review any of my purchases. But, this book is so captivating that I had to review it!
Too Basic
The content is so elementary that this book cannot be considered a serious reference work for writers. Many of the "Common Errors" seem to have been made up in order to complete a targeted page count. If you already know the difference between "chunk" and "chuck," and know when to use "next door" instead of "next store" to convey your intended meaning, you can pass on this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Composition & Creative Writing - General    2. Dictionaries    3. English as a Second Language    4. English language    5. Errors of usage    6. Foreign Language Study    7. Grammar    8. Idioms    9. Language    10. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    11. Phonetics & Phonics    12. United States    13. Usage    14. English    15. Usage guides   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (26)

No "blog" but who cares...
Very contempory with updated word list and the extra photos, diagrams, etc. etc. etc. make this a fine choice for kids of all ages from 2 to 92.I am especially happy they included the 'hoopoe' in the bird category.We have many here in Thailand where I live.

very helpful
My daughters are in the third grade and, we have found this dictionary to be very helpful. It is bright and colorful but, it contains quite a bit of information as well. It helps them not only when they are writing something (to look up the spelling of a word) but also to understand the meaning of words. It gives parts of speech, different tenses, and pronunciation of the word as well. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to buy a dictionary for children. I had bought the Scholastic First Dictionary also but, honestly, we did not use that one much at all. The Children's Dictionary is my pick, for sure.

Perfect
My son is in 3rd grade. Every week he has to read a new story & learn a list of words from that story. Yesterday, I received the dictionary. Paging through it, it's very easy follow. Every word that was on his list was in the dictionary & the definations were perfect for him to understand. My son also said that they use the same dictionary in his classroom. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Dictionaries    4. Dictionaries, Juvenile    5. English language    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Reference - Dictionaries    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Reference / Dictionaries   

Reviews (42)

My favorite
I am an EFL teacher and have dictionaries of different publishers. MW9 was my first dictionary of a kind and it started the life-long romance with this beautiful piece of lexicography. The 11th edition is a step forward,the only thing lacking being the list of colleges and universities in US and Canada, which I do miss. Otherwise, the only competition this dictionary can have is the new edition of Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary by OUP, but I still think MW11 is more up-to-date and interesting to use.

Missing some stuff
I bought this dictionary for the CD ROM that comes with it.Websters makes by far the best computer dictionary available and when you combine it with the computer thesaurus you have a very powerful writing tool.
Scholastic Dictionary
So far I am pleased with this dictionary.I had to make the purchase for my 6th & 8th graders, and I believe they are finding it easy to use. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Dictionaries - General    3. English language    4. Reference    5. English   

Reviews (2)

Oxford-River English-Thai Dictionary plugs the gaps
At last an excellent and truly comprehensive English Thai dictionary.Arguably its best feature is the wealth of common expressions it includes under most listed words, expressions that frequently have no literal construction or translation but are essential to easy and natural conversation.The alphebetically positioned special explanation panels - eg. forms of address in letter writing, the use numerals etc. -are a very worthwhile inclusion as well.One suggestion for the next edition would be a phonetic rendition of theprimary Thai translation of the listed English word - given the implied vowels that feature in many Thai words this improvement would be warmly welcomed and at least for this reader would immediately propel his rating from four to five stars.

Very useful!
An amazing piece of work! It is probably the only one of its kind in the market. It is particularly good for Thai speakers, but it can also help non-native learners trying to learn Thai. Although it is just English-Thai (with no Thai-English section), as long as you can manage to read the Thai (no transliterations) you can get a lot from it. Each entry has many examples of both literal-like (real, but close to the English in their form) and (more interestingly) "functional" Thai equivalents to the English. And these examples seem to be quite real and natural (linguistically "trustable" Thai friends report). Other Thai dictionaries often present Thai sentences that are so improvable... It has been cleverly made to include many multi-purpose sentences in most entries; so in entries like, say, "do" you find very useful Thai equivalents to "Do something to someone", "Is there anything I can do to help?", "Have nothing to do", "What is that/he doing here?", "What am I going to do?" and so on. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chinese    2. Dictionaries    3. Dictionaries - General    4. English language    5. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    6. Foreign Language Study    7. Language    8. Polyglot Dictionaries    9. Reference    10. Southeast Asian    11. Thai    12. Bilingual dictionaries    13. English    14. Foreign Language Study / Southeast Asian Languages    15. Reference | Bilingual Dictionaries | Other    16. Thai (Siamese)   

Reviews (5)

Excellent book for new arrivals
I purchased this book for a new Mexican friend, who recently moved to the U.S. for two years and speaks practically no English, while I know a smattering of Spanish. We've found it to be invaluable in helping us communicate. When it's obvious that she isn't understanding me, I can turn to the appropriate page--the kitchen, for example--and point to the picture, and she can do the same. Then we work on her pronunciation of the English word. I will probably purchase another one for myself to help me strengthen my Spanish skills. I would also consider the other language titles to correspond with those my sons are studying in school. The format is user-friendly, the color illustrations are happy, and the categories of words are vast and extremely practical--especially helpful to someone struggling to get by in a new country. My friend showed the book to her ESL teacher and was very proud when the instructor recommended the book to the rest of the class!

Great picture dictionary
What makes this dictionary so great is that it is not in alphabetical order and it is based on themes.For example, there is a classroom theme on a page and all of the words that have to do with what is in a classroom.Also, I like the fact that their are numbers next to the object and then all of the words in Spanish and English are at the bottom half of the page.This allows you to cover up all of the words and quiz yourself.
The best ever...you can find it here!
I am buying 3 more copies of this book for fellow teachers in my building. Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Dictionaries    4. Dictionaries - General    5. English language    6. Foreign Language Study    7. Picture dictionaries, English    8. Picture dictionaries, Spanish    9. Spanish    10. Spanish Language    11. Bilingual dictionaries    12. ELT dictionaries & reference    13. English    14. English Language Learning (ESL) | Picture Dictionary Programs | Oxford Picture Dictionary Program    15. Foreign Language Study / English as a Second Language   

Reviews (7)

searching for all the words
Even with the invention of the internet, every house should have a dictionary.There's a couple books everyone should have, and the dictionary is one of them.The Merriam-Webster Dictionary is small enough to fit inside a small cabinet, but big enough to find most of the words you want to search for.
This is the one I always seem to reach for first..........
I have a old hard cover Webster's collegiate dictionary that my parents gave me before I went to college sitting under my bed.I also have a huge 2 volume Oxford Shorter English dictionary gathering dust in my closet.I even have a unabridged Random House dictionary on the very computer I am writing this review on.I use all of the above occasionally, but the one I use the most is this little paperback dictionary that sits on my desk beside my bed.It usually has what I'm looking for and I rarely have to use one of the bigger dictionaries.The size is nice and it is light weignt so it is easy to carry around if you have to.If you need a small desk dictionary this is a good one.
no deal on the price
What can I say about the book? The M-W Dictionary is a widely used tool book and especially useful for preparing GRE. So I gave these 3 stars to the book.
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Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Dictionaries - General    3. English language    4. Reference   

Reviews (33)

Great beginner book
I used Alif Baa (with DVDs) in Arabic 101 at the University of Maryland (Baltimore County) and it's probably the best beginner book I have encountered.The DVDs are great and add a lot to the text and exercises.It even shows a chart with the letters, and you can click on the appropriate character to hear and show someone pronouncing it in several different voices.Great idea.Lots of exercises to listen to and write down.And, for $5, there's an answer key to Alif Baa which will help an awful lot if you want to teach yourself.

Good starter book for Arabic
I've taken Spanish and Russian, so I'm no stranger to learning a new language. I have had some rudimentary Arabic that was based on phonetics, so I never really learned the letters. This book drills in each letter with repetition, so you write each letter multiple times, and utilize it in words so you know the initial, medial, and final positions. The book isn't perfect, and without a solution manual you are in the dark as to whether you are getting the dictation down right. I would receommend either taking an Arabic class (as I am doing) that uses this book or buying the solutions manual to go it alone. As my instructor states, this book and Al Kitaab #1 are the foundation, if you can make it through these books you are on your way, but it isn't easy. If I had to do this on my own, I would be taking longer, but the intense schedule of the class is keeping the words and letters fresh in my brain. Bottom line, if you are buying this for school, it's good to go. If you are buying it to go it alone, get the solution manual.

A fabulous series
This book is such an improvement over what was the previous standard:the Orange Book from Michigan.It is not too technical and comes with nicely done DVDs.This and the companion 'Al-Kitab' are elementary and intermediate courses together.There is also an answer key (separate purchase) which I would recommend.
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Subjects:  1. Arabic    2. Arabic language    3. English    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. Foreign Language Study    6. Language    7. Phonetics    8. Textbooks for foreign speakers    9. Writing    10. Language teaching & learning material & coursework   

Reviews (3)

accurate - not always
The point when using any reference book is to expand on understanding and to get the true sense of the subject under study.This "Strongest" Strong's concordance falls short of this, as it apparently uses personal bias in its definitions (and comments), i.e. cross - 'stauros - cross, cross'. Research is for accurate knowledge. I was very disappointed.

Only Concordance Needed!
If you are a fan of the NIV Bible then this is the best book to have along with it.This exhaustive concordance has everything you need to study the words in the NIV bible.It includes the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries.This is a must have book for your bible study needs!

Worth the price if you use NIV translation.
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek dictionaries are done very well, compared to the old Strong's Concordance I have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aramaic language    2. Bible    3. Bible - Reference - Concordances    4. Bibles - New International    5. Concordances, English    6. Dictionaries    7. English    8. Greek language, Biblical    9. Hebrew language    10. New International    11. Reference    12. Religion    13. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    14. Biblical concordances & commentaries    15. Christian Interest    16. Religion / Reference   

Reviews (23)

The Ultimate Dictionary
I have had other dictionaries, however for getting to the grass roots meaning of a particular word, this is the dictionary to have on the bookshelf. It settles all disputes over the correct meaning of words.The CD Rom is excellent as I have it loaded in both my home computer and work laptop.

Best dictionary for the non-fanatic
I did a fair bit of internet research reading to try to determine what the best dictionary was in the $100-$150 range.For the non-fanatic, this 2-volume set covers pretty much everything you need.If you are a word fanatic, then drop $1000 on the 20-volume OED.The layout of the Shorter OED (think "unabridged") is superb, and the entries are up-to-date, unlike the "new" editions of some competing dictionaries.You can't go wrong with this purchase.

Search no more for the perfect dictionary!
Although it arrives in two volumes, it is nonetheless, a near definitive guide for all words English. If you suspect the fellow Scrabble players of cheating, this will be your source. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Dictionaries - General    3. English Language Dictionaries    4. English language    5. General    6. Reference    7. English    8. Reference / General    9. Reference | English Dictionaries   

Reviews (14)

The Visual Dictionary of Architecture
As with other materials by Francis D.K.Ching, the illustrations are not only clear and precise but aesthetically pleasing. It is a pleasure to read through the material for a comprehensive understanding of architectural concepts, presented in an historical perspective which clarifies the how and why of modern day building technology.The Visual Dictionary of Architecture
Ching's books are great!
This book is really good for architecture students. I do not use the book every day, but when I need it, it proves very usefull. All books from this author that I purchased are really good so far. This one has a lot of details drawings which are great.
Easy to use and read and understand
Somewhere near the very beginning of my lecturing career, I showed a slide onscreen and was trying to point out a unique feature of a home. Gesturing toward the screen I said, "that thingie over the window..."
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Dictionaries    3. General    4. Picture dictionaries, English    5. Reference    6. Architecture / Reference    7. Landscape art & architecture    8. Reference works   

Reviews (25)

Start Your Title Search Here
If you're looking for a title to your novel or original screenplay, start with this exhaustive compilation of the great quotations of the world. Another reason to use it is to find out whether it was Mark Twain or H. L. Mencken who first said dotty things about California!

BARTLETT'S QUOTATIONS DESIGNED FOR THE 21st CENTURY
At age 82, with a lifetime of writing, speaking, and using appropriate quotes, I have purchased and implemented timely quotations from each new Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.The new 17th Edition has kept pace with the passing years and persons without sacrificing the wisdom of the ages.
still the best
Bartlett's is still the best resource for researching quotations, better than anything I found on the net, including a site that was called Bartlett's.The print Bartlett's does an excellent job of cross-referencing, so when I wanted to track the original source of a quotation, only the print Bartlett's solved the problem.That's why I bought this copy for my local library.Computers haven't solved every research problem yet. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Quotations    2. Quotations, English    3. Reference    4. Dictionaries of quotations    5. Reference / Quotations   

Reviews (27)

over-rated and not worth the $
For much less than the price of this lexicon, one can purchase a copy of Thayer's, AND Trenchard's vocabulary guide AND a Greek concordance.Academic snobs make a big deal about how Thayer's lexicon is out of date because he did not have access to the papyri, but for 99% of New Testament words and meanings this is not an issue.Trenchard's book is actually MORE helpful, in my opinion, than this or any lexicon because he simply lists every possible meaning of each word.One way to get to the essence of a word's meaning is to look at the cognates, and Trenchard lists them all.A Greek concordance will actually print all the NT uses of a word in Greek.Bauer's lexicon is just not that helpful and is too wordy.
The Absolute Best Greek-English Lexicon That Money Can Buy
This is the most comprehensive Lexicon of Koine Greek available. I like how for almost every word, the lexicon gives you an extensive list of how this word is used in not only the New Testament, but in some of the Christian literature of the post New Testament era.
The Standard for NT Greek
This by far is one of the best, if not thee best Greek NT lexicon available. Of course the 3rd edition adds to this monument of scholarly work. It is a bit time consuming to look for the words in Greek, but if God has put that hunger in your heart then press on. You will not be disappointed with the purchase. The other "Greek Lit." that is referenced is helpful, but if you want just NT references then buy the BAGD "Shorter Lexicon". Either way I pray that you continue in the path that the Lord has layed out before you. Seek the Lord with all your heart...lean not on your own understanding...He will make your paths straight...God Bless You. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Commentaries - New Testament    3. Bible - Language Studies    4. Bible - Reference - General    5. Bible.    6. Christianity - History - General    7. Dictionaries    8. English    9. Greek Language    10. Greek language, Biblical    11. N.T    12. N.T.    13. New Testament Commentary    14. Religion    15. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    16. Ancient (Classical) Greek    17. Early Church    18. Literary & Linguistic Reference Works    19. New Testament    20. Religion / Church History   

Reviews (9)

Not awful, but not perfect either
This is an alright text book. It does what it's meant to do. A person can learn Italian from this book as long as they are also in a class as well, but it definately has some flaws. One -it needs more examples of some of the more difficult grammar points. Two - the order is strange. Why did you start with avere? Somehow essere seems like a better place to start. And the chapter themes! They pretend that they have chapters arranged by topic, but it seems very haphazard to me. Also, several major grammatical topics are missing from this book, and as a result, many of my teachers have had to give us multiple hand outs to compensate. It's ok - but it could be a lot better.

Invaluable resource
I read this entire book across two college semesters before moving to Italy.After having spent $500 or so on Italian language books, this is one of the few that was worth the money.Even though I speak fluently, I still refer to this book frequently to resolve difficult tense questions or clarify grammar details.I highly recommend this book to any serious student.

Wait for the next edition, or stick to the 4th!!
I took 3 semesters of Italian, with each semester covering 1/3 of the book, so I completed the entire book.This book is good if you follow it in a traditional classroom setting, especially since the proffessor pointed out all the mistakes in this book, which unfortunately, are quite numerous for a textbook.I have also checked out the 4th edition, which is much better than this one as it is better structured and contains useful charts,(which are now omitted)and is thoroughly proofread.The 6th edition just came out, so hopefully it is an improvement from the 5th. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. English    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Italian    4. Italian language    5. Language    6. Textbooks for foreign speakers    7. Foreign Language Study / Italian   

Reviews (5)

Excellent
I am really amazed of how much idioms and colloquial expressions you can learn just by listening to the CD. And guess what - these are idioms and phrases you REALLY hear everyday on the street, usedby most people in everyday situations. Before, my English sounded a bit "artificial" and somehow forced. Now, the more I used the idioms I learnt here, the more natural and even friendly I sound to the native speakers.
Useful Book
This is a good book to read, esp. for non-native English speaker. I learn many new expressions with ease (because the book provides proper context). The reason I give 4, instead of 5, is that there are (too) many repetitions throughout the book.

A simple yet clever way to break into the "idiom barrier"
Remember your good old Englishtextbook which started with an introduction of the characters who would be in the dialogs throughout the units? That's how this book is laid out. Idioms are contextualized and there are various consolidation exercises between units to reinforce them. The accompanying CD is very clear and the voices convey the moods of the characters - although I must say that the man who does Bob's voice sounds incredibly boring at times as his voicedoesn't seem to show much pitch variation. Some of the idioms are alreadyknown to most high-intermediate students, but there are many others to learn, so it can certainly satisfy those studentswho resent not having enough "real-life"vocabulary in class. It may alsobe useful for the student working on his own, once the explanations are very clear. In a nutshell: It's worth buying if you're looking for a simple - yet effective - way to explore the most common idioms of American English. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Conversation and phrase books    2. Dictionaries - General    3. English as a Second Language    4. English language    5. Foreign Language Study    6. Idioms    7. Language    8. Reference    9. Spoken English    10. United States    11. American English    12. Conversation    13. Study and teaching    14. Textbooks for foreign speakers   

Reviews (5)

Neat Dictionary!
I am in high school and was in serious need of a decent dictionary.I didn't want to spend a fortune either.I saw this dictionary and gave it a try... I LOVE IT!Great pictures and nice quality.Very helpful! My friend ended up buying one also and enjoys it as much as I have. I highly recommend!

A must for any student library
My son is 10 and in fourth grade.We use this dictionary just about everyday for studying poetry.So far, every word we've looked up has been there and with enough explanation to really make sense.We looked up the word "tread" - there were several definitions (about 4 inches worth), but each gave a sentence for context, which helped him pick out the right definition to apply.We also looked up "limerick" - the definition given was complete in that it actually included the rhyming scheme used, which was not included in two other dictionaries we have.There are color pictures and the the writing is large enough for him to read.It was also very reasonably priced.We are very happy with this Dictionary; we liked it so much we bought the American Heritage Thesaurus to go with it!

I stayed up late last night reading my daughter's dictionary!
My six year old needed a dictionary to look up words for her Junior Great Books homework.At first, I was drawn to dictionaries written for 8-10 year olds.They had larger print and flashier, more colorful pictures.Unfortunately, they didn't do the job of providing definitions for the unfamiliar words we needed to define (this week we needed to find tun, puncheon, bewail, and beadle.)I was forced to look at dictionaries aimed at an older audience and found that many were just not visually appealing.I didn't want a bland reference book that would be opened as little as necessary.I wanted something worth flipping through on a rainy day.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Reference    2. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Dictionaries    5. Dictionaries - General    6. Dictionaries, Juvenile    7. English language    8. Juvenile General And Reference Works    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Reference - Dictionaries    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / Reference / Dictionaries   

Reviews (1)

Not recommended
I have been teaching with this book for 2 years and the more familiar I am with it the less I like it and the more mistakes I find on it.It was not chosen by me and I hope we'll change it soon. The textbook and workbook have plenty of mistakes even though it is a second edition.
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Subjects:  1. English    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Foreign Language Study    4. Language    5. Spanish    6. Spanish language    7. Textbooks for foreign speakers    8. Foreign Language Study / Spanish   

Reviews (11)

Pleased with the service
I was pleased with the service and the book.
The best of all reference grammars
This book is undoubtedly the most comprehensive grammar of the English language ever written. It is an absolute 'must have' for any non-native English speaker who wishes to use the language competently. It will even make an excellent textbook for ambitious intermediate and advanced students.

Still Useful, but...
As the title and price suggest, this is a reference grammar of English, not a textbook. It's written for people who already have a grasp of basic grammatical principles. This is the sort of book that you pick up when you want to look up patterns of verb complementation, etc. Only a masochist would try to read it straight through, or to learn grammar from it.Read more

Subjects:  1. English Grammar    2. English as a Second Language    3. English language    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. Grammar    6. ELT grammars & grammar practice    7. English