It s clear that to really do well at IELTS you need to have a good command of Engl

ish grammar. However a lot of candidates are not sure of the best way to do this
. For this reason we have put together this list of the best textbooks to help y
ou.
Obviously the best way to improve is to take classes with a teacher who has expe
rience with IELTS. He or she will be able to help you understand which areas you
need to focus on.
At SI-UK we provide high-quality IELTS lessons with qualified and experienced te
achers, so if you need to take advantage of this service please contact your loc
al SI-UK branch.
However it is also true that really mastering English grammar requires some self
-study, whether or not you choose to take a class, and as a result, you probably
need to buy a grammar book.
There are various choices, and the book you choose will depend on your current E
nglish level, so this list will not tell you which book is the best overall (in
my opinion)
SI-UK s IELTS preparation classes focus on the core skills of reading, writing, li
stening and speaking to ensure you reach your target IELTS score. Learn more abo
ut IELTS classes in London on the SI-UK website.
5. Basic English Grammar, B. Azar (Prentice Hall Regents)
This book is best for students who have problems with simple grammar, i.e. simple
present/past. It contains a lot of repeating, which is a really good way to lear
n. Many students feel that this book is too easy for them, but it is very common t
o meet students who are trying to study complex grammar without fully understand
ing basic grammar. In this situation I always recommend this book, which English
teachers usually just call Azar .
4. Grammar for IELTS, D. Hopkins, P. Cullens (Cambridge)
This is a book produced by Cambridge, who make the IELTS test, so you would thin
k that this would be the best for anyone planning to take this test.
Up to a point this is correct. This book is well put together, and also gives yo
u vocabulary that you will find useful in the test.
There is a lot of practice exercises with answers, so you can use this book for
self-study. However there is not as much variety as some of the other books, so
overall, you might need to use this book and another book!
3. Oxford Practice Grammar Advanced, G.Yule (Oxford)
This textbook is recommended for students who might be looking for a score above
7.
This is not a book for people that are just starting to learn English. If you fe
el that you have a pretty good understanding of basic and intermediate grammar,
this is the book for you.
It has a nice way of focussing on areas of English which are confusing to many l
earners. This is a book to use when you have completed an intermediate grammar b
ook.
2. Oxford Practice Grammar Intermediate, J.Eastwood (Oxford)

Oxford Practice Grammar covers a wide range of the most useful grammar, with eac
h form explained on one page, and with a page of exercises to help you practice.
This book is almost perfect except for one thing; as far as I can see, this book
doesn t have answers! This is a big problem for students who are studying without
a teacher.
1. English Grammar in Use, R.Murphy (Cambridge)
Teachers usually call this book
had a copy somewhere.

Murphy , and every school I have ever worked at has

Everyone who is studying English should probably buy a copy of this book at some
point.
Some of the grammar is too hard for basic level students, but the clear explanat
ions and logical exercises make it easy for you to locate the grammar you want t
o improve, and to go ahead and focus on that.
Some of the exercises require you to use your imagination, but all exercises hav
e suggested answers. This is not a book that you work through from the beginning
to the end, it is more like a reference book that you go to when realise that y
ou need to improve a certain part of English.
All of this combines to make this number one, as far as I am concerned.
So there you are, these are my recommendations for the most useful grammar books
. They are all great, and it wouldn t hurt to buy all of them.
Remember that the best way to improve grammar is with a good teacher. SI-UK can
help you find one, so if you live in one of the countries in which we operate, p
lease contact us today.
For a more in depth description of SI-UK s free services please click here.
Good Luck!