Basic Grammar in Use With answers, with Audio CD: Self-study Reference and Practice for Students of English (Grammar in Use)

Raymond Murphy's books are ubiquitous, and rightly so. Murphy is something of an institution, and his books must be about the best selling of their kind globally. I have used them for years.

"Basic Grammar in Use" covers pretty much the Elementary and Pre-Intermediate levels, though there are some useful units that could be used at slightly higher levels. The explanations are simple and accessible, and the exercises provided are pretty straight forward.

The only quibble I would have is the lack of contextual exercises in Murphy's books. It would be nice to see some more text-level exercises for students to practice using the forms in a wider context than sentences.

Apart from that, this is still excellent value for money for teachers and students alike.

I've used this book (in its previous editions) for years in many different kinds of classrooms. It not only helps students review material studied in class, but helps me maintain my focus and remember the many details involved with teaching grammar effectively. It is organized in a logical way and its illustrations are wonderfully clear and entertaining. It is concise, but includes many details that help "round out" a student's understanding of grammar use. Its appendices, including regular and irregular verb forms and spelling rules, are excellent.

The only difficulty I have had with this book is its limited applicability in ESL classes where students have fewer literacy skills. The book is densely written (one page gives examples of the grammar point or points, and the facing page contains varying practice exercises) and therefore can be intimidating or simply too dependent on strong reading and writing skills to be beneficial to students whose educational backgrounds have been substantially interrupted or limited. The type is small and tightly spaced, which may be a concern in teaching younger students or those who, though older, haven't acquired the reading or writing skills necessary to benefit from such a text.

All in all, this book is definitely worth the price.