342 Part VI: The Part of Tens
One of the most popular grammar reference books for EFL is Practical English
Usage written by Michael Swan and published by Oxford University Press. All
of the trickier grammar areas are there from intermediate to advanced level.
The book contains examples of what you can say and of what you cannot say
as well. This very well laid out publication is well worth the investment. As
a matter of fact, this is a book which you can even recommend to your more
advanced students.
A book with grammar lessons
to save the day
Ok, so you know what that tense is called, the form and the function, but you
are still a little clueless about what to actually do with it in the classroom.
Teaching Tenses: Ideas for Presenting and Practising Tenses in English written
by Rosemary Aitken and published by ELB Publishing/ ABAX Ltd is a great
book with ideas, explanations, timelines and photocopiable illustrations
which you can use time and again. You basically get entire lessons which
present and practise the tenses in a practical, thorough and enjoyable way. In
addition to this, you get superb examples of what a good lesson consists of.
If you have more room, try these other books too:
✓ For pronunciation practice drills and comparisons, pick up Ship or Sheep
written by Ann Baker and published by Cambridge University Press,
along with English Pronunciation Illustrated written by John Trim and
published by Cambridge University Press. This second book also offers
thorough practice but has particularly amusing cartoons to make your
students smile.
✓ The photocopiable ELT Games and Activities series published by
Longman are spiral bound teachers’ books for practising language skills
in a fun and engaging way. Included in the series are the Communication
Games books for different levels. Written by Jill Hadfield, they’re a staple
for EFL schools around the world.
Looking It Up! Making
Use of the Dictionary
Some great learners’ dictionaries out there offer more than just definitions.
