If you ask anyone who has ever studied English which textbook they used to learn grammar, 9 out of 10 will answer you that it is Raymond Murphy. I knew Murphy myself when I was a schoolgirl more than 13 years ago. Now this textbook is still one of the main tools for teaching English to children and adults in my library.
So what makes Raymond Murphy's English Grammar in Use so legendary?
Firstly, the textbook format is perfect for both classroom classes and self-study. Each textbook consists of 100 - 130 units with detailed descriptions and exercises to reinforce the material.
This is exactly how the author offers his grammar lessons. All the left pages contain rules and examples, and the right pages contain exercises. I really like the way the author approaches the presentation of the rules. He first shows everything using an example from real life, compares, and only then explains the rule itself.
Secondly, Murphy's Grammar is a wonderful reference book. If you need to remember this or that rule, you can easily find the information you need in a matter of seconds. Many applications at the end of the textbook cover almost all grammatical material of the English language. 
Within one textbook, units are grouped into groups: Present and Past, Future, Modals, Passive, Question, etc. This means that you will move from simple to complex in a consistent manner and will be able to practice different aspects of the same grammatical category, such as Present Simple or Passive Voice.
However, it should be noted that an important drawback of Murphy's textbooks is the presence of a small number of exercises for both simple and complex topics. Thus, it is not always possible to practice the material covered; you have to turn to additional collections of exercises, for example.
Despite the lack of exercises, I can say that the grammatical material is provided in the amount necessary for fluent communication in the language and understanding most of what is said and read. Moreover, in my opinion, “English Grammar in Use” is suitable for. Overall, a very good book, tested by time and more than one generation of students.
You can buy Murphy's grammar in the online store My-Shop.ru or Labyrinth:
You can download the books English Grammar in Use from R. Murphy in PDF using the following links:
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Hello my dear readers.
What is it and who is it suitable for?
This, as I already noted, is a grammar textbook that is suitable for beginners. And it will bring maximum benefit to beginners.
It consists of two parts, each of which corresponds to a certain level of language proficiency. Popularly these two parts are called red murphy - for lower possession, and blue murphy- for higher ones (that is, for those who already have a base).
Pros, cons and my personal conclusion
I am sure that reviews are the basis on which a buyer's choice is built. That’s why I want to give you my professional review, and also tell you about the pros and cons. Let's start with the pros:
- Good structure.
It was built very conveniently. Each spread is a combination of theory and exercises, and each new lesson covers a small topic.
- The perfect knowledge base.
I am confident that this book, like no other, will form the basis for further study. After it, you will be able to move to another level with absolute confidence in your knowledge.
Minuses, of course, everyone searches for themselves. And I'm sure it will be quite difficult to find them. Some people are not satisfied that the theory of the lesson is broken down into its component parts, some lack additional vocabulary, and for others it is simply “passing through” on the way to other, more complex ones.
However, my review will be quite brief: if you are just starting to study grammar and want to finally understand it, this is an ideal solution for self-study, or for classes. If you are not quite a beginner in learning a language, but also far from a professional, you can try something from what I did.
Where can I buy?
Of course, you can download it online and practice it for free. But personally, I always recommend buying it. So, it will always be at your fingertips, and I am still sure that learning from purchased books is much more effective. You can buy the manual either in bookstores or at Ozon.ru or Labirint.ru . (these are my favorite stores where buying books is very profitable!)
Finally, my dears, I would like to say, whatever you choose, remember that the most important thing is regularly keep busy and don’t “throw away” on other options. Don't forget that I update the blog content regularly. Subscribe to the newsletter and be the first to know about it.
This textbook is one of the ten best in the world for learning English.
Self-instruction manual with exercises and keys for beginners ( elementary) and middle level ( intermediate) students. Has already ! Video lessons for the textbook can be found on my YouTube channel english100ru> To quickly find the desired topic or unit, use the Contents page or search the site. It doesn't matter which edition of the textbook you use. Find topics by chapter titles ( Units), they do not change (only new ones are added). You can check out
The continuation of this tutorial was "Murphy Blue"
English Grammar in Use> by Raymond Murphy (Raymond Murphy) for more advanced students ( intermediate). Raymond Murphy himself was an American, a teacher of English as a foreign language. Then he went to Germany, where he continued to teach English to Germans. There this textbook was born, based on American practicality and German quality, which brought Raymond Murphy worldwide fame.
One day I received a letter from Canada from a married couple who were my former students. They said that they were taking English courses for newcomers(those who recently moved to Canada for permanent residence) using various materials, including this textbook.
Has already . At the moment (2017), the 4th edition is being sold online, well structured, color and almost without typos. There are editions with and without keys.
The textbook contains a very careful and practical selection of vocabulary (words). Everything you need, within the “1st thousand”.
This is a beginner level, the basics of English grammar. Everything in the book is in English, so it’s hardly possible to start learning the language from “0” on your own. This site was created to help you start learning English on your own.
The explanations are brief, without “water”, and sometimes sketchy. Lots of pictures. The continuation of this textbook is Murphy's Blue, for intermediate students. The logic is the same, but the vocabulary and grammar are given much deeper.
Preface to Raymond Murphy's book "Essential Grammar in Use" (short translation):
For a student (working independently):
...Don't study all the chapters from beginning to end. It is better to select the chapters that you need, where you have problems. Use the book like this:
— Browse the table of contents and select the desired chapter
- Study the left side (the theory is there)
- Do exercises on the right
— Check the result in the keys
- If necessary, repeat the theory again
To the teacher:
- this is primarily a grammar, and not a book like a generally accepted English textbook
- this is a book for beginners, but not a complete “0” (and does not cover all the grammar)
- combines reference book and exercises
- can be used as a tutorial or as additional material
Book structure:
— 107 chapters ( units) independent of each other
— 6 add-ons ( appendix)
- keys to exercises ( keys)
Level:
- for beginners (elementary) students, and can also be used by intermediate-level students whose grammar is “lame”. Explanations are as simple and short as possible with illustrations
— the vocabulary in the book is strictly limited (the first thousand words)
How to use the book:
- can be used for independent study, as well as additional material for any course
- can be used as a basic reference book
— when used in courses, it can be used to instantly consolidate the material covered or further return to covered topics and work on mistakes.
— you can use the left side of the book for explanations in class, but remember, the book is more suitable for independent study and as a reference.
- in most cases, the teacher is recommended to independently explain the material, give exercises, and then use the left side as a reference when checking the house. tasks.
— it would be good for the teacher to use the book to review what has been covered and for students to independently work on mistakes in the relevant chapters ( units).
There is hardly a person among students of English who has not heard the name of the author of the books - Raymond Murphy. The Red Textbook is a reference book for both teachers and students around the world. For more than 30 years, it has been the leader in sales among grammar textbooks. The textbooks in question are part of the English In Use series by Raymond Murphy (pictured below left) and other authors, published by the University of Cambridge.
History of textbooks
Raymond Murphy is an American who taught English in Germany. Over time, his experience working with foreign students allowed him to create a textbook that could be used all over the world. In total, the course has 3 textbooks - red for beginners (Elementary Grammar in Use), blue (Intermediate Grammar in Use) and green (Advanced Grammar in Use). Below we will consider what each of the textbooks includes and how to study them independently in order to achieve positive results.
Before considering the features of each of the books, it is worth noting their common features - they all consist of lessons (unit), including one or more grammar topics on two pages (one - theory, the other - practice), applications and keys to exercises for testing . The completed theory can be fixed directly in the book and it is advisable to keep notes in pencil in order to correct errors during testing or in the future when repeating there are no ready-made answers to tasks.
All textbooks are written in English, but work is underway on a Russian version of the publications, which will explain in detail aspects of the foreign language that are particularly difficult for students.
Red
The textbook "Raymond Murphy. Elementary Grammar in Practice" consists of 107 lessons, 6 applications, additional exercises and keys to all tasks. This textbook is recommended for those students who can read English, have just started learning the language, or have been studying for a long time, but there are topics in which there are still unclear aspects. Only the most necessary grammar for mastering the basic level is discussed here. The structure of the textbook allows you to go through topics both step by step and selectively, as there are links to related topics. The textbook includes audio with voiceovers of examples from the theoretical part of the lessons. At the end of the book there is a self-test - a questionnaire that includes all the course topics from the textbook, which allows you to identify sections of grammar that are poorly studied and need to be repeated.
The appendices cover topics such as:
- Irregular Verbs;
- phrasal verbs;
- spelling (letter-by-letter pronunciation of a word);
- short forms of verbs.
This textbook is suitable for those whose language level corresponds to A1, A2 and B1 on the European Framework of Reference for Languages scale.
Blue
The next textbook in the series, authored by Raymond Murphy, is a manual with a blue cover, which includes 147 lessons, 7 appendices, including additional material with grammar tables (a complete table of irregular verbs, differences between American and British versions of the language), self-test exercises and answers to assignments. This edition includes an additional textbook with exercises (English Grammar in Use. Supplementary exercises) and a disc with voice-overs of examples from units.
It is suitable for those who want to know the language at level B1 and B2.
Green
Another textbook is practical grammar for advanced level. It was not written by Raymond Murphy, but by Martin Hevings. But due to the fact that it complements the line of textbooks "Raymond Murphy. English Grammar in Use" it is called the "green Murphy". This is the latest edition in the line and is a kind of Everest, which many students, even if they want to, cannot conquer for many reasons, one of which is complexity. It consists of 100 units. Unlike the two previous books, the features and subtleties of using English grammar are discussed here. There is no additional book with exercises for this textbook, but there is a disk.
This textbook is an excellent choice for those who want to know English at the level of native speakers C1 and C2. The course of this textbook will help you pass international exams - TOEFL and IELTS.
Each of the courses presented in the textbooks requires systematic training at least three times a week for 60 minutes. This approach will allow you to achieve positive results and test them in practice. The In Use series involves self-study, and if during the learning process a student has problems understanding the material presented, then you can use video lessons from English teachers that are freely available on the Internet or ask friends who are native speakers for help.