This best-selling comprehensive descriptive grammar forms a complete course. Divided into 12 self-contained chapters based around language functions, each chapter is divided into units of class-length material. Key features include numerous authentic texts from a wide range of sources, both spoken and written, which exemplify the grammatical description. Clear chapter and module summaries enable efficient class preparation and student revision. Extensive exercises with a comprehensive answer key. This new edition has been thoroughly updated with new texts, a more user-friendly layout, more American English examples and a companion website, providing extra tasks, a glossary and a teachers' guide.