An understanding of grammar enables us to see how language works and how to use it in the right ways. This clear, succinct and up-to-date dictionary, which covers virtually every significant grammatical term, is ideal for teachers, students and anyone who wants to write correctly (without sounding old-fashioned or fussily pedantic). Gives crisp, practical definitions of all the central concepts and their application- from abbreviation, abstract nounand adverbto verb, word orderand yes-no question Offers authoritative guidance through the minefield of more technical terms (and those mainly applicable to other languages)- accusative, attraction, backshift, common gender, dummy Provides extensive coverage of recent innovations and the ideas introduced by leading scholars such as Noam Chomsky and Randolph Quirk- complement clause, noun phrase, subject raising Includes lively examples of current usage