Course Book Recommendations

My Favourite Course Books For English Fluency

This page includes affiliate links and I may get commission for any purchases made.

These recommendations are based solely on my personal opinions and experiences. 


My Favourite For Vocabulary:

"English Vocabulary In Use" by Michael McCarthy and Felicity O'Dell

This is a great book both for teaching and self-study. There are practical tips for learning vocabulary, followed by a detailed selection of vocabulary split into different, easy to identify topics. The explanations are clear, and are followed by extensive practice exercises. 

You will also find chapters dedicated to idioms, phrasal verbs, word formation and many more!

My Favourite For Grammar:

"English Grammar In Use" By Raymond Murphy

Another great Cambridge learning book that has similar, impressive features to its' vocabulary counterpart. 

The explanations are clear and the format is easy to use, which makes it the perfect option for self-study. 

This book is a good option both for learning new grammar, and as a review after a long break. It is split into sections focusing on different areas of grammar so it is not necessary to work through it page by page, as you have the option to pick and choose which areas you'd like to focus on. 

It is made for higher level learners, so there is no worry of spending a lot of time re-learning grammar that you already know. 

My Favourites For Speaking:

"Taboos And Issues" By Richard MacAndrew and Ron Martinez

As stated on the front, this book is aimed at, and best suited to classroom use, however that doesn't mean that it can't be adapted to self-study as well. 

While it is a great tool for teaching discussion-based lessons, there are definitely some parts that could be useful to work on alone. 

As this is a recommendation for speaking, this aspect is obviously best practised with another person, so this could be the first option - using the topics in this book to start a discussion with fellow English learners. The second option for self-study, could be the additional vocabulary and grammar exercises in the book that accompany each text. 


"Instant Discussions" By Richard MacAndrew

This book is very similar to the previous one, and follows pretty much the same format. 

However, there are some slight differences, and the topics are not the same, so if you enjoyed "Taboos and Issues" it's a great one to try (and vice versa!).


And Not Forgetting...

My own eBook, "How to Master Advanced English Vocabulary"

This comprehensive eBook will explain WHY you are having problems learning advanced vocabulary and give you clear steps of HOW to fix them!

It includes:

  • Detailed solutions to common problems with learning vocabulary.
  • 8 specialized exercises to teach you 11 new phrasal verbs.
  • Printable activities to review these phrasal verbs.
  • Actionable tips to remember new vocabulary.
  • A study plan to help organize your vocabulary learning.
  • An explanation of different types of phrasal verb.
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