Guide to the Use of the Grammar

The Collins Cobuild English Grammar is designed to be used both for quick reference and for study in depth. For example, the use of the word 'before' with specific tenses is dealt with in Chapter 5, and the differences in meaning between 'may' and 'might' are dealt with in Chapter 6. The book can also be used more broadly, to find out, for example, a great deal about the behaviour of adjectives (Chapter 2) or the transitivity of clauses (Chapter 3).

In order for you to use it as efficiently and effectively as possible, we have included a number of different ways to help you find the information you are looking for.

Organization of the main text

The main text of the Grammar is divided into ten Chapters. The first two Chapters deal with the noun group, Chapters 3, 4, and 5 with the verb group, Chapter 6 with adverbs and prepositions, Chapter 7 with reporting, Chapter 8 with joining clauses and sentences, and Chapters 9 and 10 with continuous text. The Cobuild Grammar Chart on pages xxiv-xxv shows the main subdivisions of the text, and the different word classes dealt with in each Chapter.

Each Chapter consists of a series of main topics and each topic is divided into sections. The section headings are repeated at the top of the appropriate right hand pages, so that it is easy to find the sections. Each individual paragraph in the Chapter is numbered, so that Chapter 1 runs from 1.1 to 1.236, Chapter 2 from 2.1 to 2.320 and so on.

This numbering system makes it easy for the user to refer to different but related points. There are cross-references throughout the text, either pointing to the main place where a topic is dealt with or to another paragraph where more information is given.

Most paragraphs also have a heading in a column on the left of the main text, saying in three or four words what the paragraph dealt with, especially which grammatical structure is being explained. Those paragraphs that do not have a Left Column heading either summarize information which is about to be given in more detail, as is usually the case immediately after a section heading, or they continue the subject matter of the last Left Column heading. For example, in Chapter 1 paragraph 1.119 has a Left Column heading which says 'mass nouns'. Paragraphs 1.120 and 1.121 do not have a Left Column heading because they are still explaining mass nouns.

Some Left Column headings do not show specifically what the paragraph deals with, but indicate information of a rather different kind. The headings are 'Warning', 'Usage Note', and 'Productive Feature'.

'Warning' highlights points where we know that people often have problems with a particular grammatical feature of English, because it is different from what you would expect, for example because it is a feature where English is different from many other languages.

'Usage Note' gives information about the use of individual words or small groups of words. This information is important but cannot be generalized into a grammatical rule. The Usage Notes will therefore help you to distinguish those features which are relevant for the understating of particular words from those features which are relevant to large number of words.

'Productive Feature' indicates that the rule that has been mentioned can be applied quite freely in English to a very large number of words. For example, it is nearly always possible to make the present participle of a verb into an adjective used in front of a noun. This is therefore labelled 'Productive Feature' in the Left Column. By taking note of these features, you can use the rules that have been presented in a creative and original manner, giving you greater freedom of expression in English. Productive Features are explained in greater detail in the Introduction.

Most of the grammatical statements that are made are followed by examples showing the structure in use. These examples are all taken from the Cobuild collections of texts, and show how the structures have been used naturally in speech or writing. The examples therefore give important information about the typical use of a structure, the words it is frequently used with, and the contexts in which it is likely lo occur. More information about the examples and how they can be used will be found in the Note on Examples on page x.

Wherever appropriate, grammatical statements in this book are followed by lists of the words which typically exemplify that grammatical point. For example, in Chapter 3 we say that many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive with the same meaning. This statement is followed by a list of verbs that are frequently used in this way.

The lists should help to increase awareness of the use of English, going beyond the actual examples given to other words which behave in similar ways. They show whether the point being made is relevant to a small number or a large number of words. If the word class is small, then all members of it are given. If it is large, then the most frequently used members are given.

These lists can be used to help you increase your vocabulary and to check that you are using newly-learned English words correctly. There is also a book of Cobuild Grammar Exercises, in which the lists are used as the basis of many exercises, for those students who want more practice in a particular area of grammar.

Additional contents

In addition to the main text, there are various other sections which are included to help you to get the most out of this Grammar. These additional sections are described below.