Geoffrey Leech Books

This accessible introduction to grammar includes points presented in an alphabetical format

This is a reference grammar for teachers and learners of English. The material in the book is presented alphabetically in a dictionary-like format. It contains over 600 entries, which are of three kinds: common words which have a grammatical function, such as more, the, what, do, by, can; terms used in talking about grammar, such as indirect object, pronoun, tag question; and language areas not normally included in a grammar, for example, greetings, introductions, punctuations, letter writing.

Geoffrey Leech stresses the contribution of semantics to the understanding of practical problems of communication and concept-manipulation in modern society.

A Communicative Grammar of English by Geoffrey Leech and Jan Svartivik - 1978 First Edition Second Printing

This well-established standard textbook deals with areas of the English language which are well-known 'trouble spots' for the foreign learner: tense, progressive and perfect aspects, mood and the modal auxiliaries.

This is an advanced grammar reference. It combines explanations of English grammar with information on how, when and why we use different structures. It shows the differences between spoken and written grammar and includes frequency information of the most common forms.

This is the fully revised and expanded second edition of English - One Tongue, Many Voices, a book by three internationally distinguished English language scholars who tell the fascinating, improbable saga of English in time and space. Chapters trace the history of the language from its obscure beginnings over 1500 years ago as a collection of dialects spoken by marauding, illiterate tribes. They show how the geographical spread of the language in its increasing diversity has made English into an international language of unprecedented range and variety. The authors examine the present state of English as a global language and the problems, pressures and uncertainties of its future, online and offline. They argue that, in spite of the amazing variety and plurality of English, it remains a single language.

Focusing on the interplay between linguistics and rhetoric, the book introduces a rhetorical model of pragmatics that emphasizes communicative goals and effective communication principles. Geoffrey Leech advocates for a comprehensive theory of language use, exploring elements such as politeness, irony, and social interaction. By integrating abstract language systems with practical communication strategies, the work seeks to enhance understanding of linguistic behavior in social contexts.