The English language, like all languages is full of problems for the foreign learner. Some of these problems are easy to explain some others are more complicated and cause difficulties even to advanced students. However, the common problems of the English language structure have to be overcome by all students who need to learn the mechanics of the language to complete their studies effectively and successfully.

This piece of work is an attempt to help learners, at various levels, grasp the fundamental areas of grammar and revise certain structures that they constantly have difficulty in mastering. Most of the issues treated, therefore, are grammatical but there are also explanations of some vocabulary problems i.e. fairly-rather, in time-on time, special(ly)-especial(ly) etc.

I have tried to make the presentations of each unit as comprehensible and concise as possible. Each entry contains an explanation of a structure/form, examples of correct usage, and exercises on the structure/form. All the exercises are the result of much practical experience with various classes of teenage and adult students; they have been tried and tested and have been found practicable.

The lay out of the work has formed itself in this way after many years of my teaching students of all levels, observing their difficulties in certain linguistic areas, and recording the most effective way a grammatical rule could be best assimilated and remembered.

My experience from training teachers of English how to teach, and preparing students at the British Council to take the Cambridge University exams has also contributed to the choice and treatment of some of the material here.

I hope it will prove useful and helpful to many other students of English.