Azar, B., & Hagen, S. (2011). Fundamentals of English grammar with audio CDs and answer key (4th ed.). White Plains, NY: Pearson ESL. 474 pp.

The newest edition of my favorite grammar book does not disappoint. The fourth edition of Fundamentals of English Grammar has several new features that will help it maintain its status as a favorite text for both classroom and individual use by intermediate students. The fourth edition is the most complete edition yet, as it addresses all of the skills necessary for a comprehensive four-skill course.

More attention is paid in this edition to speaking, which is addressed in several types of pair work and group work activities. These range from simple exercises, in which each member of the pair asks the other basic questions focusing on specific grammar points, to more complex discussions, in which students have the opportunity to express their feelings and opinions.

Another welcome addition to this edition is the listening practice. The audio CD, along with the tape scripts at the back of the book, allows students studying on their own to hear English spoken with several different accents. The audio program is incorporated into the text in several ways. The CD can be used as a model for reading aloud, as a model for pair work activities, and also for cloze exercises. There are even exercises focusing on pronunciation of reduced forms, something that almost all students need extra practice with.

A further change is the inclusion of readings. The readings are mostly entertaining and informative nonfictional tidbits, which provide contextualization for the exercises. This contextualization is, unfortunately, badly needed. There are still many exercises that are just lists of unrelated sentences. The readings are followed by varied comprehension activities, including true/false statements, questions, and discussions.

The fourth new component of this book is the writing activities. The inclusion of models before each writing task aids students working on their own. The choice of topics allows for personalization, which further engages the students.

In addition to a more complete treatment of the four skills, another new feature of this edition is the warm-up exercise before each chart. In the introduction, it states that these were designed to help students discover the grammar in the chart. In some cases, these exercises do just that; however, other times the warm-ups seem to merely test students’ previous knowledge of the rules presented in the chart without any guidance that would help them discover those rules.

New color illustrations add visual interest to this edition. Often, the illustrations are an integral part of the exercises, providing more variety and addressing the needs of learners of various learning styles. Even the inside cover has become a resource for students with a chart of common irregular verbs in both the front and back of the book.

Of course, although there are many new features in this edition, many of the favorite components have not been forgotten. The grammar charts, which so clearly illustrate many grammar points, still form the backbone of this text. The clear explanations and accompanying examples in these charts are the main reasons this book has been a best-seller for almost 30 years. In addition, as in previous editions, the exercises progress from simple practice tasks to more open production activities. The supplementary grammar charts in the appendix continue to be a useful resource for both teachers and students.

The wide variety of supplemental material available, such as the Workbook and Teacher’s Guide and Test Bank, makes this book an excellent choice for individual study, and as a supplemental or even primary text for classroom use.

Deborah Goldman holds an MATEFL and is currently a program coordinator with Intercambio Uniting Communities in Longmont, Colorado.