Title: Grammar Dimensions 4

Authors: Diane Larsen-Freeman, Jan Frodesen, Janet Eyring

Publisher: Heinle

Focus: Academic

Skills: Grammar

Level: Advanced

Why you should care what I have to say about Grammar books:How do I say this without sounding neurotic? I love grammar. It speaks to the part of me that needs mathematical resolution. Grammar is mysterious and cavernous, and only the true seekers discover it’s chaotic logic. Of my five years of teaching grammar, I’ve taught Advanced Grammar for four of them. It’s my gig. And I’ll be honest: almost every semester, we have an absolute blast in Advanced Grammar. Part of it, I honestly owe to Grammar Dimensions 4 for laying out easy-to-follow grammar guidelines. Another part is owed to those times when we’ve left the page and jumped into projects, discussion, and hilarity. Most of all, I owe it to my students who have pushed me to know to answer the unanswerable questions like, “Why can’t I use ‘the’ here?”

Why I use this text: I use it because it provides all the instruction my class needs without weighing itself down with redundancy. I have a feeling that the authors had practicality and not lecture in mind when they designed this book. I value that. Some Grammar books pile rule on top of rule, noting every exception, and citing every loophole. Grammar Dimensions 4 doesn’t do that. It focuses on sweeping concepts, while noting the practical details that a second language learner would want to take note of. That’s not to say that GD4 isn’t comprehensive. It is. Its chapters are replete with knowledge. I guess my point is that it doesn’t read like a grammar dictionary.

I like the colorful photos, relevant activities, and optional exercises. My students like how its 512 pages cover many of the topics they’ve had nagging their brains for years.

Why I wouldn’t: While there are a few annoyances that come to bug me every semester, I’m not ready to drop GD4 any time soon. Having said that, I would like to see more reading passages and a/v clips included that demonstrate the grammar in usage.

Final thoughts: Grammar Dimensions 4 and I are like an old married couple at this point. I know how to cover over its weaknesses, and when to let it shine.