A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language by Randolph Quirk, Sidney Greenbaum, Geoffrey Leech and Jan Svartvik was published by Longman in 1985. Running to well over 1,700 pages, it became one of the standard reference grammars of English for decades and is often simply called “Quirk”.
What It Covers
The book describes the grammar of contemporary English in great detail, from word classes and verb phrases to complex sentences, information structure and the grammar of written and spoken texts. It covers both British and American English and notes differences between formal and informal usage.
Who Should Use It?
- University students of English language and linguistics.
- Researchers and authors of teaching materials.
- Teachers who want to understand a grammar point in depth.
Strengths
- Extremely detailed, with a very full index.
- Its terminology influenced many later textbooks, so it connects well with other materials.
- Strong on style and register.
Limitations
- Published in 1985, so some examples feel dated.
- Dense and academic; not designed for learners.
- Large and expensive; often easier to use in a library.
Shorter Versions
The same tradition produced more compact books, such as A Student’s Grammar of the English Language by Greenbaum and Quirk, which is more practical for students.
Verdict
A classic for academic study. For a more modern, corpus-based view, see the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English or The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. For everyday questions, Practical English Usage is far easier.
