Cambridge Essential Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy is one of the most popular grammar books for beginners. Many students in Bangladesh buy it to strengthen their basics for school exams, spoken English and later tests like IELTS.
But is it the right book for a Bangladeshi student following the NCTB curriculum? This guide explains how the book fits with school grammar, which units help most with common local mistakes, and a 30-day starter plan.
How It Fits With School Grammar
School grammar in Bangladesh focuses on exam tasks such as right form of verbs, voice change, narration and transformation of sentences. Essential Grammar in Use does not teach these exam formats directly. Instead, it builds the understanding behind them: tenses, questions, articles and prepositions.
Think of it as the foundation, and your textbook and past papers as exam practice.
Units That Fix Common Mistakes
| Common mistake | Topic to study |
|---|---|
| He go to school. | Present simple (he/she/it + -s) |
| I am knowing him. | Present simple vs continuous |
| I have gone there yesterday. | Present perfect vs past simple |
| She is teacher. | a/an and the |
| in Monday / on 2020 | Prepositions of time |
| Where you are going? | Question word order |
For more examples, see our list of common English grammar mistakes.
A 30-Day Starter Plan
- Days 1–7: be, present continuous, present simple, questions and negatives.
- Days 8–14: past simple, irregular verbs, was/were.
- Days 15–21: present perfect basics, future forms, can/must/should.
- Days 22–28: articles, plurals, countable/uncountable nouns, prepositions.
- Days 29–30: redo exercises you got wrong.
Spend 20–30 minutes a day. Write the answers in a notebook so you can repeat them later.
Tips for Getting the Most From It
- Buy an original copy; photocopies and PDFs often miss pages or answers.
- Choose the “with answers” edition for self-study.
- Study with a friend and test each other.
- Link each unit to your school textbook topic.
What Next?
Read our full Essential Grammar in Use review. When the book feels easy, compare levels in Essential vs English Grammar in Use.
Free Practice
Add free practice from the British Council’s LearnEnglish grammar lessons, Purdue OWL’s grammar exercises and its grammar guide.
Final Thoughts
Cambridge Essential Grammar in Use is an excellent foundation book for Bangladeshi students. It does not replace your textbook, but it makes school grammar much easier to understand. Follow a steady plan, and your basic mistakes will start to disappear.
