Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge Advanced and Proficiency by Richard Side and Guy Wellman, published by Longman (Pearson), is a classic practice book for learners preparing for the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) and C2 Proficiency (CPE) exams.
Who Is It For?
- Advanced learners (C1–C2) preparing for Cambridge exams.
- Very advanced students who want to polish their accuracy and range.
How It Is Organised
Each unit pairs a grammar area with a vocabulary topic. Grammar explanations are followed by practice exercises, and vocabulary sections cover collocations, idioms, phrasal verbs and word formation. The “with key” edition includes answers.
Strengths
- Challenging exercises that stretch advanced learners.
- Rich vocabulary sections.
- Covers two exam levels in one book.
Limitations
- Older book; exam tasks may not match the current exam format exactly.
- Dense layout with less visual support.
Verdict
Still a valuable source of high-level grammar and vocabulary practice. Use it with up-to-date official practice tests. For a more recent C1 book, see Grammar and Vocabulary for Advanced.
