Page headings and numbered subsections indicate at every point what features of the language are being discussed Users can make their own connexions through the extensive cross-referencing system, or they can find what they want in the detailed index
Ease of use
Attempting to write a grammar that is up-to-date, accurate and readable is one thing, making a book out of the material is quite another Through careful presentation and design, we have tried to create a work that will be a pleasure to use We also hope that it will prove to be a reliable and indispensable companion to anyone interested in the English language
VIII
Pronunciation and spelling table
consonants | vowels |
key other common | key other common |
word spellings | word spellings |
p pen happy | i: sheep field team key scene |
b back rubber | amoeba |
t tea butter walked doubt | i ship savage guilt system |
d day ladder called could | women |
k key cool soccer lock | e bed any said bread bury friend |
school cheque | æ bad plaid laugh (AmE) |
g get bigger ghost | calf (AmE) |
tf cheer match nature question cello d3 jump age edge soldier gradual f fat coffee cough physics | a: father calm heart laugh (BrE) bother (AmE) о pot watch cough (BrE) |
half | laurel (BrE) |
v view of navy | э: caught ball board draw four |
и thing 5 then s soon city psychology mess | floor cough (AmE) и put wood wolf could |
scene listen | u: boot move shoe group |
z zero was dazzle | flew blue rude |
example (/gz/) | л cut some blood does |
J* fishing sure station tension vicious chevron | э: bird burn fern worm earn |
3 pleasure vision rouge | journal |
h hot whole | э cupboard the colour actor |
m sum hammer calm bomb | nation danger asleep |
n sun funny know gnaw rj sung sink | ei make pray prey steak vein |
l led balloon battle | |
r red marry wriggle rhubarb | эи note soap soul grow sew toe |
j yet onion use new Europe | a\ bite pie buy try guide sigh |
w wet one when queen (/kw/) | au now spout plough |
x loch | oi boy poison lawyer |
is here beer weir appear fierce | |
ЕЭ there hair bear bare their prayer | |
иэ poor tour sure | |
ei3 player | |
эиэ lower | |
ai3 tire | |
аиэ tower | |
oi3 employer |
from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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Symbols and conventions
AmE | American English |
BrE | British English |
Not * * | likely student error |
zero article | |
() | optional element |
/ / | phonetic transcription |
[> ] | cross-reference |
[> App] | Appendix reference |
D | definition of technical terms (used only in the index) |
' (as in 'progress) | stress mark |
1 The sentence
Sentence word order