Page 192 - Perfect English Grammar: The Indispensable Guide to Excellent Writing and Speaking

FURTHER READING

Dictionaries

Above all, you should have access to at least one good dictionary. Two would be
ideal, as each dictionary has its own strengths.

For American users, I recommend the American Heritage Dictionary of the

English Language, which has very good etymologies and usage notes, and any
Merriam-Webster dictionary, especially Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate

Dictionary, which is great for college students in particular. Be sure it’s
“Merriam-Webster,” and not just “Webster,” as the name “Webster” alone is no

longer trademarked and can be used by anyone who makes a dictionary.

■ American Heritage: ahdictionary.com
■ Merriam-Webster: merriam-webster.com

For users in the rest of the world, I recommend dictionaries by Oxford
University Press, Cambridge University Press, or Collins. Each of these British

publishers has a very strong line of learner’s dictionaries, which are written with
solid sample sentences, good explanations of grammatical issues, and simple

defining vocabulary.

■ Oxford Dictionaries online does not include the famed Oxford English

Dictionary, but it is still quite good: oxforddictionaries.com
■ Cambridge English Dictionary and Thesaurus combines three dictionaries:

dictionary.cambridge.org
■ Collins: collinsdictionary.com