Making Sense: The Glamorous Story of English Grammar Hardcover – 5 Jan. 2017

Do not be deceived by the clarity and apparent simplicity of David Crystal's explanations of the complete range of grammar issues. This is a master class in University level linguistics delivered in straightforward and even entertaining language replete with crucial imaginative examples. The author's significant accomplishment is to cover all the bases in his tour of grammar issues. You do not just get an explanation of English grammar. You get coverage of child language acquisition as a contributory part of your explanation of how grammar works. Then you get a history of the writing of grammar and a history of the teaching of grammar to help you get over some of those unresolved confusions you might have picked up in your own education and thinking. An antidote to all the beefs, bugbears and tub-thumbing of the political market place of half-digested language ideas. A medicine for and against the Rees-Moggs of our times.

I’m a huge David Crystal fan and have all his books on language so I admit to being rather biased! This is not a grammar book in the usual sense of the word, but rather a discussion of the way language and grammar change over time. I’m not sure where the glamour comes in! Well worth reading and as informative as David’s books always are.

David Crystal managed to write in an accesssble way about grammar that leaves you feeling better informed and more able to make the destinction between authoritative and authoritarian approaches to answering your questions about grammar. Linguistic choice is about style and self expression. This is a book written by someine who understands the need to understand the impact if our chiices on the audience rather than ignoring the huge variety of linguistic choices available in favour of narrow prescriptivism. Great Book!

Absolutely love this book, have even bought it on audible. Grammar used to scare me, I'm more of a mathematician, but this book actually makes grammar make sense to me, there is a logical progression to our learning of it that I never knew was there. I love watching children have lightbulb moments and through reading this book I have had a major lightbulb moment of my own. Thank you Mr Crystal for finally making this 46 year old understand grammar.

Gave up less than half way through. The author is obviously well qualified but I would think, from the way he writes, rather pleased with himself. More a history of the way his child absorbed English than a treatise on English Grammar. Not for me.

Borrowed from Library, and enjoyed the story of how a baby comes to speak, and how it is built up. Easy to read style.

Well received by granddaughter

Very accessible treatment of English grammar.